Aussie NRL Team Names Trivia Quiz

Answer: Bulldogs

The club formed in 1935 and were formerly known as "Cantabs", "The See Bees" and "The Berries". Canterbury-Bankstown took on the name "Bulldogs" in 1978 when the club decided it needed a name that was synonymous with determination and grit.

Answer: Rabbitohs

South Sydney and Eastern Suburbs are the two remaining foundation clubs of the National Rugby League, "The Rabbitohs" earned their name from players earning extra money selling rabbits in the streets of South Sydney. The cry of the rabbit sellers being "Rabbitoh".

Answer: Broncos

The Broncos were at first considering a logo with Q for Queensland and a Kangaroo - but as the Australian international tema is known as "The Kangaroos" they opted for Broncos after discounting names like galahs, possums, kookaburras (the international men's hockey team name) and brumbies (the ACT Rugby Union team name).

Answer: Warriors

Formerly known as Auckland Warriors, the Auckland NZ based team joined the Australian National competition in 1995 after years of playing in lesser competitions such as the Australian Rugby League's "Amco Cup" midweek competition.

Answer: Knights

Originally known in 1909 as the Newcastle Rebels - a team that devolved and reformed nearly 80 years later, the Newcastle Knights joined the NRL in 1988 and after 2 years managed a play-off for 5th place overall. 3 years after they formed the Knights won their first competition - The Nissan Sevens and eventually won a Rugby League Premiership - taking out the Grand final in 1997. First sponsored by local hot chicken food outlet chain "Henny Penny" they were quite often referred to as the "Henny Penny Knights"

Answer: Roosters

Eastern Suburbs (now the Sydney Roosters) and South Sydney are the two remaining Foundation Clubs. One theory on the acquisition of the team name is that the Eastern Suburbs is in the east and therefore where the sun would rise and the Rooster would crow first.

Answer: Raiders

Being an "outsider" to the mainly Sydney-based rugby league competition, the team adopted the name "Raiders" when they joined as the 14th competition team in 1982. That year they took the wooden spoon finishing 14th and it wasn't until their 8th season in 1989 that they won a Grand Final.

Answer: Panthers

Penrith Panthers were known as the "Chocolate Soldiers" due to taking on a brown and white uniform after their original blue and white colours were deemed to be too close to other teams. Renowned radio commentator Frank Hyde said of them, "these chocolate soldiers from out west - they don't melt!" The name stuck, until 1964 when a public competition to design a logo for them was won with a picture of a Panther.

Answer: Storm

The Melbourne Mavericks, with a gunslinger logo holding a fistful of aces, was originally touted as the name for the first Victorian team to enter the competition in 1998. That was until Lachlan Murdoch from News Limited insisted that "Mavericks" sounded too American.

The CEO decided on a theme of lightning, power and storm. Eventually they became Melbourne Storm and in only their second year of competition, won the 1999 Grand Final.

Answer: Cowboys

The North Queensland Cowboys joined the NRL in 1995 after a public contest was run to decide the team name and colours. Initially they struggled to get players, as the Brisbane Broncos were the major, established Queensland Team.