1997 Optus Cup
       Illawarra Steelers

• Round 1 - Mar 7-9
  Sun Mar 9: Illawarra 50 d. Souths 10
  Date: Sunday March 9, 1997
  Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong (NSW)
  Crowd: 7,697
  Table Position: 1
  
  
  
• Round 2 - Mar 14-16
  Sat Mar 15: Balmain 10 l. Illawarra 18
  Date: Saturday March 15, 1997
  Venue: Leichhardt Oval, Leichhardt, Sydney (NSW)
  Crowd: 8,211
  Table Position: 1
  
  
  
• Round 3 - Mar 21-23
  Sat Mar 22: Illawarra 8 l. St George 20
  Date: Saturday March 22, 1997
  Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong (NSW)
  Crowd: 8,661
  Table Position: 3
  
  
  
• Round 4 - Mar 27-30
  Sat Mar 29: Norths 18 drew Illawarra 18
  Date: Saturday March 29, 1997
  Venue: North Sydney Oval, Miller Street, North Sydney, Sydney (NSW)
  Crowd: 8,319
  Table Position: 4
  
  
  
• Round 5 - Apr 4-6
  Sun Apr 6: Illawarra 14 d. South Queensland Crushers 6
  Date: Sunday April 6, 1997
  Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong (NSW)
  Crowd: 6,144
  Table Position: 3
  
  
  
• Round 6 - Apr 11-13
  Sun Apr 13: Roosters 20 l. Illawarra 26
  Date: Sunday April 13, 1997
  Venue: Aussie Stadium, Driver Ave, Moore Park, Sydney (NSW)
  Crowd: 7,600
  Table Position: 3
  
  
  
• Round 7 - Apr 18-20
  Sat Apr 19: Illawarra 16 l. Eels 23
  Date: Saturday April 19, 1997
  Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong (NSW)
  Crowd: 11,992
  Table Position: 3
  
  
  
• Round 8 - Apr 25-27
  Sun Apr 27: Knights 20 d. Illawarra 4
  Date: Sunday April 27, 1997
  Venue: Energy Australia Stadium, New Lambton, Newcastle (NSW)
  Crowd: 12,582
  Table Position: 5
  
  
  
• Round 9 - May 2-4
  Sun May 4: Illawarra 34 drew Sea Eagles 34
  Date: Sunday May 4, 1997
  Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong (NSW)
  Crowd: 9,835
  Table Position: 5
  
  
  
• Round 10 - May 9-Jul 13
  Sat May 10: Illawarra 2 l. Wests 6
  Date: Saturday May 10, 1997
  Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong (NSW)
  Crowd: 5,546
  Table Position: 5
  
  
  
• Round 11 - May 16-18
  Sat May 17: Gold Coast 11 d. Illawarra 10
  Date: Saturday May 17, 1997
  Venue: Carrara Stadium, Gold Coast (QLD)
  Crowd: 5,813
  Table Position: 7
  
  
  
• Round 12 - May 23-Jun 1
  Sun May 25: Souths 28 drew Illawarra 28
  Date: Sunday May 25, 1997
  Venue: Aussie Stadium, Driver Ave, Moore Park, Sydney (NSW)
  Crowd: 4,271
  Table Position: 8
  
  
  
• Round 13 - Jun 6-15
  Fri Jun 6: Illawarra 6 l. Balmain 18
  Date: Friday June 6, 1997
  Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong (NSW)
  Crowd: 8,184
  Table Position: 10
  
  
  
• Round 14 - Jun 20-29
  Sun Jun 22: St George 10 l. Illawarra 12
  Date: Sunday June 22, 1997
  Venue: OKI Jubilee Stadium, Kogarah, Sydney (NSW)
  Crowd: 7,257
  Table Position: 8
  
  
  
• Round 15 - Jul 4-6
  Sun Jul 6: Illawarra 15 d. Norths 8
  Date: Sunday July 6, 1997
  Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong (NSW)
  Crowd: 7,219
  Table Position: 7
  
