Rugby league in Victoria

Last updated

Rugby league in Victoria
Stormtram.jpg
Melbourne tram in 2009 featuring Melbourne Storm advertising livery
Governing body NRL Victoria
Representative team Victoria
First played1914, Melbourne
Registered players10,471 (2023) [1]
16,000+ (including variants) [2]
Clubs25 [3]
Club competitions
Audience records
Single match91,513 (2015). State of Origin – Queensland v New South Wales (MCG, Melbourne)

Rugby league football has been played and watched by people in the Australian state of Victoria since the early 20th century. While for most of its history there the game's popularity has been marginal due to the dominance of Australian rules football in Victoria, rugby league's popularity has rapidly increased in recent years in the state's capital of Melbourne, [4] due mainly to the introduction of a professional Melbourne-based team in the national competition. [5] The governing body is NRL Victoria.

Contents

In 1998 the first professional club, the Melbourne Storm, was established as an expansion club to join the National Rugby League premiership, [6] the only professional rugby league club located across the Barassi Line.

The Australian Rugby League reports that over $23 million has been invested by the Melbourne Storm and its partners in promoting and developing rugby league in Victoria since 2005 and the club has visited more than 550 schools across the state. Participation has grown significantly since 2006, with more than 10,000 players across at least 25 clubs in 2024.

History

The modern code of rugby league

In 1895, rugby football underwent a schism in England over the issues of expenses and payment to injured players. This led it to split into rugby union and rugby league. Luring professional sportsmen, the new code of rugby league arrived in Australia in 1907 and came to dominate the sporting scene in Queensland and New South Wales. However, it was not immediately introduced into Victoria, where Australian rules football's VFL, which paid players, was already increasingly popular. Rugby union, however, continued to be played in Victoria by a small number of amateurs.

The 1914 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand included a match in Melbourne, the first rugby league game to be played in the state. The match between England and New South Wales drew 13,000 spectators. [7]

The Victorian Rugby League was running a rugby league premiership by the 1920s, and also selected a representative Victorian XIII to tour domestically. [8]

The first interstate match held in Victoria was between Western Australia and Victoria at Yarra Park in 1952. [9]

The occasional New South Wales Rugby League Premiership match was taken to Melbourne over the following decades - the most notorious being in 1978 when Manly and Western Suburbs initiated their 'Fibros v Silvertails' battles. [10]

In 1991 the St Kilda Football Club unsuccessfully sought to have NSWRL games played at Moorabbin Oval. [11] but the NSWRL had let Melbourne host a number of premiership games during the early 1990s; with a 1993 Western Suburbs Magpies home game against the St George. Dragons played at Olympic Park. The next season, the Sydney Tigers played two home games at Princes Park.

But attendances for the State of Origin games in the state during the 1990s had been strong. [11] The 1990 State of Origin played at Olympic Park, attracted a capacity crowd of 25,800, and three more were held in 1994, 1995 and 1997 at the Melbourne Cricket Ground. Over those 3 years, 160,000 people attended; including a then Australian rugby league record crowd of 87,161 in 1994. [10]

In 1991 the first match of the Test series between New Zealand and Australia was played at Olympic Park in front of a crowd of 26,900, the first time a rugby league test match played in Australia was held outside of New South Wales and Queensland. [12] The next year, the second Test between Great Britain and Australia was played at Princes Park in front of a crowd of 33,005.

The first professional team emerges

In August 1991 the NSWRL began to express interest for its 1993 competition, [11] and made a request to the Victorian Rugby League to put forward a proposal. The local league showed significant hesitation, indicating that the game had little support to build upon. [10]

However, during 1993 ARL Chairman Ken Arthurson made it clear that he remained positive about Melbourne and thought it had much to offer. Former Melbourne CEO Chris Johns said; "John and I had been with the Broncos from day one and we had learnt first-hand how the club had progressed in 10 years to become a 'super club'. Melbourne had three times the population of Brisbane and the people down there just love their sport". [13]

