The 2011 NRL season was the 104th season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the fourteenth and last run by the National Rugby League's partnership committee of the Australian Rugby League and News Ltd. The NRL's main championship, called the 2011 Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship from Telstra, was contested by sixteen teams for the fifth consecutive year. Alongside was the fourth season of the Toyota Cup taking place.
The season's Premiership title was awarded to the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles who took out their 8th title, only three years after their previous title, defeating the New Zealand Warriors in the grand final.
Season summary
The 2011 competition draw was announced on Thursday, 7 October 2010, with the season's first match between NRL teams to be played on Friday, 11 March. The first round of the premiership season became the highest attended round in NRL history, with 201,212 fans attending. However, the first NRL match of the year was the second annual NRL All Stars vs Indigenous All Stars game played at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast on 12 February. The annual ANZAC Test was also held at Skilled Park, on 6 May, with City vs Country Origin held on the same night at the Lavington Sports Ground in Albury. The Test match was to have been held at Christchurch in New Zealand, but was moved due to the destruction wrought on that city by the earthquake in February 2011. Byes began on 6 May, being the day of those representative matches, and continued throughout the 2011 State of Origin series, covering in total rounds 9 to 18. Themed rounds included the Heritage Round (round 5), Women in League Round (round 16), and Rivalry Round (round 19).
The regular 26 round season finished with the Melbourne Storm winning the J. J. Giltinan Shield for being the minor premiers. However the grand final match-up ended up between the second placed Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and the sixth placed New Zealand Warriors in which the Sea Eagles sought victory and claimed their 8th premiership title.
The coveted Dally M Medal award for player of the year in 2011 was awarded to Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater, who becomes the second Storm player to be given the award. (see 2011 Dally M Awards for full award listing)
Records set in 2011
Canberra Raiders equalled their longest losing streak with 8-matches (Round 2 - Round 9). Brisbane Broncos round-26 match was the biggest ever regular home game crowd for the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium with 50,859. South Sydney Rabbitohs winger Nathan Merritt equaled the club record for the most tries in a match with 5-tries against the Parramatta Eels in Round 22. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles set the record for the most points scored in a half of finals football when they scored 42 unanswered points against the North Queensland Cowboys. Sea Eagles halves Kieran Foran (21) and Daly Cherry-Evans (22) became the youngest halves pairing to win a grand final since Brett Kenny (20) and Peter Sterling (21) in 1981
Teams The number of teams in the NRL remained unchanged for the fourth consecutive season, with sixteen participating in the regular season: ten from New South Wales, three from Queensland and one from each of Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand. Of the ten from New South Wales, eight are from Sydney's metropolitan area, with St. George-Illawarra being a Sydney and Wollongong joint venture. Just two foundation clubs from New South Wales Rugby League season 1908 played in the competition: the Sydney Roosters (formerly known as Eastern Suburbs) and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Brisbane Broncos24th seasonGround: Suncorp StadiumCoach: Anthony