The 1989 Panasonic Cup was the 16th edition of the NSWRL Midweek Cup, a NSWRL-organised national club Rugby League tournament between the leading clubs and representative teams from the NSWRL, the BRL, the CRL and Papua New Guinea.
This was the final season of the competition, which was replaced by the Tooheys Challenge Cup the following year.
Chris Walsh (c) Reserves Cavill Heugh, Craig Keen, Michael Bolt, Trevor Kissell.
The Broncos raced to a 16-0 lead and it seemed the Steelers' much more fancied opponents would run away with the game.
Illawarra lost the match 22-20, however Brisbane scored a try off what appeared to be a forward pass.
The large Illawarra contingent of the 16,968 strong crowd at Parramatta Stadium booed the Broncos after their win, with Brisbane captain Wally Lewis gaining their ire by gesturing back.
[1] Illawarra's performance inspired Australian folk singer John Williamson to write a song about the match.