On this day in rugby league history, Mat Rogers becomes a Shark, Brad Fittler and Matt Sing win legal battle to leave Panthers for Roosters and Rabbitohs finally return to Redfern.

1970

Lee Oudenryn was born. The lightning quick winger scored 49 tries in 132 games in a 10-year career at Parramatta, Gold Coast, the Warriors and North Queensland.

He is best remembered for winning his match race over 100 metres against English speedster Martin Offiah at Parramatta Stadium during the Great Britain Lions' tour in 1992.

1994   

Don and Mat Rogers, sons of former Cronulla great Steve Rogers, sign with the Sharks for 1994. Don did not make first grade but Mat played 123 matches in a seven-year career for the Sharks before becoming a Wallaby and then finishing his NRL career with the Gold Coast. He scored 1112 points for Cronulla, short of Steve's club record of 1253.

1995   

The Broncos defeat Sydney City 12-0 in the opening match of the Tooheys Challenge competition at Coolum.

1995   

Canberra's Kiwi Test prop John Lomax suffers an ankle injury in his team's 14-2 loss to Illawarra and faces eight weeks on the sideline.

1996   

The ARL withdraw the license from Gold Coast boss Jeff Muller, and appoint ARL officials Geoff Carr and Paul Broughton to prop up the ailing club.

Roosters legend Brad Fittler. ©NRL Photos

1996   

Test captain Brad Fittler and former Penrith teammate Matt Sing win the right to play with Sydney City after the Supreme Court ruled their Penrith contracts invalid.

2000

Referee Bill Harrigan admits a major blunder in the double-header clash between Parramatta and Sydney Roosters when he awarded a try to Eels fullback Clinton Schifcofske without consulting the video referee. Replays showed Schifcofske clearly dropped the ball.

Harrigan admits a major blunder

2002   

Brisbane Broncos five-eighth Ben Ikin concedes he is unlikely to play in 2002 because of complications arising from a knee reconstruction.

2006   

Cronulla announce that players will have the name of club immortal Steve Rogers embroidered across their chests in 2006 in a tribute to their former CEO who died in January.

2008   

Warriors coach Ivan Cleary re-signs with the club until the end of 2010.

2008   

The Newcastle Rugby League name Wally Prigg as captain of their Team of the Century ahead of Andrew Johns. The team was: Clive Churchill; Eddie Lumsden, Ron Bailey, Brian Carlson, Johnny Graves; Bobby Banks, Andrew Johns; Wally Prigg (c), Herb Narvo, Don Schofield, Paul Harragon, Allan Buman, Jim Gibbs. Reserves: John Sattler, Albert Paul, Matthew Gidley, Les Johns.

Former Knights star Andrew Johns. ©NRL Photos

2009   

South Sydney return to the club's spiritual home at Redfern Oval for a trial match against Wests Tigers. The new ground, to be used as a training facility, is filled to capacity by 5000 club members. A second-string Rabbitohs side is beaten 30-26. Souths announce the re-signing of hooker Issac Luke until the end of the 2011 season.

2013   

The ARLC and the RLPA sign off on a new collective bargaining agreement, confirming a $5.85 million salary cap for 2013, with the limit to rise to $7 million by 2017. The minimum wage immediately rises from $55,000 to $75,000.

2014   

The Warriors re-sign star halfback Shaun Johnson until the end of the 2017 season.

Luckless Brisbane three-quarter Jordan Kahu suffers a torn medial collateral ligament as the Broncos fall 32-8 to North Queensland in a trial at Redcliffe.

2017   

Former Test forward Anthony Tupou accepts a 12-month contract with the Newcastle Knights after English club Wakefield agree to release him halfway through a two-year deal.

2018   

Former Rothmans Medal winner Barry Russell is appointed the new CEO of the Cronulla Sharks.

Something special from Matt Burton

2021

The Bulldogs request that 2022 signing Matt Burton be granted an early release from the Panthers to allow him to play regular NRL football. Panthers coach Ivan Cleary responds with a firm no, saying Burton remained an integral part of the club's plans for 2021.

 

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