National Rugby League facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
National Rugby League

Sport	Rugby league
Founded	1998; 27 years ago (1998)
Inaugural season	1998
CEO	Andrew Abdo
Commissioner	Peter V'landys
No. of teams	17
Country	Australia (16 teams)  New Zealand (1 team)
Headquarters	Rugby League Central, Sydney, New South Wales
Most recent champion(s)	Penrith Panthers (5th title)
Most titles	South Sydney Rabbitohs (21 titles)
TV partner(s)	Australia: Nine Network Fox League New Zealand: Sky Sport / Prime
Streaming partner(s)	Kayo Sports / 9Now
Sponsor(s)	Telstra
International cup(s)	World Club Challenge
Related competitions	New South Wales Cup Queensland Cup

The National Rugby League (often called the NRL Telstra Premiership because of its sponsor) is a top-level professional rugby league competition. It features clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory in Australia, and New Zealand.

Rugby league in Australia has a long history, starting with the New South Wales Rugby League in 1908. The NRL itself began in 1998. It was a joint effort between the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and News Corporation's Super League. In 2012, the ARL took full control, becoming the Australian Rugby League Commission.

The NRL season usually runs from March to October. Each team plays 24 games. The team that finishes highest at the end of the regular season wins the minor premiership. After that, the top eight teams compete in a finals series. The season ends with the exciting NRL Grand Final. The winners of the Grand Final then play against the champions of the Super League (from Europe) in the World Club Challenge. The Penrith Panthers are the current champions, having won their fifth title in 2023.

History of the NRL

How the NRL Started

The New South Wales Rugby League ran the main rugby league competition in New South Wales from 1908 until 1994. In the 1980s, the competition grew. New teams from outside Sydney, like Canberra and Illawarra, joined in 1982. This made the game more popular across New South Wales.

Later, in 1988, more teams joined, including the first two from Queensland: the Brisbane Broncos and Gold Coast-Tweed Giants. These new teams were very successful and popular. This led to the idea of creating a truly national competition.

An attempt was made in 1995 when the Australian Rugby League (ARL) took over. They invited four more teams from outside New South Wales. However, this competition didn't last. From its end, the National Rugby League was formed. It brought together the traditional Sydney clubs with the new national teams.

In the mid-1990s, professional rugby league faced a big challenge called the Super League war. This was a fight over TV rights and who would control the sport. A big media company, News Corporation, created its own league called Super League. They attracted some ARL clubs and players with high salaries.

In 1997, there were two separate competitions with many teams. This meant fewer fans at games and less money from sponsors. Many teams faced financial problems. The ARL worked to bring the clubs back together. On 23 September 1997, the ARL announced a new company for the 1998 competition. By December, it was agreed there would be one league. The National Rugby League was then formed, owned by both the ARL and News Limited.

The first NRL season in 1998 had 20 teams. This included 19 teams from the old ARL and Super League, plus a new team, the Melbourne Storm. Some clubs were closed down. The Super League closed the Hunter Mariners and the Perth Reds. The ARL closed the South Queensland Crushers. After 1998, the NRL also closed the Adelaide Rams and Gold Coast Chargers.

Changes and Growth (1998–2002)

One agreement for peace between the ARL and News Limited was to have only 14 teams by 2000. Clubs were judged on things like sponsorship, crowd numbers, and success on the field. Clubs that merged would get money and a guaranteed spot. The St. George Dragons and Illawarra Steelers were the first to merge, forming the St. George Illawarra Dragons in 1998.

The 1999 NRL Grand Final set a new world record for attendance at a rugby league game. 107,999 fans watched the Melbourne Storm beat the St. George Illawarra Dragons at Stadium Australia.

Balmain and Western Suburbs also merged to form the Wests Tigers in 1999. North Sydney and Manly Warringah created the Northern Eagles, but this team didn't last long. Some teams also changed their logos. The Sydney Roosters, for example, dropped "City" from their name.

The Souths team was removed from the competition in 1999, which caused a lot of upset. About 80,000 people protested in November 2000. Souths went to court, and they were allowed back into the competition in 2002.

The Auckland Warriors faced financial problems. They were reformed as the New Zealand Warriors for the 2001 season. They reached the Grand Final in 2002 and 2011 but lost both times.

In 2001, Telstra, a large phone company, became the main sponsor. The competition was renamed the NRL Telstra Premiership. In 2002, David Gallop became the CEO, and the league continued to grow in popularity.

Since 2001, the NRL Grand Final has been played on Sunday nights, instead of Sunday afternoons.

Record Popularity and Expansion (2003–2010)

The 2003 season was very successful for the NRL. The Manly Warringah Sea Eagles took over the NRL spot from the Northern Eagles. The Penrith Panthers went from the bottom of the ladder to win the Premiership. Crowd records were broken in 2003, 2004, and 2005.

In 2005, the NRL reached new levels of popularity. Sponsorship and merchandise sales increased a lot. A record 4.1 million people watched the Grand Final between the Wests Tigers and the North Queensland Cowboys.

The 2006 NRL Grand Final was won by the Brisbane Broncos against the Melbourne Storm. This was a big moment because it was the first time two teams not from New South Wales played in the Grand Final.

In its tenth season, the NRL welcomed a new team, the Gold Coast Titans, based in Queensland. They were the first professional sports team on the Gold Coast since 1998.

