List of National Rugby League Premiers explained

Australian rugby league premiers
Founded
1908
Country

Editions completed
117
Number of teams
17
Current premiers
Penrith Panthers (5th title)
Most titles won
South Sydney
(21 titles)

As of the end of 2023, there have been 26 NRL Premierships and 116 overall, including the competition's predecessors (NSWRL and ARL). This is a list of all the grand finals that were played to decide those premierships.

The premierships not decided by a grand final were determined by league ladder position. These years were 1909, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1917, 1918, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1925 and 1937.

Since 1954 the grand final was officially sanctioned as the only way to determine the premiership,[1] but it had been commonplace for decades before that.

List

NSWRL/ARL/NRL Premiers (1908-present)

SeasonPremiersScoreRunners-upVenueAttendance
New South Wales Rugby League
1908 South Sydney Rabbitohs14–12 Eastern SuburbsRAS Showground4,000
1909 South Sydney Rabbitohs (2)N/A Balmain TigersN/AN/A
1910 Newtown Jets4–4 South Sydney RabbitohsRAS Showground14,000
1911 Eastern Suburbs11–8 Glebe Dirty Reds20,000
1912 Eastern Suburbs (2)N/A Glebe Dirty RedsN/AN/A
1913 Eastern Suburbs (3) Newtown Jets
1914 South Sydney Rabbitohs (3) Newtown Jets
1915 Balmain Tigers Glebe Dirty Reds
1916 Balmain Tigers (2)5–3 South Sydney RabbitohsSydney Cricket Ground7,000
1917 Balmain Tigers (3)N/A South Sydney RabbitohsN/AN/A
1918 South Sydney Rabbitohs (4) Western Suburbs Magpies
1919 Balmain Tigers (4) Eastern Suburbs
1920 Balmain Tigers (5) South Sydney Rabbitohs
1921 North Sydney Bears Eastern Suburbs
1922 North Sydney Bears (2)35–3 Glebe Dirty RedsSydney Cricket Ground15,000
1923 Eastern Suburbs (4)15–12 South Sydney Rabbitohs15,000
1924 Balmain Tigers (6)3–0 South Sydney Rabbitohs15,000
1925 South Sydney Rabbitohs (5)N/A Western Suburbs MagpiesN/AN/A
1926 South Sydney Rabbitohs (6)11–5 Sydney UniversityRAS Showground20,000
1927 South Sydney Rabbitohs (7)20–11 St. George Dragons8,000
1928 South Sydney Rabbitohs (8)26–5 Eastern Suburbs25,000
1929 South Sydney Rabbitohs (9)30–10 Newtown JetsSydney Sports Ground16,360
1930 Western Suburbs Magpies27–2 St. George Dragons12,178
1931 South Sydney Rabbitohs (10)12–7 Eastern Suburbs27,104
1932 South Sydney Rabbitohs (11)19–12 Western Suburbs Magpies16,925
1933 Newtown Jets (2)18–5 St. George Dragons18,080
1934 Western Suburbs Magpies (2)15–12 Eastern Suburbs25,174
1935 Eastern Suburbs (5)19–3 South Sydney RabbitohsSydney Cricket Ground22,106
1936 Eastern Suburbs (6)32–12 Balmain Tigers14,395
1937 Eastern Suburbs (7)N/A South Sydney RabbitohsN/AN/A
1938 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs19–6 Eastern SuburbsSydney Cricket Ground20,287
1939 Balmain Tigers (7)33–4 South Sydney Rabbitohs26,972
1940 Eastern Suburbs (8)24–14 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs24,167
1941 St. George Dragons31–14 Eastern Suburbs39,957
1942 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (2)11–9 St. George Dragons26,171
1943 Newtown Jets (3)34–7 North Sydney Bears60,922
1944 Balmain Tigers (8)12–8 Newtown Jets24,186
1945 Eastern Suburbs (9)22–18 Balmain Tigers44,585
1946 Balmain Tigers (9)13–12 St. George DragonsSydney Sports Ground32,296
1947 Balmain Tigers (10)13–9 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs29,292
1948 Western Suburbs Magpies (3)8–5 Balmain Tigers29,122
1949 St. George Dragons (2)19–12 South Sydney RabbitohsSydney Cricket Ground56,534
1950 South Sydney Rabbitohs (12)21–15 Western Suburbs MagpiesSydney Sports Ground32,373
1951 South Sydney Rabbitohs (13)42–14 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles28,505
1952 Western Suburbs Magpies (4)22–12 South Sydney RabbitohsSydney Cricket Ground41,060
1953 South Sydney Rabbitohs (14)31–12 St. George Dragons44,581
1954 South Sydney Rabbitohs (15)23–15 Newtown Jets45,759
1955 South Sydney Rabbitohs (16)12–11 Newtown Jets42,466
1956 St. George Dragons (3)18–12 Balmain Tigers61,987
1957 St. George Dragons (4)31–9 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles54,399
1958 St. George Dragons (5)20–9 Western Suburbs Magpies62,283
1959 St. George Dragons (6)20–0 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles49,457
1960 St. George Dragons (7)31–6 Eastern Suburbs53,156
1961 St. George Dragons (8)22–0 Western Suburbs Magpies61,196
1962 St. George Dragons (9)9–6 Western Suburbs Magpies41,184
1963 St. George Dragons (10)8–3 Western Suburbs Magpies69,860
1964 St. George Dragons (11)11–6 Balmain Tigers61,369
1965 St. George Dragons (12)12–8 South Sydney Rabbitohs78,056
