List of Australian rugby league grand final records

See also: Australian rugby league premiers, List of NRL Grand finals, and List of National Rugby League records

This is a collection of Australian rugby league grand final records as of the end of the 2022 season.

Premierships by team

Team Years in competition Winners Runners-up Years won Years runner-up
South Sydney Rabbitohs 1908–1999, 2002–present 21 14 1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 2014 1910, 1916, 1917, 1920, 1923, 1924, 1935, 1937, 1939, 1949, 1952, 1965, 1969, 2021
Sydney Roosters 1908–present 15 15 1911, 1912, 1913, 1923, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1940, 1945, 1974, 1975, 2002, 2013, 2018, 2019 1908, 1919, 1921, 1928, 1931, 1934, 1938, 1941, 1960, 1972, 1980, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2010
St George Dragons 1921–1998 15 12 1941, 1949, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1977, 1979 1927, 1930, 1933, 1942, 1946, 1953, 1971, 1975, 1985, 1992, 1993, 1996
Balmain Tigers 1908–1999 11 9 1915, 1916, 1917, 1919, 1920, 1924, 1939, 1944, 1946, 1947, 1969 1909, 1936, 1945, 1948, 1956, 1964, 1966, 1988, 1989
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 1947–1999, 2003–present 8 11 1972, 1973, 1976, 1978, 1987, 1996, 2008, 2011 1951, 1957, 1959, 1968, 1970, 1982, 1983, 1995, 1997ARL, 2007, 2013
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 1935–present 8 10 1938, 1942, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1995, 2004 1940, 1947, 1967, 1974, 1979, 1986, 1994, 1998, 2012, 2014
Brisbane Broncos 1988–present 6 2 1992, 1993, 1997SL, 1998, 2000, 2006 2015, 2023
Penrith Panthers 1967–present 6 2 1991, 2003, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 1990, 2020
Western Suburbs Magpies 1908–1999 4 8 1930, 1934, 1948, 1952 1918, 1925, 1932, 1950, 1958, 1961, 1962, 1963
Parramatta Eels 1947–present 4 5 1981, 1982, 1983, 1986 1976, 1977, 1984, 2001, 2009, 2022
Melbourne Storm 1998–present 4 4 1999, 2007, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2020 2006, 2008, 2016, 2018
Newtown Jets 1908–1983 3 7 1910, 1933, 1943 1913, 1914, 1929, 1944, 1954, 1955, 1981
Canberra Raiders 1982–present 3 3 1989, 1990, 1994 1987, 1991, 2019
North Sydney Bears 1908–1999 2 1 1921, 1922 1943
Newcastle Knights 1988–present 2 0 1997ARL, 2001 –
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 1967–present 1 3 2016 1973, 1978, 1997SL
North Queensland Cowboys 1995–present 1 2 2015 2005, 2017
St. George Illawarra Dragons 1999–present 1 1 2010 1999
Wests Tigers 2000–present 1 0 2005 –
Glebe Dirty Reds 1908–1929 0 4 – 1911, 1912, 1915, 1922
New Zealand Warriors 1995–present 0 2 – 2002, 2011
Sydney University 1920–1937 0 1 – 1926
Cumberland 1908 0 0 – –
Newcastle Rebels 1908–1909 0 0 – –
Annandale 1910–1920 0 0 – –
Illawarra Steelers 1982–1998 0 0 – –
Gold Coast Chargers 1988–1998 0 0 – –
South Queensland Crushers 1995–1997 0 0 – –
Western Reds 1995–1997 0 0 – –
Adelaide Rams 1997–1998 0 0 – –
Hunter Mariners 1997 0 0 – –
Northern Eagles 2000–2002 0 0 – –
Gold Coast Titans 2007–present 0 0 – –
Dolphins 2023–present 0 0 – –

