On this day, the Hall of Fame inducts six new members, an Immortal is born and a 'GI' hat-trick helps thrash the Broncos.
1894
Frank 'Chunky' Burge was born on this day. A Kangaroos tourist, he played lock and second row and was heralded as one of the greatest forwards Australia ever produced. In 2018, Burge was inducted into the game's most exclusive club, the Immortals.
1926
A 12-man Newtown side stage one of the greatest recoveries in premiership history, when although a man down they came back from an 18-0 deficit against the champion South Sydney side to win 25-24.
1993
Canberra lock Jason Croker scores four tries in the Raiders’ 42-12 defeat of Cronulla at Bruce Stadium. He was the Raiders leading try-scorer (120) until 2019 when his distant relative Jarrod Croker equalled and then passed him.
2011
South Sydney winger Nathan Merritt scores a hat-trick in the Rabbitohs’ 47-18 demolition of Canberra, giving him the remarkable tally of eight tries from his past two games, a feat last achieved in 1994.
2014
Rabbitohs fullback Greg Inglis produces one of his finest performances in the opening game of the NRL's 'Close The Gap' round. Inglis scores a hat-trick, including one in which he combines with lock Sam Burgess for one of the great four-pointers of the season. The Rabbitohs thrash the Broncos 42-16. They went on to win the club's 21st premiership that year.
2019
South Sydney’s longest-serving player John Sutton calls time on his career after 16 seasons in the Red and Green. Sutton makes the announcement at Redfern Town Hall, site of the club’s foundation meeting on January 17, 1908.
2019
Former Kangaroo prop Craig Young, hooker Danny Buderus and Kiwi internationals Ruben Wiki and Stacey Jones are formally inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame. A contributor category is introduced to the Hall of Fame for the first time, with the game’s founding father James J Giltinan, journalist Peter Frilingos and broadcaster Ray Warren inducted.
2020
A group of supporters are ejected from Central Coast Stadium after directing abuse towards Penrith’s indigenous winger Brent Naden. NRL CEO Andrew Abdo immediately condemns the actions of the supporters, insisting they have no place in the game.
This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.