Plans to enter Melbourne gained momentum in November 1994 when both the ARL and the organisers of the (then called) News Limited rebel competition both began initiatives to fast track their own teams in the Victorian capital. [13] In 1996, the Australian Rugby League (ARL) decided to establish a Melbourne-based team due to the high attendances at recent State of Origin matches. But in May 1997, Super League boss John Ribot pushed for a Melbourne-based club in the Super League competition, which was the rival against the ARL competition. Former Brisbane Broncos centre Chris Johns became the CEO of the club and Ribot stepped down from head of the Super League to set up the club. The club would be fully owned by News Limited who had a position of influence through their ownership in the Herald Sun, with part of its strategy to use Melbourne's most popular newspaper to provide contra media exposure for the new club. In September 1997, Melbourne announced that Chris Anderson would be their foundation coach, and then the Super League announced that their new team would be named the Melbourne Storm and it would be based at Olympic Park Stadium. [10]

The new millennium

The 2003 NRL grand final attracted a bigger audience in Melbourne than the 2003 AFL Grand Final did in Sydney. [14] In 2006 the deciding game of the State of Origin drew 54,833 spectators at Telstra Dome. [15] Also that season, Melbourne's television audience for the Storm's NRL grand final appearance was higher than Sydney's was for the Swans' second successive AFL grand final appearance. [16] This would occur again in 2016.

Storm players after the 2007 Grand Final. Players of Melbourne Storm after the 2007 NRL grand final.jpg
Storm players after the 2007 Grand Final.

The 2007 preliminary final between Parramatta and Melbourne Storm saw the largest ever crowd drawn by the Storm in Melbourne, 33,472. [17] It was a larger than Manly's preliminary final crowd of 32,611. [18]

In 2007 the Victorian Government confirmed that it would be building a new 31,500 rectangular stadium at Olympic Park, for rugby league, union and soccer. [19]

The opening round of the 2008 season saw 20,084 spectators [20] watch the Storm defeat New Zealand Warriors in their first game at Telstra Dome. Melbourne finished the 2008 season with a home average attendance of 12,474, [21] considerably larger than their 2007 average of 11,711. [21] [22] They recorded their largest crowd average ever in the 2010 season at 14,670. For the 2008 Rugby League World Cup, the only game in Melbourne against England drew a crowd of 36,297 at the Telstra Dome. [23] This was the second highest attended game in the competition, surpassed only by the final, played in Brisbane that drew 50,559. [24]

2015 saw new records set for rugby league in Victoria with 91,513 spectators attending the second Origin match at the MCG, won by NSW.

The Storm who have won four premierships to date: (1999, 2012, 2017, 2020); as of 2022 regularly attract over 16,000 people to matches, [25] and set a new club membership record of over 40,000. [26]

In a boost for the code in Victoria, Victoria's Rugby League Centre of Excellence was constructed at Seabrook Reserve in Broadmeadows, with the $16.9 million facility opening in 2023. [27] The facility serves as the home ground for Northern Thunder as well as the administration base for NRL Victoria and Touch Football Victoria. It additionally serves as a hub for rugby league programs, and a venue for training, camps and state and national level tournaments, and is also set to serve as the home ground of any future Melbourne Storm NRLW team. [28] [29] Features of the facility include a show pitch, three community access competition pitches, a female-friendly pavilion including high-performance training and recovery facilities, and car parking. [30] [31] [32]

Local development and expansion

Players such as Jeremy Smith, born in New Zealand, and Gareth Widdop, born in England, [33] have come through the junior ranks in Melbourne.

In round 23 2012, Mahe Fonua became the first Victorian-born and bred player to play in the NRL when he made his debut for Melbourne Storm. He played his junior career for South East Titans (formerly Berwick Bulldogs) in the Victorian Rugby League. [34] [35]

Although born in Samoa, Young Tonumaipea and Richard Kennar both emigrated to Melbourne at young ages and played their junior football with local side Northern Thunder before making their senior NRL debuts for Melbourne Storm.