The 2007 season brought back Monday Night Football and added two Friday night games, which were very popular. Teams also had fewer "byes" (weeks off). The season ended with the Grand Final between Manly and Melbourne. Melbourne won, and the game was the most-watched TV show in Australia in 2007.

In 2008, the NRL celebrated 100 years of rugby league in Australia. A special 'Centenary of Rugby League' campaign was held. A 'Team of the Century' was announced on 17 April 2008, featuring the best players from the past 100 years.

For the second year in a row, the Grand Final in 2008 was between the Melbourne Storm and the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. Manly won 40–0, setting a record for the biggest winning margin in a Grand Final. It was also the first time a team was kept scoreless in a Grand Final since 1978.

The 2009 season marked the start of the second century of rugby league. The 2009 NRL Grand Final was between the Parramatta Eels and the Melbourne Storm. Melbourne won 23–16.

In 2010, the first All Stars Match was held. This game promotes rugby league's connection with the Aboriginal community. The Indigenous All Stars beat the NRL All Stars. This event became a regular part of the rugby league calendar.

The 2010 NRL season set new records for average attendance and total attendance. The 2010 NRL Grand Final was played between the St. George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters. St. George Illawarra won 32–8. This was their first premiership as a joint club.

The ARLC is Formed (2010–2019)

After years of planning, the Australian Rugby League and News Corporation agreed in 2010 to create a new, independent group to run the sport in Australia. This group is called the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC).

The 2011 Grand Final was between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the New Zealand Warriors. Manly won 24–10, winning their second premiership under coach Des Hasler.

On 10 February 2012, the ARLC officially took control of all levels of rugby league in Australia. The current Chairman is Peter V'landys AM. The 2012 Grand Final saw the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs play the Melbourne Storm. Melbourne won 14–4, getting their second premiership.

The 2013 season saw strong performances from original clubs like the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks faced issues with performance-enhancing substances from 2011. The 2013 NRL Grand Final was between the Sydney Roosters and the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles. The Roosters won 26–18.

The 2014 season began with the new Auckland Nines tournament. The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks were fined a million dollars for their role in the substance scandal. Their coach, Shane Flanagan, was suspended for the whole season. The 2014 NRL Grand Final was between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. South Sydney won 30–6, ending a 43-year wait for a premiership.

The 2015 season featured the Queensland teams, the North Queensland Cowboys and the Brisbane Broncos, in the Grand Final. This game is often called one of the greatest Grand Finals ever. It went into "golden point" extra time after the Cowboys scored right at the end of regular time. Johnathan Thurston then kicked a field goal to win the match 17–16.

In 2016, the Melbourne Storm finished first, and the Canberra Raiders returned to the top four. The Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks won their first premiership, ending a 49-year wait, by beating the Melbourne Storm 14–12 in a very close Grand Final.

After the successful 2017 Women's Rugby League World Cup, a national women's league was created. The first season started in September 2018 with four teams linked to existing NRL clubs.

COVID-19 and Further Expansion (2020–2021)

On 22 March 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the NRL was one of the last major sports to keep playing. However, after Queensland closed its borders, the NRL had to stop the season. Many worried that teams would struggle financially without games.

On 9 April 2020, the NRL announced it would return on 28 May. This decision faced some criticism, but the NRL got approval to continue without fans in the stadiums. The competition restarted on that date, with the Parramatta Eels beating the Brisbane Broncos 34–6. This match had very high TV ratings. The NRL was the first major sport in Australia to restart after stopping play.

In October 2021, the NRL announced it would add a 17th team. The Dolphins, based near Brisbane, joined the competition for the 2023 season.

How the NRL is Run

Since the NRL started in 1998, there have been six Chief Executive Officers (CEOs):

• 1998–1999: Neil Whittaker
• 1999–2001: David Moffett
• 2002–2012: David Gallop
• 2012–2015: David Smith
• 2016–2020: Todd Greenberg
• 2020–present: Andrew Abdo

Since the Australian Rugby League Commission started in 2012, there have been three chairmen:

• 2012–2017: John Grant
• 2017–2019: Peter Beattie
• 2019–present: Peter V'landys

NRL Teams

The NRL currently has 17 clubs. Nine clubs are in the Greater Sydney area. One is in regional New South Wales. Four are in Queensland. One each is in Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand. All teams play in one big group. No teams are moved up or down to different leagues.

A total of 23 clubs have played in the NRL since 1998. Eleven clubs have been part of every season.

Two current NRL clubs started in 1908, the very first year of rugby league in Australia: the Sydney Roosters (originally 'Eastern Suburbs') and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Wests Tigers team was formed by merging two other original clubs: the Western Suburbs Magpies and the Balmain Tigers.