Premiership frequency

Club Years in competition Seasons Premierships Runners-up Strike rate (based on
seasons in competition) 		Average years per
Premiership Grand final
St George Dragons 1921–1998 78 15 12 18.23% 5.20 2.89
South Sydney Rabbitohs 1908–1999, 2002–present 113 21 14 18.58% 5.38 3.22
Brisbane Broncos 1988–present 35 6 1 17.14% 5.83 5.00
Melbourne Storm 1998–present 25 4 4 16.00% 6.25 2.50
Sydney Roosters 1908–present 115 15 15 13.04% 7.66 3.83
Balmain Tigers 1908–1999 92 11 9 11.96% 8.36 4.60
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 1947–1999, 2003–present 73 8 11 10.96% 9.13 3.84
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 1935–present 88 8 10 9.09% 11.00 4.88
Canberra Raiders 1982–present 41 3 3 7.32% 13.67 6.83
Newcastle Knights 1988–present 35 2 0 5.71% 17.50 17.50
Penrith Panthers 1967–present 57 5 2 8.77% 11.40 8.14
Parramatta Eels 1947–present 76 4 6 5.26% 19.00 7.60
Wests Tigers 2000–present 23 1 0 4.35% 23.00 23.00
St George Illawarra Dragons 1999–present 24 1 1 4.17% 24.00 12.00
Western Suburbs Magpies 1908–1999 92 4 8 4.35% 23.00 7.67
Newtown Jets 1908–1983 76 3 7 3.95% 25.33 7.60
North Queensland Cowboys 1995–present 28 1 2 3.57% 28.00 9.33
North Sydney Bears 1908–1999 92 2 1 2.17% 46.00 30.67
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 1967–present 56 1 3 1.79% 56.00 14.00
Glebe Dirty Reds 1908–1929 22 0 4 — — 5.50
New Zealand Warriors 1995–present 28 0 2 — — 14.00
Sydney University 1920–1937 18 0 1 — — 18.00
Hunter Mariners 1997 1 0 0 — — —
Cumberland 1908 1 0 0 — — —
Adelaide Rams 1997–1998 2 0 0 — — —
Newcastle Rebels 1908–1909 2 0 0 — — —
Northern Eagles 2000–2002 3 0 0 — — —
Western Reds 1995–1997 3 0 0 — — —
South Queensland Crushers 1995–1997 3 0 0 — — —
Gold Coast Chargers 1988–1998 11 0 0 — — —
Annandale 1910–1920 11 0 0 — — —
Gold Coast Titans 2007–present 16 0 0 — — —
Illawarra Steelers 1982–1998 17 0 0 — — —

Premiership droughts

Current club premiership droughts

+ Club has not yet won a premiership
Club Seasons Start Grand final appearances
during drought
Brisbane Broncos 16 2006 2015, 2023
Canberra Raiders 28 1994 2019
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 18 2004 2012, 2014
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 6 2016 —
Gold Coast Titans 15 2007+ —
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 11 2011 2013
Melbourne Storm 2 2020 —
New Zealand Warriors 27 1995+ 2002, 2011
Newcastle Knights 21 2001 —
North Queensland Cowboys 7 2015 2017
Parramatta Eels 37 1986 2001, 2009, 2022
Penrith Panthers 0 2022 —
South Sydney Rabbitohs 8 2014 2021
St. George Illawarra Dragons 12 2010 —
Sydney Roosters 3 2019 —
Wests Tigers 17 2005 —

Biggest winning margin

Margin Premiers Score Runners Up Match
40 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 40 – 0 Melbourne Storm 2008 NRL Grand Final
38 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 38 – 0 St. George Dragons 1975 NSWRFL Grand Final
32 North Sydney Bears 35 – 3 Glebe Dirty Reds 1922 NSWRFL Final
29 Balmain Tigers 33 – 4 South Sydney Rabbitohs 1939 NSWRFL Grand Final
28 South Sydney Rabbitohs 42 – 14 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 1951 NSWRFL Grand Final
28 Melbourne Storm 34 – 6 North Queensland Cowboys 2017 NRL Grand Final

