Which Teams Have Won the Most NRL Premiership Titles?

10/02/2024 04:40 AM

The 2024 NRL season is drawing to a close and it promises an epic finale. The regular season table toppers the Melbourne Storm have already punched their ticket to the grand final - their sixth in 13 years - after handing the Sydney Roosters a ruthless beating in the preliminary finals. A hat-trick of tries from Jahrome Hughes was the difference between the two sides, handing the Storm an impressive 48-18 victory, and now they will look to convert their J. J. Giltinan Shield into Grand Final glory for just the second time in six attempts.

If they are to emerge victorious, however, they will need to find a way past the all-conquering Penrith Panthers. The Western Sydney outfit has ruled with an iron fist in recent years, winning the Premiership in each of the last three seasons, and now they look to become the first teams since the St. George Dragons in the 1960s to win four straight titles. The bookies fancy their chances, with the latest sports betting odds making them a +125 second favourite for the title, behind the already qualified Storm (-115).

Both sides are among the most successful since the NRL was rebranded in 1998, but who has joined them in amassing multiple premiership titles and forging lasting legacies in the Australian Rugby League? Let's find out.

Penrith Panthers

As mentioned, the Penrith Panthers are currently the dominant force in the NRL. They have won four Premiership titles since 1998, but it is in recent years that they have enforced their will upon the rest of the league. Their first triumph came in 2003 when a young and determined Panthers side stunned the much-fancied Sydney Roosters, with late tries from Luke Priddis and Luke Rooney securing a hard-fought grand final victory, the club's second all-time and first in 12 years.

However, the Western Sydney side would have to wait another 17 years for their next Grand Final appearance. That was ultimately a narrow loss to the Melbourne Storm in 2020, despite an almighty comeback almost securing a shock victory. However, that heartache fuelled the Panthers and they have romped to the title in each of the last three years, becoming the first team to complete the three-peat since the Parramatta Eels four decades prior.

Their victory in 2021 was particularly memorable, as they edged out the South Sydney Rabbitohs in a tense decider, despite losing to them just weeks prior in the first round of the finals. The following year, the Panthers showcased their dominance by defeating their rival Parramatta Eels in the first-ever Western Sydney Derby Grand Final, affirming their status as the top-tier team. In 2023, the Panthers continued their winning streak, overcoming the Brisbane Broncos in an exhilarating showdown, and they will be aiming to make it four this term.

Melbourne Storm

The Melbourne Storm have also claimed four Premiership titles, but that figure could have been so much more. They claimed their maiden title in 1999, just two years after their inception, by defeating the St. George Illawarra Dragons in a dramatic grand final. They then were made to wait until 2006 for their next appearance on the grandest stage, but the controversy was waiting for them just around the corner.

The Storm reached four consecutive Stadium Australia showpieces in 2006, winning two and losing the other pair. However, the NRL stripped the club of their 2007 and 2009 titles due to significant salary cap breaches, which remains a major chapter that has marred the club's history. It would take them a couple of years to rebound, but rebound they did, winning the title once again - legitimately this time - in 2012 with a win against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, and this would trigger another golden era.

Melbourne would reach four more finals in five seasons between 2016 and 2020, including three straight in 2016, 2017, and 2018. They would win the former and latter of that trio, before adding another title with that dramatic victory against the Panthers in 2020. With them already securing their spot in the 2024 showpiece, they could be poised to become the record champions should they manage to get over the line.

Sydney Roosters

Another team that has enjoyed significant success in the NRL era is the Sydney Roosters, who have also won four titles since 1998, taking their overall haul to 15, the second most of anybody behind the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Their first premiership in this period came in 2002 when they defeated the New Zealand Warriors, ending a 27-year barren spell in the process. The club looked poised and ready to claim further titles, reaching another two finals directly after that 2002 success, but ultimately losing both, first to the upstart Panthers and then to the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.

Under the astute leadership of coach Trent Robinson, the Roosters enjoyed a resurgence, claiming back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019. Their 2018 victory over the Melbourne Storm was a testament to their newfound tactical prowess, while the 2019 win against the Canberra Raiders solidified their reputation as a dominant force in the league. The club has been without a triumph since then, however, and they won't be winning anything this year either, following their preliminary finals drubbing at the hands of the Storm.