Rugby League Premiership

From 1909 until 1973 (except for the period 1962–64) the Rugby Football League Championship 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 championship play-offs. The Harry Sunderland Trophy, which had until then been awarded to the man-of-the-match in the championship final, would instead be awarded to the man-of-the-match in the premiership final.[2]

The first season saw 16 teams take part: the top 12 of the first division and the top four from the second division.[1] 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.[3]

A top-four play-off leading to a final, the Super League Premiership, was instituted as part of the Super League competition. In 1998 this was replaced by a return to a play-off for the championships, with the Harry Sunderland Trophy being the award for the Grand Final's man-of-the-match.

For completeness, this table includes the 1973–74 Club Championship, and premiership winners from the Super League era.

Season	Competition	Winners	Score	Runners-up	Venue
1973–74	1973–74 Club Championship	Warrington	13–12	St. Helens	Central Park, Wigan
1974–75	1974–75 Premiership	Leeds	26–11	St. Helens
1975–76	1975–76 Premiership	St. Helens	15–2	Salford	Station Road, Swinton
1976–77	1976–77 Premiership	St. Helens	32–20	Warrington
1977–78	1977–78 Premiership	Bradford Northern	17–8	Widnes
1978–79	1978–79 Premiership	Leeds	24–2	Bradford Northern	Fartown, Huddersfield
1979–80	1979–80 Premiership	Widnes	19–5	Bradford Northern	Station Road, Swinton
1980–81	1980–81 Premiership	Hull Kingston Rovers	11–7	Hull F.C.	Headingley, Leeds
1981–82	1981–82 Premiership	Widnes	23–8	Hull F.C.
1982–83	1982–83 Premiership	Widnes	22–10	Hull F.C.
1983–84	1983–84 Premiership	Hull Kingston Rovers	18–10	Castleford
1984–85	1984–85 Premiership	St. Helens	36–16	Hull Kingston Rovers	Elland Road, Leeds
1985–86	1985–86 Premiership	Warrington	38–10	Halifax
1986–87	1986–87 Premiership	Wigan	8–0	Warrington	Old Trafford, Manchester
1987–88	1987–88 Premiership	Widnes	38–14	St. Helens
1988–89	1988–89 Premiership	Widnes	18–10	Hull F.C.
1989–90	1989–90 Premiership	Widnes	28–6	Bradford Northern
1990–91	1990–91 Premiership	Hull F.C.	14–4	Widnes
1991–92	1991–92 Premiership	Wigan	48–16	St. Helens
1992–93	1992–93 Premiership	St. Helens	10–4	Wigan
1993–94	1993–94 Premiership	Wigan	24–20	Castleford
1994–95	1994–95 Premiership	Wigan	69–12	Leeds
1996	1996 Premiership	Wigan	44–14	St. Helens
1997	1997 Premiership	Wigan	32–20	St. Helens