New South Wales Rugby League premiership

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This page is for the NSWRL Premierships run from the inception of rugby league in Australia until the ARL Premierships. For information about the governing body of rugby league in New South Wales, see New South Wales Rugby League
File:Nswrl 1988.jpg

The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League (initially named the New South Wales Rugby Football League) from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition. For most of the premiership's history it was contested by clubs from the state of New South Wales only, but later grew into a nation-wide competition, eventually leading to the Australian Rugby League taking control of the premiership in 1995.

1908: Rugby league premiership in Sydney

File:Nswrl 1988.jpg
The NSWRFL Logo

The inaugural New South Wales Rugby Football League (NSWRFL) Premiership began in 1908, and was made up of eight Sydney-based teams and one team from Newcastle. Cumberland joined the competition after the first round, meaning that they played one game fewer than the rest of the field for the season. Still known as the "foundation clubs" today, these nine teams battled against one another during the 1908 season, with South Sydney taking the first premiership honours after beating Eastern Suburbs in the Final.

Club Traditional Colours Years Contested Matches [1] Seasons
Played Won Drew Lost Win/Loss Played Premiers Minor Premiers Runners-Up
Balmain 1908 - 1999 1705 871 68 766 53.08% 92 11 7 9
Cumberland File:Cumberland colours.png 1908 8 1 0 7 12.50% 1 0 0 0
Eastern Suburbs File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png 1908 - current 1880 995 67 818 54.71% 98 12 16 14
Glebe File:Glebe colours.png 1908 - 1929 297 163 6 128 55.89% 22 0 1 4
Newcastle File:Newcastle foundation colours.png 1908 - 1909 20 9 0 11 45.00% 2 0 0 0
Newtown File:Newtown colours.png 1908 - 1983 1305 583 59 663 46.93% 76 3 6 7
North Sydney File:North Sydney colours.png 1908 - 1999 1665 678 71 916 42.85% 92 2 2 1
South Sydney File:South Sydney colours.png 1908 - 1999
2002 - current
1813 940 45 828 53.09% 96 20 17 13
Western Suburbs File:Western Suburbs colours.png 1908 - 1999 1691 734 49 908 44.86% 92 4 5 8

1982 - 1994: Expansion of the premiership

Over the decades since the NSWRFL competition started, Sydney suburban teams came and went throughout its history but it was not until 1982 that the competition saw significant expansion outside of the Sydney area. The two new inclusions were from the Australian Capital Territory - the Canberra Raiders - as well as a team from the southern New South Wales region - the Illawarra Steelers. This corresponded with the adoption of commercial sponsorship of the competition for the first time, seeing it become the Winfield Cup (named after the popular cigarette brand).

The NSWRFL had also commenced a very popular and successful mid-week competition in 1973, originally known as the Amco Cup, but also as the Tooth Cup and the National Panasonic Cup. The success of this competition, which included teams from both Brisbane and New Zealand ultimately created pressure for further expansion of the NSWRL competition. In 1984, the New South Wales Rugby Football League changed its name to New South Wales Rugby League.

In 1988, for the very first time, two Queensland teams joined the competiton, with the inclusions of the Brisbane Broncos and the Gold Coast-Tweed Giants. This saw the premiership competition move beyond the outer borders of New South Wales. At the same time, as a result of mounting pressure from the central coast of New South Wales, a Newcastle franchise was returned to the competition. Their return saw the end of an 86-year wait in the wilderness and this time around the team was badged the Newcastle Knights.