The junior team (which is largely made up of Victorian locals) [36] were runners up to the Bulldogs in the S. G. Ball Cup in 2009. [37]

"The fabric of rugby league is built on tribalism and rivalry. That’s why we can’t rule out [a second Melbourne team]. The other reason why a second Melbourne team is good for us, is that our junior base in Victoria has expanded considerably"

Australian Rugby League Commission chair Peter V'landys in 2023 on NRL expansion in Victoria and the addition of a second team [38]

Participation

2016 [39] 2023 [40]
10,04610,471

Competitions

Active competition
LeagueYears with VIC clubsSenior VIC clubsDivisionsHeadquarters
Victorian Rugby League 1952-Melbourne
Melbourne Rugby League 1952-175Melbourne
Goulburn Murray Rugby League 1991-81 Shepparton
Sunraysia-Riverlands Rugby League 1991-31 Mildura
Super League 19971Sydney, New South Wales
National Rugby League 1998-1Sydney, New South Wales
Central Highlands Rugby League 2005-20125 Ballarat
NRL Under-20s 2008-1Sydney, New South Wales
Limestone Coast Rugby League 2017-51 Mount Gambier, South Australia

Audience

By 2024 ten State of Origin matches held in Melbourne at an average attendance of 62,160. Attendance has grown significantly with a record 91,513 attending in 2015. Around 287,000 Victorians watched State of Origin matches on television in 2024. [41]

The NRL audience in comparison is modest but growing. The NRL Grand Final attracted 349,000 Victorian viewers in 2023. [42] Melbourne Storm in 2024 had an all time average attendance of 13,762 per match, growing to a record of more than 20,000 per match. Storm matches on television attract around 20,000 viewers per game in Melbourne.

State of Origin Attendances

YearVenueAttendanceReferences
1990Olympic Park25,800 [43]
1994Melbourne Cricket Ground87,161 [43]
1995Melbourne Cricket Ground52,994 [43]
1997Melbourne Cricket Ground25,105 [43]
2006Docklands Stadium54,833 [43]
2009Docklands Stadium50,967 [43]
2012Docklands Stadium56,021 [43]
2015Melbourne Cricket Ground91,513 [43]
2024Melbourne Cricket Ground90,084 [44]

Governing body

NRL Victoria governs rugby league in Victoria. [45] Victoria is an Affiliated State of the overall Australian governing body the Australian Rugby League.

Representative Team

The Victoria team play in the Affiliated States Championship along with the other three affiliated states (South Australia, Northern Territory and Western Australia) plus the Australian Police and Australian Defence Force. In 2007 Victoria came fourth in the ARL Affiliated States Championships in Perth. [46]

They won their first championship in 2009 [47]

National Rugby League Teams

The National Rugby League (NRL) is Australia's top-level competition for the sport of rugby league. [48] The Melbourne Storm are Victoria's only side in the League, having been initially created on the initiative of Super League for inclusion in their competition in 1997, [11] however they did not start playing until the NRL's commencement in 1998. The club won the premiership in just its second season, 1999, [49] and has been a powerful club for much of its existence. As of 2021, the club has won four premierships, in 1999, 2012, [50] 2017, and 2020. It has also won the World Club Challenge in 2000, 2013, and 2018.

The club had also won three consecutive minor premierships in 2006, 2007 and 2008 [51] and premierships in 2007 [52] and 2009, [53] but those titles were stripped, along with the 2010 World Club Challenge title, after the club was found guilty of breaching the salary cap.

ClubLocationHome Ground(s)First season
Melbourne colours.svg Melbourne Storm Melbourne [54] AAMI Park (12 games) (30,050) [55] 1998 [11]

Players

Players from Victoria who have played professionally include:

