Finals
Balmain had staged a gripping charge for the final five, winning nine of their last eleven games including five in a row to leave them in equal fifth spot with the Penrith Panthers at the regular season's end. They then won four sudden death finals to make it to the Grand Final.
| Home | Score | Away | Match Information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date and Time | Venue | Referee | Crowd | |||||
| Playoff | ||||||||
| Penrith Panthers | 8-28 | Balmain Tigers | 16 August 1988 | Parramatta Stadium | Mick Stone | 14,206 | ||
| Qualifying Finals | ||||||||
| Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | 6-19 | Balmain Tigers | 20 August 1988 | Sydney Football Stadium | Mick Stone | 25,327 | ||
| Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 19-18 | Canberra Raiders | 21 August 1988 | Sydney Football Stadium | Graham Annesley | 19,259 | ||
| Semi Finals | ||||||||
| Canberra Raiders | 6-14 | Balmain Tigers | 27 August 1988 | Sydney Football Stadium | Mick Stone | 28,879 | ||
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 8-26 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 28 August 1988 | Sydney Football Stadium | Graham Annesley | 31,684 | ||
| Preliminary Final | ||||||||
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 2-9 | Balmain Tigers | 4 September 1988 | Sydney Football Stadium | Mick Stone | 34,848 | ||
| Grand Final | ||||||||
| Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 24-12 | Balmain Tigers | 11 September 1988 | Sydney Football Stadium | Mick Stone | 40,000 | ||
Read more about this topic: 1988 NSWRL Season