The 1982–83 John Player Trophy was a British rugby league knockout tournament sponsored by John Player & Sons. It was the 12th season that the competition was held.

Wigan claimed the trophy by beating Leeds by the score of 22-11 in the final played at Elland Road, Leeds, West Yorkshire. The attendance was 19,553 and receipts were £49,027.

Background

This season saw no changes in the entrants, no new members and no withdrawals, the number remaining at thirty-three. The preliminary round of one match remained

Competition and results

Preliminary round

Involved 1 matches and 2 Clubs

Game NoFixture DateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttRecNotesRef
Sun 21 Nov 1982Huyton9-19Workington TownAlt Park, Huyton240

Round 1 - First Round

Involved 16 matches and 32 Clubs

Game NoFixture DateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttRecNotesRef
1Sat 27 Nov 1982St. Helens17-5FulhamKnowsley Road2365
2Sun 5 Dec 1982Blackpool Borough6-5BatleyBorough Park592
3Sun 5 Dec 1982Cardiff City7-11Rochdale HornetsNinian Park620
4Sun 5 Dec 1982Carlisle26-17DoncasterBrunton Park1413
5Sun 5 Dec 1982Castleford10-16WiganWheldon Road5422
6Sun 5 Dec 1982Dewsbury11-28BarrowCrown Flatt866
7Sun 5 Dec 1982Featherstone Rovers14-18Hull F.C.Post Office Road4005
8Sun 5 Dec 1982Hull Kingston Rovers42-3WhitehavenCraven Park (1)5929
9Sun 5 Dec 1982Keighley0-18Bradford NorthernLawkholme Lane4278
10Sun 5 Dec 1982Leeds17-7BramleyHeadingley4085
11Sun 5 Dec 1982Leigh13-12OldhamHilton Park5780
12Sun 5 Dec 1982Salford23-11HunsletThe Willows1471
13Sun 5 Dec 1982Swinton13-22HuddersfieldStation Road1417
14Sun 5 Dec 1982Warrington19-8HalifaxWilderspool2892
15Sun 5 Dec 1982Widnes17-12Wakefield TrinityNaughton Park4075
16Sun 5 Dec 1982York18-15Workington TownClarence Street2134

Round 2 - Second Round

Involved 8 matches and 16 Clubs

Game NoFixture DateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttRecNotesRef
1Sat 11 Dec 1982Hull Kingston Rovers36-7LeighCraven Park (1)5975
2Sun 12 Dec 1982Bradford Northern12-12Hull F.C.Odsal6222
3Sun 12 Dec 1982Carlisle2-10WidnesBrunton Park1905
4Sun 12 Dec 1982Leeds31-10YorkHeadingley3718
5Sun 12 Dec 1982Rochdale Hornets5-27BarrowAthletic Grounds1295
6Sun 12 Dec 1982Salford21-19HuddersfieldThe Willows1924
7Sun 12 Dec 1982Warrington36-15Blackpool BoroughWilderspool2347
8Sun 12 Dec 1982Wigan9-5St. HelensCentral Park12172

Round 2 - Second Round Replays

Involved 1 match and 2 Clubs

Game NoFixture DateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttRecNotesRef
Wed 15 Dec 1982Hull F.C.8-10Bradford NorthernBoulevard76281

Round 3 -Quarter Finals

Involved 4 matches with 8 clubs

Game NoFixture DateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttRecNotesRef
1Sat 18 Dec 1982Salford4-5WiganThe Willows3237
2Sun 19 Dec 1982Barrow8-13LeedsCraven Park4216
3Sun 19 Dec 1982Warrington11-10Hull Kingston RoversWilderspool3943
4Sun 19 Dec 1982Widnes16-10Bradford NorthernNaughton Park4667

Round 4 – Semi-Finals

Involved 2 matches and 4 Clubs

Game NoFixture DateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttRecNotesRef
1Tue 28 Dec 1982Leeds8-2WidnesFartown7247
2Sat 1 Jan 1983Wigan15-14WarringtonKnowsley Road9017

Final

This game was the first time Wigan and Leeds had met in a cup final. The Leeds team was weakened by the absence of several players, with Keith Rayne, Kevin Rayne and Alan Smith all missing out due to injury.