Current Clubs

National Rugby League clubs
Club	Est.	NRL debut	Location(s)	Stadium(s)	Premierships (Last)
Brisbane Broncos	1988	1998	Brisbane	Suncorp Stadium (52,500)	6 (2006)
Canberra Raiders	1982	1998	Canberra	GIO Stadium (25,011)	3 (1994)
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	1935	1998	Sydney	Accor Stadium (82,500) Belmore Sports Ground (16,000)	8 (2004)
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	1967	1998	Sydney	Pointsbet Stadium (16,500)	1 (2016)
Dolphins	2023 (1947)	2023	Brisbane Sunshine Coast	Suncorp Stadium (52,500) Kayo Stadium (10,000) Sunshine Coast Stadium (10,000)	0 (N/A)
Gold Coast Titans	2007	2007	Gold Coast	Cbus Super Stadium (27,690)	0 (N/A)
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	1947	1998	Sydney	4 Pines Park (18,000)	8 (2011)
Melbourne Storm	1997	1998	Melbourne	AAMI Park (30,050)	4 (2020)
New Zealand Warriors	1995	1998	Auckland	Go Media Stadium (25,000)	0 (N/A)
Newcastle Knights	1988	1998	Newcastle	McDonald Jones Stadium (30,000)	2 (2001)
North Queensland Cowboys	1995	1998	Townsville	Queensland Country Bank Stadium (25,000)	1 (2015)
Parramatta Eels	1947	1998	Sydney	CommBank Stadium (30,000)	4 (1986)
Penrith Panthers	1967	1998	Sydney	BlueBet Stadium (22,500)	5 (2023)
South Sydney Rabbitohs	1908	1998	Sydney	Accor Stadium (82,500)	21 (2014)
St. George Illawarra Dragons	1999	1999	Sydney Wollongong	Netstrata Jubilee Stadium (20,500) WIN Stadium (22,000)	1 (2010)
Sydney Roosters	1908	1998	Sydney	Allianz Stadium (42,500)	15 (2019)
Wests Tigers	2000	2000	Sydney	Leichhardt Oval (20,000) Campbelltown Stadium (17,500)	1 (2005)

Former Teams

Rugby League Club	City/Town	Est.	Joined	Left	Premierships
					Total	Last
Adelaide Rams	Adelaide	1995	1997	1998	0	N/A
Annandale	Sydney	1910	1910	1920	0	N/A
Balmain Tigers	Sydney	1908	1908	1999	11	1969
Cumberland	Sydney	1908	1908	1908	0	N/A
Glebe Dirty Reds	Sydney	1908	1908	1929	0	N/A
Gold Coast Chargersa	Gold Coast Tweed Heads	1987	1988	1998	0	N/A
Hunter Mariners	Newcastle	1995	1997	1997	0	N/A
Illawarra Steelers	Wollongong	1980	1982	1998	0	N/A
Newcastle Rebels	Newcastle	1908	1908	1909	0	—
Newtown Jets	Sydney	1908	1908	1983	3	1943
North Sydney Bears	Sydney	1908	1908	1999	2	1922
Northern Eagles	Sydney Central Coast	2000	2000	2002	0	N/A
St. George Dragons	Sydney	1920	1921	1998	15	1979
South Queensland Crushers	Brisbane	1992	1995	1997	0	N/A
University	Sydney	1920	1920	1937	0	N/A
Western Redsb	Perth	1992	1995	1997	0	N/A
Western Suburbs Magpies	Sydney	1908	1908	1999	4	1952

^aAlso known as the Gold Coast-Tweed Giants and Gold Coast Seagulls through the club's existence.

^bKnown as the Perth Reds in the 1997 Super League.

Season Structure

Pre-season Games

The NRL pre-season usually starts in February and ends in early March. Teams play trial matches to test out their players and strategies. Some clubs play for special trophies, like the Foundation Cup or the Charity Shield. These games are often played in smaller towns that don't usually host NRL matches.

All Stars Match

Since 2010, the All Stars match has been a big event in the NRL pre-season. Fans vote for the players, and two teams play for the Arthur Beetson Trophy. One team is made up of Indigenous Australian players, and the other is a team of other NRL players. This game celebrates rugby league's connection with the Aboriginal community.

NRL Nines Tournament

In 2014, the first rugby league nines tournament took place. All 16 NRL clubs played in this two-day event, usually in Auckland, New Zealand. It became a regular event in February each year. Women's nines games also featured, with teams from Australia and New Zealand, and later the NRLW teams. The tournament was paused in 2018 and after 2020 due to players having too many games.

World Club Challenge

The World Club Challenge is a yearly pre-season game. It's played between the champion team of the National Rugby League and the champion team of the Super League (from Europe). This match has been played regularly since 2000.

Premiership Rounds

Rugby league is a winter sport in Australia. The NRL season starts in early March and runs for 27 weeks until September. Games are played every weekend. Usually, there's one game on Thursday night, two on Friday night, three on Saturday, and two on Sunday.

Teams get two points for a win and one point for a draw. A team also gets two points for a "bye" (a week off). If teams have the same points, their "for and against" (points scored minus points conceded) is used to rank them. The team highest on the ladder at the end of the regular season is called the minor premiers.

Magic Round

In 2019, the NRL started "Magic Round." This is a special weekend where all 16 teams play their games at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane. It was very successful and is now an annual event.

Themed Rounds

Throughout the season, there are special themed weeks. These include ANZAC Round, Heritage Round, Women in League Round, Retro Round, Beanies for Brain Cancer Round, and Rivalry Round. Some rival teams also play for special trophies during the season.

In 2022, the NRL had various themed rounds, including a Pride Round to celebrate and respect all players. However, after some issues, it was decided not to have a Pride Round in 2023. Other rounds like Multicultural Round, ANZAC Round, Brain Cancer Round, and Women in League Round continued.

Mid-Season Representative Games

NRL players are often chosen to play in special representative games during the season. These games usually happen from mid-April to mid-July. They include:

• The yearly Anzac Test between Australia and New Zealand.
• The New South Wales City vs Country Origin match.
• Test matches between Pacific Island Nations like the Cook Islands, Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Samoa, and Tonga. These include the Melanesian Cup and Polynesian Cup.
• The three-game State of Origin series (June – July).
• Players from other countries might also go home to play for their national teams.

