September 11: O'Meley joins Dogs; SKD an intercept hero
On this day in rugby league history, Jarrod Croker kicked his way into the world, the Roosters outlasted the Tigers in a finals thriller, while Mark O'Meley signed with the Bulldogs.
1990
Jarrod Croker is born in Goulburn, NSW. Croker debuted with the Raiders in 2009 and has become one of the most prolific scorers in the game's history.
1995
The International Board warns players they will be kicked out of the World Cup for testing positive to over-the-counter cold and 'flu preparations containing banned substances.
1997
International fullback Tim Brasher fails to meet a deadline to sign a three-year $1.5 million contract offered by Balmain.
2001
Northern Eagles front-rower Mark O'Meley signs a three-year deal with the Bulldogs. Meanwhile Penrith's Royce Simmons becomes the second coaching casualty in as many days when he is shown the door by Panthers management.
2004
On a Saturday of upsets, Melbourne down Brisbane 31-14 at Suncorp Stadium and North Queensland score a stunning 30-22 victory over the Bulldogs at Telstra Stadium. The knock-on effect of these results sends St George Illawarra out of the finals race and gives Penrith a week's break.
2005
Andrew Johns is named man of the match in his debut for English club Warrington. Johns had a hand in three of his team's four tries, kicked five goals from six attempts and landed a 35-metre field goal, lifting Warrington to a 33-16 win over Leeds.
2009
Melbourne kick off the NRL finals series with a commanding 40-12 defeat of Manly at Etihad Stadium. Storm fullback Billy Slater scores a club record-equalling four tries for the match.
2010
The Sydney Roosters achieve one of the most dramatic victories in the history of finals football when they edge out Wests Tigers 19-15 in the 20th minute of extra-time via a Shaun Kenny-Dowall intercept try. Earlier Braith Anasta snapped a 38-metre field goal as the fulltime siren sounded to keep his team's season alive. The result eliminates the Warriors from the race for the premiership.
2013
The saga of Manly's warring boardroom factions takes a new twist in North Sydney Local Court where former premiership-winning second-rower Peter Peters is granted an interim Apprehended Personal Violence Order against former fullback Darrell Williams. Williams is alleged to have been threatening and intimidating Peters for the past 12 months.
2015
Melbourne bring the Sydney Roosters' 12-game winning streak to an end with a gritty 20-18 victory in the opening match of the finals series at Allianz Stadium. Roosters' winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall scores a try that ranks among the great four-pointers of finals football.
2017
NRL boss Todd Greenberg hits back at losing coaches Trent Barrett and Shane Flanagan over their post-match outbursts against match officials and indicates that both will face significant fines.
"We've just had one of the most exciting rounds of finals footy I think of all time," Greenberg said. "Every game went down to the wire. And yet a fantastic round of finals has been marred by the response of some losing teams. Unfortunately, we have developed a culture in our game of blaming match officials for a loss. It's got to stop. It's time for the game to grow up." The Sharks are fined $30,000 and the Sea Eagles $20,000.
2018
Newcastle fullback Kalyn Ponga becomes the youngest winner of the NRL Players' Association Players' Champion award.
This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.