The final was contested at Elland Road, and was won by Wigan through second-half tries scored by Gill and Juliff. Wigan stand-off Martin Foy received the man of the match award.

Game NoFixture DateHome teamScoreAway teamVenueAttRecNotesRef
Saturday 22 January 1983Wigan15-4LeedsElland Road1955349027

Teams and scorers

Wigan№Leeds
Teams
Barry Williams1Neil Hague
Dennis Ramsdale2Mark Campbell
David Stephenson3Ian Wilkinson
Colin Whitfield4Les Dyl
Henderson Gill5Andy Smith
Martin Foy6John Holmes
Jimmy Fairhurst7Kevin Dick
Glyn Shaw8Roy Dickinson
Nicky Kiss9David Ward
Danny Campbell10Tony Burke
Graeme West11Andy Sykes
Mick Scott12Wayne Heron
John Pendlebury13David Heron
Brian Juliff (for Henderson Gill 61 min)14Mark Conway (not used)
Brian Case (for Graeme West 50 min)15David Heselwood (not used)
Alex MurphyCoachRobin Dewhurst
15score4
3HT4
Scorers
Tries
Henderson Gill (1)T
Brian Juliff (1)T
Goals
Colin Whitfield (4)GKevin Dick (2)
Drop Goals
Colin Whitfield (1)DG
RefereeRonald "Ronnie" Campbell (Widnes)
Man of the matchMartin Foy - Wigan - stand-off
Competition SponsorJohn Player

Scoring - Try = three points - Goal = two points - Drop goal = one point

Timeline in the final

TimeIncidentScore
7 minDrop goal: Colin Whitfield1-0
?Penalty Goal: Kevin Dick1-2
?Penalty Goal: Kevin Dick1-4
?Penalty Goal: Colin Whitfield3-4
Half Time3-4
57 minTry: Henderson Gill6-4
Conversion: Colin Whitfield8-4
64 minPenalty Goal: Colin Whitfield10-4
?Try: Brian Juliff13-4
Conversion: Colin Whitfield15-4
Full Time15-4

Prize money

As part of the sponsorship deal and funds, the prize money awarded to the competing teams for this season is as follows:

Finish PositionCash prizeNo. receiving prizeTotal cash
Winner£10,0001£10,000
Runner-up£5,0001£5,000
Semi-finalist£2,5002£5,000
Loser in Rd 3£1,1754£4,700
Loser in Rd 2£9008£7,200
Loser in Rd 1£70016£11,200
Loser in Prelim Round£7002£1,400
Total prize money£44,500
Development fund£10,500
Grand Total£55,000

The road to success

This tree excludes any preliminary round fixtures

First roundSecond roundThird roundSemifinalsFinal
Salford23
Hunslet11
Salford21
Huddersfield19
Swinton13
Huddersfield22
Salford4
Wigan5
Castleford10
Wigan16
Wigan9
St. Helens5
St. Helens17
Fulham2
Wigan15
Warrington14
Warrington19
Halifax8
Warrington36
Blackpool Borough15
Blackpool Borough6
Batley5
Warrington11
Hull Kingston Rovers10
Hull Kingston Rovers42
Whitehaven3
Hull Kingston Rovers36
Leigh7
Leigh13
Oldham12
Wigan15
Leeds4
Cardiff City7
Rochdale Hornets11
Rochdale Hornets5
Barrow27
Dewsbury11
Barrow28
Barrow8
Leeds13
Leeds17
Bramley7
Leeds31
York10
York18
Workington Town15
Leeds8
Widnes2
Carlisle26
Doncaster17
Carlisle2
Widnes10
Widnes17
Wakefield Trinity12
Widnes16
Bradford Northern11
Keighley0
Bradford Northern18
Bradford Northern12 (10)
Hull F.C.12 (8)
Featherstone Rovers14
Hull F.C.18

See also

Notes

  • Fletcher, Raymond; Howes, David, eds. (1983). Rothmans Rugby League Yearbook 1983-84. London: Queen Anne Press. ISBN 978-0-356-09729-9.

External links

  • . Rugby League Project.