Finals Series

The top eight teams at the end of the regular season play in the finals series. This involves several games over four weeks in September. Eventually, only two teams are left to play in the Grand Final. The Grand Final is usually played on the first Sunday in October. The NRL used a different finals system until 2011. Since then, they use a system that is seen as fairer for the top four teams.

NRL Grand Final

The NRL Grand Final decides the season's champion. It's one of Australia's biggest sports events and one of the most attended club championship games in the world. Since 1999, it has been played at Sydney's Stadium Australia, except in 2021 when it was held in Brisbane due to the COVID pandemic. In 1999, the Grand Final at Stadium Australia set a record with 107,999 people attending.

The Grand Final used to be played on Sunday afternoons. Since 2008, it starts at 5 pm AEST.

The week before the game, there's the NRL Grand Final Breakfast. Both teams attend, and it's shown live on TV.

Before the game, there's an opening ceremony with entertainment and the national anthem. It's a tradition for the NRL trophy to be brought onto the field by an Australian Army helicopter just before kick-off.

After the Grand Final, there's a presentation ceremony. The winning team gets premiership rings. The best player in the Grand Final wins the special Clive Churchill Medal. The Prime Minister of Australia usually presents the trophy to the winning captain.

Stadium	Location	Country	Highest attendance	Average attendance
Stadium Australia	Sydney	Australia	107,999	80,000

Post-Season International Games

After the NRL season ends, other international games sometimes happen:

• The World Cup, held every four years.
• The Four Nations tournament, featuring Australia, New Zealand, England, and another qualifying team.
• The Prime Minister's XIII match in Papua New Guinea.
• The Rugby League World Cup 9s.
• Extra test matches between Australia and New Zealand.
• The Rugby League Pacific Championship.
• Tours to European countries, or hosting European national teams.

Title Winners

By Season

Season	Grand Finals			Minor Premiers (Points)
	Premiers	Score	Runners-up
1998	Brisbane Broncos	38–12	Canterbury Bulldogs	Brisbane Broncos (37)
1999	Melbourne Storm	20–18	St. George Illawarra Dragons	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (40)
2000	Brisbane Broncos	14–6	Sydney Roosters	Brisbane Broncos (38)
2001	Newcastle Knights	30–24	Parramatta Eels	Parramatta Eels (42)
2002	Sydney Roosters	30–8	New Zealand Warriors	New Zealand Warriors (38)
2003	Penrith Panthers	18–6	Sydney Roosters	Penrith Panthers (40)
2004	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	16–13	Sydney Roosters	Sydney Roosters (42)
2005	Wests Tigers	30–16	North Queensland Cowboys	Parramatta Eels (36)
2006	Brisbane Broncos	15–8	Melbourne Storm	Withheld a
2007	Withheld a	34–8	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	Withheld a
2008	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	40–0	Melbourne Storm	Withheld a
2009	Withheld a	23–16	Parramatta Eels	St. George Illawarra Dragons (38)
2010	St. George Illawarra Dragons	32–8	Sydney Roosters	St. George Illawarra Dragons (38)
2011	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	24–10	New Zealand Warriors	Melbourne Storm (42)
2012	Melbourne Storm	14–4	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (40)
2013	Sydney Roosters	26–18	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	Sydney Roosters (40)
2014	South Sydney Rabbitohs	30–6	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	Sydney Roosters (36)
2015	North Queensland Cowboys	17–16	Brisbane Broncos	Sydney Roosters (40)
2016	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	14–12	Melbourne Storm	Melbourne Storm (42)
2017	Melbourne Storm	34–6	North Queensland Cowboys	Melbourne Storm (44)
2018	Sydney Roosters	21–6	Melbourne Storm	Sydney Roosters (34)
2019	Sydney Roosters	14–8	Canberra Raiders	Melbourne Storm (42)
2020	Melbourne Storm	26–20	Penrith Panthers	Penrith Panthers (37)
2021	Penrith Panthers	14–12	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Melbourne Storm (44)
2022	Penrith Panthers	28–12	Parramatta Eels	Penrith Panthers (42)
2023	Penrith Panthers	26–24	Brisbane Broncos	Penrith Panthers (42)

Premierships by Club

Even though the NRL started in 1998, the league recognizes clubs that won premierships before that year. Clubs highlighted in green are currently in the NRL. Years in bold are from the NRL era. The Gold Coast Titans and the Dolphins are the only current clubs that haven't reached a Grand Final.