1966 St. George Dragons (13)23–4 Balmain Tigers61,129
1967 South Sydney Rabbitohs (17)12–10 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs56,358
1968 South Sydney Rabbitohs (18)13–9 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles54,255
1969 Balmain Tigers (11)11–2 South Sydney Rabbitohs58,825
1970 South Sydney Rabbitohs (19)23–12 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles53,241
1971 South Sydney Rabbitohs (20)16–10 St. George Dragons62,838
1972 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles19–14 Eastern Suburbs Roosters54,357
1973 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (2)10–7 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks52,044
1974 Eastern Suburbs Roosters (10)19–4 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs57,214
1975 Eastern Suburbs Roosters (11)38–0 St. George Dragons63,047
1976 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (3)13–10 Parramatta Eels57,343
1977 St. George Dragons9–9 Parramatta Eels65,959
St. George Dragons (14)22–0 Parramatta Eels47,828
1978 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles11–11 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks51,510
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (4)16–0 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks33,552
1979 St. George Dragons (15)17–13 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs50,991
1980 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (3)18–4 Eastern Suburbs Roosters52,881
1981 Parramatta Eels20–11 Newtown Jets57,333
1982 Parramatta Eels (2)21–8 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles52,186
1983 Parramatta Eels (3)18–6 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles40,285
1984 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (4)6–4 Parramatta Eels47,076
1985 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (5)7–6 St. George Dragons44,569
1986 Parramatta Eels (4)4–2 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs45,843
1987 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (5)18–8 Canberra Raiders50,201
1988 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (6)24–12 Balmain TigersSydney Football Stadium (1988)40,000
1989 Canberra Raiders19–14 Balmain Tigers40,500
1990 Canberra Raiders (2)18–14 Penrith Panthers41,535
1991 Penrith Panthers19–12 Canberra Raiders41,815
1992 Brisbane Broncos28–8 St. George Dragons41,560
1993 Brisbane Broncos (2)14–6 St. George Dragons42,329
1994 Canberra Raiders (3)36–12 Canterbury-Bankstown Panthers42,234
Australian Rugby League
1995 Sydney Bulldogs (7)17–4 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesSydney Football Stadium (1988)41,127
1996 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (6)20–8 St. George Dragons40,985
1997 Newcastle Knights22–16 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles42,482
National Rugby League
1998 Brisbane Broncos (4)38–12 Canterbury-Bankstown PanthersSydney Football Stadium (1988)40,857
1999 Melbourne Storm20–18 St. George Illawarra DragonsStadium Australia107,999
2000 Brisbane Broncos (5)14–6 Sydney Roosters94,277
2001 Newcastle Knights (2)30–24 Parramatta Eels90,414
2002 Sydney Roosters (12)30–8 New Zealand Warriors80,130
2003 Penrith Panthers (2)18–6 Sydney Roosters81,166
2004 Canterbury-Bankstown Panthers (8)16–13 Sydney Roosters82,127
2005 Wests Tigers30–16 North Queensland Cowboys82,453
2006 Brisbane Broncos (6)15–8 Melbourne Storm79,609
2007 Melbourne Storm34–8 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles81,392
2008 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (7)40–0 Melbourne Storm80,388
2009 Melbourne Storm23–16 Parramatta Eels82,538
2010 St. George Illawarra Dragons32–8 Sydney Roosters82,334
2011 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (8)24–10 New Zealand Warriors81,988
2012 Melbourne Storm (2)14–4 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs82,976
2013 Sydney Roosters (13)26–18 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles81,491
2014 South Sydney Rabbitohs (21)30–6 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs83,833
2015 North Queensland Cowboys17–16 Brisbane Broncos82,758
2016 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks14–12 Melbourne Storm83,625
2017 Melbourne Storm (3)34–6 North Queensland Cowboys79,722
2018 Sydney Roosters (14)21–6 Melbourne Storm82,688
2019 Sydney Roosters (15)14–8 Canberra Raiders82,922
2020 Melbourne Storm (4)26–20 Penrith Panthers37,303
2021 Penrith Panthers (3)14–12 South Sydney RabbitohsLang Park39,322
2022 Penrith Panthers (4)28–12 Parramatta EelsStadium Australia82,415
2023 Penrith Panthers (5)26–24 Brisbane BroncosStadium Australia81,947