Club Traditional Colours Years Contested Matches [2] Seasons
Played Won Drew Lost Win/Loss Played Premiers Minor Premiers Runners-Up
Annandale File:Annandale colours.png 1910 - 1920 153 25 6 122 18.30% 11 0 0 0
University File:University colours.png 1920 - 1937 242 47 5 190 20.45% 18 0 0 1
St. George 1921 - 1998 1545 910 56 579 60.71% 78 15 15 12
Canterbury-Bankstown File:Canterbury colours.png 1935 - current 1502 778 53 671 53.56% 71 8 6 8
Manly-Warringah File:Manly colours.png 1947 - 1999
2003 - current
1261 719 35 507 58.41% 56 6 9 9
Parramatta File:Parramatta colours.png 1947 - current 1321 608 38 675 47.46% 59 4 5 4
Cronulla-Sutherland File:Cronulla colours.png 1967 - current 932 456 22 454 50.11% 39 0 2 3
Penrith File:Penrith colours.png 1967 - current 917 379 26 512 42.75% 39 2 2 1
Illawarra File:Illawarra colours.png 1982 - 1998 396 153 13 230 40.28% 17 0 0 0
Canberra File:Canberra colours.png 1982 - current 606 323 9 274 54.04% 24 3 1 2
Brisbane File:Brisbane colours.png 1988 - current 457 299 11 147 66.63% 18 5 4 0
Newcastle File:Newcastle colours.png 1988 - current 446 234 14 198 54.04% 18 2 0 0
Gold Coast File:Gold Coast colours.png 1988 - 1998 246 53 9 184 23.37% 11 0 0 0

After mostly solid results were obtained by the expansion teams in 1988, there was increasing pressure for new inclusions into the competition. In 1995, some seven years later, the competition expanded further into Queensland, with the inception of the 'South Queensland Crushers' and the 'North Queensland Cowboys'. 1995 also saw a new team in Western Australia, the 'Western Reds', as well as a New Zealand-based team - the Auckland Warriors. The total number of teams in the competition was now twenty - the largest-scale rugby league competition ever in Australia. The premiership's new national outlook was further reflected in the governing body's name, with the New South Wales Rugby League transferring control of the competition to the Australian Rugby League (ARL).

Premiers

Between 1912 and 1925 there was no semi-final system and a final was only played if two clubs finished level at the conclusion of the Minor Premiership. Souths won the 1909 premiership when Balmain forfeited in protest against the final being played as a preliminary match before a promotional game between the national Rugby League and Rugby Union sides. The 1937 season also featured no finals as the year was disrupted by the Kangaroos tour.