Most points scored by a team

Points Premiers Score Runners Up Match
42 South Sydney Rabbitohs 42 – 14 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 1951 NSWRFL Grand Final
40 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 40 – 0 Melbourne Storm 2008 NRL Grand Final
38 Eastern Suburbs Roosters 38 – 0 St. George Dragons 1975 NSWRFL Grand Final
38 Brisbane Broncos 38 – 12 Canterbury Bulldogs 1998 NRL grand final
36 Canberra Raiders 36 – 12 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 1994 NSWRL Grand Final

Highest scoring grand finals

Total Points Premiers Score Runners Up Match
56 South Sydney Rabbitohs 42 – 14 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 1951 NSWRFL Grand Final
54 Newcastle Knights 30 – 24 Parramatta Eels 2001 NRL Grand Final
50 Brisbane Broncos 38 – 12 Canterbury Bulldogs 1998 NRL Grand Final
50 Penrith Panthers 26 – 24 Brisbane Broncos 2023 NRL Grand Final
48 Canberra Raiders 36 – 12 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 1994 NSWRL Grand Final
46 Wests Tigers 30 – 16 North Queensland Cowboys 2005 NRL Grand Final
46 Melbourne Storm 26 – 20 Penrith Panthers 2020 NRL Grand Final

Lowest scoring grand finals

Total Points Premiers Score Runners Up Match
3 Balmain Tigers 3 – 0 South Sydney Rabbitohs 1924 NSWRFL Premiership Final
6 Parramatta Eels 4 – 2 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 1986 NSWRL Grand Final
8 Newtown Bluebags 4 – 4 South Sydney Rabbitohs 1910 NSWRFL Final
8 Balmain Tigers 5 – 3 South Sydney Rabbitohs 1916 NSWRFL Final
10 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 6 – 4 Parramatta Eels 1984 NSWRL Grand Final

Notes

  • Newtown were declared premiers due to their Minor Premiership in 1910
  • The 1910 and 1986 Grand Finals have been the only tryless Grand Finals to date.

Most grand final appearances by a player

Player Team(s) Appearances Grand Finals
Norm Provan St. George Dragons 10 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965
Brian Clay Newtown Jets St. George Dragons 10 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1964, 1965, 1966
Eddie Lumsden St. George Dragons 9 1957, 1958, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966
Ron Coote South Sydney Rabbitohs, Eastern Suburbs Roosters 9 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972, 1974, 1975
Cooper Cronk Melbourne Storm, Sydney Roosters 9 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2012, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019

Most grand finals hosted by a venue

Stadium City Grand Finals hosted
Sydney Cricket Ground Sydney, New South Wales 53
Stadium Australia (Also known as Telstra Stadium and ANZ Stadium) Sydney, New South Wales 23
Sydney Football Stadium (Also known as Allianz Stadium) Sydney, New South Wales 11
Sydney Sports Ground Sydney, New South Wales 11
RAS Showground (Also known as Moore Park Showground) Sydney, New South Wales 6
QEII Stadium (Also known as ANZ Stadium) Brisbane, Queensland 1
Lang Park (Also known as Suncorp Stadium) Brisbane, Queensland 1

Highest attended grand finals

Attendance Stadium Premiers Score Runners Up Match
107,999 Stadium Australia Melbourne Storm 20 – 18 St. George Illawarra Dragons 1999 NRL Grand Final
94,277 Stadium Australia Brisbane Broncos 14 – 6 Sydney Roosters 2000 NRL Grand Final
90,414 Stadium Australia Newcastle Knights 30 – 24 Parramatta Eels 2001 NRL Grand Final
83,833 ANZ Stadium South Sydney Rabbitohs 30 – 6 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 2014 NRL Grand Final
83,625 ANZ Stadium Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 14 – 12 Melbourne Storm 2016 NRL Grand Final

Most grand finals refereed

Referee Appearances Grand Finals
Bill Harrigan 10 1989, 1990, 1991, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003
Darcy Lawler 8 1953, 1956, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1963
Jack O'Brien 7 1940, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1947, 1951, 1954
Gerard Sutton 7 2014, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021
Lal Deane 6 1928, 1929, 1930, 1931, 1932, 1936
Col Pearce 6 1955, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1968
Tony Archer 6 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012

See also

References