100-1: The numbers that defined 2018

The 2018 Telstra Premiership season by the numbers, the weird and the wonderful, milestone and memories, moments in time, from 100 to 1.

100 – The number of years Glebe Immortal Frank Burge's record stood for tries in consecutive matches by a forward. Cowboys veteran Gavin Cooper broke the mark when he scored a try in nine straight matches in 2018, although Burge did score 18 tries in his purple patch for the Dirty Reds.

99 – Two players or more were needed to bring down David Klemmer in 99% of hit-ups, the highest percentage among players with 150 carries. Well done to the 1% who managed to bring him down one-on-one.

98 – The number of goals kicked by Storm skipper Cameron Smith in 2018, helping him pass 200 points for a season for the first time in his career.

97 – The number of goals kicked by Brisbane rookie Jamayne Isaako for the season. His 239 points was the most ever by a rookie, breaking the record of Eels great Michael Cronin who scored 213 in 1977.

96 – Tackle efficiency of Jillaroos hooker Brittany Breayley in Australia's win over New Zealand in October, making 45 and missing just two despite being one of the smallest players on the field.

95 – The effective tackle percentage of Wests Tigers forward Alex Twal (95.2%), which was the best in the NRL among players with a minimum of 100, ahead of Sharks prop Ava Seumanufagai (94.7%).

94 – Bulldogs sharpshooter Rhyse Martin slotted his 36 goals at a 94.7% success rate in 2018 – easily the best of any regular kicker (10 or more attempts, next-best was James Maloney with 53 goals at 86.9%).

93 – Kick return metres totalled by Warriors fullback Apii Nicholls in the NRLW.

92 – Line-break assists for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2018.

91 – Career games for Cowboys recruit Nene Macdonald from his stints with the Gold Coast, Roosters and St George Illawarra.

89 – Effective tackle percentage of the Broncos in their NRLW grand final win over the the Roosters.

88 – The points turnaround in the two Parramatta-Manly games in 2018 as the Eels reversed a 54-0 round-two loss to nail a 44-10 win just five weeks later.

87 – More than 87,000 fans watched the opening game of the 2018 State of Origin series at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

86 – The Bulldogs had the best goal-kicking percentage of the Telstra Premiership, with 86%.

85 – Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr ran 85 metres to score his intercept try against the Roosters in the 2018 NRL grand final.

84 – Tackle percentage of Darius Boyd and Alex Johnston, which was bettered only by Valentine Holmes (89%) among fullbacks in the NRL.

83 – Tackle breaks made by Cameron Munster in his career-best season for the Storm.

82 – Number of try assists for the Sydney Roosters in 2018, first in the league ahead of the Rabbitohs (79), Sharks (78), Panthers (68) and Raiders (65). South Sydney led the NRL for total tries with 104, followed by the Roosters (98), Storm (94), Raiders (93) and Sharks (93).

81 – Daly Chery-Evans kicked Manly to a 33-32 victory over the Sharks with an 81st-minute field goal in Cronulla in round 21.

79 – Dummy half run metres per game by Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook – miles clear of next best (54 per game by Issac Luke and Cameron McInnes).

78 – The average goal-kicking percentage of all NRL kickers in 2018.

77 – Minutes averaged per game by Mitchell Pearce for the Knights in 2018. Newcastle fans will be hoping he maintains this average while playing more matches next season.

76 – The number of kicks defused by Moses Mbye for the Bulldogs and Tigers, well clear of the next best, Newcastle's Kalyn Ponga (60).

75 – Post-contact metres per game averaged by Jason Taumalolo (75.8) to lead the league again in this category.

74 – Career tries scored by veteran forward Gavin Cooper from his time at North Queensland, Penrith and the Titans.

73 – Tackles made by Roosters co-captain Jake Friend against the Broncos in round 24.

72 – Minutes averaged per game by Titans forward Ryan James. In an era where props are interchanged regularly, it's a great effort by the Gold Coast skipper.