Currently playing professionally

Men's

PlayerVIC junior/senior club/sVIC RepresentativeProfessional/Representative Years*Connections to Victoria, References
Sualauvi Fa'alogo Northern Thunder RLFC, Victoria Thunderbolts, Melbourne StormYes2023–presentRaised in Melbourne. Played for Melbourne Storm (2023–present)
Nick Flocas -2022–presentBorn in Melbourne
Fonua Pole Sunbury United -2022–presentRaised in, played junior football in and recruited from Melbourne. [56]
Kelma Tuilagi Casey Warriors Yes2021–presentPlayed junior football in Melbourne. [57]
Greg Marzhew North West Wolves -2021–presentPlayed senior football in Melbourne prior to professional career. [58]
Dean Ieremia Sunbury United, Melbourne Storm-2021–presentRaised in, played junior football in and recruited from Melbourne. [59] played for Melbourne Storm (2021–present)
Jamayne Taunoa-Brown Altona Roosters -2020–presentBorn in, played junior football in and recruited from Melbourne.
Connor Donehue Melbourne Storm (juniors)2018–presentPlayed junior football in Melbourne [60] [61]
Zev John Altona Roosters U20 (2017)2018–presentPlayed junior football in and recruited from Melbourne.
Ben Nakubuwai Altona Roosters -2017–presentPlayed senior football in and recruited from Melbourne. [62]
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad Altona Roosters, Melbourne Storm-2017–presentPlayed junior football in Melbourne as a 15 year old. [63] [64]
Francis Tualau South Eastern Titans -2017–2018Raised in and recruited from Melbourne.
Aaron Teroi Northern Thunder RLFC -2016–2017Born, raised in and recruited from Melbourne. [65]
Richard Kennar Northern Thunder RLFC, Melbourne Storm-2015–presentRaised in and recruited from Melbourne. Played for the Melbourne Storm (2015–16)
Young Tonumaipea Northern Thunder RLFC, Melbourne Storm-2014–presentRaised in and recruited from Melbourne. [66] Played for the Melbourne Storm (2014–18, 2022–present)
Denny Solomona Waverley Oakleigh Panthers -2014–2016Raised in and recruited from Melbourne.
Kenny Bromwich Hallam Secondary College, Melbourne Storm (U20), Melbourne Storm2012–presentRaised in and recruited from Melbourne. Played for Melbourne Storm (2013–22)
Mahe Fonua Hallam Secondary College, Melbourne StormU15 (2006, 2007)2012–presentBorn, raised in and recruited from Melbourne. Played for Melbourne Storm (2012–15) [67]
Gareth Widdop Altona Roosters, Melbourne StormU18 (?)2010–presentRaised in and recruited from Melbourne, played for Melbourne Storm (2010–2013)
Drury Low Altona Roosters, [68] Waverley Oakleigh Panthers [69] -2010–2014Raised inand played junior football in Melbourne
Selasi Berdie 2008-2009Raised in and recruited from Melbourne
Peter Wallace --2005–2018Born in Melbourne [70]
Jeremy Smith Altona Roosters, Melbourne Storm-2004–2016Raised in Melbourne, played for Melbourne Storm (2004–2008)
Jake Webster --2003–2024Born in Melbourne [71]
Timana Tahu --1999–2014Born in Melbourne [72] [73]
Craig Polla-Mounter --1992–2001Born in Melbourne [74]
Jamie Bloem --1992–2005Born in Melbourne [75]
Michael Cook --1989–1991Born in Melbourne [76]
Chris Kinna --1984–1989Born in Melbourne [77]
Frank Cottle --1940–1951Born in Melbourne
Eric McCormack --1927–1932Born in Melbourne
Billy Mitchell --1911–1920Born in Melbourne

Women's

PlayerVIC junior/senior club/sVIC RepresentativeProfessional Years*Connections to Victoria, References
Stacey Waaka --2024–presentRaised in Melbourne [78]
Pia Tapsell --2024–presentBorn in Melbourne [79]
Emmanita Paki --2022–presentBorn in Mildura [80]
Najvada George Werribee Bears-2019–presentBorn and raised in Melbourne [81] [82]
Karina Brown --2018–presentBorn in Warragul [83]

