The Melbourne Rugby League (currently the Storm Premiership for branding reasons) is a rugby league football competition located in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia and run by NRL Victoria. As of the 2022 season, there are currently 17 competing teams across the varying age groups who are affiliated with the Melbourne Storm junior system.

The Senior competition features three men's grades and one women's grade.

History

The 1914 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand included a match in Melbourne, the first rugby league game to be played in the state. The match between England and New South Wales drew 13,000 spectators.

The Melbourne club rugby union competition was closed at the outbreak of World War One and did not reappear when it was over. In early 1923 via the organising and direction of Harry Sunderland a Melbourne club competition playing rugby league under the Victorian Rugby League was formed. In September of 1923 a representative Victorian team (or Combined Melbourne) played Sydney University RLFC in Sydney.

Aided by experienced Australian Kangaroos and Eastern Suburbs (Sydney Roosters) player Harry Caples, in 1924 a selected Victorian XIII played Great Britain at Brunswick Street Oval in Fitzroy North (crowd 15,000) and made a tour of southern Queensland with matches against the representative teams of Brisbane, Ipswich and Toowoomba respectively.In mid 1925 another short tour was made to the Riverina district playing matches against Albury, Cootamundra and Wagga Wagga.

After the initial Melbourne competition folded at the end of 1925, the current competition was inaugurated in 1952 and has been running ever since.A representative Victorian side played against Western Australia in 1952 and twice met Tasmania in 1954.

Clubs ColoursClubsLocationGroundFoundedPremiershipsAltona RoostersNewportBruce Comben Reserve, Altona Meadows19878 (1997, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2012)Bendigo CrushersBendigoEpsom Huntly Recreation Reserve20240 (None)Casey WarriorsCranbourneCasey Fields, Cranbourne East20101 (2015)Doveton SteelersDovetonBetula Reserve, Doveton20011 (2007)Eastern RaptorsBoroniaColchester Reserve, Colchester Rd, Boronia20110Frankston RaidersFrankstonPeninsula Reserve, Frankston20151 (1983)Geelong SharksGeelongErvin Reserve, Newcomb20230Hume EaglesCraigieburnHothlyn Drive Reserve, Craigieburn20200Melbourne StormMelbourneCasey Fields, Cranbourne East19970Melton BroncosMeltonMt Carberry Reserve, Melton South20130Mernda DragonsLalorHuskisson Reserve, Lalor20150North West WolvesNiddrieAJ Davis Reserve, Fullarton Rd, Airport West20100Northern ThunderBroadmeadowsSeabrook Reserve, Goulburn St, Broadmeadows19991 (2025)Pakenham EelsOfficerComely Banks Recreation Reserve, Officer20160Peninsula DolphinsHastingsHastings Park, Marina Parade, Hastings20240South Eastern TitansDandenongGreaves Reserve, Dandenong20070Sunbury United TigersSunburyLangama Park, Sunbury19924 (2009, 2011, 2013, 2014)Sunshine CowboysArdeerMore Park, Ardeer20160Truganina RabbitohsTruganinaClearwood Drive Reserve, Truganina20153 (2019, 2022, 2024)Waverley Oakleigh PanthersClaytonFregon Reserve, Clayton19765 (1980, 1992, 1993, 1994, 2023)Werribee BearsWerribeeHaines Reserve, Werribee20083 (2016, 2017, 2018)

Defunct Clubs

Colours Clubs Location Ground Founded Defunct Year Ballarat Highlanders Ballarat Doug Dean Reserve 2000s Moved to Central Highlands Rugby League in 2005 as Ballarat Dragons. Folded 2015. Berwick Bulldogs Berwick Greaves Reserve 1992 2007 (Replaced by South Eastern Titans)Canterbury RLFCCanterbury Casey Chiefs Casey Casey Fields, Cranbourne East 1997 2005 (Renamed Casey Sharks) Casey Sharks Casey Casey Fields, Cranbourne East 2005 2010 (Renamed Casey Warriors) Coburg RLFC Coburg Brearley Reserve 1981 1994 Corowa Cougars Corowa Airport Oval, Corowa 2009 2013 (rejoined Goulburn Murray Rugby League) Craigieburn Phoenix Craigieburn Hothlyn Drive Reserve 2008 2016 (Renamed Hume City Bulldogs) Dandenong Knights Dandenong Greaves Reserve 2002East Sale RAAFSaleEssendon RLCEssendon Fitzroy All Blacks Fitzroy Frankston Sharks Frankston Ballam Park 1981 2007 Replaced Geelong Bulldogs Geelong Osborne Park 1991 1993 Geelong Raiders Geelong Rippleside Park 2010 2012 Geelong Tiger Snakes Geelong Friers Reserve 2004 2010 (Renamed Geelong Raiders) Gippsland Wildcats Morwell Maryvale Reserve 2002 Hume City Bulldogs Craigieburn Hothlyn Drive Reserve 2016 2020 (Renamed Hume Eagles) Laverton RLFC Laverton 1987 (Merged with Point Cook RLFC) Maroondah Magpies Bayswater Glen Park 2004 2007 Melbourne University Parkville HG Smith Oval 2003 Moorabbin Rams Moorabbin Keys Road Reserve 1965 (Rugby Union) 2007 Returned to Rugby Union Parkdale RLFC Parkdale Point Cook RLFCPoint CookRichmond RLCRichmond St Kilda Saints St Kilda Elwood Reserve 2003Tottenham RLFCTottenham Wodonga StormWodongaBaranduda Recreation Reserve2000s2022 (left MRL in 2014 for Murray Cup)

Men's First Grade Premiers Since the commencement of the competition in 1952, the St Kilda Saints RLC have won the most premierships (10) over all, however, of the current clubs, the most premierships have been won by Altona Roosters (8).

