NRL Grand Final
| Company type | Sporting event |
|---|---|
| Industry | Rugby league |
| Founded | 1908 |
| Headquarters | Sydney , Australia |
Area served | Australia (primarily), international rugby league community |
| Products | Championship rugby league match, premiership title |
The NRL Grand Final serves as the annual championship rugby league match that crowns the premiers of each National Rugby League season. Recognized as one of Australia's foremost sporting occasions, it also stands as the most significant rugby league event globally. Since 1999, Stadium Australia in Sydney has been the designated venue, with its opening year setting an attendance record for Australian rugby league at 107,999 fans.
The contenders for the grand final emerge from the NRL finals series, where the top eight teams on the premiership ladder face off in a three-week elimination tournament. The kickoff time has fluctuated over the years: traditionally held in the afternoon, it shifted to a prime-time evening slot between 2001 and 2007, then settled on a 5pm start from 2008 through 2012 before reverting to evening kickoffs from 2013 onward. Except for 2020, since 2001 the game is played on a Sunday falling between 30 September and 6 October, aligning with the New South Wales Labour Day public holiday.
Pre-match rituals include headline musical acts, a Welcome to Country ceremony, and the Australian national anthem delivered by renowned performers. The victorious team receives the Provan-Summons Trophy, which is traditionally flown in by an Australian Army helicopter. Following the match, premiership rings are awarded to the champions and the Clive Churchill Medal is bestowed upon the player judged best on ground by ARL selectors. The Prime Minister frequently presents the Provan-Summons Trophy to the winning team captain.
In 2019, an agreement was reached with the New South Wales government to secure Stadium Australia as the grand final’s venue through at least 2046.
History
First-grade rugby league commenced in New South Wales in 1908, with the inaugural premiership-deciding encounter played at the Royal Agricultural Society Showground where South Sydney triumphed over Easts 14–12. From 1912 until 1925, there was no formal finals system; however, tiebreaker matches took place in 1916, 1922, 1923, and 1924 to determine the premiership winner. Between 1926 and 1953, finals were conducted under variations of the Argus system that resulted in a deciding match.
All such deciding games are retrospectively acknowledged as grand finals regardless of their original title. Since 1954, across different governing bodies, the championship-deciding match has been officially designated as a grand final.
Stadiums
The NRL Grand Final is customarily held in Sydney, home to most NRL clubs. Stadium Australia currently serves as the primary venue and is Australia's second-largest stadium by seating capacity after Melbourne Cricket Ground.
In June 2019, plans were announced to host the 2020 and 2021 Grand Finals at Sydney Cricket Ground due to proposed redevelopment works at Stadium Australia. However, after redevelopment plans were abandoned by the New South Wales Government in July 2020, grand finals are set to continue at Stadium Australia through at least 2046.
Because of COVID-19 restrictions imposed in New South Wales, the 2021 Grand Final was relocated to Brisbane’s Lang Park—marking Queensland’s first major rugby league grand final since the Super League final of 1997.
| City | Stadium | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Brisbane | Queensland Sport & Athletics Centre | 1997 (Super League) |
| Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Brisbane | Lang Park | 2021 |
| Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Sydney | Sydney Cricket Ground | 1908–1987 |
| Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Sydney | Sydney Football Stadium | 1988–1998 |
| Template:Country data AUSTemplate:Namespace detect showall Sydney | Stadium Australia | 1999–2020, 2022– |
Qualification for World Club Challenge
The team that wins the grand final earns the right to face the Super League Grand Final champions in the World Club Challenge.
Provan-Summons Trophy
The Provan-Summons Trophy stands as the NRL's most prestigious accolade, awarded to the team that secures the premiership. Its design pays homage to the Winfield Cup trophy first introduced in 1982, showcasing a three-dimensional sculpture of The Gladiators, which captures Norm Provan and Arthur Summons embracing following the 1963 grand final. Officially named in 2013 to mark the 50th anniversary of that iconic match, this trophy is handed to the victorious captain after each grand final.
Clive Churchill Medal
Instituted in 1986, the Clive Churchill Medal recognizes the player deemed man-of-the-match in the NRL grand final. Named after Clive Churchill, an iconic figure in Australian rugby league history, its recipient is chosen by selectors from the Australian national team and honored during the post-match ceremony for outstanding performance and sportsmanship on the field.
