A report on Sydney Roosters, St. George Dragons and Parramatta Eels

The St. George Dragons and the Illawarra Steelers were the first clubs to take up the offer, forming the joint-venture St. George Illawarra Dragons at the end of the 1998 season.

The Grand Final that year was played between the Parramatta Eels and once again Melbourne Storm.

During the 2010 finals series, the second qualifying match between the Wests Tigers and Sydney Roosters became the first McIntyre System final to go into extra time, with the One Hundred Minute Epic described in media circles as one of the greatest of the modern era.

In 1967, having ended the 11-year premiership reign of St. George by defeating them in the final, "The Berries" (as they were known at the time) lost to South Sydney in the Grand Final.

The team managed to focus on football and triumphed when they held out the Sydney Roosters 16–13 with a try-saving tackle by Andrew Ryan in the dying seconds of the 2004 Grand Final.

However, for the third straight season, Canterbury achieved four upset victories in a row over Penrith, the Wests Tigers, South Sydney and Parramatta who were all competing for a place in the finals series and were higher on the table.

Their first win was against the Parramatta Eels and the club finished their first season in second last place.

In 1996 Manly made another Grand Final appearance and beat St. George Dragons to win the title that had eluded them the season before.

In round 25, ballplaying second-rower Glenn Stewart was suspended for 4 matches for a high shot on Sydney Roosters captain Braith Anasta, and in round 26 centre Steve Matai was suspended for 7 matches for a high tackle that knocked out Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs hooker Michael Ennis.

It is one of the most successful clubs in the National Rugby League since it began in 1998, winning three premierships (second only to the Sydney Roosters' four).

14 days later, they met the St George Dragons at the SFS.

They were also able to fill the hole of Lazarus by debuting Petero Civoniceva.Despite this form however, they were stunned 15-10 by the Parramatta Eels in their first finals match, meaning they would need an extra game to qualify for the Grand Final.

They are one of only two NSW foundation clubs still present in the NRL, the other being the Sydney Roosters.

In 1965 a talented young side made the Grand Final against St. George who were aiming to secure their 10th straight premiership.

Following the conclusion of the 2021 NRL season, new figures showed South Sydney to have the second highest membership of Sydney NRL clubs behind Parramatta.

The club has competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 after a joint-venture was formed between the St. George Dragons (est.

St. George Illawarra is one of only two clubs (the other being the Sydney Roosters in 1908) to finish runner-up in its inaugural season.

They were unsuccessful in their first outing, losing to the Parramatta Eels 20–10, but by the 4th round they had started to form some cohesion and would go on to achieve a top eight position on the competition ladder by the end of the regular season.

In September 2018, North Sydney announced that it had signed a 5-year deal to become the Sydney Roosters feeder club and reserve grade side with Taylor returning to the club as head coach.

In the 1996 ARL season Norths came within one match of the Grand Final but lost the game to the St George Dragons 29-12.

In the 2007 NSWRL Premier League the North Sydney club made the Grand Final facing off against Parramatta.

The club won their first competition, the Nissan Sevens, in 1991 and made the playoffs in 1992, where they were beaten by the St George Dragons.

In 1999, the Knights were in with a huge chance going into the final rounds only to lose their final two games of the regular season to finish 7th, before being knocked out a week later by the Parramatta Eels.

Towards the end of the season coach Brian Smith announced he was leaving Newcastle to join the troubled Sydney Roosters in 2010 after their horrific season.

The St. George lineup was:

Newtown had led the match 7–6 at halftime against Parramatta but were defeated 20–11 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

While a stand-alone club for many purposes, they have acted as a feeder for NRL teams such as South Sydney, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Auckland, Sydney Roosters (until the end of the 2014 season), and as of the start of the 2015 season with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.

Parramatta Eels

St George Dragons

Sydney Roosters