1988 NSWRL season teams also competed for the 1988 Panasonic Cup. 1988 was the year of the Australian Bicentenary celebrations, and on 4 March, the season opened with the first game of rugby league played at the newly built Sydney Football Stadium. The St. George Dragons defeated the Eastern Suburbs Roosters 24–14. Easts and South Sydney would use the SFS as their home venue from 1988. This saw the end of both the Sydney Sports Ground (which closed due to the building of the SFS) and Redfern Oval as regular venues. The brand new Brisbane Broncos club, featuring Australian Kangaroos captain Wally Lewis
Northern Meeting held in Aviemore due to the renovation of Eden Court Theatre. In 1926 there were 850 people attending the ball. The bicentenary in 1988 was celebrated with a week of events reminiscent of earlier gatherings, with the centre-piece being a ball at Beaufort Castle attended by 1000 people. The piping competition is currently held in early September, one or two weeks after the Argyllshire Gathering in Oban. Many pipers come to Scotland to compete in both events. Other events throughout the year include reel parties, cocktail parties and lunches. The annual solo bagpiping competitions at the Northern Meeting are among