Undoubtedly the most famous of all grand finalists, the St. George Dragons seared themselves into the imaginations of rugby league fans by winning a stunning 11 premierships in a row from 1956 to 1966.
In that time, the players wearing the iconic red V turned up the heat on their opposition like no other Australian sporting team.
Fans here continue to idolise the amazing sporting achievement of the Dragons. And rightly so. Since that time, no Australian top-tiered club has gone close to even contesting that many finals in a row, let alone winning them.
The closest were the Parramatta Eels who, competing in four grand finals in a row from 1981 to 84, managed to win the first three.
However, something incredible happened overseas in the little known world of Serbian rugby league. In 2014, Red Star Belgrade defeated the Dorćol Spiders 36-26 in the grand final of the Serbian Rugby League Championship to claim their maiden premiership.
Given that clubs win maiden premierships all the time, one could be forgiven for thinking ‘well done Red Star’ and then leave it at that. Until you realise that Red Star Belgrade had just ended the longest premiership winning run in rugby league history.
Dorćol, Serbia’s oldest rugby league club had just lost their first ever grand final – after winning the previous twelve.
Red Star have been a mainstay of the Serbian league for many years now but their first grand final appearance in 2010 saw them get absolutely smashed by the Spiders 50-0. They then missed out on the 2011 grand final before narrowly going down to the Spiders in 2012. They qualified again in 2013, but once more the bite of the Spiders proved too much.
Then the unthinkable happened. In 2014, the two rivals faced off once more in the decider and this time, this time glorious history was made. The Dorćol Spiders, the oldest and most prestigious of Serbia’s clubs, the most successful of clubs, the winner of 12 consecutive premierships, finally lost a grand final.
What the future will bring for Red Star, no one can say. But when that full time siren sounded, there was no doubt that Red Star Belgrade were, for that single shining moment, rugby league’s greatest club.
Craig Watson
Guest
I wish I had not have read your article. As a Dragon supporter for 50 years, I hate that Serbian league club with a passion.. What is Serbia doing playing rugby league anyway?. Thought they were a soccer nation.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Everybody knows that rugby league is only played in the eastern states of Australia and a few northern English towns.
Zeljko Delic
Guest
It was army World Cup actually. Australia, UK, NZ and Serbia sent their teams. http://www.rlfowc2013.com/armed_forces We have police team also, but not good enough yet :)
Zeljko Delic
Guest
Let us know about Serbian players in Ozz, we are really keen to get them involved. There is a big Serbian community in Australia, but unlike Italians, Greeks, Lebanese they don't get proactive, at least not yet. There was a handful of players from Australia with Serbian roots that won caps for Serbia, but those boys payed from their pocket to come. SRL is sending a liaison to Australia, and we plan to start Australian Serbs RL committee, so every man is an asset. Let us know who you know :D
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I just noticed that while I gave Australian rugby league clubs their due by mentioning Parramatta's three wins in a row, I ought to have also mentioned rugby league in the UK. St Helens contested 6 grand finals in a row from 2006-2011 and only won one title in that period. (Spare a thought for James Graham...) But the real talking point is Wigan's 6 titles in a row between seasons 1990/91-1995/96. So while Parramatta are respectfully mentioned amongst the Australian clubs, we shouldn't forget Wigan's performances either - 6 premierships in a row is a massive result. Still a few short of the Dorćol Spiders but... well, congratulations Red Star!
Zeljko Delic
Guest
Thank you for this good read pal. Can you somehow give me your contact, I wish to send a Red Star RLC poloto you, friend of mine is coming to Sydney in few weeks so... :D
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I'm an expatriate.
Russell Johnson
Guest
Yeah , T'interweb is a bit tricky isn't it? You put in Rugby League and who knows what they'll come up with?
Russell Johnson
Guest
Sleiman, do you know the one where some fell on stony ground? The thing is you can't spend years creating an isolation/ superiority mentality wall and then attempt to break it down brick by brick! Have you and Mr Mascord thought of emigrating as you seem so out of tune with a whole continent! Besides as Bobby Fulton will tell you "Outside? World?" Its a bit like "BREAD? GARLIC?"Keep the faith and TGG, TGG!
IKNOW
Guest
Serbia inherits everything from former Yugoslavia,Serbia and Montenegro ! Croatia,Montenegro,Slovenia etc are the ones who had to start over :)
Alvin Purple
Guest
I think you will find that Serbia sent a Police side to play in their equivalent World Cup in 2013. One of only a few nations to do so. There has been some good development over the years with a lot of university teams which I believe is invaluable for future development with many of these students holding good management skills that can be used to expand the code.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
By the way, the original title of the article was 'The greatest club of them all?' So while the Dorćol Spiders broke the Dragon's record, the article was really about Red Star Belgrade and their moment in the sun.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
I'd like to see a Mediterranean Club Challenge somehow sponsored by the RLIF.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Correct SA rugby league started in Serbia, part of the Yugoslavian republic in 1953.The French were responsible for starting the game initially there. Whilst rugby league was played in Serbia,in Croatia it was rugby union.Yugoslavian authorities demanded Serbian rl clubs switch to ru,to unite Yugslavia with one rugby code in 1964. Now rugby league is starting up in Bosnia Herzegovina. In fact Serbia when it comes to development,,has been one of the surprise packages,due to its growth from juniors to armed services/police.An indication for grassroots development in Serbia:- http://www.rlef.eu.com/news/article/975/rugby-league-goes-back-to But of course we are constantly advised, non Anglo Saxon's are just not interested.
seajay23
Guest
I have plenty of Serbian mates - tough and proud, they would make a fearsome league team with enough resources. Same for the Macos and Croats really, however, a viable inter-country Balkan league might make for lots of crowd mischief!
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Good question. My understanding is that a league was instituted in 1953 in Serbia when it was part of Yugoslavia but lasted only until 1964. It was then restarted 2001 when Serbia and Montenegro were a single union and that the league continued as a Serbian enterprise when Montenegro left that union. At least that is how it appears to me.
Professor Rosseforp
Guest
Hang on, this is a serious question: I'm not an expert in the politics and government of the former Yugoslav Republics (is anybody???), but Serbia didn't start as a country until 2006, so where does the Serbian Rugby League Championship fit into the broader scheme of things? Was it played as the Serbian-Montengro Rugby League Championship, or is this a whole new competition? 2006-2014 includes 8-9 finals maximum.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Yes, exactly.
Elma Dudd
Guest
That's a bit like taking the Mercedes engineers for a trip to the Mitsubishi factory.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
Ideas like that seem pretty obvious if you ask me. It's not as if Serbia just started playing the sport yesterday.