GriffinCaptain: Darren LockyerCanterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 77th seasonGround: ANZ StadiumCoach: Kevin Moore→Jim DymockCaptain: Andrew RyanCanberra Raiders30th seasonGround: Canberra StadiumCoach: David FurnerCaptain: Alan TongueCronulla-Sutherland Sharks45th seasonGround: Toyota StadiumCoach: Shane FlanaganCaptain: Paul GallenGold Coast Titans5th seasonGround: Skilled ParkCoach: John CartwrightCaptain: Scott PrinceManly Warringah Sea Eagles62nd seasonGround: Brookvale OvalCoach: Des HaslerCaptain: Jamie Lyon & Jason KingMelbourne Storm14th seasonGround: AAMI ParkCoach: Craig BellamyCaptain: Cameron SmithNewcastle Knights24th seasonGround: Ausgrid StadiumCoach: Rick StoneCaptain: Kurt GidleyNew Zealand Warriors17th seasonGround: Mt. Smart StadiumCoach: Ivan ClearyCaptain: Simon ManneringNorth Queensland Cowboys17th seasonGround: Dairy Farmers StadiumCoach: Neil HenryCaptain: Johnathan Thurston & Matt ScottParramatta Eels65th seasonGround: Parramatta StadiumCoach: Stephen KearneyCaptain: Nathan HindmarshPenrith Panthers45th seasonGround: Centrebet StadiumCoach: Matthew Elliott→Steve GeorgallisCaptain: Petero Civoniceva South Sydney Rabbitohs102nd seasonGround: ANZ StadiumCoach: John LangCaptains: Roy Asotasi & Michael CrockerSydney Roosters104th seasonGround: Sydney Football StadiumCoach: Brian SmithCaptain: Braith AnastaSt George Illawarra Dragons13th seasonGround: Jubilee Oval & WIN StadiumCoach: Wayne BennettCaptain: Ben HornbyWests Tigers12th seasonGrounds: Campbelltown Stadium & Leichhardt OvalCoach: Tim SheensCaptain: Robbie Farah
Regular season
Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 F1 F2 F3 GF Brisbane BroncosNQL−2CAN+16GCT+6PEN+8NEW+11SYD+18WTI+13CBY+8MEL−7PEN−23XMAN−24CRO+18CAN+1*SGI+7SOU−4PAR+4XGCT+20MEL−20CRO+30NZL+1NQL+18NEW+20SOU+12MAN+8NZL+30SGI+1*MAN−12 Canberra RaidersCRO+28BRI−16WTI−10GCT−1*PEN−26NQL−8NEW−10WTI−37MAN−20MEL+8CBY+8XNQL−16BRI−1*XPAR+13SYD+26CRO−14MEL−26SGI+5NZL−19NEW−32SOU−29GCT−8PEN−1CBY−14 Canterbury-Bankstown BulldogsWTI+10SOU+9SYD+4MEL−14SGI−19PAR+20SOU+12BRI−8XSGI−5CAN−8GCT+22MAN−34XCRO−16WTI+10PEN−14MEL−10NZL−24PAR+1*SYD−4NQL+8CRO+7MAN−11NEW+10CAN+14 Cronulla-Sutherland SharksCAN−28SGI+6PEN+32NZL−8MAN−6NEW−4NQL−18SOU−19XSYD+14PAR−34MEL−6BRI−18XCBY+16GCT+24SOU+22CAN+14SGI−30NEW−18BRI−30GCT−4CBY−7SYD−11NQL−8WTI−8 Gold Coast TitansSGI−9MEL−28BRI−6CAN+1*NQL−10WTI+6PAR−4SYD+11NZL−20MAN−4XCBY−22PEN−13SGI+14SOU−23CRO−24XNZL−16BRI−20NQL−8NEW−30CRO+4MEL−24CAN+8WTI−29PAR−20 Manly Warringah Sea EaglesMEL−12SYD+11NEW+14SOU−2CRO+6NZL+10PEN+6NQL−2CAN+20GCT+4XBRI+24CBY+34NQL+20PAR+4SGI−18XSOU+14NEW+22PEN+4WTI−2SYD+28PAR+6CBY+11MEL+14BRI−8NQL+34XBRI+12NZL+14 Melbourne StormMAN+12GCT+28NQL−28CBY+14PAR+38PEN+15NZL−4NEW+30BRI+7CAN−8XCRO+6SOU+10SYD+17WTI+8NZL+8XCBY+10CAN+26BRI+20PAR+4PEN+20GCT+24SGI+2MAN−14SYD−32NEW+10XNZL−8 Newcastle KnightsPEN+34NQL+12MAN−14SGI−2BRI−11CRO+4CAN+10MEL−30XNZL−9SYD−2PAR+2WTI−1*XPEN+4SYD+8SGI+4NQL−10MAN−22CRO+18GCT+30CAN+32NZL−8BRI−20CBY−10SOU+16MEL−10 New Zealand WarriorsPAR−6WTI−8SGI−13CRO+8SYD+12MAN−10MEL+4PEN+8GCT+20NEW+9SOU+6XSYD−7WTI−4NQL−20MEL−8XGCT+16CBY+24SOU+32CAN+19BRI−1NEW+8PEN+14SGI−4NQL+12BRI−30WTI+2MEL+8MAN−14 North Queensland CowboysBRI+2NEW−12MEL+28PAR−2GCT+10CAN+8CRO+18MAN+2SGI−14PAR+14XSYD+14CAN+16MAN−20NZL+20PEN−10XNEW+10WTI−20GCT+8PEN+12CBY−8BRI−18SOU−2*CRO+8NZL−12MAN−34 Parramatta EelsNZL+6PEN−14SOU−14NQL+2MEL−38CBY−20GCT+4SGI−30XNQL−14CRO+34NEW−2SGI0*XMAN−4CAN−13BRI−4WTI+16PEN−1*CBY−1*MEL−4SOU−50MAN−6WTI−19SYD−1*GCT+20 Penrith PanthersNEW−34PAR+14CRO−32BRI−8CAN+26MEL−15MAN−6NZL−8XBRI+23WTI−2SOU+12GCT+13XNEW−4NQL+10CBY+14SYD−8PAR+1*MAN−4NQL−12MEL−20WTI−14NZL−14CAN+1SGI−20 South Sydney RabbitohsSYD−11CBY−9PAR+14MAN+2WTI−24SGI−16CBY−12CRO+19XWTI+11NZL−6PEN−12MEL−10XGCT+23BRI+4CRO−22MAN−14SYD+1*NZL−32SGI+10PAR+50CAN+29NQL+2*BRI−12NEW−16 St. George Illawarra DragonsGCT+9CRO−6NZL+13NEW+2CBY+19SOU+16SYD+14PAR+30NQL+14CBY+5XWTI+6PAR0*GCT−14BRI−7MAN+18NEW−4XCRO+30CAN−5SOU−10WTI−2SYD−8MEL−2NZL+4PEN+20WTI−9BRI−1* Sydney RoostersSOU+11MAN−11CBY−4WTI+18NZL−12BRI−18SGI−14GCT−11XCRO−14NEW+2NQL−14NZL+7MEL−17XNEW−8CAN−26PEN+8SOU−1*WTI−7CBY+4MAN−28SGI+8CRO+11PAR+1*MEL+32 Wests TigersCBY−10NZL+8CAN+10SYD−18SOU+24GCT−6BRI−13CAN+37XSOU−11PEN+2SGI−6NEW+1*NZL+4MEL−8CBY−10XPAR−16NQL+20SYD+7MAN+2SGI+2PEN+14PAR+19GCT+29CRO+8SGI+9NZL−2 Team 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 F1 F2 F3 GF