	Team	Premiers	Runners-up	Years won	Years runner-up
1	South Sydney Rabbitohs	21	14	1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 2014	1910, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1949, 1952, 1965, 1969, 2021
2	Sydney Roosters	15	15	1911, 1912, 1913, 1923, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1940, 1945, 1974, 1975, 2002, 2013, 2018, 2019	1908, 1919, 1921, 1928, 1931, 1934, 1938, 1941, 1960, 1972, 1980, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2010
2	St. George Dragons	15	12	1941, 1949, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1977, 1979	1927, 1930, 1933, 1942, 1946, 1953, 1971, 1975, 1985, 1992, 1993, 1996
3	Balmain Tigers	11	9	1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1924, 1939, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1969	1909, 1936, 1945, 1948, 1956, 1964, 1966, 1988, 1989
4	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	8	11	1972, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1987, 1996, 2008, 2011	1951, 1957, 1959, 1968, 1970, 1982, 1983, 1995, 1997, 2007, 2013
4	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	8	10	1938, 1942, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1995, 2004	1940, 1947, 1967, 1974, 1979, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2012, 2014
5	Brisbane Broncos	6	2	1992, 1993, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2006	2015, 2023
6	Penrith Panthers	5	2	1991, 2003, 2021, 2022, 2023	1990, 2020
7	Western Suburbs Magpies	4	8	1930, 1934, 1948, 1952	1918, 1925, 1932, 1950, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963
7	Parramatta Eels	4	6	1981, 1982, 1983, 1986	1976, 1977, 1984, 2001, 2009, 2022
7	Melbourne Storm	4	4	1999, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2020	2006, 2008, 2016, 2018
8	Newtown Jets	3	7	1910, 1933, 1943	1913, 1914, 1929, 1944, 1954, 1955, 1981
8	Canberra Raiders	3	3	1989, 1990, 1994	1987, 1991, 2019
9	North Sydney Bears	2	1	1921, 1922	1943
9	Newcastle Knights	2	0	1997, 2001	–
10	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	1	3	2016	1973, 1978, 1997
10	North Queensland Cowboys	1	2	2015	2005, 2017
10	St. George Illawarra Dragons	1	1	2010	1999
10	Wests Tigers	1	0	2005	–
11	Glebe Dirty Reds	0	4	–	1911, 1912, 1915, 1922
11	Warriors	0	2	–	2002, 2011
11	Sydney University	0	1	–	1926

NRL Players

NRL players are very famous athletes in Australia and New Zealand. They can earn large contracts and sponsorship deals. Each NRL club has a main squad of 25 players. These players are signed under a "salary cap," which is a limit on how much money a club can spend on player salaries. If a club needs more players during the season, they usually get them from their junior teams or partner clubs.

Player Backgrounds

In recent years, many players of Polynesian background have joined the NRL. In 2011, about 35% of NRL players and over 45% of junior players were of Polynesian heritage.

The first Indigenous Australian to play in the NSWRL/NRL was George Green in 1909. Many famous Indigenous athletes have played in the competition since then. These include Arthur Beetson (the first Aboriginal person to captain an Australian national team in any sport) and Johnathan Thurston and Greg Inglis.

To celebrate the strong Indigenous connection to the game, the NRL holds a pre-season All Stars game. It features a team of Indigenous Australians playing against a team of other players. There's also an Indigenous Leadership Group made up of top Indigenous NRL players. This group holds camps to teach about Indigenous culture.

Both the All Stars match and the Leadership Group were ideas started by former player Preston Campbell. The best player in the All Stars match receives the Preston Campbell medal.

Salary Cap Rules

A salary cap was introduced in 1990 to help make all teams more equal. It limits how much money clubs can spend on player salaries.

As of 2013, clubs received $7.1 million, which included a $5.85 million salary cap. The minimum wage for a top 25 player was $80,000. The salary cap has increased over the years.

The NRL carefully checks that clubs follow the salary cap rules. If a club breaks the rules, they can be fined and lose competition points. These rule breaks are usually small and technical.

Serious Salary Cap Breaches

In 2002, the Bulldogs were fined $500,000 and lost all 37 points they earned that season. This was because they had spent too much money on players over three years. The club had been leading the competition, but because of the penalty, they finished last.

In 2005, the New Zealand Warriors were fined $430,000. They also started the 2006 season with a four-point penalty. This was because their old management had spent too much on player salaries. The points penalty meant the Warriors missed out on playing in the finals in 2006.

In 2010, the Melbourne Storm were found to have secretly paid players extra money outside the salary cap from 2006 to 2010. As a result, the club lost their 2007 and 2009 premiership titles. They also lost their minor premierships from 2006–2008 and the 2010 World Club Challenge trophy. They were fined a large amount of money and lost all their points for the 2010 season, finishing last. The players themselves were not found to have done anything wrong.

Before the 2016 season, the Parramatta Eels faced penalties for salary cap issues in 2015. On 3 May 2016, the NRL announced that the club would lose 12 competition points and be fined $1 million. They also lost their 2016 NRL Auckland Nines title. The Eels also couldn't earn more points until they were under the salary cap. Several club officials were removed from their roles.

In 2018, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles were fined $750,000. Two officials were suspended, and a penalty was applied to their salary cap for 2018 and 2019. This was because they had made extra payments to players outside the cap.

Judiciary and Integrity Unit

The NRL Judiciary is a group of former players. They meet to decide on penalties for incidents that happen during games. The Integrity Unit was formed in 2013 to make sure the game is fair and clean.

NRL Awards

Provan-Summons Trophy

The Provan-Summons Trophy is the main prize in the NRL. It's given to the team that wins the premiership. The trophy looks like a famous photo called The Gladiators. This photo shows two players, Norm Provan and Arthur Summons, hugging after the 1963 Grand Final. The trophy was officially named the Provan-Summons Trophy in 2013. The captain of the winning team receives the trophy after the Grand Final.

Each player on the winning team also gets a Premiership Ring.

J. J. Giltinan Shield

The J. J. Giltinan Shield started in 1951. It's given to the team that finishes highest on the NRL ladder at the end of the regular season. This team is known as the minor premiers.

Clive Churchill Medal

The Clive Churchill Medal is given to the best player in the Grand Final. It's named after Clive Churchill, a famous Australian rugby league player.

