March 7: SBW returns to league; teen idol JT named to debut

On this day, the ARL kicks off its 1997 season, Sonny Bill Williams makes his return to the NRL and a kid named Thurston is handed his debut.

1981

Test front-rower Brent Kite is born. Having represented Tonga as a 19-year-old at the 2000 World Cup, Kite made his NRL debut with the Dragons in 2002 and by 2004 was a NSW Origin player, before signing on to join the Manly Sea Eagles the following year.

He was selected for Australia in 2006, played in a grand final a year later and won the Clive Churchill Medal in Manly's 40-0 grand final demolition of the Melbourne Storm in 2008. His career came full circle when he captained Tonga in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup.

1990

The Canberra Raiders won the pre-season Channel Ten Challenge Cup – and $200,000 – with a 12-2 win over the Penrith Panthers at Parramatta Stadium. They had earlier defeated Balmain and North Sydney on their way to the final.

1995

All Blacks great John Kirwan announced he had decided to switch codes and join the Warriors. Having played 63 rugby union Tests for New Zealand – scoring 35 tries – the 30-year-old winger would go on to play 35 matches for the brand new Warriors club in 1995 and 1996.

1997

The ARL kicked off its 12-team competition without Super League clubs with the Parramatta Eels beating North Sydney 10-8 at Parramatta Stadium in the opening match of the first round.

2003

The Bulldogs name boom 19-year-old Johnathan Thurston at five-eighth for the club's opener against South Sydney.

2006

In an unprecedented move at the time, a coach swap was arranged for two coaches, with Eels coach Brian Smith agreeing to join Newcastle in 2007 while Knights mentor Michael Hagan signed on to join Parramatta.

Both coaches had earlier faced off in the 2001 grand final with the Knights prevailing 30-24.

2013

Sonny Bill Williams makes his return to the NRL after a five-year absence, lining up for the Sydney Roosters after leaving the Canterbury Bulldogs for French rugby mid-season in 2008. His new club is thumped 28-10 by the Rabbitohs in the season opener at Allianz Stadium. Come season's end, SBW would be basking in the glory of another premiership to go with his 2004 success at the Bulldogs.

This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton