Are the Roosters, Storm, or Broncos the most successful NRL club since its beginning in 1998? A rubric was developed to determine which team has been the most historically successful. The points rubric awards progressively more points the further a team went in the finals series. The results suggest that the Sydney Roosters are clearly the most successful in Australia’s National Rugby League.
POINTS RUBRIC
16 pts – Premiership Winner
8 pts – Reached Grand Final
4 pts – Reached Preliminary Finals
2 pts – Reached Semi-Finals
1 pts – Reached Qualifying Finals
TOP 5 MOST SUCCESSFUL NRL CLUBS
1. Sydney Roosters – 126 pts.
The Roosters are one of the most successful NRL clubs, having won 4 premierships, with their most recent win coming in 2019. They have also been runners-up on 4 occasions. Sydney’s sustained success can be attributed to their ability to recruit and develop top-tier talent, and the leadership of their long-serving coach Trent Robinson. They have also won the Minor Premiership (awarded to the team that finishes the regular season with the most points) 5 times.
2. Melbourne Storm – 109 pts.
The Storm are widely regarded as one of the most dominant NRL teams of the last two decades. They have won 4 premierships in their history. The team has been a consistent finalist in the competition, having made it to the playoffs in all but three seasons since their inception in 1998. If Melbourne had not gotten punished for breaching the salary cap between 2006 and 2010, the club would have been credited for 2 other premierships they won in 2007 and 2009.
3. Brisbane Broncos – 91 pts.
The Broncos are one of the most popular NRL clubs, having won 3 premierships since 1998. They also have finished as runners-up in 2015. The Broncos have a strong reputation for developing young talent and have produced some of the greatest players in the league’s history, including Darren Lockyer and Allan Langer. However, Brisbane has struggled in recent years. Since 2019, the club has not made it to the Finals Series.
4. Penrith Panthers – 74 pts.
The Panthers are one of the most exciting and successful NRL clubs in recent years. They won back-to-back premierships in 2021 and 2022. The team also went to the Grand Final in 2020. The club, based in the suburbs of Sydney, also has a proud history, since it was founded in 1966. Their recent success can be attributed to the strength of their youth academy and the coaching of Ivan Cleary. However, the team has also had some low moments, since it finished last place twice.
5. Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles – 66 pts.
The Sea Eagles are one of the better NRL clubs, having won 2 premierships and appearing in 4 Grand Finals since 1998. The club from Northern Sydney regularly makes the Finals Series as well. The Sea Eagles have a reputation for being a tough and hardworking team. The team has recently been driven by the leadership of coach Des Hasler and the performances of superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic. However, the team has not won a premiership since 2011.
For the full table of all NRL clubs ranked since 1998 please see:
