10 Most Memorable Tries In NRL History
The NRL has produced some amazing tries throughout its history.
Written by Danielle Smith
Over the years there have been some amazing tries scored in the NRL. We have gone through the best of the best and have put together what we believe are the 10 of the most memorable.
2019 - State of Origin Game 3 - James Tedesco wins the series for the Blues
The series is at one a piece, the score line 20-all, and there are 50 seconds left on the clock. Mitchell Pearce throws a cut-out pass to Tom Trbojevic, who passes to Blake Ferguson. He crosses the 40m line, breaks through a Corey Norman tackle, dances ever so close with the sideline but manages to stay in the field of play. He hears Teddy screaming on the inside for the ball, throws him an awkward pass that Teddy somehow manages to catch. A desperate Dane Gagai tries to stop him but Tedesco scores in the corner, securing the series for NSW.
1990 - Australia v Great Britain 2nd Test Match - Ricky Stuart goes from villain to hero
While technically from the ARL era, this one had to make the list. 10 minutes earlier, Ricky Stuart throws an intercept pass that results in a Great Britain try. The scores are locked up at 10 all, and with GB winning the first Test, they are close to taking the series. With no time left on the clock, Benny Elias gets the ball from dummy half, passes it to Stuart who passes it to Bobby Lindner. He passes it back inside to Cliff Lyons who starts drifting across the field. He finds Stuart, who the throws a dummy...and he's through! He streaks up the field, keeps looking left and right for speedster Andrew Ettingshausen, but the defence is closing in.
Then big Mal Meninga comes from out of nowhere and pushes his way through. He ends up right next to Stuart, who passes the ball to his captain. Meninga crosses the line, gives Australia the win and keeps the series alive. One of the best Test tries ever.
1995 - Canberra Raiders vs Brisbane Broncos - Mullins to Mullins back to Mullins
On a cold night in the Nation's Capital, Brett Mullins gets the ball from dummy half and puts up a little chip kick. He runs through the defence without taking his eye off the ball. It bounces twice and gets kicked again - by Mullins. He backs himself, chases after it, gets the perfect bounce, gathers the ball with the tips of his fingers, and scores right under the post. Peter Sterling described it as 'Poetry in Motion'.
2004 - State of Origin Game Two - Billy the Kid
The Blues were leading with 18 minutes left on the clock. Darren Lockyer kicks a perfectly executed grubber that is scooped up by a flying Billy Slater.
He pins the ears back and heads to the right corner of the field. But then he chips left, kicking over the top of Blues fullback Anthony Minichiello, re-gathers the ball and scores.
In his origin debut, Slater played like he was a Queensland veteran. He scored a try that many only dream about, one that gets repeated over and over again on Origin show reels, and he admits that it is one completely changed his life. And just like the Benji-Step and the Benji-Flick, the Slater-Chip-and-Chase was emulated by kids for many years.
2021 - North Queensland Cowboys vs Brisbane Broncos - You gotta hand it to Feldt
Kyle Feldt is passed the ball very close to the sideline. He starts to come back in field but is met by three Broncos defenders. They wrap him up and tackle him to the ground, just short of the try line.
In a moment that still defies logic, Feldt somehow manages to get his arm OVER THE TOP of all the defenders and places the ball perfectly on the line.
Commentator Andrew Voss went nuts. "Oh, what a try! It's one of the great put-downs you'll ever see!
"Has he got three arms? Because the two arms he's got were held up and he's produced another one to force the ball. What a crazy try from Kyle Feldt."
2021 - South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Wests Tigers - Is it Burgess or Brooks?
In one of the most exciting club matches of last season, the Bunnies and the Tigers were locked at 14 all at the end of regular time. 3 minutes into Golden Point, Tom Burgess makes a run from the Tigers 30m line to score the game winning try.
While Burgess and his teammates celebrate, others believe he dropped the ball over the line and didn't score. Luke Brooks picks up the ball and takes off down towards the other end of the field while the referee signals 'play on'.
Brooks scores what the Tigers players think is the winning try, and they all celebrate. The Souths players look confused, and the referee sends it all up to The Bunker. After reviewing the put down everyone sees Burgess did get the ball down correctly, he is awarded the try and Souths take the victory.
Commentator Dan Ginnane screams, "There have been over 100 golden point games and you will never forget how this one ended". What a finish.
2015 - New Zealand Warriors vs Melbourne Storm - Nathan Friend's backflip try assist
Friend leaps up in the air to catch a high kick, but comes down on the back of a Storm defender Kenny Bromwich. He does a backflip over the top and manages to throw the ball back to a Sam Tomkins. He passes it to Shaun Johnson, who does a beautiful right-handed flick pass to his fullback. It's passed again, and again and eventually finds Tuimoala Lolohea who skirts with the sideline and gets the ball down with one hand.
Friend's acrobatics was a talking point all around the world, being talked about on USA Today, CBS Sports, and even Sports Illustrated.
2011 - Gold Coast Titans vs Cronulla Sharks - David Mead's sideline magic
Titans' half Scott Prince puts up a kick towards the sideline, and winger Mead chases after it. The ball lands millimetres from the sideline and Mead somehow manages to reach out for it, brings it back and holds the ball against his hip, keeps his footing and scores a remarkable try.
The commentator screams "David Mead! You are a footballer, and also some sort of magician!"
2016 - Parramatta Eels vs South Sydney Rabbitohs - "Don't pass!"
Eels' winger Semi Radradra intercepts a Luke Keary pass on his 10m line on the left-hand side of the field. He gets past 3 defenders, goes up the middle and heads for the right corner.
There's red and green all around him, but he keeps the pace and stays out of reach. He dummies once, he dummies twice, while Peter Sterling is screaming "Don't Pass! Don't Pass!". Semi runs 90m and scores an amazing solo try.
1994 - State of Origin Game One- Mark Coyne's Miracle Try
With a minute left on the clock and the Blues up 12-10, Willie Carne passes the ball to Steve Renouf who makes a dash down the left-hand side of the field. He beats the Blues defender, and then passes back inside to Michael Hancock. He breaks through a desperate tackle from Andrew Ettingshausen and passes to Darren Smith. He keeps the ball alive, gets it away to Allan Langer, who passes a floater to Mal Meninga. Meninga manages to pass to Coyne on the wing who comes back on the inside, gets past Brad Fittler and Ricky Stewart, scores in the corner and the Maroons win the match.
Ray Warren famously said, "That's not a try - that's a miracle!", a quote that has now gone down in league history.
Featured Image Credit: NRLAnonymous