See also

Footnotes

  1. ↑ Ausplay Rugby League Participation by State
  2. ↑ "Annual report 2021-2022" (PDF). touchfootball.com.au. Retrieved 15 May 2023.
  3. ↑ NRL Victoria clubs
  4. ↑ "World class stadium for Storm a reality". sportsaustralia.com. SportsAustralia. 5 March 2007. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  5. ↑ Heming, Wayne (30 October 2009). "Brisbane Broncos voted Australia's most popular football team". foxsports.com.au. AAP. Retrieved 31 October 2009.
  6. ↑ "More Clubs added to the Victoria Rugby League Comp in 2009 - The Front Row Forum :: Rugby League". Forums.leagueunlimited.com. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  7. ↑ Sydney Morning Herald, 17 August 1914
  8. ↑ "Football: Rugby League Final". The Argus. Australia. 7 September 1923. p. 4. Retrieved 4 December 2009.
  9. ↑ "Rugby League Match Today". The Age . No. 30, 326. Victoria, Australia. 10 July 1952. p. 12. Retrieved 12 September 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  10. 1 2 3 4 "Melbourne Storm - Official Website". Archived from the original on 14 July 2008. Retrieved 18 July 2008.
  11. 1 2 3 4 5 "Rugby League". www.rl1908.com. Archived from the original on 21 June 2002.
  12. ↑ Deane, Steve (23 October 2009). "Top 10 moments in Kiwi league". nzherald.co.nz. New Zealand: APN Holdings NZ Limited. Retrieved 5 February 2010.
  13. 1 2 Collis, Ian & Whitaker, Alan (2004). The History of Rugby League Clubs. Sydney: New Holland Publishers (Australia) Pty Ltd. p. 344. ISBN   1741100755.
  14. ↑ Evans, Chris (7 October 2003). "Rugby League rates in AFL state". The Age . The Age Company. Retrieved 21 August 2014.
  15. ↑ "Etihad Stadium Crowds (Docklands Stadium)". Austadiums. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  16. ↑ Stevenson, Andrew (3 October 2006). "Rugby league - the game they play in Melbourne". The Sydney Morning Herald. Fairfax Digital. Retrieved 16 December 2009.
  17. ↑ "Melbourne Storm to face Manly in NRL Grand Final". Herald Sun. 23 September 2007.
  18. ↑ "Rugby League Tables / Attendances 2007". Stats.rleague.com. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  19. ↑ "Major Projects - Melbourne Rectangular Stadium". Archived from the original on 11 October 2007. Retrieved 13 August 2007.
  20. ↑ "Grandstand Forums". rleague.com. Archived from the original on 6 March 2008. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  21. 1 2 "Rugby League Tables / Attendances /Melbourne". Stats.rleague.com. 9 June 2013. Archived from the original on 1 August 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  22. ↑ "Melbourne Storm - Official Website". www.melbournestorm.com.au. Archived from the original on 15 June 2005.
  23. ↑ Read, Brent (2 November 2008). "Livewire Billy Slater kills off rugby league World Cup". The Australian.
  24. ↑ "Kiwis re-write rugby league history". Stuff.co.nz . NZPA. 22 November 2008. Retrieved 6 November 2011.
  25. ↑ "Rugby League Tables / Attendances 2022".
  26. ↑ "Record 40,000 Ride The Storm in 2022". melbournestorm.com.au. 23 August 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2022.
  27. ↑ "Rugby League Centre Builds Momentum For Women, Youth". Premier of Victoria. Victorian Government. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  28. ↑ Walter, Brad. "New $12m facility to boost Storm's NRLW bid". National Rugby League. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  29. ↑ "The Perfect Storm For Rugby League In Victoria". Premier of Victoria. Victorian Government. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  30. ↑ "New Field of Dreams for rugby league in Victoria". Melbourne Storm. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  31. ↑ Ward, Roy. "Storm chase NRL Women's licence for new state training centre". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  32. ↑ "Rugby league set to take Broadmeadows by storm". Sport and Recreation Victoria. Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions. Retrieved 29 September 2023.
  33. ↑ Local talent is Storm's aim
  34. ↑ "Rd 23 Late Mail & Live Chat". Melbourne Storm. 10 August 2012. Archived from the original on 3 December 2013. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  35. ↑ "Mahe our first, but certainly not the last, home-bred Victorian NRL player". The Australian. 11 August 2012.
  36. ↑ "News - Official Site of Melbourne Storm | News, video, fixture, tickets, membership". Melbournestorm.com.au. 7 January 2012. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  37. ↑ "SG Ball @ Melbourne Storm". www.melbournestorm.com.au. Archived from the original on 27 February 2009.
  38. ↑ ‘I’d be shocked’: Christian Welch’s surprise as NRL considers second Victorian team in expansion plans from Fox Sports 2 May 2023
  39. ↑ Ausplay Rugby League Participation by State
  40. ↑ Ausplay Rugby League Participation by State
  41. ↑ State of Origin game one breaks streaming record for broadcaster Nine by Karl Quinn 6 June 2024
  42. ↑ Footy’s grand final TV ratings: Who won the battle of the codes? by Karl Quinn 2 October 2 2023
  43. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 When was the last time State of Origin was played in Melbourne? History of Origin at the MCG by Patrick Brischetto for Sporting News 26 June 2024
