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Rugby League Premiership




From 1909 until 1973 (except for the period 1962-64) the Rugby League Championship in had utilised a play-off format to determine the overall league champions. For the 1973-74 season the league was split into two divisions, and a play-off system was no longer used.

In order to maintain interest towards the end of the season a new competition, the ''Club Championship'', was introduced to replace the play-offs. The first season saw 16 teams take part: the top 12 of the first division and the top four from the Second Division .

The following season saw the title change to Premiership, and the format was altered so that only the top eight teams in the first division would compete. A Similar Competition was later instituted for clubs in the lower league(s). The Premiership continued to be played in this fashion until 1995-96, at the time of the switch to a summer sport, when the competition was abandoned to allow the 1996 Super League season to commence in the spring.

A top-five play-off leading to a final, the Super League Premiership, was instituted as part of the Super League . In 1998 this was replaced by a return to a play-off for the championships.


PREMIERSHIP WINNERS


''For completeness, this table includes premiership winners from the Super League era.''


























Season'''Winners''''''Score''''''Runners-up'''
1974-75 Leeds 26-11 St Helens
1975-76 St Helens 15-2 Salford
1976-77 St Helens 32-20 Warrington
1977-78 Bradford Northern 17-8 Widnes
1978-79 Leeds 24-2 Bradford Northern
1979-80 Widnes 19-5 Bradford Northern
1980-81 Hull Kingston Rovers 11-7 Hull
1981-82 Widnes 23-8 Hull
1982-83 Widnes 22-10 Hull
1983-84 Hull Kingston Rovers 18-10 Castleford
1984-85 St Helens 36-16 Hull Kingston Rovers
1985-86 Warrington 38-10 Halifax
1986-87 Wigan 8-0 Warrington
1987-88 Widnes 38-14 St Helens
1988-89 Widnes 18-10 Hull
1989-90 Widnes 28-6 Bradford Northern
1990-91 Hull 14-4 Widnes
1991-92 Wigan 48-16 St Helens
1992-93 St Helens 10-4 Wigan
1993-94 Wigan 24-20 Castleford
1994-95 Wigan 69-24 Leeds
1995-96''No Competition''
1996 Wigan Warriors 44-14 St Helens
1997 Wigan Warriors 33-20 St Helens