Northern Territory: Brian Doyle, Trevor Given, Scott Masterson, Brian Smith, Roy Albion,
Steve Larder, Robert Harrison (c), Wayne Brown, Ray Lumby, Mick Jaeger, Noel Simmonds,
Bruce McGuire, Kim Blackburn. Reserves – Dave Ryan, Phil Brown, John Adler. Coach – Ernie Wanka.
Great Britain:
Keith Mumby,
Des Drummond,
Ronnie Duane,
Ellery Hanley,
Des Foy,
Steve Donlan,
Ray Ashton,
Keith Rayne,
Brian Noble (c),
Andy Goodway,
Mick Worrall,
David Hobbs,
Harry Pinner. Reserves –
John Joyner,
Neil Holding,
Lee Crooks ----
Riverina: John Maguire, Brian Dennis, Michael Rawiri, John Sellar (c), Brian Costello,
Tony Trudgett, Duncan Ward, Noel Hogan, Tony Morgan, Mick Lewis, Michael Scarfone, Graham Stockton, Ron Pilon. Reserves –
Cliff Lyons, Trevor Pryce. Coach –
Geoff Foster Great Britain:
Mick Burke,
Garry Clark,
Joe Lydon,
Ellery Hanley,
Garry Schofield,
Mike Smith,
Andy Gregory,
Brian Case,
Kevin Beardmore,
Lee Crooks,
Terry Flanagan,
Andy Goodway,
Mick Adams (c). Reserves –
Neil Holding,
Chris Burton ----
North Coast: Andy Mulvany, Wayne Buckley, Chris Cordner, Gary Night, Greg Davis,
Rocky Laurie (c), Tony Hinton, Matt Welsh, Andrew Key, Daryl Warwick, Terry Corfe, Mark Hurrell, Glen Anderson. Reserves – Steve Foley, Jim Coombes, Richard Laurie, Maurie Kelly. Coach – Kevin Hardy
Great Britain:
Keith Mumby,
Des Drummond,
Joe Lydon,
John Joyner,
Garry Clark,
Steve Donlan,
Neil Holding,
Keith Rayne,
Brian Noble (c),
Mike O'Neill,
Wayne Proctor,
Mick Worrall,
Mick Adams. Reserves –
Ray Ashton,
David Hobbs,
Chris Burton ----
Western Division: Marty Gordon, Les Haynes, Mark Smith, Ray Spurr, Wilfred Williams, Steve McWhirter (c), Lee Douglas, Colin Wright, Ian Jackson, Alan McPhail, Brad Jayett, Steve Miller, Mark Horton. Reserves – Neil Moy, Ken Fisher. Coach –
Ted Goodwin Great Britain:
Mick Burke,
Des Drummond,
Joe Lydon,
Keith Mumby,
Des Foy,
Tony Myler,
Ray Ashton,
Keith Rayne,
Brian Noble (c),
Lee Crooks,
Chris Burton,
Andy Goodway,
Harry Pinner. Reserves –
Garry Schofield,
David Hobbs ----
North Sydney:
Wayne Portlock,
Alan Sheppard,
Neigel Tait,
Simon Brockwell,
Andrew Simons,
Wayne Lonergan,
Laurie Spina,
Lindsay Johnson,
Phil Ritchie,
Don McKinnon,
Bob Cooper,
Peter Cross,
Graeme Jennings (c). Reserves –
Stephen Casey,
Chris Luckman,
Errol Hillier. Coach –
John Hayes Great Britain:
Mick Burke,
Garry Clark,
Garry Schofield,
Keith Mumby,
Des Foy,
Steve Donlan,
Andy Gregory,
Keith Rayne,
Kevin Beardmore,
Lee Crooks,
David Hobbs,
Andy Goodway,
Mick Adams (c). Reserves –
Mick Worrall,
Brian Case ----
Newcastle Firsts: Neville Elwin, Mark Bates, Kyle Connor, Craig Dedman, Glenn Murray, Greg Eager, Craig Higgins, Milton Burrows,
Rex Wright, John Farrar,
Mal Graham,
Michael Pitman,
Gary Martine (c). Reserves – Robert Taylor, Peter Garbutt. Coach –
Terry Pannowitz Great Britain:
Mick Burke,
Garry Clark,
Ellery Hanley,
Mike Smith,
John Basnett,
Garry Schofield,
Neil Holding,
Mike O'Neill,
Brian Noble (c),
Lee Crooks,
David Hobbs,
Mick Worrall,
Terry Flanagan. Reserves –
Joe Lydon,
Harry Pinner ----
First Test Wally Lewis won a well publicised power struggle between the
NSW Rugby League and their
Queensland Rugby League counterparts for the vacated Australian captaincy. NSW wanted their captain
Ray Price to have the Australian captaincy as he was retiring from representative football at the end of the series. Queensland naturally went for their
State of Origin captain Lewis. With the
1986 Kangaroo Tour only just over 2 years away, the
