May 28: Fitzy claims Roosters record; Footy returns after COVID

On this day, Craig Fitzgibbon became the Roosters' highest point-scorer, the Raiders and Tigers played in snow, and the NRL made a triumphant return after the COVID-enforced lay-off.

1990

The Newcastle Knights announce the signing of All Blacks centre John Schuster. Schuster would go on to score 266 points for the Knights over the next three seasons.

1992

Rugby League Week launch a study of the Top 100 players of all time. The top 10 were: 1. Clive Churchill, 2. Johnny Raper, 3. Reg Gasnier, 4. Dally Messenger, 5. Graeme Langlands, 6. Bob Fulton, 7. Wally Lewis, 8. Vic Hey, 9, Dave Brown, 10. Duncan Thompson

1993

British import Gary Connolly stars on debut for Canterbury with two tries in the Bulldogs’ 30-14 defeat of South Sydney at the Sydney Football Stadium. 

2000

The first game of premiership rugby league is played in snow when Canberra and the Wests Tigers clash in extreme conditions at a freezing Bruce Stadium.

2005

Sydney Roosters second-rower Craig Fitzgibbon becomes the highest pointscorer in the 98-season history of the club, when he eclipses the record held by former fullback Allan McKean, in his team’s 30-16 defeat of Canberra at Central Coast Stadium.

2014

New South Wales take the honours in the 100th State of Origin match, claiming a gruelling contest 12-8 at Suncorp Stadium.   

2020

After 67 days, the NRL bursts back to life as Parramatta hand Brisbane a 34-6 mauling at an empty Suncorp Stadium. The return to one referee (Gerard Sutton) and the introduction of the six-again rule for ruck infringements are hailed a success, while television viewers react with mixed feelings to the introduction of artificial crowd noise.

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