Only three players have earned this medal multiple times: Bradley Clyde of Canberra (1989, 1991), Billy Slater from Melbourne Storm (2009, 2017), and Nathan Cleary representing Penrith Panthers (2021, 2023). Although Melbourne Storm had their premierships from 2007 and 2009 revoked due to salary cap violations, players who received Clive Churchill Medals in those years continue to be acknowledged.
Premiership rings
Players and coaches of grand final-winning teams receive premiership rings as a symbol of their achievement. After the Bulldogs' victory in the 2004 Grand Final, Johnathan Thurston notably gifted his ring to Steve Price, who was sidelined with injury. Despite Melbourne Storm losing their 2007 and 2009 premiership titles because of salary cap infringements, players maintained possession of their rings. Valued at $8,000 in 2014, these rings were crafted by Zed N Zed Jewellery; since 2015, Affinity Diamonds has taken over production of the NRL premiership rings.
Prize money
The winning club receives prize money amounting to AUD$400,000. While this sum is relatively modest compared to the event's magnitude, achieving premiership success generally leads to increased revenue through higher membership numbers and merchandise sales.
Results
Below is a record of NRL Grand Finals from 1998 onward:
| Season | Date | Winners | Score | Runners up | Venue | Attendance | Clive Churchill Medal |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | 27 Sep | Brisbane Broncos | 38–12 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Sydney Football Stadium | 40,857 | Gorden Tallis |
| 1999 | 26 Sep | Melbourne Storm | 20–18 | St. George-Illawarra Dragons | Stadium Australia | 107,999 | Brett Kimmorley |
| 2000 | 27 Aug | Brisbane Broncos | 14–6 | Sydney Roosters | Stadium Australia | 94,277 | Darren Lockyer |
| 2001 | 30 Sep | Newcastle Knights | 30–24 | Parramatta Eels | Stadium Australia | 90,414 | Andrew Johns |
| 2002 | 6 Oct | Sydney Roosters | 30–8 | New Zealand Warriors | Stadium Australia | 80,130 | Craig Fitzgibbon |
| 2003 | 5 Oct | Penrith Panthers | 18–6 | Sydney Roosters | Stadium Australia | 81,166 | Luke Priddis |
- Due to salary cap breaches, Melbourne Storm were stripped of their premierships in 2007 and 2009 as well as minor premierships from 2006 through 2008.
1Attendance figures reduced owing to stadium capacity limitations.
In an unprecedented move prompted by a COVID-19 lockdown in New South Wales, the 2021 Grand Final was relocated from Sydney's Stadium Australia—host venue since 1999—to Brisbane's Lang Park. The crowd was capped at 39,322 spectators under Queensland government-imposed restrictions.
Champions
- The Melbourne Storm’s titles from the years 2007 and 2009 were revoked following salary cap violations. Among current franchises, only the Gold Coast Titans and Dolphins have never reached a Grand Final since the NRL began in 1998.
Memorable Grand Finals
1909 – The premiership was awarded to South Sydney by default when Balmain did not show up for the scheduled game.
1924 – Balmain triumphed over South Sydney with a score of just 3–0 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in what remains the lowest-scoring grand final to date.
1943 – Newtown defeated North Sydney in front of a record crowd exceeding 60,000 spectators; this marked North Sydney’s final grand final appearance before leaving the competition and Newtown’s last premiership victory.
1952 – Western Suburbs claimed victory amid disputes regarding the referee’s decisions; this was their last premiership before their exit in 1999.
1956–1966 – St. George set a world record by capturing eleven consecutive premiership titles.
1963 – St. George’s championship became legendary due to the iconic 'Gladiators' photograph and a contentious try ruling.
1969 – Balmain employed controversial methods that resulted in an upset win over South Sydney.
1975 – Eastern Suburbs (now Sydney Roosters) achieved a record margin triumph against St. George.
1977 & 1978 – Two successive grand finals ended in draws necessitating replays; St. George won in ’77 while Manly prevailed in ’78.
1987 – Manly overcame Canberra in the last grand final hosted at the Sydney Cricket Ground.
1989 – Canberra mounted a remarkable comeback to win in extra time; becoming the first team outside New South Wales to claim the title.
