December 12: Alfie announces return; First Ashes Test a draw
On this day, inaugural Ashes Test ends in a draw, Ricky Stuart gets Kangaroos coaching gig and Allan Langer outlines comeback plan.
1908
The first Ashes Test is played between Australia and England at London’s Park Royal ground. The match finishes in a 22-22 draw.
1988
Tony Williams was born in Sydney. A Parramatta junior, he made his NRL debut with the Eels in 2008 before heading to Manly for a four-year stint. Williams successfully moved from the wing to the forwards to become a dominant figure in the successful Sea Eagles side under Des Hasler which won the 2011 premiership.
Williams switched to Canterbury but struggled to recapture his best form at the club and after a short-lived one-game stop at Cronulla which ended with an ACL tear, he returned to Parra in 2018.
He again failed to live up to his reputation and ended up back at Manly the following year, spending the season in the Canterbury Cup with feeder club Blacktown.
"T-Rex" played three Origins for NSW, as well as six Tests for Tonga and another five for Australia.
1998
Souths sign former Adelaide forward Tony Iro to a one-year deal.
2001
Allan Langer outlines his plans for a comeback with the Brisbane Broncos in 2002. He says he will complete pre-season training with the club before confirming his intention to play.
2004
The manager of Andrew Johns, John Fordham, hits out at Kangaroos coach Wayne Bennett over his endorsement of Darren Lockyer as Test captain in 2005. "These sorts of utterances by the coach about who should be captain would not be allowed in any other sport and they should not be allowed in rugby league," Fordham tells The Sun-Herald.
2005
Roosters coach Ricky Stuart is appointed to the Australian coaching position vacated by Wayne Bennett. Stuart’s appointment forces him to relinquish the NSW job, which is handed to North Queensland’s Graham Murray.
2006
The ARL officially endorses a national under-20s competition to kick off in 2008. The 16 NRL clubs will each field an under-20s team which will play curtain-raisers to NRL matches.
2011
Parramatta’s Leagues Club board suffers embarrassment when it is revealed that newly appointed board member, former wing great of the 1980s, Eric Grothe, is not eligible for inclusion because he had not been a leagues club member for three years.
2012
The NRL signs a digital media rights deal with Telstra and announce that fans will be able to watch games live on mobile phones and tablets.
2013
Roosters’ grand final winner Luke O’Donnell announces his retirement after 215 NRL appearances. The former international began his career with Balmain and the Wests Tigers before a lengthy stint with the Cowboys.
2017
Canberra coach Ricky Stuart reveals that key players Josh Papalii, Junior Paulo and Joseph Leilua returned to training alarmingly over-weight after spending six weeks in camp with the Samoan World Cup team.
2017
Five-eighth Luke Keary re-signs with the Sydney Roosters for a further three seasons.
This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.
