Sport
Rugby League
Founded
1998
Teams
16
Premiers
Panthers
Spoon
Tigers
Most Titles
Bunnies 21
National Rugby League (NRL)
The game of Rugby League started back in 1895 and after a century of the game the NRL or National Rugby League competition was formed in 1998.
16 Teams compete for the Provan-Summons Trophy, which is the main prize for the winner of the annual Grand Final played in October.
While the NRL officially started in 1998, the game has been running since 1908 where the New South Wales Rugby League ran the Sydney based competition that concluded in 1994.
Primarily a Sydney competition, the Rugby League grew and expanded across the country, now played all over Australia. Queensland became a strong area for Rugby League in the 1980’s, and history shows that many of Australia’s best Rugby League players hail from north of the boarder.
Rugby League is one of Australia’s most popular sports, with more than 1000 Professional and Amateur teams registered across the country, the game is played by approximately 466,182 (total registered) 51,540 (adult). Then the 302,842 (junior) and 1,000,000+ (in school programs) the game is part of the Aussie way of life.
Possibly the most exciting Rugby League Event outside of the main NRL Competition each year is the annual “State of Origin” Series where New South Wales (The Blues) take on Queensland (The Maroons). This 3 Game Series staged mid year of the NRL season, sees the very best players selected to represent each state. Arguably there is no higher form of competition perhaps other than International Test Matches, or World Cup Matches that can rival the intensity, speed and skill displayed in this bitter battle of 2 state rivals.
Now a well established national competition the NRL sees 16 Teams, 15 Australian based teams and 1 team from New Zealand. The 15 Australian teams, see teams located in Queensland (3), New South Wales (11), and Victoria (1). The 16 teams (to be 17 next year with the inclusion of another Queensland based team) compete in a 26 round competition to set the playoffs (or finals) for the leading 8 teams.
The Nationally televised matches are generally played from Thursday night to Monday Night with most of the games taking place on Saturday and Sunday.
Provan-Summons Trophy
Awarded to the winning team of the annual Grand Final.
History of the Game
The National Rugby League (NRL), formed in 1998, is the pre-eminent rugby league club competition in Australia and New Zealand. It contains some clubs from the original Sydney club Rugby League competition, which had been running continuously since 1908. A single team from New Zealand also plays in the league.
The NRL formed in the aftermath of the 1990s’ Super League war as a joint partnership between the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and media giant News Corporation-controlled Super League,[3] after both organisations ran premierships parallel to each other in 1997.[4] This partnership was dissolved in February 2012, with control of the NRL going solely to the re-constituted ARL which was re-structured with an independent board of directors and renamed as the Australian Rugby League Commission.
NRL matches are played in Australia and New Zealand from March to October. The season culminates in the premiership-deciding game, the NRL Grand Final, traditionally one of Australia’s most popular sporting events.[5] In addition, the NRL premiers also play in the World Club Challenge against the champions of the Super League competition.[6] The reigning premiers are the Penrith Panthers, having won their third premiership at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
| COLORS | CLUB | CITY | JOINED | STADIUM | PREMIERSHIPS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Brisbane Broncos | Brisbane | 1978 | Suncorp Stadium | 6 |
| Canberra Raiders | Canberra | 1982 | GIO Stadium | 3 |
| Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Canterbury | 1935 | Accor Stadium | 8 |
| Cronulla Sutherland Sharks | Cronulla | 1967 | PointsBet Stadium | 1 |
| Gold Coast Titans | Gold Coast | 2007 | Cbus Super Stadium | 0 |
| Manly Warringah Sea Eagles | Manly | 1947 | 4 Pines Park | 8 |
| Melbourne Storm | Melbourne | 1998 | AAMI Park | 4 |
| Newcastle Knights | Newcastle | 1988 | McDonald Jones Stadium | 2 |
| New Zealand Warriors | Auckland | 2005 | Mt. Smart Stadium | 0 |
| North Queensland Cowboys | Townsville | 1995 | QLD Country Bank Stadium | 1 |
| Parramatta Eels | Parramatta | 1947 | CommBank | 4 |
| Penrith Panthers | Penrith | 1967 | Bluebet Stadium | 4 |
| South Sydney Rabbitohs | Sydney | 1908 | Accor Stadium | 21 |
| St. George Illawarra Dragons | Kogarah / Wollongong | 1999 | Netstrata Jubilee Stadium / WIN Stadium | 1* |
| Sydney Roosters | Sydney | 1908 | Sydney Football Stadium | 15 |
| Wests Tigers | Campbelltown | 1998 | Leichhardt Oval / Campbelltown Stadium | 1* |
*Wests Tigers and *St George Illawarra Dragons were 4 clubs that merged to become 2. Both clubs have long history’s in the game and many premierships.
Balmain Tigers 11
St George Dragons 15
Wests Magpies 4
Related Rugby League Events
The National Rugby League (NRL), formed in 1998, is the pre-eminent rugby league club competition in Australia and New Zealand. It contains some clubs from the original Sydney club Rugby League competition, which had been running continuously since 1908. A single team from New Zealand also plays in the league.
The NRL formed in the aftermath of the 1990s’ Super League war as a joint partnership between the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and media giant News Corporation-controlled Super League,[3] after both organisations ran premierships parallel to each other in 1997.[4] This partnership was dissolved in February 2012, with control of the NRL going solely to the re-constituted ARL which was re-structured with an independent board of directors and renamed as the Australian Rugby League Commission.
NRL matches are played in Australia and New Zealand from March to October. The season culminates in the premiership-deciding game, the NRL Grand Final, traditionally one of Australia’s most popular sporting events.[5] In addition, the NRL premiers also play in the World Club Challenge against the champions of the Super League competition.[6] The reigning premiers are the Penrith Panthers, having won their third premiership at the conclusion of the 2021 season.