1992 – Brisbane Broncos became the inaugural Queensland team to secure a grand final win.
1997 (ARL) – Newcastle captured their first-ever premiership with a last-minute try.
1997 (Super League) – Brisbane secured their third premiership in the Super League grand final before an unprecedented Queensland crowd.
1999 – Melbourne Storm became Victoria’s first premiership-winning side during only their second season of competition.
2001 – Newcastle won the inaugural night-time grand final held in Sydney.
2002 – The event was marked by technical difficulties during pre-match entertainment and featured the first Trans-Tasman grand final including a New Zealand-based team.
2005 – Wests Tigers became the first joint-venture club to clinch a premiership title.
2006–2008 – These finals were notable for crowd disturbances and Manly’s record-setting win over Melbourne.
2011–2014 – This period included stadium lighting failures and South Sydney’s first premiership in more than forty years highlighted by Sam Burgess’s heroic performance despite injury.
2015 – North Queensland Cowboys earned their maiden premiership after two decades; the match extended into golden point extra time with Jonathan Thurston receiving the Clive Churchill Medal. This victory also ended Brisbane Broncos’ undefeated streak in grand finals.
2016 – Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks won their first-ever premiership despite facing challenges throughout the regular season.
2019 – Sydney Roosters became the first team in over twenty years to secure back-to-back premierships amid contentious refereeing decisions influencing crucial moments.
2020–2021 – The pandemic caused scheduling delays; notably, for the first time ever, the Grand Final was hosted outside Sydney at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium due to COVID-19 restrictions.
2023–2024 – Penrith Panthers accomplished historic consecutive championships: completing a three-peat (2021–2023) which included the largest comeback in grand final history followed by an unprecedented four-peat in the modern NRL era.
Kickoff times
| Start Time | Years Active |
|---|---|
| 3 pm | 1908–2000 |
| 5 pm | 2008–2012 |
| 6:30 pm | 2021** |
| 7 pm | 1997*, 2002–2007 |
| 7:30 pm | 2013–2020, 2022–present |
| 8 pm | 2001 |
- The 1997 Super League grand final was played during the evening hours.
- Due to daylight saving adjustments, the 2021 NRL Grand Final at Suncorp Stadium commenced at 6:30 pm local time (equivalent to 7:30 pm in NSW and Victoria).
Television broadcast
In Australia, the NRL Grand Final is televised live on free-to-air channels, with broadcast rights currently held by the Nine Network. Exclusive rights for replays within 12 hours after the game belong to subscription platforms Fox League and Kayo Sports.
Between 2001 and 2023, audience measurements focused on five metropolitan regions: Melbourne, Adelaide, Perth, Brisbane, and Sydney. Starting in 2024, television ratings transitioned to a nationwide 'Total TV' standard that integrates both regional viewership and broadcaster video-on-demand (BVOD) streaming figures.
| Year | Number of Viewers | Ranking | Broadcasting Network | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | — | Nine Network | ||
| 1999 | ||||
| 2000 | ||||
| 2001 | 2.097 million | 17 | ||
| 2002 | 2.352 million | 8 | ||
| 2004 | 2.107 million | 13 | ||
| 2005 | 2.563 million | 5 | ||
| 2006 | 2.553 million | 7 | ||
| 2007 | 2.422 million | 3 | ||
| 2008 | 2.051 million | 10 | ||
| 2009 | 2.528 million | 6 | ||
| 2010 | 2.168 million | 14 | ||
| Year | Viewership | Ranking | Broadcasting Network | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1998–2000 | — | Nine Network | ||
| 2001–2002 | Only metropolitan data recorded | |||
| 2003 | 3.824 million | |||
| 2005 | 4.103 million | |||
| 2006 | 2.560 million | |||
| 2007 | 3.748 million | |||
| 2008 | 3.050 million | |||
| 2009 | 3.490 million | |||
| 2010 | 3.100 million | |||
| 2011 | 3.178 million | |||
| 2012 | 3.958 million | |||
| 2013 | 3.928 million | |||
| 2014 | 1 |- | 2015 | 3.667 million | |
| 2016 | 3.733 million | |||
| 2017 | 3.390 million | |||
| 2018 | 3.030 million | |||
| 2019 | 2.725 million | |||
| 2020 | 3.119 million | |||
| 2021 | 3.596 million | |||
| 2022 | 2.756 million | |||
| 2023 | 3.412 million | |||
| Timeframe | Free-to-Air Channel | Subscription Replay Service |
|---|---|---|
| 1967 | Nine Network / Network Ten / Seven Network / ABC | None |
| 1968–1974 | Nine Network / ABC | |
| 1975–1982 | Seven Network / ABC | |
| 1983–1991 | Network Ten / ABC | |
| 1992–1997 | Nine Network | |
| 1997 (Super League) | Fox Sports (live) | |
| 1998–2016 | Fox Sports | |
| 2017–present | Fox League, Kayo Sports |
Audience
The 1999 NRL Grand Final established a world record for rugby league attendance with a crowd of 107,999 at Stadium Australia, exceeding the previous grand final attendance record of 78,065 set in 1965 by nearly thirty thousand spectators. This figure represented a substantial rise compared to the previous year's final in 1998, which drew an audience of only 40,857 at the Sydney Football Stadium.