  44. ↑ NSW Blues smash Queensland Maroons 38-18 in State of Origin II at the MCG By Jon Healy and Simon Smale for ABC News 26 June 2024
  45. ↑ NRL. "NRL - The official site of the National Rugby League - NRL.com". Australianrugbyleague.com.au. Archived from the original on 4 June 2004. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  46. ↑ Messina, Joe (2007). "Australian Rugby Football League Annual Report 2007" (PDF). Australian Rugby League Limited. p. 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 September 2009. Retrieved 15 July 2009.
  47. ↑ "Australian Rugby League". Archived from the original on 5 January 2010. Retrieved 27 February 2010.
  48. ↑ "Australian NRL - in Wakefield". Archived from the original on 19 October 2007. Retrieved 12 October 2008.
  49. ↑ "Melbourne Storm - Official Website". www.melbournestorm.com.au. Archived from the original on 14 June 2006.
  50. ↑ Melbourne Storm Enjoys Famous Victory In A Potentially Infamous Nrl Grand Final Herald Sun[ dead link ]
  51. ↑ "Grandstand Forums". rleague.com. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  52. ↑ "Melbourne Storm - Official Website". www.melbournestorm.com.au. Archived from the original on 23 October 2007.
  53. ↑ "Plenty of angry NRL viewers | Herald Sun". Archived from the original on 14 October 2009.
  54. ↑ "Melbourne Storm Rugby League Club - About - Google". Google Maps. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  55. ↑ "AAMI Park (Melbourne Rectangular Stadium)". Austadiums. 7 May 2010. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  56. ↑ "Pole: A dream come true". Wests Tigers. 29 June 2022.
  57. ↑ "Wests Tigers profile - Kelma Tuilagi". weststigers.com.au. Retrieved 2 August 2021.
  58. ↑ "Wolves on the prowl, and winning". Hume Weekly. 6 November 2012. p. 15. Retrieved 4 June 2021.
  59. ↑ "Melbourne school to fly flag for Victoria in schoolboys final". NRL. 10 September 2018. Retrieved 8 June 2022.
  60. ↑ Mascord, Steve (23 September 2019). "Meet USA Hawks star Connor Donehue". usarl.org. USA Rugby League . Retrieved 23 October 2019.
  61. ↑ "World Nines, NRL: Connor Donehue, USA Hawks, Melbourne Storm, John Donehue". Fox Sports. Australia: Fox Sports (Australia). 17 October 2019. Retrieved 18 October 2019.
  62. ↑ Gray, John (1 October 2013). "Storm front - Hurricanes young gun on Melbourne's radar". Irrigator. Retrieved 20 August 2017.
  63. ↑ "Introducing Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad". Warriors.kiwi. 20 November 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  64. ↑ "Warriors sign Melbourne Storm utility back harnze Nicoll-Klokstad on two-year deal". Stuff. 23 October 2015. Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  65. ↑ "Hope of Storm place in air for Rugby League teen". Hume Leader. 15 December 2010 – via EBSCOHost.
  66. ↑ "Local Young Gun to Stay with Storm". Melbourne Storm. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  67. ↑ Mahe Fonua Set To Make History With Melbourne Storm In The Nrl Grand Final The Daily Telegraph[ dead link ]
  68. ↑ Jenkinson, Lance (19 April 2015). "Altona Roosters plan to make it a year to remember". Maribyrnong Star Weekly. Archived from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
  69. ↑ "Drury Low". the Bulldogs. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  70. ↑ Player Profile: "WOW Brisbane Broncos". Archived from the original on 15 March 2009. Retrieved 30 March 2009., broncos.com.au
  71. ↑ "Jake Webster - Career Stats & Summary". Rugby League Project. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  72. ↑ "Timana Tahu :: NSW Rugby - the Home of the HSBC Waratahs". www.nswrugby.com.au. Archived from the original on 22 December 2007. Retrieved 15 January 2022.
  73. ↑ "Profile from Timana Tahu". bebo.com. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  74. ↑ "Craig Polla-Mounter". Misterfixit.tripod.com. Retrieved 21 August 2013.
  75. ↑ "Bloem Close To Crossing Divide". sportinglife.com. 31 December 2011. Retrieved 1 January 2012.
  76. ↑ Brave and Game Biographies : Michael Terrance Cook Archived 2012-02-25 at the Wayback Machine
  77. ↑ "THE RAIDERS IN '87". The Canberra Times . Vol. 61, no. 18, 774. Australian Capital Territory, Australia. 27 February 1987. p. 5 (SUPPLEMENT TO THE CANBERRA TIMES). Retrieved 3 May 2022– via National Library of Australia.
  78. ↑ Nealon, Sarah (10 June 2021). "Stacey Fluhler: Black Ferns Sevens player and Māori Television presenter". Stuff. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  79. ↑ Ex-Black Fern Pia Tapsell joins the Sharks by Sharks Media 6 February 2024
  80. ↑ "Emmanita Paki - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org.
  81. ↑ "Dad's advice to Dragons NRLW gun Najvada George: rugby league girls don't cry". The Daily Telegraph. 2 October 2019.
  82. ↑ "Najvada George - Player profile". Dandenong Rangers.
  83. ↑ "Star students: Marymount College's top alumni". Gold Coast Bulletin.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">National Rugby League</span> Australasian rugby league football competition

