The ARL Premiership was Australia's first grade rugby league competition between 1995 and 1997. It replaced the previous competition, the New South Wales Rugby League premiership, after the competition expanded to 20 teams with the admittance of four additional clubs to the competition; the North Queensland Cowboys (Townsville, Queensland), South Queensland Crushers (Brisbane, Queensland), Western Reds (Perth, Western Australia), and Auckland Warriors (Auckland, New Zealand).

Australian Rugby League Premiership
SportRugby league
Instituted1995
Inaugural season1995
Ceased1997
Replaced byNational Rugby League
Number of teams20 (1995–1996)
12 (1997)
Country Australia
 New Zealand (Australian Rugby League)
Broadcast partnerNine Network
C7 Sport
Related competitionNew South Wales Rugby League premiership

History

edit

During the Super League war of the mid-1990s the Australian Rugby League (ARL) took over control of Australia's first grade competition from the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) who had run the Premiership since its inception in 1908. As the premiership expanded to Queensland, Australian Capital Territory, Western Australia, and New Zealand, the NSWRL relinquished its control to the ARL.

Although they only won one ARL Premiership in 1996, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles dominated the competition in its three years under the ARL name, winning each minor premiership (1995–1997), and appearing in all three Grand Finals.

The Super League War reached its peak in 1997 with News Corporation following through on plans to run its rival Super League in direct competition with the Premiership. As a result, the ARL Premiership lost eight clubs to the newly formed league: Auckland Warriors, Brisbane Broncos, Canberra Raiders, Canterbury Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks, North Queensland Cowboys, Penrith Panthers, and Perth Reds.

At the end of 1997, after an agreement was reached between the ARL and Super League owners News Corporation, the two competitions were absorbed into the newly created National Rugby League,[1] resulting in the immediate shut down of financially troubled clubs the Hunter Mariners (Super League), Perth Reds (Super League), and South Queensland Crushers (ARL).

Teams

edit
Club City Home venue(s) Est. Joined Exited
  Auckland Warriors   Auckland Ericsson Stadium 1995 1995 19964
  Brisbane Broncos   Brisbane ANZ Stadium 1988 1995 19964
  Canberra Raiders   Canberra Bruce Stadium 1981 1995 19964
  Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks   Sydney (Sutherland Shire) Endeavour Park 1967 1995 19964
  Gold Coast Chargers1   Tweed Heads

  Gold Coast

Seagulls Stadium (1995)

Carrara Stadium (1996–1997)

1987 1995 1997
  Illawarra Steelers   Wollongong Woolongong Stadium 1980 1995 1997
  Manly Warringah Sea Eagles   Sydney (Northern Beaches) Brookvale Oval 1947 1995 1997
  Newcastle Knights   Newcastle Marathon Stadium 1988 1995 1997
  North Queensland Cowboys   Townsville Stockland Stadium 1995 1995 19964
  North Sydney Bears   Sydney North Sydney Oval 1908 1995 1997
  Parramatta Eels   Sydney (Parramatta) Parramatta Stadium 1947 1995 1997
  Penrith Panthers   Sydney (Penrith) Penrith Stadium 1967 1995 19964
  South Queensland Crushers   Brisbane Suncorp Stadium 1995 1995 1997
  South Sydney Rabbitohs   Sydney Sydney Football Stadium 1908 1995 1997
  St. George Dragons   Sydney (St. George) Kogarah Oval 1998 1995 1997
  Sydney Bulldogs2   Sydney (Canterbury-Bankstown) Parramatta Stadium 1934 1995 19964
  Sydney City Roosters   Sydney Sydney Football Stadium 1908 1995 1997
  Sydney Tigers3   Sydney (Balmain) Parramatta Stadium 1908 1995 1997
  Western Reds   Perth WACA Ground 1992 1995 19964
  Western Suburbs Magpies   Sydney Campbelltown Stadium 1908 1995 1997

1 Played as the Gold Coast Seagulls in 1995 before being rebranded ahead of the 1996 season.

2 Rebranded from Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 1995 as a result of the Super League war.

3 Rebranded from Balmain Tigers in 1995 during the Super League war but reverted back for the 1997 season.

4 Exited to join the rival Super League for the 1997 season.

Premiers

edit
Season Grand Finals Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up
1995   Canterbury-Bankstown 17–4   Manly-Warringah   Manly-Warringah
1996   Manly-Warringah 20–8   St. George   Manly-Warringah
1997   Newcastle 22–16   Manly-Warringah   Manly-Warringah

References

edit
  1. ^ "SCGT - SFS". 2007-08-16. Archived from the original on 16 August 2007. Retrieved 2022-04-17.