Wikipedia

Melbourne Rugby League

For the professional National Rugby League club, see Melbourne Storm.

The Melbourne Rugby League (currently the Storm Premiership for branding reasons) is a rugby league football competition located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and run by NRL Victoria. As of the 2022 season, there are currently 17 competing teams across the varying age groups who are affiliated with the Melbourne Storm junior system.[1]

Melbourne Rugby League
SportRugby league
Formerly known asVictorian Rugby League
Instituted1951
Inaugural season1952
Number of teams17
CountryMelbourne, Victoria, Australia
PremiersMens: Truganina Rabbitohs (3rd title)
Womens: Casey Warriors (2nd title) (2024)
Most titlesSt Kilda Saints RLC (10 titles)
WebsiteNRL Victoria website

The Senior competition features three men's grades and one women's grade.

History

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See also: Rugby league in Victoria

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.

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

After the initial Melbourne competition folded, the current competition was inaugurated in 1952 and has been running ever since.[2]

Clubs

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Colours Clubs Location Ground Founded Premierships 1st 2nd 3rd WRL Jnr
  Altona Roosters Newport Bruce Comben Reserve, Altona Meadows 1987 8 (1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012) Yes No Yes Yes Yes
  Casey Warriors Cranbourne Casey Fields, Cranbourne East 2010 1 (2015) No Yes Yes Yes Yes
  Doveton Steelers Doveton Betula Reserve, Doveton 2001 1 (2007) No No Yes No Yes
  Eastern Raptors Boronia Colchester Reserve, Colchester Rd, Boronia 2011 0 No Yes No No Yes
  Frankston Raiders Frankston Peninsula Reserve, Frankston 2015 1 (1983) No No Yes No Yes
  Geelong Sharks Geelong Ervin Reserve, Newcomb 2023 0 No No Yes No Yes
  Hume Eagles Craigieburn Hothlyn Drive Reserve, Craigieburn 2020 0 No No No No Yes
  Melton Broncos Melton Mt Carberry Reserve, Melton South 2013 0 No No Yes No Yes
  Mernda Dragons Lalor Huskisson Reserve, Lalor 2015 0 No No No No Yes
  North West Wolves Niddrie AJ Davis Reserve, Fullarton Rd, Airport West 2010 0 No No Yes No Yes
  Northern Thunder Broadmeadows Seabrook Reserve, Goulburn St, Broadmeadows 1999 0 Yes No Yes No Yes
  Pakenham Eels Officer Comely Banks Recreation Reserve, Officer 2016 0 No Yes No No Yes
  South Eastern Titans Dandenong Greaves Reserve, Dandenong 2007 0 No No Yes No Yes
  Sunbury United Tigers Sunbury Langama Park, Sunbury 1992 4 (2009, 2011, 2013, 2014) Yes No No No Yes
  Sunshine Cowboys Ardeer More Park, Ardeer 2016 0 No Yes No Yes Yes
  Truganina Rabbitohs Truganina Clearwood Drive Reserve, Truganina 2015 3 (2019, 2022, 2024) Yes Yes No Yes Yes
  Waverley Oakleigh Panthers Clayton Fregon Reserve, Clayton 1976 5 (1980, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2023) Yes Yes No No Yes
  Werribee Bears Werribee Haines Reserve, Werribee 2008 3 (2016, 2017, 2018) Yes No Yes Yes Yes