The National Rugby League is a professional rugby league competition in Australasia which contains clubs from New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melbourne Storm</span> Australian rugby league football club

The Melbourne Storm is a rugby league club based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia that participates in the National Rugby League (NRL). The club plays its home games at AAMI Park, and wears a purple and navy blue jersey with gold and white trim.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rugby league in Australia</span>

Rugby league in Australia has been one of Australia's most popular sports since it started being played there in 1908. It is the dominant winter football code in the states of New South Wales and Queensland. In 2022, it was the most watched sport on Australian television with an aggregate audience of 137.3 million viewers. The premier club competition is the National Rugby League (NRL), which features ten teams from New South Wales, four teams from Queensland, and one team each from Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand. The premier representative competition is the annual Rugby league State of Origin featuring two sides, the New South Wales Blues and the Queensland Maroons is often referred to as "Australian sport's greatest rivalry", it is one of Australia's premier sporting events, attracting huge interest and television audiences.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robbie Kearns</span> Australia international rugby league footballer

Robbie Kearns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s, and 2000s. An Australia international and New South Wales State of Origin representative forward, he played for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Western Reds and the Melbourne Storm.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marcus Bai</span> PNG international rugby league footballer

Marcus "George" Bai is a Papua New Guinean former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. An international representative winger, he represented Papua New Guinea on numerous occasions including at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup. Bai played club football for English clubs the Hull FC, Leeds Rhinos and the Bradford Bulls, as well as Australian clubs the Gold Coast Chargers and Melbourne Storm. He became the first player to have won the World Club Challenge with three clubs. In 2005 he was minutes away from being the first person to win all of the major domestic competitions in both Australia and England however Hull F.C. struck with minutes to go in the Challenge Cup final to deny Leeds Rhinos the Challenge Cup and him a place in the history books.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cooper Cronk</span> Australia international rugby league footballer

Cooper Patrick Cronk is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative halfback, he played most of his club career for the Melbourne Storm, though finished his career with the Sydney Roosters, both in the National Rugby League (NRL).

The history of the National Rugby League (NRL), the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia, goes back to December 1997, when it was formed in the aftermath of the Super League war of the mid-1990s. The NRL has, in its relatively brief history, enjoyed growth and record attendance figures.

The 2008 Melbourne Storm season was the 11th in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2008 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season as minor premiers before reaching the grand final in which they were beaten by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 40–0, the largest margin in grand final history. The minor premiership won by the Storm in 2008 was later stripped by the NRL in 2010 when it was revealed the club had been in breach of salary cap rules.