The 2014 NRL Grand Final recorded an attendance of 83,833 fans, which was the highest number of spectators for any sporting event held at Stadium Australia since its capacity was reduced from approximately 110,000 to around 83,500 following renovations in 2001.
Entertainment
In the early years of the NRL grand finals, halftime entertainment primarily consisted of marching bands. As the event gained prominence, performances by well-known artists were introduced during the pre-match ceremonies, gradually transforming into the contemporary halftime shows seen today. It is customary for Australia's national anthem, Advance Australia Fair, to be performed before each game, with God Defend New Zealand also included whenever the New Zealand Warriors participate.
NRL Grand Final Performers
2014 |Slash and Train 2015 |Cold Chisel and Jess Mauboy 2016 |Keith Urban, Richie Sambora, Orianthi 2017 |Macklemore 2018 |Gang of Youths and Darryl Braithwaite 2019 |OneRepublic, Darryl Braithwaite and Christine Anu 2020 |Amy Shark 2021 |Kate Miller-Heidke, Ian Moss, Stafford Brothers, Timmy Trumpet, William Barton 2022 |Jimmy Barnes, Mahalia Barnes, Diesel, Josh Teskey, Emma Donovan, Sheldon Riley and Bliss n Eso 2023 |Tina: The Tina Turner Musical and King Stingray 2024 |The Kid Laroi| Year | Artist(s) |
|---|---|
| 1986 | Kylie Minogue and Jason Donovan |
| 1987 | John Williamson |
| 1988 | Glenn Shorrock |
| 1990 | John Farnham |
| 1991 | Village People |
| 1992 | Debbie Byrne, Jodie Gillies, Yothu Yindi and Peter Allen* |
| 1993 | Tina Turner |
| 1996 | The Delltones, Glenn Shorrock, Ross Wilson, Christine Anu, Kate Ceberano and Peter Allen* |
| 1997 (ARL) | Jimmy Barnes |
| 1997 (SL) | Jon Stevens and Olivia Newton-John |
| 1998 | Jimmy Barnes and David Campbell |
| 1999 | Hugh Jackman |
| 2000 | Tom Jones |
| 2001 | Jimmy Barnes and Mahalia Barnes |
| 2002 | Billy Idol |
| 2003 | Meat Loaf, Hoodoo Gurus and Kelly Clarkson |
| 2004 | Grinspoon, Chris Isaak |
| 2005 | The Veronicas, Bodyjar and Pete Murray |
| 2006 | Hoodoo Gurus, INXS |
| 2007 | Hoodoo Gurus, Shannon Noll, Vanessa Amorosi |
| 2008 | The Living End and Jon Stevens |
| 2009 | Wolfmother, Wes Carr, The Script |
| 2010 | You Am I, Jessica Mauboy, Justice Crew, Dan Sultan and Phil Jamieson |
| 2011 | Kelly Clarkson and Eskimo Joe |
| 2012 | Good Charlotte |
| 2013 | "Ricky Martin and Jessica Mauboy" |
* Peter Allen passed away in June 1992; his appearance was posthumously presented via video.
See also
- Grand Final
- National Rugby League
- List of Australian rugby league grand final records
- List of NRL Grand finals
- List of NRL Premiers
- NRL Women's Grand Final
- Super League Grand Final
- AFL Grand Final