Dally M Awards

The Dally M Medal is the top individual award in Australian rugby league. It's named after Henry Herbert 'Dally' Messenger, who helped start rugby league in Australia.

The awards began in 1980. Since 1998, the Dally M has been the official player-of-the-year award. The medal is usually presented by the Australian Prime Minister at the annual Dally M Awards night. These awards also recognize the best player in each position, the best coach, and the most outstanding new player of the season.

The Immortals

Originally, The Immortals were a group of four players chosen by Rugby League Week magazine as the greatest Australian players ever.

The group started in 1981 with four former captains: Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, Reg Gasnier, and Johnny Raper. More players were added over time. In 2018, the Australian Rugby League Commission took over the Immortals concept and added more legendary players.

Audience and Viewership

In 2022, the NRL season had over 134 million viewers in Australia. On average, about 620,000 people watched each game. Viewers were split between free-to-air TV (Nine Network) and subscription TV (Fox League and Kayo Sports).

Attendance at Games

Season	Total	Average	Grand Final Attendance
1998	2,937,741	11,612	40,857
1999	3,273,372	15,368	107,999
2000	2,959,390	15,494	94,277
2001	2,682,210	14,043	90,414
2002	2,656,198	14,054	80,130
2003	2,965,141	15,689	81,166
2004	3,010,639	15,929	82,127
2005	3,276,675	17,337	82,453
2006	3,115,700	16,485	79,609
2007	3,332,114	16,578	81,392
2008	3,279,663	16,317	80,388
2009	3,412,872	16,980	82,538
2010	3,491,890	17,373	82,334
2011	3,464,207	17,235	81,988
2012	3,486,494	17,346	82,976
2013	3,345,248	16,643	81,491
2014	3,376,409	16,798	83,833
2015	3,230,867	16,074	82,758
2016	3,228,623	16,063	83,625
2017	3,018,795	15,246	79,722
2018	3,257,235	16,205	82,688
2019	3,176,561	15,804	82,922
2020	671,412*	5,245*	37,303
2021	2,083,258†	10,364†	39,322
2022	3,265,911	16,248	82,415
2023	4,086,547	19,186	81,947
*Not all attendances were tallied up for the 2020 season, as such the figure is the total from known and provided crowd numbers.
†Some games in Rounds 16, 17, 20 and 21 were played to empty venues as a result of COVID-19 biosecurity protocols.

Key
	Record high
	Record low
*	Affected by the COVID-19 pandemic

Media Coverage

Television Broadcasts

Australia, New Zealand, and Pacific

In Australia, all NRL matches are shown on both the Nine Network (free-to-air) and Fox Sports (subscription TV) until 2027. In New Zealand, all matches, including special games like the All Stars Match and State of Origin series, are shown live on Sky Sport. Prime also broadcasts some games live in New Zealand, and all Warriors matches on delay.

Game Day Broadcasts

• Thursday Night Footy is live on Nine Network, Fox League, and Kayo Sports at 7:50 pm.
• Friday Night Football has two matches. The first is at 6:00 pm on Fox League. The second is at 8:00 pm on Nine Network, Fox League, and Kayo Sports.
• Super Saturday has three matches: 3:00 pm, 5:30 pm, and 7:35 pm. All are live on Fox League and Kayo Sports. The 7:35 pm game is also on Nine Network for the last five rounds.
• NRL Sunday Ticket has two matches. The first is at 2:00 pm on Fox League and Kayo Sports. The second is at 4:10 pm on Nine Network, Fox League, and Kayo Sports. During daylight savings, the 2:00 pm game moves to 6:15 pm.

Network Specific Coverage

• Fox League and Kayo show all matches live and without commercials (except the Grand Final).
• Nine Network shows the Thursday night game, the second Friday night game, and the second Sunday afternoon game. They also show the last five Saturday 7:30 pm games. Nine also broadcasts the annual NRL Good Friday Game and Anzac Day Cup. For the finals series, Nine shows all games, including the NRL Grand Final.
• The State of Origin series is shown only on the Nine Network, with lots of pre-game and post-game coverage.
• The NRL Grand Final is shown only on the Nine Network. Since 2013, it has kicked off at 7:30 pm.

NRL-Related TV Shows

In Australia, there are TV shows just for discussing the NRL:

• The Sunday Footy Show (Sunday 11:00 am on Channel Nine): Reviews past games and previews upcoming ones.
• Sunday Night with Matty Johns (after Sunday Football on Fox League 502).
• NRL 360 (Mondays-Wednesdays 6:30 pm on Fox League 502).
• 100% Footy (Mondays 10:30 pm on Channel 9): Reviews weekend results and discusses big topics.
• The Fan (Tuesdays 7:30 pm on Fox League 502).
• Over The Black Dot (Wednesdays 8:30 pm on NITV): An Indigenous Australian view on the NRL.
• The Late Show with Matty Johns (Thursdays 10:00 pm on Fox League 502).
• League Legends (Sundays 6:30 pm on Fox League 502): Broadcast during the off-season.
• Bloke in a Bar (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays at 3:00 pm on YouTube).

New Zealand Coverage

• Sky Sport: All games live on Sky Sport 4, including State of Origin and the Grand Final.
• Sky Open: Warriors games on delay, and some select matches live.
• Three: Select State of Origin games live.

Pacific Coverage

In most Pacific countries, all matches are shown on Digicel and other networks. For example, in Fiji, it's on Mai TV, and in Papua New Guinea, it's on TVWan.

