field goals), while Wes Patten led the tryscorers with 11 touchdowns. Home crowds showed improvement on 1996 figures. The average crowd at Carrara, 8,958 was up 24 percent. The increase in local support, plus the better than expected results on the field, convinced the club officials that the Chargers should strive to remain a separate entity in the game. Discussions with the financially embattled South Queensland Crushers to form the game's first joint venture club were aborted late in the year. 1998 Season The 1998 season would prove to be the Gold Coast Chargers last. Boardroom in-fighting, political agendas and an almost annual procession of administrators, coaching staff and players greatly affected the club's stability and Gold Coast was officially disbanded in early December 1998. After a season of progression in 1997 the club once again went backwards in 1998. Two things happened. The Chargers allowed three of their best players to leave, and the Australian Rugby League and Super League united. The second event could have provided a windfall for the Gold Coast club. The Hunter Mariners, who were owned by News Limited, staging a desperate battle for their own survival offered the Chargers first pick at their playing staff plus a five million dollar grant. Among the conditions were that a number of Mariners' staff members, including the chief executive were to be included in the package. The Chargers turned down the offer. The Gold Coast missed the opportunity of signing Richard Swain, Brett Kimmorley, Scott Hill, Paul Marquet and John Carlaw - all of whom signed with the Melbourne Storm. So did Marcus Bai, whom was released by the Chargers after only one season with the club. When the Storm met the Chargers at Olympic Park Stadium in May, Melbourne inflicted the biggest loss on the Gold Coast in its history, 62–6. The decision to knock back the Mariners' offer angered Coach Phil Economidis, who saw the difficulties that lay ahead in a 20 team competition with a significantly diminished outfit. Not only had Bai been allowed to leave, but so had Brendan Hurst and Jeremy Schloss. The 1998 season was among the worst in the club's undistinguished history, with four wins leaving them equal last with the Western Suburbs Magpies. Only the Magpies worse points differential saved the Chargers from the Wooden Spoon. Halfback Wes Patten was ineffective in 1998. His inconsistency forced Economidis to alternate