They say it’s hard to win a premiership. Repeating it the next year, even harder. Three in a row is just about impossible… or is it?
The Penrith Panthers have just achieved the impossible, winning 3 NRL premierships on the trot. Many great teams have have failed in that chase for glory but are the Panthers in the discussion for the best team we've ever seen?
Join us on a trip down memory lane, looking back at teams that have done the impossible and the teams that have gotten oh so close.
St George Dragons 1956 – 1966
There is arguably no greater premiership winning team that the Dragons side of the 50’s and 60’s. The 11-time premiers were led by future Immortals Reg Gasnier, Johnny Raper, Graham Langlands and Norm Provan.
We're confident in saying there will never be a more dominant rugby league team.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 1925-1929 & 1953-1955
South Sydney won consecutive grand finals twice between 1925 and 1955, consolidating their reputation as one of the most successful rugby league clubs ever.
The bunnies Golden Era of the 50’s was led by “The Little Master” Clive Churchill, who would go on become an Immortal and regarded as the finest player in the history of the sport.
Parramatta Eels 1981-1983
The Eels enjoyed one of the great premiership-winning dynasties under the tutelage of master coach Jack Gibson.
Ray Price, Peter Sterling, and Brett Kenny led the side to famous wins over their great rivals Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in ’82 and ’83.
The ‘Almost’ Dynasties
Brisbane Broncos 1992-1993, lost to Raiders in 1994
The Broncos of the early 90’s are spoken about as one of the most talented sides in rugby league history. Langer, Renouf, Lazarus, Gillmeister as well as Kerrod and Kevin Walters were just a few of the household names coached by Wayne Bennett.
The Broncos were de-throned in 1994 by an equally star-studded Raiders outfit that included Meninga, Daley, Stuart and Clyde.
Sydney Roosters 2018-2019, lost to Raiders in 2020
The Roosters of ’18 and ’19 were the perfect combination of freakish talent and battle hardened grit.
Despite their dominance, their 2019 GF win was marred by a controversial “6 again” call against the Raiders in the dying minutes.
The Raiders would get their revenge in Week 2 of the Finals the following year, eliminating the Roosters and their chance of a third-straight premiership.
Penrith Panthers 2021-2023
The Panthers pulled off a miraculous comeback on Sunday night, coming from the clouds to defeat the Broncos and claim their third premiership in a row.
Nathan Cleary seemed to lift to unseen heights, capturing the win to help elevate his club to “dynasty” status.
The Broncos looked like running away with it after scoring just before the break and back to back tries early in the second. Ezra Mam produced an inspirational 15 mins of footy, cutting the Panthers defence to shreds on multiple occasions.
All seemed lost for a Panthers three-peat when Jarome Luai went off injured but Cleary put the team on his back and put together a rugby league masterclass to seal the win.
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