The 1999 Melbourne Storm season was the second in the club's history. Coached by Chris Anderson and captained by Glenn Lazarus, they competed in the National Rugby League's 1999 season, finishing the regular season in 3rd out of 17 teams. Melbourne reached the 1999 NRL Grand Final and defeated the St George Illawarra Dragons, claiming their first premiership.

The 2010 NRL season was the 103rd season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the thirteenth run by the National Rugby League. The season commenced on 12 March and ended with the grand final, played on 3 October at ANZ Stadium. Sixteen teams competed for the 2010 Telstra Premiership whilst the third season of the National Youth Competition was also in progress.

The 2011 Melbourne Storm season was the 14th in the club's history. They competed in the 2011 NRL season and finished the regular season in first place, winning the J.J. Giltinan Shield for taking out the minor premiership.

The 1998 Melbourne Storm season was the first in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's inaugural Premiership and their first season was a major surprise to many, with the new team reaching the top of the ladder in Round 15 and finishing the regular season in 3rd place, only one win behind minor premiers Brisbane. Adopting coach Chris Anderson's new "flat-line" attack, the big Storm forwards laid a platform for their young halves Scott Hill and Brett Kimmorley to wreak havoc on opposing teams. Melbourne's front-rowers Glenn Lazarus, Robbie Kearns and Rodney Howe were all selected to play for New South Wales in the 1998 State of Origin series. A late season injury to captain Lazarus combined with a lack of Finals experience saw the Storm knocked out in the play-offs. The club though had proven they were to be taken seriously, and they had easily produced the best debut season of any new team in the game's history.

The 2012 Melbourne Storm season was the club's 15th NRL season. Coached by Craig Bellamy and captained by Cameron Smith, they competed in and won the NRL's 2012 Telstra Premiership. The first nine weeks of the season were very successful, with the club winning all games for what was at the time their best start to a season. From round 10 to round 21 they won only three games and lost seven, including a five-game losing streak between rounds 16 and 21, their second worst ever. From round 22 onward they recovered their winning form and finished the regular season with five straight wins, finishing in second place. The Storm then went on to defeat South Sydney and Manly in the finals series before going on to face minor premiers, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in the 2012 NRL Grand Final, winning 14–4 to claim the Premiership.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christian Welch</span> Australian rugby league footballer

Christian Welch is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tui Kamikamica</span> Fiji international rugby league footballer

Erevonu Tuicaumatalevu "Tui" Kamikamica is a Fijian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a prop for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL) and Fiji at international level.

The 2017 Melbourne Storm season was the 20th in the club's history. They competed in the 2017 NRL season and at the end of the Regular season had finished in 1st place earning them their third legitimate minor premiership. The team was coached by Craig Bellamy, coaching the club for his 15th consecutive season. Melbourne Storm were also captained by Cameron Smith, who has been the sole captain for the team since 2008—making this his 10th consecutive season. Cameron Smith broke a number of league, club and personal records throughout the 2017 season including the NRL games record for the most games played, league record for the most wins as a captain, a personal best for the most points in a game and also scored his 2000th career point and 1000th career goal, the first time any player has achieved this.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Xavier Coates</span> Papua New Guinea international rugby league footballer

Xavier Coates is a Papua New Guinea international rugby league footballer who plays as a winger for the Melbourne Storm in the National Rugby League (NRL).

The 2020 NRL season was the 113th season of professional rugby league in Australia and the 23rd season run by the National Rugby League.

The 2021 Melbourne Storm season was the 24th in the club's history competing in the 2021 NRL season. The team is coached by Craig Bellamy, coaching the club for his 19th consecutive season. On 19 February 2021, the Melbourne Storm announced that Jesse Bromwich and Dale Finucane succeeded Cameron Smith, as co-captains of the club.

The 2023 Melbourne Storm season was the 26th in the club's history, competing in the 2023 NRL season. The team was coached by Craig Bellamy, coaching the club for his 21st consecutive season. Melbourne Storm were captained by Christian Welch who was captain for the second consecutive season.

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.