ARL Premiership

Last updated
Australian Rugby League Premiership
Sport Rugby league
Instituted1995
Inaugural season 1995
Ceased 1997
Replaced by National Rugby League
Number of teams20 (1995–1996)
12 (1997)
CountryFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Flag of New Zealand.svg  New Zealand (Australian Rugby League)
Broadcast partner Nine Network
C7 Sport
Related competition New South Wales Rugby League premiership

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).

Contents

History

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

ClubCityHome venue(s)Est.JoinedExited
Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors Flag of New Zealand.svg Auckland Ericsson Stadium 1995 1995 1996 4
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos Flag of Queensland.svg Brisbane ANZ Stadium 1988 1995 1996 4
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders Flag of the Australian Capital Territory.svg Canberra Bruce Stadium 1981 1995 1996 4
Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Flag of New South Wales.svg Sydney (Sutherland Shire) Endeavour Park 1967 1995 1996 4
Gold Coast Chargers colours.svg Gold Coast Chargers 1 Flag of New South Wales.svg Tweed Heads

Flag of Queensland.svg Gold Coast

Seagulls Stadium (1995)

Carrara Stadium (1996–1997)

1987 1995 1997
Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers Flag of New South Wales.svg Wollongong Woolongong Stadium 1980 1995 1997
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Flag of New South Wales.svg Sydney (Northern Beaches) Brookvale Oval 1947 1995 1997
Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Flag of New South Wales.svg Newcastle Marathon Stadium 1988 1995 1997
North Queensland colours.svg North Queensland Cowboys Flag of Queensland.svg Townsville Stockland Stadium 1995 1995 1996 4
North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears Flag of New South Wales.svg Sydney North Sydney Oval 1908 1995 1997
Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels Flag of New South Wales.svg Sydney (Parramatta) Parramatta Stadium 1947 1995 1997
Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers Flag of New South Wales.svg Sydney (Penrith) Penrith Stadium 1967 1995 1996 4
South Queensland colours.svg South Queensland Crushers Flag of Queensland.svg Brisbane Suncorp Stadium 1995 1995 1997
South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs Flag of New South Wales.svg Sydney Sydney Football Stadium 1908 1995 1997
St. George colours.svg St. George Dragons Flag of New South Wales.svg Sydney (St. George) Kogarah Oval 1998 1995 1997
Canterbury colours.svg Sydney Bulldogs 2 Flag of New South Wales.svg Sydney (Canterbury-Bankstown) Parramatta Stadium 1934 1995 1996 4
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney City Roosters Flag of New South Wales.svg Sydney Sydney Football Stadium 1908 1995 1997
Balmain colours.svg Sydney Tigers 3 Flag of New South Wales.svg Sydney (Balmain) Parramatta Stadium 1908 1995 1997
Western Reds colours.svg Western Reds Flag of Western Australia.svg Perth WACA Ground 1992 1995 1996 4
Western Suburbs colours.svg Western Suburbs Magpies Flag of New South Wales.svg 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

SeasonGrand FinalsMinor Premiers
PremiersScoreRunners-up
1995 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown 17–4 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah
1996 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah 20–8 St. George colours.svg St. George Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah
1997 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle 22–16 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly-Warringah

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References

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