Australian Rugby League settled the issue by naming Lewis as the 12th Queenslander to captain Australia. In scene's of poor sportsmanship, some elements of the 30,190 SCG crowd actually booed Wally Lewis when he was announced as he ran onto the field. With
Queensland having dominated state football during the early 1980s, their captain and Kingpin Lewis was seen as the enemy to the Sydney crowds, even when wearing the Australian team colours. With less than 5 seconds remaining in the test, reserve Lions forward David Hobbs was sent off for a sickening hit on Australian hooker Greg Conescu. Television replays showed Conescu running from dummy half before Hobbs hit him with a raised elbow, hitting him in the mouth and resulting in the loss of some of his top teeth. Conescu was stretchered from the field and was still in the hands of the Australian team Dr. Bill Monoghan when local TV broadcaster
Channel 9's
Darrell Eastlake did his post match interview inside the SCG change rooms with the player of the match, new Australian captain Wally Lewis. Hobbs had only been on the field for 8 minutes before his send-off. ----
Wide Bay: Gary Birmingham,
Les Kiss, Paul Gorman, Mike Curran, Neville King, Jim Browning, Ray Ovens, Mike McDougall, David Gerrard, Steve Molineux, Ray Harch, Ray Berkery, Ron Slater (c). Reserves – Noel Glazier, Bill Dansey. Coach – John Reddy
Great Britain:
Joe Lydon,
Garry Clark,
Mike Smith,
Ellery Hanley,
John Basnett,
John Joyner (c),
Andy Gregory,
Mike O'Neill,
Kevin Beardmore,
Brian Case,
Wayne Proctor,
Terry Flanagan,
Harry Pinner. Reserves –
Tony Myler,
Mick Worrall ----
Central Queensland: Shane Tupaea, Warren McLaughlin, Andrew McDonald, Russell Miller, Mike Curran, Jamie Jansen, Geoff Hunt, David Day, Craig Taylor, Peter Blackadder, Steve George, Michael Anderson, Ian Brazier. Reserves – Peter Golder, Tony Hansan. Coach – Bill Nosworthhy
Great Britain:
Mick Burke,
Des Drummond,
Garry Schofield,
Keith Mumby,
Ellery Hanley,
Tony Myler,
Andy Gregory,
Keith Rayne,
Brian Noble (c),
Andy Goodway,
Wayne Proctor,
Chris Burton,
Mick Worrall. Reserves –
Ray Ashton,
Mick Adams ----
North Queensland: Rod Brunker, Larry Foran, Harry Deemal, Glen Pengelly,
Dale Shearer,
Darryl Duncan, Robbie Price, Marshall Colwell (c), Frank Baker, Mike Smith, Paul Bleakney, Les Morrissey, Kevin Bocos. Reserves – Bob Keogh, Bruce Barclay. Coach – Will Cordwell
Great Britain:
Joe Lydon,
Des Drummond,
Ellery Hanley,
Mike Smith,
John Basnett,
John Joyner (c),
Ray Ashton,
Lee Crooks,
Kevin Beardmore,
Brian Case,
Wayne Proctor,
Mike O'Neill,
Harry Pinner. Reserves –
Des Foy,
Mick Adams ----
Toowoomba:
Peter Gill, Steve Gibson, Greg Milne, Jeff Coutts, Bryan Tynan, Robbie Tew, Wayne Smith, Peter McKinnon, Paul Fitzgerald, Neil McCullagh,
Mark Hohn, Robbert Hanna,
Dan Stains. Reserves – Wayne Reis, Graham Smith. Coach – Don Oxenham
Great Britain:
Steve Donlan,
Garry Clark,
Mike Smith,
Des Foy,
John Basnett,
John Joyner (c),
Andy Gregory,
Mike O'Neill,
Kevin Beardmore,
Brian Case,
Wayne Proctor,
David Hobbs,
Harry Pinner. Reserves –
Ray Ashton,
Mick Adams ----
Second Test Mal Meninga's selection ahead of
Brett Kenny and goal kicking
Ross Conlon for the test at
Lang Park drew criticism from south of the border in
Sydney. The future Australian team captain and
Rugby League Immortal wasn't in great playing or goal kicking form either for
Souths Magpies in the
Brisbane premiership or
