October 8: The Man returns; a premiership ring goes overboard
On this day, England upset the Kangaroos, The Man returns to the Dragons and a premiership ring goes overboard.
1987
Akuila Uate was born in Fiji. A flashy winger, he played 200 matches in the NRL from 2008-18, the first 163 with Newcastle before a switch to Manly in the last two years of his career. He scored 129 tries, represented the Kangaroos in five Tests and 15 times for Fiji.
1993
Channel Nine sign a $70 million contract to televise rugby league for the next seven years. The agreement is the richest in television sport in Australia and will run until 2000.
1995
St George legend Johnny Raper swears he will never watch St George again if they switch to Super League.
1995
Australia suffer a setback in their bid to retain the World Cup when they are beaten 20-16 by England in the tournament opener at Wembley Stadium.
1997
St George sign Anthony Mundine to a three-year $2 million contract after the former Dragons star's unhappy one-year stint with Brisbane.
1997
Newcastle centre Adam MacDougall is suspended for three matches for stomping on Manly captain Geoff Toovey during the grand final. His suspension rules him out of two competition matches, any pre-season matches and the World Sevens.
1999
South Sydney president George Piggins declares that the club should quit rugby league for good and place their colours in a “glass cage” if they are eliminated from the NRL’s 14-team competition on October 15. The Rabbitohs announce a five-year $2.5 million sponsorship deal with property developer Lang Walker. The sponsorship will take effect if the Rabbitohs are included in the 2000 competition.
2002
Grand final television ratings reveal more than 4.5 million people watched the grand final nationally. Around 800,000 people watched the game in New Zealand. In Sydney, the game peaked at 1.1 million viewers.
2004
The game’s first collective bargaining agreement between the NRL and the Rugby League Professionals Association is lodged with the Industrial Relations Commission.
2011
Former Australian Test hooker Danny Buderus ends his stint with English club Leeds on a triumphant note when he shares in the club’s 32-16 Super League grand final win over St Helens at Old Trafford.
2014
Rabbitohs centre Dylan Walker loses his premiership ring in Sydney Harbour while celebrating with team-mates on a luxury vessel.
2016
Manly’s Trbojevic brothers, Jake and Tom, place a vote of confidence in the Sea Eagles by committing to the club until the end of 2020.
2017
Inspirational former Newcastle forward Alex McKinnon, who suffered a career-ending spinal injury in 2014, marries fiancée Teigan Power in an emotional ceremony in the Hunter Valley.
2018
Alex McKinnon becomes a first-time father after wife Teigan gives birth to a baby daughter.
This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.
