February 5: Bennett resigns; Ross returns; Eagles rock

On this day, the Supercoach parts company with Brisbane, Marsh and Ross make brave comebacks and things heat up at Stadium Australia. 

1974

Wests Tigers coach Michael Maguire was born in Canberra on this day in 1974. The man they call 'Madge' played 11 games for the Raiders and five for the Adelaide Rams between 1992-98. He launched his coaching career in 2009 at the Storm under Craig Bellamy. In 2010 he became head coach with Wigan Warriors, winning the League Leaders Shield and the Super League grand final and being named Coach of the Year. In 2011, Wigan beat Leeds in the Challenge Cup final over Leeds, and from there Maguire joined the South Sydney Rabbitohs, taking them to their first premiership in 43 seasons in 2014. He joined Wests Tigers as head coach ahead of the 2019 season.

1992

Alex McKinnon was born on this day in 1992. The former Dragon and Knight played 49 games in the NRL before his career was tragically ended early in the 2014 season when he suffered a severe spinal injury and was left a quadriplegic. McKinnon took on the role as recruiment manager for the Newcastle Knights in 2019 and held the position for three years before deciding to move on to new challenges in 2022.

1995   

Manly win their second consecutive Sevens competition after defeating Fiji 36-12 in the Championship final.

1996   

ARL chief executive John Quayle says international stars such as Jarrod McCracken, Jason Lowrie and Adrian Lam will not be released for Super League Tests.

1997   

John Lang is appointed the Australian Super League coach under a selection system which rewards the leading premiership coach from the previous season with the top job.

1998   

The NRL announce that Tubthumping, the hit song of English group Chumbawumba, will headline the game’s promotional campaign for 1998.

2000   

A crowd of 62,255 watch the NRL’s second double-header in 35 degree temperatures at Stadium Australia. The Sharks down St George Illawarra 28-12 and the Sydney Roosters down Parramatta 20-16. Meanwhile, 17,000 South Sydney fans turn out at Redfern Oval to raise funds for the club’s fight for reinstatement to the competition.

2005   

Former Queensland State of Origin rep PJ Marsh makes a successful comeback from a career-threatening neck injury in Parramatta’s trial match with Cronulla at Lismore.

2008   

Wayne Bennett announces his resignation as Brisbane Broncos coach, effective at the end of the '08 season. The decision ends the longest term by a coach at a single club in the history of the premiership.

2011   

South Sydney prop Ben Ross makes his long-awaited comeback following a career-threatening neck injury when he leads the Rabbitohs to a 10-4 trial victory over Newtown at Redfern Oval in searing temperatures.

2016   

Six further members of Queensland Emerging Origin squad are suspended from Origin football for 12 months after Maroons coach Kevin Walters concludes investigations into a camp in Brisbane. Broncos trio Ben Hunt, Anthony Milford and Jarrod Wallace, Roosters forward Dylan Napa, Canberra winger Edrick Lee and South Sydney’s Chris Grevsmuhl are all sanctioned for breaking the team’s midnight curfew.

2017   

Little known winger Bernard Lewis helps lift the Sydney Roosters to victory in the Auckland Nines tournament at Eden Park after scoring key tries in the semi-final and final. The Roosters claim the first prize purse of $370,000 when they shade a young Penrith outfit 10-8 in the decider. Roosters utility Connor Watson is named player of the tournament.

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