February 18: Big Willie vs SBW; Bill v Bunnies
On this day, Willie Mason's manager talks tough on 'Money' Bill, things gets testy between Bill Harrigan and the Bunnies, and the ARL gets tough as the Super League war gets messy.
1989
Balmain defeat Canterbury 28-16 in a grand final rematch to win the Alpha Romeo Challenge match at Parramatta Stadium. Tigers’ fullback Garry Jack breaks his right arm.
1990
A simmering feud between Souths and referee Bill Harrigan erupts in a Cup match against Balmain in Parkes. Rabbitoh coach George Piggins is initially fined $10,000 for comments he made about Harrigan’s performance but the fine is later removed on appeal.
1994
Sea Eagles, NSW Blues and Kangaroos star Jake Trbojevic was born on this day in 1994.
1996
St George beat South Sydney 30-6 in the annual Charity Shield match.
1997
The ARL apply for an injunction in the NSW Supreme Court to prevent Jack Elsegood and John Cross, both of whom had signed ARL loyalty contracts, from turning out for Super League clubs Canterbury and Penrith.
2001
A disappointing crowd of 15,070 turns out at Melbourne’s Colonial Stadium to watch the first rugby league match played at an indoor venue. The Bulldogs beat the Storm 14-10.
2005
Willie Mason’s manager Greg Keenan warns that the Test star will walk out on the Bulldogs at the end of the season if the club overspends on Sonny Bill Williams.
2010
Manly international Jamie Lyon and prop Jason King are appointed Sea Eagles co-captains for 2010. In an unusual arrangement, Lyon will handle on-field captaincy duties leaving King with responsibilities off the field.
2012
South Sydney players John Sutton, Eddy Pettybourne and Luke Burgess are placed on report for dangerous tackles as the Rabbitohs go down 18-12 to St George Illawarra in the Charity Shield at ANZ Stadium. In worse news for Souths, Luke Burgess suffers a fractured foot and faces 12-14 weeks on the sidelines.
2014
Josh Dugan joins St George Illawarra’s leadership group that includes Ben Creagh, Dan Hunt, Brett Morris and Jason Nightingale.
2017
Penrith prop Sam McKendry suffers a serious knee injury in his comeback game from surgery to repair his ACL in a trial against Parramatta. Fears McKendry suffered a recurrence of the injury are allayed by scans that reveal only a partial tear.
2021
The NRL reduce the four-year doping ban imposed on hooker James Segeyaro to 20 months after an anti-doping tribunal ruled that he had unintentionally consumed Ligandrol, a banned substance under the World Anti-Doping Code. The decision means 30-year-old Segeyaro could resume his NRL career on June 3.
This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.
