On this day, Anthony Mundine derides Melbourne's premiership win and the Storm lose World Club Challenge.
1980
Clinton Toopi was born in New Zealand. The Kiwi centre represented his country 22 times while racking up 156 games for the Warriors from 1999-2006, including the 2002 grand final loss to the Roosters. After a stint in the UK he returned to the NRL to finish his career with a couple of seasons at the Gold Coast.
1992
Ben Hampton was born. A clever utility back, he made his NRL debut with the Storm in 2013 and played in the grand final loss to Cronulla in 2016 before switching to North Queensland. The following year he lined up for the Cowboys in the decider as they went down to his old team, Melbourne.
1996
Nelson Asofa-Solomona was born in Wellington. A towering prop, he made his NRL debut for Melbourne in 2015 and was a key member of their premiership win two years later over North Queensland.
2000
Auckland Warriors co-owners Graham Lowe and Malcolm Boyle are dumped from the club’s board of directors.
2000
St George Illawarra five-eighth Anthony Mundine raises the stakes for his team’s grand final rematch with the Melbourne Storm by declaring “I don’t feel the Storm deserved to win the grand final”.
2008
The Brisbane Broncos declare that Melbourne’s Craig Bellamy is their first choice to replace Wayne Bennett as coach.
2008
Judiciary chairman Greg Woods rejects a bid by South Sydney to have second-rower David Fa’alogo appear in the opening round of the season by declaring that he could not use New Zealand’s four-match tour of Great Britain and France in late 2007 to serve his suspension.
2008
South Sydney’s leadership group decide to dump centre Shannon Hegarty from the club’s Charity Shield squad after he returned a 0.01 alcohol reading in an in-house breathalyser test.
2008
Melbourne fall 11-4 to Leeds in a wet and windy World Club Challenge clash at Leeds’ Elland Road.
2012
NSW State of Origin fullback Josh Dugan agrees to a two-year contract extension with the Raiders.
2012
Mining billionaire Nathan Tinkler makes a surprise appearance at the Knights’ final training appearance before their season-opening game against St George Illawarra and declares that anything but a top four position would be unsatisfactory.
This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.