October 5: Priddis powers Panthers to premiership; Manly maul Melbourne

On this day, Luke Priddis starred in the Panthers' grand final victory over the Roosters, a duel broke out for Tim Moltzen's services, while the Sea Eagles smashed the Storm in a rare grand final shutout.

1990

Nathan Peats is born in Sydney. Peats debuted with the Rabbitohs in 2011 and played 55 games with the club before joining the Eels in 2014. He spent the next three seasons with Parramatta before linking with the Titans during the 2016 season. Peats played 70 games across five seasons at Gold Coast and was released by the club at the end of 2020. He continued his career in Super League in 2021.

1994

Australia cruise to a 48-6 win over glamour British club Leeds. Andrew Ettingshausen and Allan Langer both score hat-tricks.

2001

Kangaroo Immortal Reg Gasnier presents Australian jerseys to the six Kangaroo newcomers, including his nephew Mark in a ceremony in Sydney.

2002

Sydney Roosters coach Ricky Stuart gives lock Luke Ricketson until the morning of the grand final to declare his fitness.

2003

Penrith claim their second premiership title after upsetting the Sydney Roosters 18-6 in one of the most absorbing grand finals ever played. Panthers hooker Luke Priddis carries off the Clive Churchill Medal after a magnificent individual performance while lock Scott Sattler writes himself into grand final lore with a tackle on runaway Roosters’ winger Todd Byrne that turned the game.

2004

The selection of former New Zealand rep Tonie Carroll in the Australian team continues to create controversy.

2008

Manly crush Melbourne 40-0 in a record-breaking grand final result at ANZ Stadium. The Sea Eagles rush eight tries past the defending premiers to claim the club’s seventh premiership title. Manly stalwart Steve Menzies equals Terry Lamb’s all-time premiership appearance record of 349 games and scores a try in his final appearance for the club.

2010

Leading Canterbury players are interviewed by betting taskforce detectives as investigations into claims of spot-betting in the Round 24 clash between the Cowboys and the Bulldogs intensify. Within days, detectives travel to North Queensland to question Cowboys players.

2011

A tug-of-war develops between Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra over the signing of Tigers’ utility Tim Moltzen. The Tigers verbally agreed to release Moltzen from the final year of his contract in July but later had a change of heart and want him to see out his original contract which ends after the 2012 season. Moltzen signed contracts for both clubs.

2014

The long wait ends for South Sydney fans when the Rabbitohs break their 43-year premiership drought by thumping Canterbury 30-6 in the grand final at ANZ Stadium. English-born prop Sam Burgess earns a place in the club’s folklore by playing almost the entire game with fractures to his cheekbone and eye socket after colliding with countryman James Graham in the opening tackle. In his final game with the Rabbitohs, Burgess is named Clive Churchill Medallist.

2017

Jack Johns, the 20-year-old son of former international Matthew Johns and nephew of Immortal Andrew Johns is named in Italy’s 24-man World Cup squad. Johns qualifies for the Azzurri through his mother’s Italian background.

2018

South Sydney forward Sam Burgess is ruled out of England’s end-of-season international program because of impending surgery for shoulder and wrist injuries.

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