Rugby league competition
Rugby league season
The 2011 NRL season was the 104th season of professional rugby league football club competition in Australia, and the fourteenth and last run by the National Rugby League 's partnership committee of the Australian Rugby League and News Ltd . The NRL's main championship, called the 2011 Telstra Premiership due to sponsorship from Telstra , was contested by sixteen teams for the fifth consecutive year. Alongside was the fourth season of the Toyota Cup taking place.
The season's Premiership title was awarded to the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles who took out their 8th title, only three years after their previous title, defeating the New Zealand Warriors in the grand final.
Season summary
The 2011 competition draw was announced on Thursday, 7 October 2010,[1] with the season's first match between NRL teams to be played on Friday, 11 March. The first round of the premiership season became the highest attended round in NRL history, with 201,212 fans attending.[2]
However, the first NRL match of the year was the second annual NRL All Stars vs Indigenous All Stars game played at Skilled Park on the Gold Coast on 12 February. The annual ANZAC Test was also held at Skilled Park, on 6 May, with City vs Country Origin held on the same night at the Lavington Sports Ground in Albury . The Test match was to have been held at Christchurch in New Zealand, but was moved due to the destruction wrought on that city by the earthquake in February 2011.[3]
Byes began on 6 May, being the day of those representative matches, and continued throughout the 2011 State of Origin series , covering in total rounds 9 to 18.
Themed rounds included the Heritage Round (round 5), Women in League Round (round 16), and Rivalry Round (round 19).
The regular 26 round season finished with the Melbourne Storm winning the J. J. Giltinan Shield for being the minor premiers. However the grand final match-up ended up between the second placed Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and the sixth placed New Zealand Warriors in which the Sea Eagles sought victory and claimed their 8th premiership title .
The coveted Dally M Medal award for player of the year in 2011 was awarded to Melbourne Storm fullback Billy Slater , who becomes the second Storm player to be given the award. (see 2011 Dally M Awards for full award listing)
Records set in 2011
Teams
The number of teams in the NRL remained unchanged for the fourth consecutive season, with sixteen participating in the regular season: ten from New South Wales , three from Queensland and one from each of Victoria , the Australian Capital Territory and New Zealand. Of the ten from New South Wales, eight are from Sydney's metropolitan area, with St. George-Illawarra being a Sydney and Wollongong joint venture. Just two foundation clubs from New South Wales Rugby League season 1908 played in the competition: the Sydney Roosters (formerly known as Eastern Suburbs) and the South Sydney Rabbitohs .
Regular season
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
F1
F2
F3
GF
Brisbane Broncos
NQL −2
CAN +16
GCT +6
PEN +8
NEW +11
SYD +18
WTI +13
CBY +8
MEL −7
PEN −23
X
MAN −24
CRO +18
CAN +1*
SGI +7
SOU −4
PAR +4
X
GCT +20
MEL −20
CRO +30
NZL +1
NQL +18
NEW +20
SOU +12
MAN +8
NZL +30
SGI +1*
MAN −12
Canberra Raiders
CRO +28
BRI −16
WTI −10
GCT −1*
PEN −26
NQL −8
NEW −10
WTI −37
MAN −20
MEL +8
CBY +8
X
NQL −16
BRI −1*
X
PAR +13
SYD +26
CRO −14
MEL −26
SGI +5
NZL −19
NEW −32
SOU −29
GCT −8
PEN −1
CBY −14
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
WTI +10
SOU +9
SYD +4
MEL −14
SGI −19
PAR +20
SOU +12
BRI −8
X
SGI −5
CAN −8
GCT +22
MAN −34
X
CRO −16
WTI +10
PEN −14
MEL −10
NZL −24
PAR +1*
SYD −4
NQL +8
CRO +7
MAN −11
NEW +10
CAN +14
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
CAN −28
SGI +6
PEN +32
NZL −8
MAN −6
NEW −4
NQL −18
SOU −19
X
SYD +14
PAR −34
MEL −6
BRI −18
X
CBY +16
GCT +24
SOU +22
CAN +14
SGI −30
NEW −18
BRI −30
GCT −4
CBY −7
SYD −11
NQL −8
WTI −8
Gold Coast Titans
SGI −9
MEL −28
BRI −6
CAN +1*
NQL −10
WTI +6
PAR −4
SYD +11
NZL −20
MAN −4
X
CBY −22
PEN −13
SGI +14
SOU −23
CRO −24
X
NZL −16
BRI −20
NQL −8
NEW −30
CRO +4
MEL −24
CAN +8
WTI −29
PAR −20
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
MEL −12
SYD +11
NEW +14
SOU −2
CRO +6
NZL +10
PEN +6
NQL −2
CAN +20
GCT +4
X
BRI +24
CBY +34
NQL +20
PAR +4
SGI −18
X
SOU +14
NEW +22
PEN +4
WTI −2
SYD +28
PAR +6
CBY +11
MEL +14
BRI −8
NQL +34
X
BRI +12
NZL +14
Melbourne Storm
MAN +12
GCT +28
NQL −28
CBY +14
PAR +38
PEN +15
NZL −4
NEW +30
BRI +7
CAN −8
X
CRO +6
SOU +10
SYD +17
WTI +8
NZL +8
X
CBY +10
CAN +26
BRI +20
PAR +4
PEN +20
GCT +24
SGI +2
MAN −14
SYD −32
NEW +10
X
NZL −8
Newcastle Knights
PEN +34
NQL +12
MAN −14
SGI −2
BRI −11
CRO +4
CAN +10
MEL −30
X
NZL −9
SYD −2
PAR +2
WTI −1*
X
PEN +4
SYD +8
SGI +4
NQL −10
MAN −22
CRO +18
GCT +30
CAN +32
NZL −8
BRI −20
CBY −10
SOU +16
MEL −10
New Zealand Warriors
PAR −6
WTI −8
SGI −13
CRO +8
SYD +12
MAN −10
MEL +4
PEN +8
GCT +20
NEW +9
SOU +6
X
SYD −7
WTI −4
NQL −20
MEL −8
X
GCT +16
CBY +24
SOU +32
CAN +19
BRI −1
NEW +8
PEN +14
SGI −4
NQL +12
BRI −30
WTI +2
MEL +8
MAN −14
North Queensland Cowboys
BRI +2
NEW −12
MEL +28
PAR −2
GCT +10
CAN +8
CRO +18
MAN +2
SGI −14
PAR +14
X
SYD +14
CAN +16
MAN −20
NZL +20
PEN −10
X
NEW +10
WTI −20
GCT +8
PEN +12
CBY −8
BRI −18
SOU −2*
CRO +8
NZL −12
MAN −34
Parramatta Eels
NZL +6
PEN −14
SOU −14
NQL +2
MEL −38
CBY −20
GCT +4
SGI −30
X
NQL −14
CRO +34
NEW −2
SGI 0*
X
MAN −4
CAN −13
BRI −4
WTI +16
PEN −1*
CBY −1*
MEL −4
SOU −50
MAN −6
WTI −19
SYD −1*
GCT +20
Penrith Panthers
NEW −34
PAR +14
CRO −32
BRI −8
CAN +26
MEL −15
MAN −6
NZL −8
X
BRI +23
WTI −2
SOU +12
GCT +13
X
NEW −4
NQL +10
CBY +14
SYD −8
PAR +1*
MAN −4
NQL −12
MEL −20
WTI −14
NZL −14
CAN +1
SGI −20
South Sydney Rabbitohs
SYD −11
CBY −9
PAR +14
MAN +2
WTI −24
SGI −16
CBY −12
CRO +19
X
WTI +11
NZL −6
PEN −12
MEL −10
X
GCT +23
BRI +4
CRO −22
MAN −14
SYD +1*
NZL −32
SGI +10
PAR +50
CAN +29
NQL +2*
BRI −12
NEW −16
St. George Illawarra Dragons
GCT +9
CRO −6
NZL +13
NEW +2
CBY +19
SOU +16
SYD +14
PAR +30
NQL +14
CBY +5
X
WTI +6
PAR 0*
GCT −14
BRI −7
MAN +18
NEW −4
X
CRO +30
CAN −5
SOU −10
WTI −2
SYD −8
MEL −2
NZL +4
PEN +20
WTI −9
BRI −1*
Sydney Roosters
SOU +11
MAN −11
CBY −4