Season Premiers Score Runners-up 1952Ballarat RAAF 1953 Essendon RLC 1954 Richmond RLC 1955 Moorabbin Rams 1956 Laverton RLFC 1957 Richmond RLC 1958 Canterbury RLFC 1959 Ballarat RLFC 1960 Ballarat RLFC 1961 Laverton RLFC 1962 Point Cook RLFC 1963 Point Cook RLFC 1964 Tottenham RLFC 1965 Laverton RLFC 1966 Moorabbin Rams 1967 Point Cook RLFC 1968 Moorabbin Rams 1969 Moorabbin Rams 1970 Moorabbin Rams 1971 RAAF East Sale 1972 Moorabbin Rams 1973 Melbourne RLFC 1974 Moorabbin Rams 1975 Match Abandoned 1976RAAF Bombers 1977 Moorabbin Rams 1978 RAAF Laverton 1979 No Record 1980 Waverley RLFC 1981 St Kilda Saints RL 1982 St Kilda Saints RL 1983 Frankston RLFC 1984 Fitzroy All Blacks 1985 Laverton RLFC 1986 Parkdale RLFC 1987 Coburg Lions 1988Laverton RLFC 1989 Coburg Lions 24-18 Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 1990 Coburg Lions 20-14 St Kilda Saints RL 1991 St Kilda Saints RL 26-10 Coburg Lions 1992 Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 24-12 Peninsula 1993 Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 34-22 St Kilda Saints RL 1994 Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 20-16 St Kilda Saints RL 1995 St Kilda Saints RL 38-26 Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 1996 St Kilda Saints RL 38-18 Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 1997 Altona Roosters 28-12 St Kilda Saints RL 1998 St Kilda Saints RL 38-10 Altona Roosters 1999 St Kilda Saints RL 54-0 Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 2000 St Kilda Saints RL 26-8 Sunbury Cougars 2001 St Kilda Saints RL 58-22 Southern Sharks 2002 St Kilda Saints RL 26-14 Altona Roosters 2003 Altona Roosters 40-12 St Kilda Saints RL2004 Altona Roosters 54-22 Southern Sharks 2005 Altona Roosters 36–16 Doveton Steelers 2006 Altona Roosters 20–12 Casey Sharks 2007 Doveton Steelers 23–22 Altona Roosters 2008 Altona Roosters 72–10 Moorabbin Rams 2009 Sunbury Tigers 48–18 Casey Sharks 2010 Altona Roosters 28–26 Sunbury Tigers 2011 Sunbury Tigers 32–26 North West Wolves 2012 Altona Roosters 25–22 Sunbury Tigers 2013 Sunbury Tigers 34–16 Altona Roosters 2014 Sunbury Tigers 48–16 Casey Warriors 2015 Casey Warriors 30–22 Werribee Bears 2016 Werribee Bears 14–10 Casey Warriors 2017 Werribee Bears 20-18 Casey Warriors 2018 Werribee Bears 12–8 Sunbury Tigers 2019 Truganina Rabbitohs 52–16 Altona Roosters2020Seasons Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic2021 2022 Truganina Rabbitohs 48–12 Altona Roosters 2023 Waverley Oakleigh Panthers 28–18 Truganina Rabbitohs 2024 Truganina Rabbitohs 36–14 Sunbury Tigers 2025 Northern Thunder 32–6 Truganina Rabbitohs

Women's First Grade Premiers The NRL Victoria women's first grade competition has been run since 2015. The most premierships have been won by Werribee Bears Season Premiers Score Runners-up 2015 South Eastern Titans 2016 Doveton Steelers 2017 Truganina Rabbitohs 28–4 Doveton Steelers 2018 Werribee Bears 14–12 Truganina Rabbitohs 2019 Werribee Bears 2020Seasons cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic2021 2022 Werribee Bears 10–6 Truganina Rabbitohs 2023 Casey Warriors 40–4 Werribee Bears 2024 Casey Warriors 16–12 Truganina Rabbitohs 2025 Altona Roosters 20–4 Truganina Rabbitohs

Notable Juniors Altona Roosters Jeremy Smith Gareth Widdop Drury Low Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad Ben Nakubuwai Jamayne Taunoa-Brown

Doveton Steelers Trent Toelau

North West Wolves Greg Marzhew

South Eastern Titans Mahe Fonua Francis Tualau Kenny Bromwich Northern Thunder Young Tonumaipea Richard Kennar Sualauvi Fa'alogo Waverley Oakleigh Panthers Drury Low Denny Solomona

Sunbury Tigers Dean Ieremia Fonua Pole Sione Finau

Casey Warriors Connor Donehue Kelma Tuilagi

Werribee Bears Najvada George

See also

Rugby league in Victoria

References

External links The Victorian Rugby League