Past winners of the NSWRL Premiership
Season Grand Final Information Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Second
1908 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 14 - 12 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1909 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney forfeit Balmain File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1910 File:Newtown colours.png Newtown 4 - 4 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney File:Newtown colours.png Newtown
1911 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs 11 - 8 File:Glebe colours.png Glebe File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1912 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1913 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1914 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1915 Balmain Balmain
1916 Balmain 5 - 3 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney Balmain
1917 Balmain Balmain
1918 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1919 Balmain Balmain
1920 Balmain Balmain
1921 File:North Sydney colours.png North Sydney File:North Sydney colours.png North Sydney
1922 File:North Sydney colours.png North Sydney 35 - 3 File:Glebe colours.png Glebe File:North Sydney colours.png North Sydney
1923 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs 15 - 12 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1924 Balmain 3 - 0 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney Balmain
1925 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1926 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 11 - 5 File:University colours.png University File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1927 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 20 - 11 St. George File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1928 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 26 - 5 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs St. George
1929 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 30 - 10 File:Newtown colours.png Newtown File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1930 File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs 27 - 2 St. George File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs
1931 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 12 - 7 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1932 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 19 - 12 File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1933 File:Newtown colours.png Newtown 18 - 5 File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs File:Newtown colours.png Newtown
1934 File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs 15 - 2 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1935 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs 19 - 3 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1936 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs 32 - 12 Balmain File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1937 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1938 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown 19 - 6 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown
1939 Balmain 33 - 4 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney Balmain
1940 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs 24 - 14 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1941 St. George 31 - 14 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1942 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown 11 - 9 St. George File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown
1943 File:Newtown colours.png Newtown 34 - 7 File:North Sydney colours.png North Sydney File:Newtown colours.png Newtown
1944 Balmain 12 - 8 File:Newtown colours.png Newtown File:Newtown colours.png Newtown
1945 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs 22 - 18 Balmain File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1946 Balmain 13 - 12 St. George St. George
1947 Balmain 13 - 9 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown
1948 File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs 8 - 5 Balmain File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs
1949 St. George 19 - 12 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1950 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 21 - 15 File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1951 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 42 - 14 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1952 File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs 22 - 12 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs
1953 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 31 - 12 St. George File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1954 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 23 - 15 File:Newtown colours.png Newtown File:Newtown colours.png Newtown
1955 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 12 - 11 File:Newtown colours.png Newtown File:Newtown colours.png Newtown
1956 St. George 18 - 12 Balmain St. George
1957 St. George 31 - 9 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah St. George
1958 St. George 20 - 9 File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs St. George
1959 St. George 20 - 0 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah St. George
1960 St. George 31 - 6 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs St. George
1961 St. George 22 - 0 File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs
1962 St. George 9 - 6 File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs St. George
1963 St. George 8 - 3 File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs St. George
1964 St. George 11 - 6 Balmain St. George
1965 St. George 12 - 8 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney St. George
1966 St. George 23 - 4 Balmain St. George
1967 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 12 - 10 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown St. George
1968 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 13 - 9 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1969 Balmain 11 - 2 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1970 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 23 - 12 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1971 File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney 16 - 10 St. George File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah
1972 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah 19 - 14 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah
1973 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah 10 - 7 File:Cronulla colours.png Cronulla-Sutherland File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah
1974 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs 19 - 4 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1975 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs 38 - 0 St. George File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1976 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah 13 - 10 File:Parramatta colours.png Parramatta File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah
1977 St. George 9 - 9
22 - 0
File:Parramatta colours.png Parramatta File:Parramatta colours.png Parramatta
1978 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah 11 - 11
16 - 0
File:Cronulla colours.png Cronulla-Sutherland File:Western Suburbs colours.png Western Suburbs
1979 St. George 17 - 13 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown St. George
1980 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown 18 - 4 File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1981 File:Parramatta colours.png Parramatta 20 - 11 File:Newtown colours.png Newtown File:Eastern Suburbs colours.png Eastern Suburbs
1982 File:Parramatta colours.png Parramatta 21 - 8 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah File:Parramatta colours.png Parramatta
1983 File:Parramatta colours.png Parramatta 18 - 6 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah
1984 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown 6 - 4 File:Parramatta colours.png Parramatta File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown
1985 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown 7 - 6 St. George St. George
1986 File:Parramatta colours.png Parramatta 4 - 2 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown File:Parramatta colours.png Parramatta
1987 File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah 18 - 8 File:Canberra colours.png Canberra File:Manly colours.png Manly-Warringah
1988 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown 24 - 12 Balmain File:Cronulla colours.png Cronulla-Sutherland
1989 File:Canberra colours.png Canberra 19 - 14 Balmain File:South Sydney colours.png South Sydney
1990 File:Canberra colours.png Canberra 18 - 14 File:Penrith colours.png Penrith File:Canberra colours.png Canberra
1991 File:Penrith colours.png Penrith 19 - 12 File:Canberra colours.png Canberra File:Penrith colours.png Penrith
1992 File:Brisbane colours.png Brisbane 28 - 8 St. George File:Brisbane colours.png Brisbane
1993 File:Brisbane colours.png Brisbane 14 - 6 St. George File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown
1994 File:Canberra colours.png Canberra 36 - 12 File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown File:Canterbury colours.png Canterbury-Bankstown
  • 1909: Balmain refused to play the final in protest to the game being held as a curtain-raiser to a Kangaroos v Wallabies match. Souths played, kicked off, scored & were declared premiers.
  • 1910: Top two played off for the title. In the event of a drawn match, the superior record during the season secured the title, Newtown had compiled 23 competition points, Souths 22.
  • 1977-78: Drawn games requiring a replay.

See Also