WTI +18
NZL −12
BRI −18
SGI −14
GCT −11
X
CRO −14
NEW +2
NQL −14
NZL +7
MEL −17
X
NEW −8
CAN −26
PEN +8
SOU −1*
WTI −7
CBY +4
MAN −28
SGI +8
CRO +11
PAR +1*
MEL +32
Wests Tigers
CBY −10
NZL +8
CAN +10
SYD −18
SOU +24
GCT −6
BRI −13
CAN +37
X
SOU −11
PEN +2
SGI −6
NEW +1*
NZL +4
MEL −8
CBY −10
X
PAR −16
NQL +20
SYD +7
MAN +2
SGI +2
PEN +14
PAR +19
GCT +29
CRO +8
SGI +9
NZL −2
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
F1
F2
F3
GF
Bold – Home game
X – Bye
* – Golden point game
Opponent for round listed above margin
Ladder
Ladder progression
Numbers highlighted in green indicate that the team finished the round inside the top 8.
Numbers highlighted in blue indicates the team finished first on the ladder in that round.
Numbers highlighted in red indicates the team finished last place on the ladder in that round.
Underlined numbers indicate that the team had a bye during that round.
Team
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
1
Melbourne
2
4
4
6
8
10
10
12
14
14
16
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
36
38
40
42
42
42
2
Manly-Warringah
0
2
4
4
6
8
10
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
24
24
26
28
30
32
32
34
36
38
40
40
3
Brisbane
0
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
14
14
16
16
18
20
22
22
24
26
28
28
30
32
34
36
38
40
4
Wests
0
2
4
4
6
6
6
8
10
10
12
12
14
16
16
16
18
18
20
22
24
26
28
30
32
34
5
St George Illawarra
2
2
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
18
20
22
23
23
23
25
25
27
29
29
29
29
29
29
31
33
6
New Zealand
0
0
0
2
4
4
6
8
10
12
14
16
16
16
16
16
18
20
22
24
26
26
28
30
30
32
7
North Queensland
2
2
4
4
6
8
10
12
12
14
16
18
20
20
22
22
24
26
26
28
30
30
30
30
32
32
8
Newcastle
2
4
4
4
4
6
8
8
10
10
10
12
12
14
16
18
20
20
20
22
24
26
26
26
26
28
9
Canterbury-Bankstown
2
4
6
6
6
8
10
10
12
12
12
14
14
16
16
18
18
18
18
20
20
22
24
24
26
28
10
South Sydney
0
0
2
4
4
4
4
6
8
10
10
10
10
12
14
16
16
16
18
18
20
22
24
26
26
26
11
Sydney
2
2
2
4
4
4
4
4
6
6
8
8
10
10
12
12
12
14
14
14
16
16
18
20
22
24
12
Penrith
0
2
2
2
4
4
4
4
6
8
8
10
12
14
14
16
18
18
20
20
20
20
20
20
22
22
13
Cronulla-Sutherland
0
2
4
4
4
4
4
4
6
8
8
8
8
10
12
14
16
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
18
14
Parramatta
2
2
2
4
4
4
6
6
8
8
10
10
11
13
13
13
13
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
15
17
15
Canberra
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
2
4
6
8
8
8
10
12
14
14
14
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
16
Gold Coast
0
0
0
2
2
4
4
6
6
6
8
8
8
10
10
10
12
12
12
12
12
14
14
16
16
16
Finals series
To decide the grand finalists from the top eight finishing teams, the NRL adopts the McIntyre final eight system . The 2011 finals series sees the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles , Wests Tigers , St George Illawarra Dragons and the New Zealand Warriors all return from last year. The Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos both return after last year's absence whilst the North Queensland Cowboys and the Newcastle Knights appear in this year's finals for the first time since 2007 and 2009, respectively.
