Lowest Scoring NRL Matches of All Time

Rugby league fans love a try-fest. These games were not that.

More than 5,800 matches have been played since the NRL era officially kicked off in 1998. Only 10 of them have finished with a combined score in single figures.

Some were decided by one try. One was settled by three field goals. And one was a finals match that produced a single try in 80 minutes.

The Sydney Roosters feature in four of the 10. Make of that what you will.

For the latest NRL news, analysis, and odds, check out the lowest scoring NRL matches of all time below. So, let's get to it.

Now, the lowest scoring game in premiership history came before the NRL, a 0-0 draw between Newtown and Canterbury in 1982.

However, for this list we are only reviewing games that have taken place during the NRL era, which as mentioned above started in 1998. 

Alright, now with that in mind, here’s one for all the lovers of staunch defence, compact sides and desperate goal-line scrambles. These are the lowest scoring matches in NRL history. 

Top 10 Lowest Scoring NRL Matches of All Time 

10. St George Illawarra Dragons vs Parramatta Eels 8-1 (2006)

It was 0-0 at half-time, and it didn't get much more free-flowing after that.

Ben Hornby slotted two field goals for the Dragons, and centre Matt Cooper scored the only try of the night, converted by Aaron Gorrell. John Morris replied with a field goal for the Eels' only point.

Nine points, three field goals and one try. Somewhere, a highlights editor is still waiting.

9. South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Cronulla Sharks 6-2 (1998)

The NRL was only four rounds old when it produced the first entry on this list.

Mat Rogers scored all six of Cronulla's points with a try and the conversion, while Julian O'Neill kicked a goal for Souths.

It was 6-2 at half-time, so nobody troubled the scorers after the break. Spare a thought for the 6,144 who were there.

8. Sydney Roosters vs Brisbane Broncos 8-0 (2013)

A one-man show from James Maloney.

He scored the only try and kicked both goals, which means every point of the night went next to his name.

The Roosters went on to win the 2013 premiership, and they weren't done shutting teams out that year.

7. Sydney Roosters vs Manly Sea Eagles 8-0 (2014)

A rematch of the 2013 Grand Final, and this time Manly got the last laugh.

Cheyse Blair scored the only try and Jamie Lyon kicked two goals from three attempts. Manly led 6-0 at the break and didn't need any more.

6. Wests Tigers vs North Queensland Cowboys 8-0 (2015)

Antonio Winterstein scored the only try and Ethan Lowe kicked two from two, after the Cowboys went to the sheds just 2-0 up.

Low-scoring, sure. But it was a sign of what that Cowboys defence could do. They went on to win the 2015 premiership.

5. Wests Tigers vs Parramatta Eels 8-0 (2016)

The biggest crowd on this list, with 36,112 through the gates for the Easter Monday clash.

They saw a 2-0 half-time score, a Junior Paulo try and two Michael Gordon goals. Not quite the Easter feast they were hoping for.

4. Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers 8-0 (2024)

Penrith arrived in Melbourne as three-time reigning premiers, after winning the 2021, 2022 and 2023 Grand Finals.

They left without a point. Reimis Smith scored the only try and Nick Meaney kicked two goals, with the Storm 2-0 up at half-time.

It's the most recent entry on the list, and the only one from the last eight seasons.

3. New Zealand Warriors vs Melbourne Storm 4-2 (2007)

The Warriors led 2-0 at half-time thanks to a Tony Martin goal.

Jeremy Smith then crossed for the Storm, and that was enough. The conversion missed, so one try was the difference in a six-point game.

2. Canterbury Bulldogs vs Sydney Roosters 6-0 (2018)

Latrell Mitchell scored a try and kicked the conversion, and that was the lot.

All six points came in the first half, which left 40 minutes of scoreless footy after the break.

The Roosters went on to win the 2018 premiership. Can we call that a defensive masterclass?

1. Sydney Roosters vs Manly Sea Eagles 4-0 (2013)

The lowest scoring match of the NRL era, and it came in September.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck scored the only try in front of 32,747 fans, and James Maloney missed the conversion. It was 4-0 at half-time and stayed that way for the full second half.

Three weeks later, the same two sides met in the Grand Final. The Roosters won 26-18, and the teams put 44 points on the board between them. Go figure.

What is the Lowest Scoring Match in Premiership History?

The lowest scoring game in premiership history was a 0-0 draw between Newtown and Canterbury at Henson Park on Sunday, March 28, 1982.

It came in Round 5 of the 1982 NSWRFL premiership, well before the NRL era, and it's the only nil-all draw in the premiership's history.

The next lowest was also a Newtown game. Newtown beat St George 1-0 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Round 8 of the 1973 NSWRFL season, with a field goal the only score.

Reckon 2027 will serve up another arm-wrestle? Keep an eye on all the latest NRL premiership markets at Sportsbet as the countdown to the 2027 season begins.

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