Cumberland joined the competition after the first round, meaning that they played one game fewer than the rest of the field for the season.

Still known as the "foundation clubs" today, these nine teams battled against one another during the 1908 season, with Souths taking the first premiership honours after beating Easts in the Final.

As a result of South Sydney's dominant 1925 season, the NSWRFL introduced a finals system in order to maintain interest in the competition.

The two new inclusions were from the Australian Capital Territory – the Canberra Raiders – as well as a team from the southern New South Wales region – the Illawarra Steelers.

This corresponded with the adoption of commercial sponsorship of the competition for the first time, seeing it become the Winfield Cup (named after the popular cigarette brand).

At the same time, as a result of mounting pressure from the central coast of New South Wales, Newcastle returned to the competition with a new franchise.

From 1954 a mandatory grand final was introduced in which there was a knockout minor semi-final between third and fourth and a second-chance major semi between first and second.