The 1990 Brisbane Broncos season was the third in
the club's history. They competed in the
NSWRL
The New South Wales Rugby League Ltd (NSWRL) is an Australian rugby league football competition operator in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory and is a member of the Australian Rugby League Commission.It was registered on 21 ...
's
1990 Winfield Cup premiership and again improved on their previous year, finishing the regular season in second position before going on to come within one match of the
grand final
Primarily in Australian sports, a grand final is a game that decides a sports league's premiership (or championship) winning team, i.e. the conclusive game of a finals (or play-off) series. Synonymous with a championship game in North Ameri ...
, but losing to eventual premiers, the
Canberra Raiders
The Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugb ...
.
Broncos players
Chris Johns and
Kevin Walters
Kevin David Walters (born 20 October 1967) is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach, as well as a pundit (2017–2018, 2025) for Fox League.
As a first-grade player for the Canberra Raiders and the Brisbane Broncos c ...
were selected to make their international débuts for the
Australia national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team, the Kangaroos, have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competitions since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League Com ...
in 1990.
Season summary
The Broncos had some new faces for 1990 season, including
Kevin Walters
Kevin David Walters (born 20 October 1967) is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach, as well as a pundit (2017–2018, 2025) for Fox League.
As a first-grade player for the Canberra Raiders and the Brisbane Broncos c ...
who was lured home from Canberra. In order to increase the Broncos' success in the Winfield Cup,
Wayne Bennett controversially sacked
Wally Lewis
Walter James Lewis AM (born 1 December 1959) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s, and coached in the 1980s and 1990s. He became a commentator for television coverage of the sp ...
as club captain and gave the role to centre
Gene Miles
Gene Miles (born 21 July 1959) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative , he played his club football in the Brisbane Rugby Le ...
. Miles had retired from representative football, and Bennett hoped he could remove the team's reliance on Lewis.
The Balmian Tigers were the last team unbeaten by the Broncos until their victory in Round 18 of the 1990 season. Brisbane finished the regular season in second position, qualifying for their first finals campaign. In the Preliminary Final against the Canberra Raiders the Broncos were knocked out 30-2 so finished
the 1990 season in third place. Canberra then went on to win the competition. At the end of the season, Wally Lewis parted company with the Broncos, moving to the
Gold Coast Seagulls
The Gold Coast Chargers were a professional rugby league club which played in the New South Wales Rugby League premiership from New South Wales Rugby League season 1988, 1988 to New South Wales Rugby League season 1994, 1994, the Australian R ...
.
Match results
* Game following a
State of Origin match
Ladder
Scorers
Honours
* Nil
League
* Player of the year:
Kevin Walters
Kevin David Walters (born 20 October 1967) is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach, as well as a pundit (2017–2018, 2025) for Fox League.
As a first-grade player for the Canberra Raiders and the Brisbane Broncos c ...
* Rookie of the year:
Paul Hauff
Paul Hauff (born 9 May 1970) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative , he played his whole top-level career in Australia fo ...
/
Willie Carne
* Best back:
Kevin Walters
Kevin David Walters (born 20 October 1967) is an Australian former professional rugby league player and coach, as well as a pundit (2017–2018, 2025) for Fox League.
As a first-grade player for the Canberra Raiders and the Brisbane Broncos c ...
* Best forward:
Gene Miles
Gene Miles (born 21 July 1959) is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s and 1990s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative , he played his club football in the Brisbane Rugby Le ...
* Clubman of the year:
Ray Herring
References
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Brisbane Broncos seasons
Brisbane Broncos season
Brisbane Broncos season