May 11: Lote breaks record; Farewell to an Immortal
On this day, Andrew Ettingshausen stuck with the Sharks, Lote Tuqiri etched his name in the Broncos record books, while the great Reg Gasnier passed away.
1935
St George take advantage of Canterbury’s inexperience at first grade level by inflicting a 91-6 hiding at Earl Park. Saints cross for 19 tries and land 17 goals in the 85-point massacre.
The score and the winning margin remain records for the premiership competition.
1994
Andrew Ettingshausen signs a three-year contract with Cronulla, effectively tying him to the club until the end of his career.
1995
ARL boss Ken Arthurson vows to sue any Penrith player who has signed with Super League after having already signed a contract with the ARL. Penrith Test star Brad Fittler hits out at his club’s decision to switch to Super League.
2000
Referee Bill Harrigan maintains that he did not make a mistake by awarding a controversial try to New South Wales in the opening Origin match. Maroons officials support the retention of Bill Harrigan for the second match of the series.
2002
Brisbane winger Lote Tuqiri breaks a 14-year-old club record for most points in a match with a 26-point in haul in his team’s 50-12 defeat of the Northern Eagles at ANZ Stadium.
2003
The selection of Canberra prop Ryan O’Hara is the major surprise of City-Country selection night. The 22-year-old is named alongside Jason Ryles in Country’s starting line-up.
Matt Cooper (St George Illawarra), Daniel Abraham (Newcastle) and Joel Clinton (Penrith) are also selected to make their representative debuts. Manly forward Solomon Haumono is chosen for City Origin just five games into his rugby league comeback.
2008
The NRL announces the use of two referees will be trialled in a number of Toyota Cup games.
2010
Cowboys halfback Johnathan Thurston rejects interest from French Rugby Union to announce his re-signing with North Queensland in a three-year deal reportedly worth $2 million.
2011
NRL salary cap auditor Ian Schubert releases a long-awaited report into the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal and recommends lifetime bans for former bosses Brian Waldron and Matt Hanson and two former financial officers. Schubert says the report exposes a “toxic culture of deceit” at the Storm.
2012
Manly winger David Williams scores a 79th minute try to propel the Sea Eagles to a 24-22 win over Brisbane at Suncorp Stadium in one of the matches of the season. The lead changes six times throughout the game.
2014
The game loses an Immortal with the passing of legendary St George centre Reg Gasnier, one day short of his 75th birthday.
2015
South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds makes his comeback from a knee injury to inspire the Rabbitohs to end a three-game losing sequence with a 16-10 victory over St George Illawarra, only to break his thumb and face another extended period on the sidelines.
This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.