Bold – Home game X – Bye * – Golden point game Opponent for round listed above margin
Ladder
Finals series
To decide the grand finalists from the top eight finishing teams, the NRL adopts the McIntyre final eight system. The 2011 finals series sees the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, Wests Tigers, St George Illawarra Dragons and the New Zealand Warriors all return from last year. The Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos both return after last year's absence whilst the North Queensland Cowboys and the Newcastle Knights appear in this year's finals for the first time since 2007 and 2009, respectively. This is currently the last finals series to feature the Wests Tigers.
HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and Time (Local)VenueRefereesCrowd QUALIFYING FINALS Wests Tigers21 – 12 St. George Illawarra Dragons 9 September 2011, 7:45pm ANZ StadiumTony ArcherMatt Cecchin45,631 Brisbane Broncos40 – 10 New Zealand Warriors 10 September 2011, 6:45pm Suncorp StadiumJared MaxwellShayne Hayne48,943 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles42 – 8 North Queensland Cowboys 10 September 2011, 8:30pm Sydney Football StadiumBen CumminsGavin Badger13,972 Melbourne Storm18 – 8 Newcastle Knights 11 September 2011, 4:00pm AAMI ParkAshley KleinAdam Devcich14,845 SEMI FINALS Wests Tigers20 – 22 New Zealand Warriors 16 September 2011, 7:45pm Sydney Football StadiumShayne HayneJared Maxwell27,109 Brisbane Broncos †13 – 12 St. George Illawarra Dragons 17 September 2011, 6:45pm Suncorp StadiumTony ArcherMatt Cecchin48,474 PRELIMINARY FINALS Manly Warringah Sea Eagles26 – 14 Brisbane Broncos 23 September 2011, 7:45pm Sydney Football StadiumShayne HayneJared Maxwell31,894 Melbourne Storm12 – 20 New Zealand Warriors 24 September 2011, 7:45pm AAMI ParkTony ArcherMatt Cecchin28,580 † - Match decided in golden point extra time
Finals chart
Grand Final
Club and player records The following statistics are correct as of the conclusion of Round 26.
Top 5-point scorers PointsPlayerTriesGoalsField Goals195 Chris Sandow6827186 Benji Marshall11702180 James Maloney8732164 Luke Burt10620158 Johnathan Thurston10590 Top 5 try scorers TriesPlayer23 Ben Barba23 Nathan Merritt21 Ashley Graham19 Akuila Uate16 David Mead
Top 5 goal scorers GoalsPlayer82 Chris Sandow73 James Maloney73 Cameron Smith70 Benji Marshall65 Corey Parker
Most points in a match by an individual PointsPlayerTriesGoalsFGOpponentScoreVenueRound20 Luke Burt26/70Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks40–6Sydney Football StadiumRound 1120 Nathan Merritt500Parramatta Eels56–6ANZ StadiumRound 2220 Chris Sandow18/100Parramatta Eels56–6ANZ StadiumRound 2220 Johnathan Thurston26/70Parramatta Eels40–26Dairy Farmers StadiumRound 10
Most tries in a match by an individual TriesPlayerOpponentScoreVenueRound5 Nathan MerrittParramatta Eels56–6ANZ StadiumRound 224 Ben BarbaCanberra Raiders36–22ANZ StadiumRound 264 Akuila UateSouth Sydney Rabbitohs40–24Ausgrid StadiumRound 26
Paul Gallen ran 3,670 metres with the ball in 2011, more than any other player in the competition.
Attendances The regular season attendances for the 2011 season aggregated to a total of 3,123,055 (average 16,267), becoming the second highest attended NRL season (after 2010).
The highest twenty regular season match attendances: