Definition
The 2019 NRL season was the 112th season of professional rugby league football in Australia and the 22nd season contested under the National Rugby League (NRL) administration. It comprised a regular season of 25 rounds followed by a finals series culminating in the 2019 NRL Grand Final.
Overview
- Duration: 15 March – 6 October 2019
- Teams: 16 clubs competed, representing cities across New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, the Australian Capital Territory, and New Zealand.
- Structure: Each team played 24 matches in the regular season (12 home, 12 away). Competition points were awarded as two points for a win, one point for a draw, and none for a loss. The top eight teams progressed to the finals series, which was played under the AFL‑style “final eight” format.
- Premiership: Melbourne Storm finished the regular season as minor premiers and went on to win the Grand Final, defeating the Canberra Raiders 14–8 at ANZ Stadium, Sydney.
- Major Awards:
- Dally M Medal (Player of the Year): James Tedesco (Sydney Roosters)
- Dally M Top Point Scorer: Nathan Cleary (Penrith Panthers) – 258 points
- Dally M Top Try Scorer: Maika Sivo (Parramatta Eels) – 22 tries
- Coach of the Year: Craig Bellamy (Melbourne Storm)
- Rookie of the Year: James Fisher‑Harris (Penrith Panthers)
The season was broadcast nationally on the Seven Network and Fox Sports, and internationally in the Pacific region and parts of Europe and Asia.
Etymology/Origin
- NRL: An acronym for “National Rugby League,” the governing body formed in 1998 after the merger of the Australian Rugby League (ARL) and Super League competitions.
- Season: In the context of Australian sport, “season” refers to the annual competition cycle, typically spanning autumn to spring in the Southern Hemisphere.
Characteristics
- Competition Format – A double‑round robin (each club playing most others once at home and once away) followed by a knockout finals series.
- Points System – Two competition points per win, one for a draw, with bonus points not employed.
- Finals Structure – The top eight clubs contested a four‑week finals series: week 1 (qualifying & elimination finals), week 2 (semi‑finals), week 3 (preliminary finals), and week 4 (Grand Final).
- State of Origin Interruption – The mid‑season State of Origin series (Queensland vs. New South Wales) was interspersed within the regular rounds, causing a temporary pause in club fixtures.
- Player Welfare Measures – Continued enforcement of concussion protocols and the introduction of a “head injury assessment” (HIA) process in line with NRL health policies.
- Attendance & Revenue – Total regular‑season attendance exceeded 3.2 million spectators; the Grand Final attracted an estimated 82,500 attendees.
Related Topics
- National Rugby League – The governing competition for professional rugby league in Australia and New Zealand.
- 2019 NRL Grand Final – The championship match that decided the 2019 premiership.
- Melbourne Storm – The club that secured both the minor premiership and the overall premiership in 2019.
- Canberra Raiders – Grand Final runners‑up.
- Dally M Medal – Annual award recognising the NRL’s player of the year.
- State of Origin series – The annual representative series that runs concurrently with the NRL season.
- Rugby league in Australia – The broader sport context encompassing domestic competitions, international fixtures, and grassroots development.