Queensland has been https://carrollforcolorado.com awarded the hosting rights for the next three years — making this event a recurring fixture on the rugby league calendar due to its success. For the first time in decades, the South Sydney Rabbitohs returned to finals football during the 2007 finals series. Many NRL games played in Sydney and Newcastle were severely affected by cyclonic conditions, making the weather during the middle of the season less than ideal. The 2007 season saw the return of Monday Night Football and the addition of two Friday night games.
A salary cap was introduced to the NSWRL in 1990 to even the playing field of teams in the Winfield Cup. Since that time, many high-profile indigenous athletes have played in the competition, including Arthur Beetson (the first Aboriginal person to captain an Australian national team in any sport) and former Test match representatives Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis. National Rugby League footballers are among Australasia’s most famous athletescitation needed, commanding multimillion-dollar playing contracts and sponsorship deals. The player judged to be the man-of-the-match by the Australian national team selectors is awarded the prestigious Clive Churchill Medal and the Prime Minister of Australia is typically on-hand to hand the trophy to the winning captain. At the conclusion of the grand final, there is a presentation ceremony where the winning team are awarded the Provan-Summons Trophy and premiership rings to each player and the head coach. From 1998 to 2011 (the NRL used the McIntyre final eight system but with the introduction of the ARLC), it was decided to change to the current format which was perceived as fairer for teams finishing in the top four.
Before each game, an opening ceremony featuring entertainment and the singing of the national anthem by renowned musical acts takes place. The grand final, usually played on the first Sunday of October, sees these two teams contesting it. Following the boycott by seven Manly players and the ensuing poor publicity, it was decided not to have a Pride Round in 2023, with the other four rounds remaining.
- In 1995 — control of the premiership passed from the NSWRFL to the Australian Rugby League (ARL), who invited four more teams from outside NSW to participate.
- The Gold Coast Chargers were one of the teams removed during the NRL’s rationalisation process between the end of the Super League war and the 2000 season, with the Titans being the first professional sporting team to occupy the Gold Coast since then.
- The finals series features the eight highest placed teams at the end of the regular season.
- Introduced to the NSWRL in 1990, the salary cap was implemented to level the playing field for teams in the Winfield Cup.
2019: Establishment of the ARLC
On 12 December 2024 — ARLC chairman Peter V’landys, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Prime Minister James Marape announced a team based in Papua New Guinea would enter the NRL in the 2028 season. ARLC CEO Andrew Abdo and chairman Peter V’landys confirmed the plan would be to add three teams to the NRL by 2030, of which up to two could be based outside of Australia. This was the first time since 2008 that the first and second-placed teams contested the grand final. During the 2010 finals series, the second qualifying match between the Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters became the first McIntyre system final to go into extra time, with the One Hundred Minute Epic described in media circles as one of the greatest of the modern era. In 2010, the NRL set a record total season average attendance of 17,367 per game and a record total season aggregate attendance of 3,490,778.
Panthers lock up brother of Melbourne Storm star
The following day after Queensland closed its borders, the NRL announced that the season would have to be suspended indefinitely. The decision prompted a wave of condemnation online, including from Australian personalities and sportspeople. Following the imposition of the first COVID-19 restrictions, the NRL initially announced it would be moving forward with the season. The 2016 season saw the Melbourne Storm return to the minor premiership position while the Canberra Raiders returned to the top four for the first time since 2003. The 2015 Grand Final is considered by many to be the greatest grand final of all time, as a high-intensity match ended in dramatic circumstances when North Queensland scored as the full-time siren sounded. The 2013 Grand Final was played between the Sydney Roosters and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles with the Roosters recording a 26–18 victory.
The Auckland Warriors experienced financial difficulties early in the decade — eventually collapsing and being resurrected as the New Zealand Warriors for the 2001 season. The ill-fated Northern Eagles were created by North Sydney and Manly Warringah, while the Wests Tigers were formed by Balmain and Western Suburbs at the end of 1999.
Teams
It was announced that the inaugural National Rugby League (NRL) season of 1998 would have 20 teams competing, 19 remaining Super League and ARL teams plus the Melbourne Storm, who were created by Super League for their 1998 season. Further expansion of the league followed in 1988 — with another three teams based outside Sydney introduced to the competition; the Newcastle Knights and the first two Queensland teams, the Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast-Tweed Giants. Put your NRL knowledge to the test by identifying all 17 club logos. The young gun has had no luck with injuries during his early career.
The team will be based in the capital city of Port Moresby and play home matches at the National Football Stadium. By November, talks had resumed and the Western Bears were largely expected to be announced as the NRL’s 18th team, entering in the 2027 season. Following the introduction of the Dolphins in 2023, NRL executives spoke openly about the desire to further expand the competition. On 9 April 2020, ARL Commissioner Wayne Pearce announced the NRL would return on 28 May. It was feared that some teams would not survive this period without income, as it was foreseen as a financial catastrophe.
The NRL celebrated the centenary of rugby league’s introduction into Australia in 2008 — with several initiatives including an extensive marketing campaign called the ‘Centenary of Rugby League’. The opening round featured two matches at Brisbane’s Lang Park (with the first one being between reigning champions Brisbane and North Queensland), and the second one between the new club, the Gold Coast, and St. George Illawarra. Instead of using that system (teams were given a single bye during the year), grouped in periods to assist clubs manage representative fixtures. Between 2002 and 2006 (with an odd number of teams), the draw meant that at least one team had to have a bye each weekend.
The National Rugby League supported the failed Voice to Parliament referendum. Notable sponsorships include Kia (Thursday Night Football), KFC (Friday Night Football), Bundaberg Rum (Super Saturday), and Chemist Warehouse (Sunday Football).
To separate teams with equal competition points and equal points differential — points percentage is used after ranking them by competition points and match points differential in descending order. Each invited team represented their league in a single game — played in the days leading up to the usual Challenge match. The 1976 World Club Challenge was the first match of its kind, and it was then played sporadically until becoming a regular annual pre-season fixture since 2000. The two sides chosen via public voting play for the Arthur Beetson Trophy. The NRL Pre-season Challenge was introduced in 2023 to create a more structured pre-season for each club. The NRL originally put negotiations on hold in April 2025 after deciding to postpone the introduction of a 19th team, having selected a Papua New Guinea NRL team as its eighteenth team.
The NRL’s scientific team is one of the largest internationally accredited and board-certified expert teams in the country.