The ten biggest NRL stories of the past ten years

When Zero Digital Sports was first founded in December of 2014, it was probably not in anyone's wildest imagination that we'd still be sitting here a decade later with millions of Australians consuming our content every month.

But that's the exact scenario we find ourselves in, with Zero Tackle undisputedly the largest independent stand-alone rugby league website in Australia.

As we celebrate our tenth birthday, we thought there would be no better time than now to run the rule over the ten biggest rugby league stories since the inception of the company.

From incredible innovation for the game, to major player and coach movements, a pandemic and expansion, here are the ten biggest rugby league news stories as decided by our team since the formation of Zero Digital Sports.

10. Samoa qualify for Rugby League World Cup final

I'm still not convinced Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson knows what rugby league is, or what the difference between our beautiful 13-man game and rugby union is, but to get him to film a video wishing Samoa all the best in a rugby league final?

Yeah, fair to say this is the biggest international story of the decade. Maybe ever.

Never before had a Tier 2 nation made the final of the World Cup, and while the Samoans came up short at Old Trafford in 2022, it continued to show to players that playing for their heritage should be encouraged as much as possible.

Tonga were also fantastic during that tournament. The men in red had kicked off the international rugby league revolution some years ago through the likes of Jason Taumalolo and Andrew Fifita, and had a stunning win over Australia in 2019 to show for it.

But Samoa making the World Cup final was the real story of the last decade in international rugby league, and we can only hope it might lead to a new World Cup winner when the tournament heads down under in 2026.

9. Birth of the NRL Bunker

In 2016, the NRL spent a truckload of money opening the NRL bunker.

At the time, it was a revolutionary innovation that would take video referees out of a tiny box in the grandstand where they had one screen, and instead put them in a multi-million dollar facility in Sydney with access to every camera at the ground at the touch of a button.

It was supposed to speed up decision-making and increase accuracy.

Eight years later, it's the story that simply won't go away, with officials under increasing amounts of pressure over perceived poor decisions out of the bunker.

Some have called for the bunker to be done away with, and others have implored for patience.

Whatever the case, you couldn't leave it off this list.

8. Cooper Cronk joins the Sydney Roosters

In the world of player signings, there have been few bigger than Cooper Cronk's switch from the Melbourne Storm at the end of 2017 to join the Sydney Roosters.

After 323 storied games in purple, Cronk ran out wearing red, white and blue for the final two years of his career, and delivered two premierships along the way.

It was the best return on investment a club has ever had, particularly considering in one of those grand finals - against his old teammates, no less - he played with one shoulder and didn't make a play all night, essentially acting as an on-field coach.

Cronk is one of the best halfbacks who have ever stepped on the field (as much as he is often overlooked in the conversation) and his signing was the smartest piece of business the Roosters have ever performed.

7. Cameron Smith plays 400th NRL game

Speaking of Melbourne Storm players, it wouldn't be right to have a list like this but not mention the player who led his club, state, and country for most of the decade.

Cameron Smith is the only player in the 116-year history of top-tier rugby league in this country to play more than 400 games.

He wasn't satisified there either, eventually retiring at the end of 2020 with 430 games under his belt. He played 42 Origin games, 56 Tests, and 4 All Star games.

Not including pre-season trials, that's a staggering 532 recognised games.

It's a record that will likely never be beaten. His longevity, ability to avoid injury, and his ability to win were and are simply unrivaled in the NRL.

The 400-game barrier being set in July 2019 was as big a story as you could imagine.

6. The growth of NRLW and women's State of Origin

It would be unfair if we didn't mention the fastest-growing segment in rugby league - the women's game.

NRLW, when it first launched in 2018, was a four-team competition played over three weeks, and the future was unclear.

Now, heading into 2024, the competition is ready to have 12 teams running out onto the field each week, and will be played over 11 rounds with an extended three-week finals series to boot.

Add that to the fact the NRLW may well have it's own part of the TV revenue next time it comes up for negotiation, and women's State of Origin has gone from being a one-match Interstate Challenge to a full-blown three-match series, and it's clear how much the sport has grown.

5. "You can turn the porch light off now"

There have been a lot of excellent premiership performances creating big stories over the last decade.

We are currently in the midst of Penrith's era of dominance, there was the incredible 2015 grand final which was decided in golden point, and there was the six-again debacle in 2018.

But in terms of size of story, none of them compare to the Cronulla Sharks finally winning their first premiership in 2016 during what was an excellent match in its own right.

Topsy-turvy from start to finish, it eventually came down to the Sharks needing last-ditch defence to hold onto a slender 14 points to 12 lead that they had only gotten on the back of an Andrew Fifita try in the final 20 minutes.

4. Daly Cherry-Evans performs titanic backflip

There may be no bigger signing by a rival club than Cooper Cronk during the last decade, but it nearly could have been Daly Cherry-Evans.

Now known as one of the nicest players in the game, the current Queensland Maroons captain once upon a time wasn't so universally liked.

The Gold Coast Titans, in 2015, had offered Cherry-Evans a lifetime contract believed to be worth $10 million. It was only set to expire at the end of the coming season, had he signed it.

Manly however came to the table with an even bigger offer and the halfback ultimately decided to backflip, staying in Sydney.

The move would have changed the course of both Manly and the Gold Coast had it gone through.

So explosive was the decision, the NRL were forced to change contracting rules on the back of it.

3. Eels docked 12 points in salary cap breach

Just six years after the Melbourne Storm were forced to play out a season without the chance of earning competition points for a major salary cap breach, the dreaded part of the game was back in the headlines at Parramatta.

In 2016, the NRL found the Eels were over the salary cap by $570,000. They were hit with a 12-point penalty and punished with a $1 million fine. The club was also stripped of the Auckland Nines title and all associated prize money.

Parramatta had already faced the prospect of starting the campaign on negative four points for indiscretions in 2015, but at that time had avoided the penalty.

It ruined Parramatta's campaign, and saw the almost immediate departure of Nathan Peats to the Gold Coast Titans so that the blue and gold could once again play for competition points.

The entirety of the club's board was sacked following the breach, and the Eels would eventually finish in 14th spot on the table, despite winning 18 games - a tally that would have left them in second spot and challenging for the aforementioned premiership eventually won by Cronulla.

2. The NRL heads to Las Vegas

Global expansion of rugby league has always been a popular topic of discussion - or more specifically, how to crack the American market.

The NRL, after years of talking about it, finally made the play in 2024, launching the season in Las Vegas with two games.

That will expand to four games in 2025, with the English Super League and a women's Test to be on the program of events.

The first games were not strongly supported on TV in America, but did draw a crowd, and with a reported five-year deal in place, the NRL have a long-term strategy to try and crack America.

1. NRL expands for first time in two decades as Dolphins are born

The Gold Coast Titans were the last team to join the NRL all the way back in 2007. While expansion wasn't a major topic of discussion in the early part of the last decade, the conversation certainly ramped up throughout the second half.

Eventually, the NRL opened up to expressions of interest, and it became quickly clear the 17th team would be in Queensland.

The Brisbane Firehawks, Brisbane Jets, and Dolphins eventually became the three sides in the running, but it was believed the Dolphins, who had financial backing and the added benefit of a Queensland Cup program already being well and truly established, were the best option to join the competition.

They have not made the finals in their first two seasons, but are on the cusp of doing so, having fallen just one game short in 2024.

Expansion is certainly not done. Papua New Guinea are likely to join the NRL as Team 18, and a 19th team - potentially in Perth - could be added soon after.

There are plenty of incredible stories - both good and bad - in footy over the last decade. What makes your Top 10?