Winfield Cup (1987 - 2020)
The Winfield Cup was an Australian rugby league trophy, awarded from 1982 until 1995. Tina Turner was the face, voice and big spiky hair from 1989 with What You Get Is What You See until 1995 with The Best, including several commercials, special releases and the appearance at the Grand Final in 1993, where she performed her anthem The Best in Sydney's football stadium on September 26. After the match, she presented the victor's trophy to Allan Langer and joined in Brisbane's post-game victory song. There was also a special release with the Grand Final Edition, including remixes of The Best, which became the theme tune for the Rugby League since 1990. In 1992, Tina re-recorded it together with Jimmy Barnes under the slightly different title Simply The Best, which was also used in a commercial. For the campaign in 1995, Tina climbed to the top of the Harbour Bridge at dawn, wearing high heels. After 30 years, The Best was once again the theme of the NRL in 2020 with a new commercial including footage of Tina's appearance at the Grand Final in 1993.
I am thrilled, the NRL is still excited about „Simply The Best“ and will use it again after 30 years. To see the song being celebrated and the campaign re-launched is very humbling. To this day, I have very fond memories of the campaign and the grand final performance. I can still remember climbing to the top of the Sydney Harbour Bridge at dawn to film the commercial. The grand final was my first rugby league game and I’ve never forgotten it. I wish the NRL all the best with the campaign.