Almanac Rugby League – 1989 Grand Final: Dreams and Nightmares

The year 1989 didn’t just feature an epic AFL Grand Final. The NRL also staged a classic for the ages, between Balmain and Canberra. Tim Johnson thinks this game deserves more attention than it has subsequently received. And with Canberra back in this year’s Grand Final, there just may be a pertinent lesson or two.

Almanac Rugby League – Tigers fans have ’89

Guy Ragen reflects on the (now defunct) Balmain Tigers agonising loss in the 1989 NRL Grand Final. Why does that game matter so much, and what did it tell us about our changing times? [Terrific example of trying to understand sport in its broader social context – Ed]