Queensland earlier in the season and it was generally believed that his selection was only to have another Queenslander in the Australian team in Brisbane to draw a bigger crowd. Meninga would go on to have a strong game in the Green and Gold, scoring a second half try (for which he copped knees in the back from
Chris Burton after he scored), although his goal kicking was slightly off only kicking 3/7. This saw him retained for the third Test in Sydney. Recalled Queensland and
Manly-Warringah second rower
Paul Vautin copped an accidental elbow to the cheek in the 76th minute of the game from Lions replacement
Mick Adams causing a fractured cheek bone. TV replays showed it to be accidental. Vautin was one of 3 tackling Adams and in bracing himself with his ball carrying right arm, Fatty coming in from the right side copped the elbow. It would see him miss 3 weeks of the
Winfield Cup. Wally Lewis was felled 3 times during the game after late tackles. In a case of mistaken identity, British front rower
Keith Rayne was sent to the sin-bin for 10 minutes during the first half for an offence (late high elbow on Lewis) actually committed by Mick Adams. Rayne was also sent to the bin for 5 minutes in the 73rd minute when he caught Lewis with a late swinging arm that sparked a short-lived all-in mele. In the Australian set after that all-in, another mele was almost sparked when Lions captain
Brian Noble went in for another late swinging arm on Lewis, only for his opposing captain to raise his own right elbow which caught Noble high and by surprise. Kiwi referee Ray Shrimpton was able to calm things before it got out of hand again. Great Britain scored arguably their best try on tour in the second half. In a move started on their own 22 by
Tony Myler running from dummy-half and passing the ball to
Neil Holding who moved the ball on to a running
Garry Schofield who got the ball outside to speedster
Des Drummond. Drummond stepped inside of a tiring Vautin and then back outside to evade Lewis before passing back to a still alive Schofield. The
Hull teenager then sped diagonally across the field into Australia's half evading a diving
Mark Murray in the process before linking with Drummond back on the inside as fullback
Garry Jack loomed. Shadowed by
Kerry Boustead, Drummond then got the ball back to
Andy Goodway in support who managed to get the ball to a flying Schofield as Jack took him down by the legs. Holding off a Boustead's last-ditch effort over the last 3 metres, Scofield scored his second try of the series in the corner. ----
Northern Rivers: Peter O'Neill, Dale Miles, Alan Howie, Mick Ryan, Gerry O'Neill, Troy Hughes, Tony Kennedy, Ron Ferris, Jay Clarke (c), Kel Judd, Scott Dorrough,
Mark Brokenshire, Shane Miles. Reserves –
David Hall. Coach – Stan Damro
Great Britain:
Joe Lydon,
Des Drummond,
Garry Schofield,
Mike Smith (c),
Garry Clark,
Steve Donlan,
Andy Gregory,
Mike O'Neill,
Kevin Beardmore,
Brian Case,
Wayne Proctor,
David Hobbs,
Harry Pinner. Reserves –
Des Foy,
Mick Worrall ----
Northern Division: Greg Donnelly, Miles Archdale, Mick McCann, John Lennan (c), Robert Brady, Kevin Hill,
Robbie McCormack, Merv Haywood, Brad Frazer, Ross Whitaker, Jack Thompson, Geoff Carr, Greg McCormack. Reserves – Joe Craigie, Arthur Earl. Coach – Jim Cox
Great Britain:
Joe Lydon,
Des Drummond,
Ellery Hanley,
Mike Smith,
Garry Clark,
Tony Myler,
Ray Ashton,
Keith Rayne,
Kevin Beardmore,
Brian Case,
David Hobbs,
Mike O'Neill,
Mick Adams (c). Reserves –
Neil Holding,
Wayne Proctor ----
Third Test ---- ==New Zealand==