December 19: Kiwis win Golden Boot; Truce in Super League war
On this day, Stacey Jones and Shaun Johnson get Golden Boot honour, the Super League war is declared over and Jarrod Croker becomes Canberra captain.
1975
Dean Treister was born in Sydney. A feisty hooker, he spent his NRL career at Cronulla, racking up 161 games for the club from 1995-2003 before finishing his playing days with a stint at English club Hull. He played in the Sharks side which lost the Super League grand final in 1997 to Brisbane and was also part of the team which won the NRL minor premiership two years later.
1997
A series of the most important meetings in the history of rugby league in Australia take place at the Sydney Football Stadium. The end of the ARL-Super League war, which spanned almost 1000 days, comes after the 40-man NSWRL general committee vote 36-4 in favour of the peace deal devised by ARL chief executive Neil Whittaker and Super League boss Ian Frykberg.
The terms of the deal result in plans for a 20-team competition in 1998, a 16-team competition in 1999 and a 14-team competition in 2000. The deal is contingent on a further $16.5 million in funding for the 11 ARL clubs.
1999
The Australian Schoolboys remain undefeated on their tour of France and Great Britain after their final match is cancelled due to a frozen ground.
2002
Warriors and New Zealand halfback Stacey Jones is named winner of the 2003 Golden Boot, awarded to the best player in the world.
2007
Tim Sheens re-signs as Wests Tigers coach for a further two seasons.
2012
The ARL Commission announces a multi-million international television rights deal with IMG International. The deal guarantees television coverage of NRL and State of Origin games in Britain, United States, Asia and the Pacific.
2013
The Federal Government withdraws funding support for South Sydney’s planned $16 million high-performance centre at Heffron Park in Maroubra. The promise of financial assistance for the project was made by the previous Labor Government but withdrawn by Federal Treasurer Joe Hockey.
2014
Goal-kicking centre Jarrod Croker is appointed Canberra Raiders captain for 2015.
2014
Warriors and New Zealand halfback Shaun Johnson is named winner of the prestigious Golden Boot award by British publication Rugby League World. The magazine’s team of the year includes only four Australians.
2014
Test rookies Josh Jackson, David Klemmer, Sione Mata’utia, Josh Mansour and Dylan Walker are named in Laurie Daley’s Emerging NSW State of Origin squad for 2015.
2017
The Sydney Roosters announce they will play a home game at the Adelaide Oval for the next two seasons. The Roosters will meet the Melbourne Storm on a Friday night game in Round 16, 2018, with Cooper Cronk expected to confront his old club for the first time.
This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.