Home
Score
Away
Match Information
Date and Time (Local)
Venue
Referees
Crowd
QUALIFYING FINALS
Wests Tigers
21 – 12
St. George Illawarra Dragons
9 September 2011, 7:45pm
ANZ Stadium
Tony Archer Matt Cecchin
45,631
Brisbane Broncos
40 – 10
New Zealand Warriors
10 September 2011, 6:45pm
Suncorp Stadium
Jared Maxwell Shayne Hayne
48,943
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
42 – 8
North Queensland Cowboys
10 September 2011, 8:30pm
Sydney Football Stadium
Ben Cummins Gavin Badger
13,972
Melbourne Storm
18 – 8
Newcastle Knights
11 September 2011, 4:00pm
AAMI Park
Ashley Klein Adam Devcich
14,845
SEMI FINALS
Wests Tigers
20 – 22
New Zealand Warriors
16 September 2011, 7:45pm
Sydney Football Stadium
Shayne Hayne Jared Maxwell
27,109
Brisbane Broncos †
13 – 12
St. George Illawarra Dragons
17 September 2011, 6:45pm
Suncorp Stadium
Tony Archer Matt Cecchin
48,474
PRELIMINARY FINALS
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
26 – 14
Brisbane Broncos
23 September 2011, 7:45pm
Sydney Football Stadium
Shayne Hayne Jared Maxwell
31,894
Melbourne Storm
12 – 20
New Zealand Warriors
24 September 2011, 7:45pm
AAMI Park
Tony Archer Matt Cecchin
28,580
† - Match decided in golden point extra time
Finals chart
Grand Final
Sunday, 2 October 5:00pm (AEDT)
Club and player records
The following statistics are correct as of the conclusion of Round 26.
Top 5-point scorers
Top 5 try scorers
Top 5 goal scorers
Most points in a match by an individual
Most tries in a match by an individual
Paul Gallen ran 3,670 metres with the ball in 2011, more than any other player in the competition.[4]
Attendances
The regular season attendances for the 2011 season aggregated to a total of 3,123,055 (average 16,267), becoming the second highest attended NRL season (after 2010).
The highest twenty regular season match attendances:
Crowd
Venue
Home Team
Opponent
Round
50,859
Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Broncos
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Round 26
45,119
Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Broncos
North Queensland Cowboys
Round 1
40,094
Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Broncos
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Round 25
38,412
Eden Park
New Zealand Warriors
Parramatta Eels
Round 1
37,173
Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Broncos
New Zealand Warriors
Round 22
34,976
Sydney Football Stadium
Sydney Roosters
St George Illawarra Dragons
Round 7
34,322
ANZ Stadium
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
St George Illawarra Dragons
Round 10
34,185
Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Broncos
St George Illawarra Dragons
Round 15
34,175
Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Broncos
Melbourne Storm
Round 9
32,283
Suncorp Stadium (Double Header)
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Brisbane Broncos Gold Coast Titans
Round 12
31,122
Sydney Cricket Ground
St George Illawarra Dragons
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Round 5
31,035
Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Broncos
Gold Coast Titans
Round 19
30,729
Ausgrid Stadium
Newcastle Knights
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Round 26
30,687
ANZ Stadium
Parramatta Eels
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Round 6
30,127
Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Broncos
Wests Tigers
Round 17
30,538
Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Broncos
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Round 8
28,703
Sydney Football Stadium
Sydney Roosters
South Sydney Rabbitohs
Round 1
27,687
Sydney Football Stadium
Wests Tigers
St George Illawarra Dragons
Round 22
26,737
ANZ Stadium
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Wests Tigers
Round 1
26,463
Dairy Farmers Stadium
North Queensland Cowboys
Brisbane Broncos
Round 23
25,623
Suncorp Stadium
Brisbane Broncos
Penrith Panthers
Round 4
2011 Transfers
Players
See also
References
External links
The Club Culture Home ground Important figures League Titles Seasons (70) Other competitions Affiliations
National Rugby League seasons
NSWRL era ARL / SL war NRL era