August 31: Langmack joins 300 Club; Raging Bull calls time

On this day, Paul Langmack becomes just the third man to play 300 first-grade games, Gorden Tallis announces his retirement and the Panthers break a long drought.

1996

Wests score one of their most courageous victories with a 12-8 win over Illawarra in diabolical weather conditions at Campbelltown Sports Ground. The Magpies are forced to await their semi-final fate, but their courage is rewarded with a top-eight position after Newcastle are knocked out of contention with a dismal 22-0 capitulation to Cronulla.

1997

Paul Langmack becomes only the third player to play 300 first-grade games on the day his Wests team are thrashed 39-18 by South Queensland in the Crushers’ final premiership match. Langmack would go on to play 313 games in a decorated 17-year career. He won premierships with Canterbury in 1984, '85 and '88.

2001

Bulldogs hooker Craig Polla-Mounter suffers a fractured sternum in his team’s 24-22 win over St George Illawarra in a round 26 match. Having already announced his intention to retire at the end of the season, Polla-Mounter misses out on the opportunity of a grand farewell.

2004

Brisbane captain Gorden Tallis confirms he will retire at the end of the season. The Raging Bull's glittering career was highlighted by premierships in 1997 and 2000 with the Broncos, 16 Test matches and 17 Origins for the Maroons.

2018 

Penrith achieve a breakthrough on the eve of the finals by defeating an injury-hit Melbourne Storm 22-16 at AAMI Park. It is the Panthers’ maiden victory at AAMI Park and their first in Melbourne since 2005.

2019     

Manly are dealt a body blow in their round 24 clash with Melbourne at Lottoland when star fullback Tom Trbojevic suffers a season-ending pectoral tear. Making matters worse, the Sea Eagles slip from the top four after a 36-6 loss. On a dramatic night, a Sea Eagles fan is ejected from the ground after clashing with Storm centre Will Chambers in the players’ tunnel after Chambers had been sent to the sin bin.

2020 

The Broncos stand down prop Tevita Pangai for the remainder of the season following a series of bio-security breaches. Pangai is given another chance with the club but must fulfill a number of conditions including avoiding social media and undertaking work away from football.

This article contains information from the official records of NRL historian David Middleton.