The History of the Grand Final in Rugby League

Thousands Flock to Old Trafford and ANZ Stadium for Season Climax

Sep 21, 2009

The idea of a one-off game to decide the champions has a dual history in Great Britain and Australia. It is more established in the NRL but the north is firmly on board.

The ANZ stadium and 'Theatre of Dreams' will both be full to bursting for the deciding fixture of the National Rugby League and the European Super League. Although both competitions have league tables, their purpose is to determine qualifications for a series of play-offs, with the two teams left standing going to the big show.

The Premiership in the Northern Union

The Northern Union (later Rugby Football League) introduced a top four and a premiership final 11 years after having established the rebel organisation in 1895. The logic was that a 30 team league season was 'unbalanced', in that it was impossible for every team to play each other home and away.

However the popularity of the final was the driving force in its survival and latter re-invention. The Championship Final in 1939 was held at Manchester City's Maine Road ground, and drew a crowd of 69,504. This was largest crowd in british rugby league history and showed what the fans felt about the idea.

Australian Grand Final Where the Winner Takes All

The history of a 'Grand Final' goes back to the early days of the New South Wales Rugby League (later the National Rugby League), evolving into its modern form in 1954. In a complex system the league leaders, or Minor Premiers, were allowed to challenge if they were defeated in a final after a top four play-off series. If they did an extra game was played and this was what was called a 'Grand Final'.

Effectively teams finishing 3rd to 4th had to beat the 1st placed team twice to become overall champions. This hastily arranged game proved too expensive and difficult to organise. Instead the right to challenge was withdrawn and the 'Grand Final' became a fixed date and a winners take all game.

This system, with the occasional alteration (such as a top eight pay off in a 16 team cempetition), has remained stable ever since. The final in 1999 between the Melbourne Storm and St George Illawarra Dragons attracted a world record cowd of over 107,000 spectators.

Two Divisions Introduced

The successful northern version of the grand final, the premiership, was abolished after two divisions were introduced in 1962. Although reversed again for a few years, 1973 saw seperate divisions permanently established in British rugby league. This has lead younger fans to assume that the 'first past the post' system is the natural 'British' way of determing the winners of the competition. Over 50 years of sporting history contradict that.

The European Super League

The start of summer rugby league saw many innovations but the first past the post system was not altered until 1998. Wigan Warriors defeated Leeds Rhinos 10-6 in first Grand Final, which was held in Old Trafford in front of 43000 fans. Within a few years Old Trafford was being sold out and the Grand Final has begun to eclipse the Challenge Cup Final as the preminent game of the sport. Now both hemisphere's are in agreement with both having top eights and a fixed Grand Final. A system that is here to stay.

The copyright of the article The History of the Grand Final in Rugby League in Rugby League is owned by Jeffrey Baxter. Permission to republish The History of the Grand Final in Rugby League in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.