  
  
• Round 16 - Jul 12-20
  Sat Jul 19: South Queensland Crushers 8 l. Illawarra 34
  Date: Saturday July 19, 1997
  Venue: Suncorp Metway Stadium, Castlemaine Street, Milton, Brisbane (QLD)
  Crowd: 2,364
  Table Position: 5
  
  
  
• Round 17 - Jul 25-27
  Sat Jul 26: Illawarra 12 l. Roosters 34
  Date: Saturday July 26, 1997
  Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong (NSW)
  Crowd: 8,241
  Table Position: 7
  
  
  
• Round 18 - Aug 1-3
  Sun Aug 3: Eels 24 l. Illawarra 28
  Date: Sunday August 3, 1997
  Venue: Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta, Sydney (NSW)
  Crowd: 15,419
  Table Position: 6
  
  
  
• Round 19 - Aug 8-10
  Sun Aug 10: Illawarra 12 l. Knights 22
  Date: Sunday August 10, 1997
  Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong (NSW)
  Crowd: 10,038
  Table Position: 6
  
  
  
• Round 20 - Aug 15-17
  Sun Aug 17: Sea Eagles 30 d. Illawarra 14
  Date: Sunday August 17, 1997
  Venue: Brookvale Oval, Brookvale, Sydney (NSW)
  Crowd: 11,167
  Table Position: 7
  
  
  
• Round 21 - Aug 22-24
  Sun Aug 24: Wests 10 l. Illawarra 34
  Date: Sunday August 24, 1997
  Venue: Campbelltown Stadium, Leumeah, Sydney (NSW)
  Crowd: 8,534
  Table Position: 6
  
  
  
• Round 22 - Aug 29-31
  Sat Aug 30: Illawarra 28 d. Gold Coast 6
  Date: Saturday August 30, 1997
  Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong (NSW)
  Crowd: 12,089
  Table Position: 6
  
  
  
• Qualifying Finals - Sep 5-7
  Fri Sep 5: Gold Coast 25 d. Illawarra 14
  Date: Friday September 5, 1997
  Venue: Parramatta Stadium, Parramatta, Sydney (NSW)
  Crowd: 8,197
  
  
  

Round 1 [09 Mar 97] W 50-10 v Souths (H)
Round 2 [15 Mar 97] W 18-10 v Balmain (A)
Round 3 [22 Mar 97] L 8-20 v St George (H)
Round 4 [29 Mar 97] D 18-18 v Norths (A)
Round 5 [06 Apr 97] W 14-6 v South Queensland Crushers (H)
Round 6 [13 Apr 97] W 26-20 v Roosters (A)
Round 7 [19 Apr 97] L 16-23 v Eels (H)
Round 8 [27 Apr 97] L 4-20 v Knights (A)
Round 9 [04 May 97] D 34-34 v Sea Eagles (H)
Round 10 [10 May 97] L 2-6 v Wests (H)
Round 11 [17 May 97] L 10-11 v Gold Coast (A)
Round 12 [25 May 97] D 28-28 v Souths (A)
Round 13 [06 Jun 97] L 6-18 v Balmain (H)
Round 14 [22 Jun 97] W 12-10 v St George (A)
Round 15 [06 Jul 97] W 15-8 v Norths (H)
Round 16 [19 Jul 97] W 34-8 v South Queensland Crushers (A)
Round 17 [26 Jul 97] L 12-34 v Roosters (H)
Round 18 [03 Aug 97] W 28-24 v Eels (A)
Round 19 [10 Aug 97] L 12-22 v Knights (H)
Round 20 [17 Aug 97] L 14-30 v Sea Eagles (A)
Round 21 [24 Aug 97] W 34-10 v Wests (A)
Round 22 [30 Aug 97] W 28-6 v Gold Coast (H)
Qualifying Finals [05 Sep 97] L 14-25 v Gold Coast