Parramatta Eels 25–12 North Sydney Bears — Major Preliminary Semi-Final, 1998 NRL Finals Series
29 Aug 1998 · Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta, NSW · Attendance: 16,033
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
Major Preliminary Semi-Final, 1998 NRL finals series: Parramatta Eels 25–12 North Sydney Bears, at Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta, NSW on 29 Aug 1998.
Sourcing caveat: Only 1 of North Sydney's implied scoring events could be individually named (Michael Buettner's try); the goal-kicking total is a combined figure from Jason Taylor and Ben Ikin with the conversion/penalty split forced by arithmetic to 1 conversion + 3 penalty goals in total, but not attributable to a specific kicker for each individual kick.
Scorers
| Parramatta Eels | Tries: Cayless; Kelly; Penna; Smith Goals: Schifcofske (3/3 conversions); Lovell (1/1 conversions) Drop goals: Simon (field goal) |
| North Sydney Bears | Tries: Buettner Goals: Taylor and Ikin combined for 4 successful kicks worth 8 points (1 conversion plus 3 penalty goals, forced by the single try scored, since only 1 conversion attempt was possible) — which kicker took which individual kick could not be confirmed and is not asserted |
Team sheets
| Parramatta Eels | North Sydney Bears | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clinton Schifcofske | Fullback | Ben Ikin | 1 |
| 2 | Paul Carige | Wing | Brett Dallas | 2 |
| 3 | Nathan Barnes | Centre | Matt Seers | 3 |
| 4 | Stuart Kelly | Centre | Michael Buettner | 4 |
| 5 | Karl Lovell | Wing | Nigel Roy | 5 |
| 6 | Jason Bell | Five-Eighth | Greg Florimo | 6 |
| 7 | John Simon | Halfback | Jason Taylor (c) | 7 |
| 8 | Dean Pay (c) | Prop | Steve Trindall | 8 |
| 9 | Aaron Raper | Hooker | Mark Soden | 9 |
| 10 | Mark Tookey | Prop | Gary Larson | 10 |
| 11 | Jarrod McCracken (c) | Second Row | Adam Muir | 11 |
| 12 | Jason Smith | Second Row | David Fairleigh | 12 |
| 13 | Jim Dymock | Lock | Billy Moore | 13 |
| Substitutes | ||||
| 14 | Nathan Cayless | Glenn Morrison | 14 | |
| 15 | Dennis Moran | William Leyshon | 15 | |
| 16 | David Penna | Mark Reber | 16 | |
| 17 | Dallas Weston | Scott Pethybridge | 17 | |
| Brian Smith | Coach | Peter Louis | ||
Match officials
| Referee | Kelvin Jeffes |
Match report
Parramatta's attacking backline overpowered North Sydney, who were entering their final years as a standalone club before folding into the Northern Eagles joint venture with Manly-Warringah after 1999. John Simon's field goal was a rare individual highlight in a one-sided contest.