Defunct Clubs

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Colours Clubs Location Ground Founded Defunct Year
  Ballarat Highlanders Ballarat Doug Dean Reserve 2000s Moved to Central Highlands Rugby League in 2005 as Ballarat Dragons. Folded 2015.
  Berwick Bulldogs Berwick Greaves Reserve 1992 2007 (Replaced South Eastern Titans)
  Canterbury RLFC Canterbury
  Casey Chiefs Casey Casey Fields, Cranbourne East 1997 2005 (Renamed Casey Sharks)
  Casey Sharks Casey Casey Fields, Cranbourne East 2005 2010 (Renamed Casey Warriors)
  Coburg RLFC Coburg Brearley Reserve 1981 1994
  Craigieburn Phoenix Craigieburn Hothlyn Drive Reserve 2008 2016 (Renamed Hume City Bulldogs)
  Dandenong Knights Dandenong Greaves Reserve 2002
  East Sale RAAF Sale
  Essendon RLC Essendon
  Fitzroy All Blacks Fitzroy
  Frankston Sharks Frankston Ballam Park 1981 2007 Replaced
  Geelong Bulldogs Geelong Osborne Park 1991 1993
  Geelong Raiders Geelong Rippleside Park 2010 2012
  Geelong Tiger Snakes Geelong Friers Reserve 2004 2010 (Renamed Geelong Raiders)
  Gippsland Wildcats Morwell Maryvale Reserve 2002
  Hume City Bulldogs Craigieburn Hothlyn Drive Reserve 2016 2020 (Renamed Hume Eagles)
  Laverton RLFC Laverton 1987 (Merged with Point Cook RLFC)
  Maroondah Magpies Bayswater Glen Park 2004 2007
  Melbourne University Parkville HG Smith Oval 2003
  Moorabbin Rams Moorabbin Keys Road Reserve 1965 (Rugby Union) 2007 Returned to Rugby Union
  Parkdale RLFC Parkdale
  Point Cook RLFC Point Cook
  Richmond RLC Richmond
  St Kilda Saints St Kilda Elwood Reserve 2003
  Tottenham RLFC Tottenham
  Wodonga Storm Wodonga Baranduda Recreation Reserve 2000s 2022 (left MRL in 2014 for Murray Cup)

Mens First Grade Premiers

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Since the commencement of the competition in 1952, the St Kilda Saints RLC have won the most premierships (10) over all, however, of the current clubs, the most premierships have been won by Altona Roosters (8).[2]

Season Premiers Score Runners-up
1952 Ballarat RAAF
1953 Essendon RLC
1954 Richmond RLC
1955   Moorabbin Rams
1956   Laverton RLFC
1957 Richmond RLC
1958 Canterbury RLFC
1959 Ballarat RLFC
1960 Ballarat RLFC
1961   Laverton RLFC
1962 Point Cook RLFC
1963 Point Cook RLFC
1964 Tottenham RLFC
1965   Laverton RLFC
1966   Moorabbin Rams
1967 Point Cook RLFC
1968   Moorabbin Rams
1969   Moorabbin Rams
1970   Moorabbin Rams
1971 RAAF East Sale
1972   Moorabbin Rams
1973 Melbourne RLFC
1974   Moorabbin Rams
1975 Match Abandoned
1976 RAAF Bombers
1977   Moorabbin Rams
1978 RAAF Laverton
1979 No Record
1980   Waverley RLFC
1981   St Kilda Saints RL
1982   St Kilda Saints RL
1983   Frankston RLFC
1984   Fitzroy All Blacks
1985   Laverton RLFC
1986 Parkdale RLFC
1987   Coburg Lions
1988 Laverton RLFC
1989   Coburg Lions 24-18   Waverley Oakleigh Panthers
1990   Coburg Lions 20-14   St Kilda Saints RL
1991   St Kilda Saints RL 26-10   Coburg Lions
1992   Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 24-12 Peninsula
1993   Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 34-22   St Kilda Saints RL
1994   Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 20-16   St Kilda Saints RL
1995   St Kilda Saints RL 38-26   Waverley Oakleigh Panthers
1996   St Kilda Saints RL 38-18   Waverley Oakleigh Panthers
1997   Altona Roosters 28-12   St Kilda Saints RL
1998   St Kilda Saints RL 38-10   Altona Roosters
1999   St Kilda Saints RL 54-0   Waverley Oakleigh Panthers
2000   St Kilda Saints RL 26-8 Sunbury Cougars
2001[3]   St Kilda Saints RL 58-22   Southern Sharks
2002[4]   St Kilda Saints RL 26-14   Altona Roosters
2003   Altona Roosters 40-12   St Kilda Saints RL
2004[5]   Altona Roosters 54-22   Southern Sharks
2005[6]   Altona Roosters 36–16   Doveton Steelers
2006[7]   Altona Roosters 20–12   Casey Sharks
2007[8]   Doveton Steelers 23–22   Altona Roosters
2008[9]   Altona Roosters 72–10   Moorabbin Rams
2009[10]   Sunbury Tigers 48–18   Casey Sharks
2010[11]   Altona Roosters 28–26   Sunbury Tigers
2011[12]   Sunbury Tigers 32–26   North West Wolves
2012[13]   Altona Roosters 25–22   Sunbury Tigers
2013[14]   Sunbury Tigers 34–16   Altona Roosters
2014[15]   Sunbury Tigers 48–16   Casey Warriors
2015[16]   Casey Warriors 30–22   Werribee Bears
2016[17]   Werribee Bears 14–10   Casey Warriors
2017[18]   Werribee Bears 20-18   Casey Warriors
2018[19]   Werribee Bears 12–8   Sunbury Tigers
2019   Truganina Rabbitohs 52–16   Altona Roosters
2020 Seasons Cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
2021
2022   Truganina Rabbitohs 48–12   Altona Roosters
2023   Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 28–18   Truganina Rabbitohs
2024   Truganina Rabbitohs 36–14   Sunbury Tigers

