I wanted to show the historical best NRL sides as far back as possible. Unfortunately, prior to 1995 there were upheavals as team came went and amalgamated. It's been more settled since 1995, so the last 25 years will have to do.
Changes since 1995:
Melbourne Storm: Arrived 1998, Wests Tigers: Formed 1999, North Sydney: Left in 2000, South Sydney : Absent 2000-2001, Gold Coast Titans: Arrived 2007.
Points are allocated not according to participation, but rather, success. Only teams near the top of any given season are given points.
The Melbourne side is still top although missing a few years. They were stripped of some titles for financial irregularities but no side took the mantles vacated. If a title is going to be stripped, then those below should move up. Either that or future punishments should be enforced, which happened as well. Seeing as the whole thing was so badly handled by the NRL in my eyes, I counted all titles won.
Clubs from Sydney have fared better due to less travel and wealthy Leagues Clubs to back them. The NZ side has often been disadvantaged, typical of the way rugby league handles expansion. The club more recently been treated better but the ownership of late hasn't been as it should.
Regionally, NSW has chalked up 60.7% of the points, with Queensland dragging up the rear on 16.3% They do have less teams and only one has performed well. In between them comes the Rest category, covering a club from the ACT, Victoria and NZ. Those three outfits took 23% of the total, thanks many to the Storm.
