FLASHBACK FRIDAY: BROWN SENDS WARRIORS INTO GRAND FINAL

By Will Evans | September 25, 2026 |

Ahead of NRL preliminary finals weekend, Flashback Friday relives arguably the greatest grand final qualifier moment in the Australian premiership involving a Canterbury product. Lewis Brown, a grand final winner with Riccarton Knights and a Canterbury Bulls rep as a teenager, played 198 NRL games for the Warriors, Penrith and Manly from 2009-18, while his…

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: EDWARDS’ LATE TRY STUNS AUCKLAND

By Will Evans | September 18, 2026 |

Following the Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls’ successful weekend Ngā Puna Wai retaining the South Island title and ahead of next week’s trip to Auckland for the NZRL National Premiership semis and final, Flashback Friday relives a famous, drought-breaking win by the red-and-blacks over our archrivals from the north. Canterbury had only defeated Auckland three…

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: BULLS OVERRUN LEOPARDS FOR INAUGURAL BARTERCARD CUP TITLE

By Will Evans | August 28, 2026

As the Trillo Metals Men’s Canterbury Bulls prepare for their NZRL National Men’s Premiership South Island qualifying tournament in a fortnight’s time at Ngā Puna Wai, Flashback Friday marks 26 years since one of the Canterbury provincial side’s greatest triumphs since taking on the Bulls moniker – the 2000 Bartercard Cup success. Coached by  the…

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: CANTERBURY UPSETS GREAT BRITAIN AT THE SHOWGROUNDS

By Will Evans | August 21, 2026 |

As the 2026 Trillo Metals Men’s and Women’s Canterbury Bulls’ representative preparations get underway, Flashback Friday relives Canterbury’s historic defeat of Great Britain at the Addington Showgrounds in one of the great tour match boilovers. Coming off a trying rebuilding season in 1989, the Frank Endacott-coached Canterbury side went into their 1990 match against Great…

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: CANTERBURY WINS 1985 RUGBY LEAGUE CUP

By Will Evans | August 14, 2026 |

As attention turns to the Trillo Metals Men’s and Women’s Canterbury Bulls’ representatives campaigns after an amazing finish to the club season on CRL Snap Fitness Grand Final Day, Flashback Friday celebrates the provincial team’s memorable 1985 season, in which it clinched the Rugby League Cup. The code was enjoying a resurgence in New Zealand…

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CRL PREMIERSHIP DECIDERS: A GRAND HISTORY

By Will Evans | August 6, 2026

The Pat Smith Trophy has been Canterbury Rugby League’s ultimate prize for more than half a century, awarded to the winning side in each year’s grand final since a playoffs system replaced the first-past-the-post format to decide the premiership in 1967. Sunday’s CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership decider between Eastern Eagles and Riccarton…

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FLASHBACK FRIDAY: KNIGHTS SMASH RECORDS IN MAIDEN GRAND FINAL WIN

By Will Evans | July 31, 2026 |

Though Linwood Keas and Riccarton Knights contested the 2025 grand final, their rivalry is primarily tied in perpetuity to a pair of premiership deciders in the early-2000s. As the clubs prepare for their CRL Whitehead Plumbing & Gas Men’s Premiership preliminary final showdown at Linwood Park on Saturday, Flashback Friday relives the historic 2002 grand…

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Flashback Friday: Tigers surge to 1992 title

By Will Evans | July 17, 2026 |

Papanui Tigers’ return campaign in the CRL Whitehead Plumbing and Gas Men’s Premiership wraps up this Saturday with a crucial home clash against Hornby Panthers, with both clubs aiming to avoid finishing in bottom place on the Massetti Cup ladder. This edition of Flashback Friday revisits the Tigers’ 1992 premiership triumph. The ’92 grand final…

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