June 26: Roosters' cruel blow; Great Britain shock Roos; Tommy confesses

On this day, Tommy Raudonikis admits to biting, Great Britain shock the Kangaroos and the Roosters suffer a cruel double blow.

1976

Western Suburbs Magpies halfback Tommy Raudonikis admits that he bit Manly player John Gibbs on the nose in a match at Lidcombe Oval. He later received a $200 fine from the NSWRL.

1992

Great Britain shock the Kangaroos with a 33-10 win in a Test match in Melbourne. Martin Offiah and Phil Clarke are among the try scorers for the team coached by Malcolm Reilly. More than 31,000 attended the match at Princes Park.

2002

Dane Carlaw scored a try in the final minute as Queensland retain the State of Origin shield with a 18-18 draw with NSW before 74,842 at Stadium Australia. Lote Tuqiri misses the conversion attempt but the draw was enough for the Maroons to keep the trophy.

2013

Four players are sent to the sin bin following a second-half melee during Queensland's 26-6 State of Origin win over NSW at Suncorp Stadium. Brent Tate, Justin Hodges, Trent Merrin and Greg Bird were sent to the bin in a decision which was roundly criticised in the subsequent days.

2020

The Sydney Roosters’ bid for a hat-trick of premierships receives a devastating double blow at Bankwest Stadium when lock Victor Radley and hooker Sam Verrills suffer season-ending ACL injuries in their team’s Round 7 clash with St George Illawarra. The Bankwest surface comes under the microscope after extensive usage in the post-COVID period, but it passes all inspections.

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