Team Performance

TeamWinnersRunners-upYears wonYears runner-up
1 South Sydney Rabbitohs21141908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 20141910, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1949, 1952, 1965, 1969, 2021
2 Sydney Roosters15151911, 1912, 1913, 1923, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1940, 1945, 1974, 1975, 2002, 2013, 2018, 20191908, 1919, 1921, 1928, 1931, 1934, 1938, 1941, 1960, 1972, 1980, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2010
3 St. George Dragons15121941, 1949, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1977, 19791927, 1930, 1933, 1942, 1946, 1953, 1971, 1975, 1985, 1992, 1993, 1996
4 Balmain Tigers1191915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1924, 1939, 1944, 1946, 1947, 19691909, 1936, 1945, 1948, 1956, 1964, 1966, 1988, 1989
5 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles8111972, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1987, 1996, 2008, 20111951, 1957, 1959, 1968, 1970, 1982, 1983, 1995, 1997, 2007, 2013
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs101938, 1942, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1995, 20041940, 1947, 1967, 1974, 1979, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2012, 2014
6 Brisbane Broncos621992, 1993, 1997*, 1998, 2000, 20062015, 2023
7 Penrith Panthers521991, 2003, 2021, 2022, 20231990, 2020
8 Western Suburbs Magpies481930, 1934, 1948, 19521918, 1925, 1932, 1950, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963
Parramatta Eels61981, 1982, 1983, 19861976, 1977, 1984, 2001, 2009, 2022
Melbourne Storm41999, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017, 20202006, 2008, 2016, 2018
9 Newtown Jets371910, 1933, 19431913, 1914, 1929, 1944, 1954, 1955, 1981
Canberra Raiders31989, 1990, 19941987, 1991, 2019
10 North Sydney Bears211921, 19221943
Newcastle Knights01997, 2001
11 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks1320161973, 1978, 1997
North Queensland Cowboys220152005, 2017
120101999
Wests Tigers02005
12 Glebe Dirty Reds041911, 1912, 1915, 1922
New Zealand Warriors22002, 2011
Dolphins
Gold Coast Titans

See also

Notes and References

  1. News: Keeble. Brett. Sea Eagles return to NRL's top perch. 4 November 2012. Newcastle Herald. 5 October 2008.