December 21: Gasnier's last game; Crichton's brave call
On this day, Reg Gasnier plays his last game, the "Canterbury Four" win their legal battle and Angus Crichton opts to get the chop.
1967
A crowd of just over 1000 at Avignon’s Saint Ruf Stadium watch the incomparable Reg Gasnier in action for the last time. Gasnier, captain of the 1967-68 Kangaroos, limps from the field nine minutes before the end of a tour match against the French “Young Hopefuls”. He retired despite being only 28.
1994
Luke Brooks was born in Sydney. A talented halfback, he made a memorable debut at the SCG for the Wests Tigers in 2013 before establishing himself in the club's No.7 jersey the following year. Brooks became the first Wests Tigers halfback to play 100 first-grade games for the club in 2018 and was also named Dally M halfback of the year. He has now taken his tally of career games to 172 after nine seasons at the Tigers.
1995
Four Sydney Bulldogs players - Jim Dymock, Jason Smith, Jarrod McCracken and Dean Pay - are released from their Super League contracts after Justice Brian Hill in the NSW Industrial Court announced they were induced by “unfair and unconscionable” conduct to sign.
1997
South Sydney president George Piggins says the ARL has “caved in to Rupert” (Murdoch), by paying too high a price for peace.
1999
North Queensland confirm the signing of former North Sydney forward Glenn Morrison to a three-year deal.
2003
NRL clubs are asked to consider the reintroduction of Monday Night Football in the second half of the 2004 season.
2005
Bulldogs coach Steve Folkes reveals that new recruit Daniel Holdsworth will be given first opportunity to fill the five-eighth role vacated by Braith Anasta.
2006
The Sydney Roosters announce they will remain at Aussie Stadium until at least 2019. The club intends to relocate training, coaching and administration facilities to the Moore Park precinct.
2009
Television ratings figures published in the Sydney Morning Herald reveal that rugby league out-rated AFL in 2009 for the first time. An aggregate of 128.5 million people watched league, compared with 124.3 million for AFL.
The figures represented a 12% increase for rugby league and a 19.5 percent drop-off for the AFL. The ratings figures came from an NRL-commissioned study.
2011
Former Kangaroos five-eighth Cliff Lyons is appointed Manly’s NSW Cup coach for 2012.
2012
The Sydney Roosters re-sign Junior Kiwi Roger Tuivasa-Sheck until the end of the 2016 season.
2017
South Sydney second-rower Angus Crichton opts to have the middle finger of his left hand amputated after fracturing the digit several times and undergoing numerous bouts of surgery.
Rather than face 12 weeks on the sidelines if he chose corrective surgery, Crichton opts for amputation to get him back on the field for the opening to the 2018 season.
This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.
