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Over the last few years, records in the NRL have been broken and some newly made, with maiden premierships, length between premierships and quickest expansion club to win a title just to name a few.
With that said, here is a list of NRL records that will stand the test of time. These are the good, the bad and unfortunately the ugly records of the NRL from 1908 to present.
8. Most seasons taken to win a grand final – Sharks, 50
Finally, they were able to turn off their porch lights. It was a long and painful wait for the Shire to finally get the chance to raise that premiership trophy. Half a century for the club to finally achieve the goal they set out to achieve in 1967 when they joined the comp.
Many thought it would never come as one of the greats Steve Rogers, despite having three attempts himself, never saw the Sharks win the title, as he passed back in 2006. This is record I’m sure that the Sharks don’t want and would be happy to pass on to any other club tomorrow, but with the Warriors more than 25 years and the Titans 40 years away from breaking this record, I’m confident it will, unfortunately, stay with the Sharks forever.
7. Most teams in one location – Gold Coast, four
The Giants, Seagulls, Chargers and the Titans. For one reason or another, NRL on the Gold Coast is a venture that never goes away nor gives up.
It’s no secret that, for some reason, sport is just doomed to fail on the Gold Coast. The NBL, A-League, AFL and the NRL have all tried to bring teams to the city but all have failed miserably in an attempt to bring a sporting club home with a title.
After three failed attempts to bring the NRL to the party capital of the country, the Titans are still yet to bring home any real success, but with growing memberships and the strongest team that they have ever had, it’s only a matter of time before they bring home the trophy.
6. Most grand finals stripped for salary cap breaches – Melbourne, two
Told you things would get ugly. The Storm is the only team to ever have titles stripped from them for salary cap breaches. In 2010, they admitted to the breaches and were subsequently stripped of their minor premiership and grand final premiership titles from 2006 to 2009 inclusive.
Never before had this happened and hopefully it’ll never happen again, not only the embarrassment of the scandal but the long-lasting effect that it will have on the game and the fans because of it. Let’s leave this in the past, learn from it and never mention it again.
5. 100 per cent success rate at grand finals – Newcastle Knights, two from two
Two for two, Richie Benaud’s favourite saying, that’s what the Knights’ grand final strike rate is. Up until 2015, the Broncos had this record with six from six, but went down to the Cowboys in that year’s grand final.
The Knights’ fans still have something to cheer about, the fact their team has a 100 per cent success rate and grand finals.
If they never get to another grand final the club can willingly take this record to their graves with pride. This will never be broken, just either equalised or passed to another club. The Titans are the only team (at present) that can take this record from them.
4. Most Origins won in a row – Queensland, eight
There is nothing better for a Queenslander than to watch the Blues be embarrassed, humiliated and flat out beaten on the field, the only thing better was watching it happen eight years in a row.
In 2006 the eight-year dominance started and continued until 2013. I had a seven and five-year-old and a six-month baby at home before NSW finally won one.
I remember a Sydney paper doing up a write-up that a whole bunch of under-6s had never seen NSW win a title, it was a funny read. But in 2014 they finally got their act together and won a series, although Queensland have won twice in a row since, and restored their dominance, with the looming retirements of the big four, Thurston, Cronk, Smith and Slater, it’s only a matter of time before NSW win again… well maybe.
I really don’t think Queensland can repeat or beat this feat, but I’m more than happy to be proven wrong.
3. Most grand finals in a row – St George Dragons, 11
I’ll put more bottom dollar on this never being broken, it has stood for 50 years and teams these days have enough problems getting back-to-back titles (not done since 1993) let alone eleven in a row. The Dragons dominated the post-war years with consecutive wins from 1956 to 1966, a tremendous achievement that no team has even had a sniff of, a record that will live forever, an impossible feat never to be repeated.
2. Most premierships won – Rabbitohs, 21
How could I not mention this one? The most dominant team in the history of the game are on top for a reason, 21 premierships, that is six more than their closest rivals, the St George Dragons.
Even though they have had over 40 years between titles (sorry Eels but I think that you will break this record, hence why it’s not on the list), in their early days up until the 1970s, the Rabbitohs dominated the game with 20 premierships between 1908 to 1971. This is a record that no team will come close to breaking as other teams have to get at least ten or more title just to catch up.
1. Quickest expansion team to win a grand final – Melbourne Storm, second season
This record stood for over 60 years and was first held by the Bulldogs. In 1938, the Doggies won their first title in only their fourth season and held that record until 1999, when the Storm defeated the St George Illawarra Dragons in only their second season, slashing the record’s time in half.
Since 1999, only one team has entered into the comp (or returned) since the Titans and due to the NRL’s unwilling ability to expand the comp with more teams, I’m sure this record is safe and sound for the Storm to keep for a long time to come.
It would take a super team to perform a near-miracle to win a premiership in their first season, and although the merger between St George and Illawarra did make the grand final the same year, that is a merged team, not a new one.
It has never been done before I’m sure it will never happen.
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