Women's First Grade Premiers

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The NRL Victoria women's first grade competition has been run since 2015. The most premierships have been won by Werribee Bears (2).[2]

Season Premiers Score Runners-up
2015[16]   South Eastern Titans
2016[17]   Doveton Steelers
2017[18]   Truganina Rabbitohs 28–4   Doveton Steelers
2018[19]   Werribee Bears 14–12   Truganina Rabbitohs
2019   Werribee Bears
2020 Seasons Cancelled due to the COVID-19 Pandemic
2021
2022   Werribee Bears 10–6   Truganina Rabbitohs
2023   Casey Warriors 40–4   Werribee Bears
2024   Casey Warriors 16–12   Truganina Rabbitohs

Notable Juniors

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Altona Roosters

Doveton Steelers

North West Wolves

South Eastern Titans

Northern Thunder

Waverley Oakleigh Panthers

Sunbury Tigers

Casey Warriors

Werribee Bears

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Association: NRL Victoria". www.playrugbyleague.com. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
  2. ^ a b c "Premiers".
  3. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2016-11-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2016-11-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  5. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2016-11-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2016-03-30. Retrieved 2016-11-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  7. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2016-11-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  8. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2016-09-25.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  9. ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-03-05. Retrieved 2016-11-23.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  10. ^ [1][dead link‍]
  11. ^ [2][dead link‍]
  12. ^ [3][dead link‍]
  13. ^ "Results for 2012 VRL First Grade - SportsTG". Archived from the original on 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
  14. ^ [4][dead link‍]
  15. ^ [5][dead link‍]
  16. ^ a b Itsou, Michael (8 September 2015). "NRL Victoria First Grade Grand Final Match Report". NRL Victoria Sporting Pulse. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
  17. ^ a b http://www.starweekly.com.au/sports/werribee-bears-claim-first-ever-top-flight-title/ [bare URL]
  18. ^ a b "2017 NRL Victoria Grand Final Day Recap - NRL Victoria - SportsTG". websites.sportstg.com. Archived from the original on 2017-10-22.
  19. ^ a b "2018 NRL Victoria Grand Final Recap - NRL Victoria - SportsTG". websites.sportstg.com. Archived from the original on 2018-09-12.
  20. ^ a b 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.
  21. ^ a b "Drury Low". The Bulldogs. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  22. ^ Rashneel Kumar. "Rising Kuki star signed by Warriors". Retrieved 24 February 2016.
  23. ^ "Mahe Fonua". Melbourne Storm. 15 April 2015. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  24. ^ "Rising stars aim for the top". Berwick Star News. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
  25. ^ "Local Young Gun to Stay with Storm". Melbourne Storm. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  26. ^ "Richard Kennar". Melbourne Storm. 15 April 2015. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  27. ^ Meade, Michaela (18 May 2021). "Thunder star signs with Storm". Northern Star Weekly. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
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