Country	Broadcaster
Tonga	Digicel / Tonfon TV
Samoa	Digicel / TV3
Papua New Guinea	Digicel / TVWan
Fiji	Digicel / Mai TV

Outside ANZ and Pacific

The NRL is also available to the rest of the world.

Country/Region	Broadcaster
In flight/ship	Sport24
Worldwide	WatchNRL (streaming)
Sub-Saharan Africa (exc. North)	ESPN
Brunei/ Malaysia/ Singapore	Premier Sports Asia
United Arab Emirates/MENA	Premier Sports MENA
Canada	Sportsnet
France	beIN Sports
United Kingdom/ Ireland	Sky Sports
United States	Fox Soccer Plus
Germany/ Austria/ Switzerland	Sport1+

Internet Streaming

Outside Australia, New Zealand, and the Pacific Islands, all matches can be watched in high definition on the subscription streaming service Watch NRL. This service is run by Fox Sports Australia.

Some classic NRL games are available for free on the league's website.

Radio Coverage

Australia

The NRL has several radio partners that broadcast matches live across Australia. Triple M provides FM coverage, while ABC Local Radio and 2GB provide AM coverage. All radio broadcasts can be streamed live from the NRL website.

2GB broadcasts four matches per week through its Continuous Call Team program. They also cover representative games, all finals matches, and all three Grand Final day matches. This coverage is shared with other radio stations across the country.

ABC Local Radio broadcasts seven NRL matches per week in the Australian Capital Territory, Queensland, and New South Wales.

Triple M has exclusive access to Thursday night, Saturday 4 pm, and Sunday night matches. They also broadcast the State of Origin series, the finals series, and the Grand Final.

Current Broadcasters:

• Triple M: Four games live per week (includes all Cowboys, Raiders, Knights and Titans home game live on home stations)
• 2GB: Four games live per week (includes Sunday 4:00pm exclusive)
• ABC: Seven games live per week

Print Media

Big League used to be the official magazine of the competition, published weekly. It stopped being produced in 2020. Another well-known magazine, Rugby League Week, stopped in April 2017.

The only print magazine currently available is the bi-monthly Rugby League Review. LeagueUnlimited's Front Row Magazine provides an unofficial digital match program each week.

Theme Songs

Video Games

Many popular video games have been made for the Australian rugby league market. Here are some of them, listed by the year they were released:

• E.T.'s Rugby League (1992)
• Australian Rugby League (1995)
• ARL '96 (1996)
• Rugby League (2003)
• Rugby League 2 (2005)
• Rugby League 2: World Cup Edition (2008)
• NRL Mascot Mania (2009)
• Rugby League Challenge (2009)
• Rugby League 3 (2010)
• Rugby League Live (2010)
• Rugby League Live 2 (2012)
• Rugby League Legends (2012)
• Rugby League Live 2: World Cup Edition (2013)
• Rugby League Live 3 (2015)
• Rugby League Live 4 (2017)
• Rugby League Live 4 World Cup Edition (2017)

Cheerleading Squads

Most NRL teams have a group of dancers who perform as cheerleaders. They also often do charity work, help with fundraising, and model. Some famous people who were NRL cheerleaders include Jennifer Hawkins (who became Miss Universe 2004) for the Newcastle Knights, and Tabrett Bethell (an actress) for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

Current Cheer Squads

Name	NRL Club
Hog's Breath Cafe Broncos Cheer Squad	Brisbane Broncos
The Sapphire	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Cronulla Sharks Mermaids	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Manly Seabirds	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Newcastle Knights Cheerleaders	Newcastle Knights
North Queensland Cowgirls Spirit	North Queensland Cowboys
Penrith Pantherettes	Penrith Panthers
The Roosters Girls	Sydney Roosters

Note: The Wests Tigers, South Sydney Rabbitohs, St. George Illawarra Dragons, Parramatta Eels, Gold Coast Titans, Melbourne Storm, Warriors, Canberra Raiders and Dolphins do not have active cheer squads.

NRL Records

Official NRL statistics include all top-level competitions, such as the New South Wales Rugby League, Australian Rugby League, Super League, and the current NRL.

Team Records

• Most premierships – 21 South Sydney Rabbitohs
• Most minor premierships – 20 Sydney Roosters
• Most premierships in a row – 11 St George
• Most wooden spoons (finishing last) – 17 Western Suburbs Magpies
• Highest score in a game – 91, St. George against Canterbury (1935)
• Largest winning margin in a game – 85, St. George against Canterbury (1935)
• Longest winning streak – 19 matches, Eastern Suburbs Roosters (1975); Melbourne Storm (2021)
• Longest undefeated streak – 35 matches, Eastern Suburbs (1935–1938)
• Longest losing streak- 42 matches, University (1934–1936)

Individual Player Records

• Most games played – Cameron Smith (430 games)
• Leading pointscorer – Cameron Smith (2,810 points)
• Leading tryscorer – Ken Irvine (212 tries)
• Most points in a Full Season – 342, Hazem El Masri (2004)
• Most points in a Regular Season – 300, Reuben Garrick (2021)
• Most tries in a season – 38, Dave Brown (1935)
• Most points in a game – 45, Dave Brown (1935)
• Most tries in a game – 8, Frank Burge (1920)

NRL Coaches

(* = interim coach)

