Only one player has been sent off in a grand final in the past 64 years: hapless utility back Phil Sigsworth, who had already endured his share of Sydney Cricket Ground heartache, in 1986.
The Newtown junior made his first-grade debut with the Jets as an 18-year-old in 1977, proving a versatile performer in a struggling team that gradually improved in subsequent seasons under the coaching of Warren Ryan.
Sigsworth made his sole Test appearance off the bench against France in 1981 and featured at fullback in Newtown’s gallant loss to Parramatta in that year’s grand final.
Though he was involved in an infamous in-goal mix-up with winger Phil Duke as NSW went down in the 1982 Origin decider at the SCG, he enjoyed a career-best season after linking with Manly – winning the 1983 Rugby League Week Player of the Year award and finishing third in the Dally M Medal.
Another grand final defeat at the hands of the Eels awaited in 1983, with centre Sigsworth scoring the minor premiership-winning Sea Eagles’ only try in an 18-6 result. Injuries then intervened, denying him a premiership medal in 1985 after reuniting with Ryan at Canterbury.
With Mick Potter and Tony Currie suffering season-ending injuries in 1986, Sigsworth was pitched into the fullback role for the Bulldogs’ preliminary final victory over Balmain. But creating history as the first player in premiership history to turn out in grand finals with three different clubs descended into a personal nightmare.
Familiar foe Parramatta led the two-time defending champs 4-2 after retiring veteran Mick Cronin piloted over his second penalty goal in the 62nd minute of a tense, gripping contest. Five minutes later, Sigsworth hared after a Steve Mortimer grubber and caught Eels five-eighth Brett Kenny with a high tackle.
Referee Mick Stone – who had contentiously disallowed two Kenny tries earlier in the match – stunned the 26 combatants and the 45,843-strong crowd by sending Sigsworth from the field. The Eels grimly defended their slender scoreboard advantage against the 12-man Bulldogs to regain Sydney rugby league supremacy.
“There is nothing you can say, there is nothing you can do,” Sigsworth lamented post-match.
“The way I feel at the moment I wouldn’t care if I never played again.
“To be sent off in a grand final is unheard of. I don’t want to be remembered that way. I’m not a dirty player – it’s the first time I’ve been sent off in 20 years of playing the game.”
The general consensus said Sigsworth was desperately unfortunate to be marched for an incident that appeared more spectacular than dangerous.
“There was no malice in it at all, it was just a reflex while Brett Kenny and I were at great speed,” he explained.
“I sweat my guts out for years just for my dream of winning a premiership. Then I get denied by a referee’s decision … we would have won with 13.”
Compounding the devastating on-field events, he was told later that night by a Bulldogs official he would not be retained by the club.
Sigsworth, whose cult hero résumé also includes boasting one of rugby league’s most celebrated nicknames, ‘Whats-a-packet-a’, was picked up by Balmain for 1987 but retired at just 28 due to a chronic knee injury. He later coached Hull FC in 1996-97 before serving as Wayne Pearce’s assistant at Balmain and Wests Tigers.
Sigsworth remained the only player to lose grand finals with three clubs until Kiwi outside back Krisnan Inu suffered defeat in three NRL deciders in the space of four years with the Eels (2009), Warriors (2011) and Bulldogs (2012).
