March 10: Captain Cam calls time; Lazzo blazes a trail

On this day, Cameron Smith calls time on the game's most decorated career, Lazzo blazes a trail in Melbourne and Benji blitzes the Dragons.

1970

Former Parramatta and Penrith player David Woods was born. Woods debuted in 1989 for the Eels and went on to score 42 tries in 160 appearances for the western Sydney clubs.

1987

Brisbane and Canterbury and New Zealand forward Greg Eastwood was born. As well as playing 27 Test matches between 2007-16, Eastwood spent five years with Brisbane and eight with Canterbury. He finished with 241 first-grade appearances.

1989

Rugby league visited the WACA ground in Perth, with Parramatta scoring a 22-12 win over Balmain in round one of the National Panasonic Cup. Peter Sterling scored a try in a man-of-the-match performance. Brisbane beat the Illawarra Steelers in the competition final.

1995

The much-anticipated 20-team competition kicks off when newcomers Auckland host Brisbane in front of a huge crowd at Ericsson Stadium. Allan Langer scores two tries as the Broncos get home 25-22 in a thriller.

1998

Glenn Lazarus is named the first captain of the Melbourne Storm. After a great career with both Canberra and Brisbane, Lazarus proved the right man for the job. His career ended with a victory in the 1999 grand final.

2006

In the first match since claiming the 2005 premiership, Benji Marshall conjures the match-winning play against the Dragons. Marshall is then ruled out for six weeks with a cheekbone injury.

2007

The Sydney Roosters unveil 'The Centurions' to launch their 100th season. From a vast array of champions to have played for the foundation club, these are the men regarded as the greatest players to have played 100 or more games for the Tricolours between 1908 and 2007. 

The team was: Anthony Minichiello, Bill Mullins, Mark Harris, John Brass, Ian Schubert, Brad Fittler, Kevin Hastings, Ray Stehr, Sandy Pearce, Arthur Beetson, Ron Coote, Joe Pearce, Andy Norval. Bench: Craig Fitzgibbon, Ernie Norman, Luke Ricketson, Barry Reilly. 

2020

A New York franchise is formally admitted into the English Rugby League’s third-tier League One competition in 2022. The new outfit is granted admission to the 2021 Challenge Cup and plans to prepare by playing trial matches against Australian clubs early in 2021.

2021

Cameron Smith waits until the day the 2021 premiership kicks off to announce his retirement, insisting that: “I was wrestling with the idea [whether to play on or retire] for quite some time,” he said. “That is why it has taken so long.” Smith and former Storm team-mate Billy Slater are honoured at AAMI Park where statues of the star duo are unveiled ahead of the opening game of the season between the Storm and South Sydney.

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