ARL Premiership

Australian Rugby League PremiershipSport| Rugby league

|

Instituted| 1995
Inaugural season| 1995
Ceased| 1997
Replaced by| National Rugby League
Number of teams| 20 (1995–1996)
12 (1997)
Country|  Australia
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).

## 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]

For NSWRL top flight results before 1995, considered by the NRL as its own history, see NSWRL Premiership.

For the all-time list of top-flight Premiers since 1908, see Australian rugby league premiers.

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.

* v
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* e

National Rugby League

Teams|

| Current|

* Brisbane Broncos
* Canberra Raiders
* Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
* Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
* Dolphins
* Gold Coast Titans
* Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
* Melbourne Storm
* Newcastle Knights
* New Zealand Warriors
* North Queensland Cowboys
* Parramatta Eels
* Penrith Panthers
* South Sydney Rabbitohs
* St. George Illawarra Dragons
* Sydney Roosters
* Wests Tigers

|

Future|

* Perth Bears (2027)
* Papua New Guinea (2028)

Former|

* Balmain Tigers (1908–1999)
* Western Suburbs Magpies (1908–1999)
* North Sydney Bears (1908–1999)
* Newtown Bluebags / Jets (1908–1983)
* Glebe Dirty Reds (1908–1929)
* Newcastle Rebels (1908–1909)
* Cumberland (1908)
* Annandale Dales (1910–1920)
* University (1920–1937)
* St. George Dragons (1921–1998)
* Illawarra Steelers (1982–1998)
* Gold Coast-Tweed Giants / Gold Coast Seagulls / Chargers (1988–1998)
* South Queensland Crushers (1995–1997)
* Western Reds / Perth Reds (1995–1997)
* Adelaide Rams (1997–1998)
* Hunter Mariners (1997)
* Northern Eagles (2000–2002)

Annual events|

* Pre-season
* NRL Nines
* All Stars
* World Club Challenge
* Charity Shield
* Regular season
* Las Vegas
* Good Friday
* Easter Sunday
* Easter Monday
* Anzac Day Cup
* Michael Moore Trophy
* Magic Round
* King's Birthday
* Finals
* Grand Final Breakfast
* State Championship
* Grand Final
* List
* State of Origin

History|

* League history
* NSWRL premiership
* Winfield Cup
* ARL Premiership
* ARL
* Super League
* Super League war
* Seasons
* All time club list
* Expansion
* Premiers
* All First-Class Premiers
* Winning captains and coaches
* Wooden spooners
* Records
* Grand Final
* Most tries in a game
* Golden point games
* Players sent off
* Rivalries
* Referees

Awards and honours|

* Dally M Awards
* Dally M Medal
* Clive Churchill Medal
* Hall of Fame
* The Immortals
* J. J. Giltinan Shield
* Rothmans Medal

Media|

* Friday Night Football
* Fox League
* Sunday Night with Matty Johns
* NRL 360
* The Fan
* Nine's Wide World of Sports
* The Footy Show
* The Sunday Footy Show
* 100% Footy
* Over the Black Dot
* Continuous Call Team
* Monday Night Football on Triple M
* Big League
* Rugby League Review
* Rugby League Week
* Rugby League (video games series)
* NRL SuperCoach

Administration|

* Australian Rugby League Commission
* Club owners
* Judiciary
* Salary cap
* Match officials
* Reserves affiliations
* Rugby League Players Association

Related articles|

* Current team squads
* Current head coaches
* Stadiums
* Men of League Foundation
* Women in League
* NRLW Premiership
* Brisbane Rugby League
* Amco Cup
* Tooheys Challenge Cup

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