Nat.	Name	Club	Year beginning tenure	Year as head coach of Club	Previous NRL clubs
	Kevin Walters	Brisbane Broncos	Beginning 2021	4th	–
	Stuart, RickyRicky Stuart	Canberra Raiders	Beginning 2014	11th	Sydney Roosters (2002–06) Cronulla (2007–10) Parramatta (2013)
	Ciraldo, CameronCameron Ciraldo	Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs	Beginning 2023	2nd	Penrith Panthers (2018*)
	Fitzgibbon, CraigCraig Fitzgibbon	Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks	Beginning 2022	3rd	–
	Des Hasler	Gold Coast Titans	Beginning 2024	1st	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (2004-2011 2018-2022) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (2012-2017)
	Seibold, AnthonyAnthony Seibold	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles	Beginning 2023	2nd	South Sydney Rabbitohs (2018) Brisbane Broncos (2019–20)
	Bellamy, CraigCraig Bellamy	Melbourne Storm	Beginning 2003	21st	Brisbane (2002*)
	Adam O'Brien	Newcastle Knights	Beginning 2020	5th	–
	Webster, AndrewAndrew Webster	Warriors	Beginning 2023	2nd	Wests Tigers (2016*)
	Payten, ToddTodd Payten	North Queensland Cowboys	Beginning 2021	4th	Warriors (2020*)
	*Barrett, TrentTrent Barrett	Parramatta Eels	Mid-Season 2024	11th	Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (2016-2018) Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (2021-2022)
	Cleary, IvanIvan Cleary	Penrith Panthers	Beginning 2019	6th	Warriors (2006–11) Penrith Panthers (2012–15) Wests Tigers (2017–18)
	*Hornby, BenBen Hornby	South Sydney Rabbitohs	Mid-Season 2024	3rd	–
	Shane Flanagan	St George-Illawarra Dragons	Beginning 2023	1st	–
	Robinson, TrentTrent Robinson	Sydney Roosters	Beginning 2013	12th	–
	Marshall , BenjiBenji Marshall	Wests Tigers	Beginning 2023	1st	-
	Bennett, WayneWayne Bennett	Dolphins	Beginning 2023	2nd	Canberra Raiders (1987) Brisbane Broncos (1988–2008, 2015–2018) St George-Illawarra Dragons (2009–2011) Newcastle Knights (2012–2014) South Sydney Rabbitohs (2019–2021)

Premiership Winning Coaches (NRL Era)

Nationality	Name	No. Premierships as head coach	Years	No. Runner-ups as head coach	Years	No. Minor Premierships as head coach	Years
	Wayne Bennett	4	1998, 2000, 2006, 2010	2	2015, 2021	4	1998, 2000, 2009, 2010
	Craig Bellamy	3	2007*, 2009*, 2012, 2017, 2020	4	2006, 2008, 2016, 2018	5	2011, 2016, 2017, 2019, 2021
	Ivan Cleary	3	2021, 2022, 2023	2	2011, 2020	3	2020, 2022, 2023
	Trent Robinson	3	2013, 2018, 2019	0		4	2013, 2014, 2015, 2018
	Des Hasler	2	2008, 2011	3	2007, 2012, 2014	1	2012
	Ricky Stuart	1	2002	3	2003, 2004, 2019	1	2004
	Paul Green	1	2015	1	2017	0
	Steve Folkes	1	2004	1	1998	0
	John Lang	1	2003	0		2	1999, 2003
	Chris Anderson	1	1999	0		0
	Michael Hagan	1	2001	0		0
	Tim Sheens	1	2005	0		0
	Michael Maguire	1	2014	0		0
	Shane Flanagan	1	2016	0		0

Match Officials

Sponsorship in the NRL

The NRL and its clubs get a lot of money from sponsors. You can see sponsor logos on player uniforms, referee uniforms, the playing field, and even the ball. Since 2001, Telstra has been the main sponsor of the National Rugby League premiership, so it's called the 'NRL Telstra Premiership'. Before that, it was just known as the 'National Rugby League'.

The Telstra Premiership has had five different logos since 2001. The current logo, launched in 2018, has a modern look. It highlights the shield and chevron, which are symbols that have been part of Rugby League since it began.

Other important sponsors include Kia (for Thursday Night Football), KFC (for Friday Night Football), Bundaberg Rum (for Super Saturday), and Chemist Warehouse (for Sunday Football). Steeden makes the official match balls, and Westpac sponsors the match ball. The State of Origin series and Australian Test matches are also sponsored. Youi and Harvey Norman sponsor the on-field match officials, and Swyftx sponsors the NRL Bunker (video referee system).

Other official NRL sponsors include: Coca-Cola Amatil, DoorDash, Hankook, Hisense, Home Hardware, Rebel, TWE (Wolf Blass), Accor, Drinkwise, P&O, Gallagher and EISS Super. Partners of the NRLW (women's competition) are: Telstra, Harvey Norman, Chemist Warehouse, Flight Centre and Rebel.

Images for kids

• 

  Darren Lockyer and Wayne Bennett celebrate the premiership after the Brisbane Broncos' Grand Final victory in 2006.

• 

  Pre-game ceremonies before the Dragons vs Roosters Anzac Day match in 2018.

• 

  Ben Barba at the Dally M awards.

• 

  A 2004 match between Brisbane and Canterbury-Bankstown.

• 

  The Provan-Summons Trophy is awarded to the winner of the grand final.

• 

  The Flames, the cheer squad for the St. George Illawarra Dragons, performing during an NRL match in 2018.