Melbourne Rugby League
Sport | Rugby league |
---|---|
Formerly known as | Victorian Rugby League |
Instituted | 1951 |
Inaugural season | 1952 |
Number of teams | 17 |
Country | Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
Premiers | Mens: Truganina Rabbitohs (3rd title) Womens: Casey Warriors (2nd title) (2024) |
Most titles | St Kilda Saints RLC (10 titles) |
Website | NRL Victoria website |
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]
The Senior competition features three men's grades and one women's grade.
History
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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
[edit]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]
Women's First Grade Premiers
[edit]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
[edit]- Jeremy Smith[20]
- Gareth Widdop[20]
- Drury Low[21]
- Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad[22]
- Ben Nakubuwai
- Jamayne Taunoa-Brown
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ "Association: NRL Victoria". www.playrugbyleague.com. Retrieved 2023-05-01.
- ^ a b c "Premiers".
- ^ "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) - ^ "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) - ^ "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) - ^ "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) - ^ "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) - ^ "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) - ^ "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) - ^ [1][dead link]
- ^ [2][dead link]
- ^ [3][dead link]
- ^ "Results for 2012 VRL First Grade - SportsTG". Archived from the original on 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2016-06-28.
- ^ [4][dead link]
- ^ [5][dead link]
- ^ a b Itsou, Michael (8 September 2015). "NRL Victoria First Grade Grand Final Match Report". NRL Victoria Sporting Pulse. Retrieved 25 June 2016.
- ^ a b http://www.starweekly.com.au/sports/werribee-bears-claim-first-ever-top-flight-title/ [bare URL]
- ^ a b "2017 NRL Victoria Grand Final Day Recap - NRL Victoria - SportsTG". websites.sportstg.com. Archived from the original on 2017-10-22.
- ^ a b "2018 NRL Victoria Grand Final Recap - NRL Victoria - SportsTG". websites.sportstg.com. Archived from the original on 2018-09-12.
- ^ 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.
- ^ a b "Drury Low". The Bulldogs. 15 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ Rashneel Kumar. "Rising Kuki star signed by Warriors". Retrieved 24 February 2016.
- ^ "Mahe Fonua". Melbourne Storm. 15 April 2015. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "Rising stars aim for the top". Berwick Star News. 21 July 2008. Retrieved 15 March 2022.
- ^ "Local Young Gun to Stay with Storm". Melbourne Storm. 28 May 2014. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ "Richard Kennar". Melbourne Storm. 15 April 2015. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
- ^ Meade, Michaela (18 May 2021). "Thunder star signs with Storm". Northern Star Weekly. Retrieved 17 September 2023.