70 – Total combined minutes played by Jason Clark, Dean Britt, Tevita Tatola and Hymel Hunt in a collective nine appearances in South Sydney's three finals matches (for two losses and one win) at an average of eight minutes per game, including four occasions (Hunt three, Britt one) of a player warming the bench for the full 80 minutes.

69 – Line breaks made by Parramatta, which ranked them last in the NRL.

68 – Moses Mbye's tackle percentage in 2018 – it's tough when you're isolated at the back but the Wests Tigers No.1 will be keen to lift this ratio next season.

67 – Four teams finished with a 67% winning percentage in away games in 2018 – the Warriors, Sharks, Roosters and Storm all winning eight and losing four on the road.

66 – Valentine Holmes has scored 66 tries for Cronulla in 105 appearances. Will he return to rack up more for the club after trying to make it in the NFL?

65 – Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook averaged just under 65 NRL Fantasy points a game in 2018, toppling Cameron Smith as the game's most valuable player.

64 – Percentage of NRL try assists in 2018 to come from 'spine' players – fullbacks, five-eighths, halfbacks and hookers.

63 – Tries scored by Simon Mannering in his tremendous career for the Warriors which ended when they bowed out in the first week of the finals.

62 – Wayne Bennett's winning percentage as a first-grade coach.

61 – Decoy runs made per game by the Rabbitohs in 2018 – 18 more than the Wests Tigers who ranked last in that category. Souths also led the league for tries, while the Tigers ranked last.

59 – James Tedesco has 59 tries after adding nine in his first year at the Roosters to the half-century he posted at the Wests Tigers.

58 – Before winning the grand final, Brisbane finished the three rounds of the NRLW regular season with a points differential of +58.

57 – Kick-return metres per game averaged by Penrith fullback Dylan Edwards, the most in the NRL, before his season was cut short by shoulder surgery.

56 – Points piled on by the Roosters against Manly in a 56-24 win in round 19 – the biggest tally of any team in 2018.

55 – The number of minutes the judiciary panel took to deliberate after Billy Slater's shoulder charge hearing before deciding he was not guilty and free to play in the grand final.

54 – Points conceded – to nil – by the Eels against Manly at Lottoland in round two. It was the heaviest defeat of any team all season.

53 – Minutes averaged per game by Tyson Frizell for the Dragons in 2018. Should Paul McGregor play him longer minutes or is he better suited to short, sharp bursts?

52 – Points scored by the NSW Blues across their triumphant 2018 State of Origin campaign.

51 – Errors made by St George Illawarra halves Gareth Widdop and Ben Hunt. Widdop was the second-worst offender in the NRL with 34.

49 – Offloads thrown by Wests Tigers centre Esan Marsters, the most of any backline player in the NRL.

48 – One-on-one tackles recorded by Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans, the most in the competition ahead of Cameron McInnes (45), Matt Moylan and Tariq Sims (44).

47 – Career games tallied by Newcastle recruit Hymel Hunt from stints at Gold Coast, Storm and Rabbitohs.

46 – The combined number of try assists and line break assists racked up by Johnathan Thurston in the legendary halfback's final season for North Queensland. Are there still any critics out there who think he played one year too many?

45 – Effective tackles per game made by Roosters co-captain Jake Friend to edge out St George Illawarra hooker Cameron McInnes (44) and Wests Tigers forward Elijah Taylor (43) as the best in the competition.

43 – Career tries for Warrington-bound Blake Austin during his stints at Penrith, Wests Tigers and Canberra.

42 – Tries conceded in the set directly following a penalty by both the Eels and Titans – the joint worst in the NRL.

41 – Career tries scored by Tyrone Peachey at Cronulla and Penrith leading into his switch to Gold Coast.

40 – Wooden spooners Parramatta scored 40 points against St George Illawarra in a 40-4 romp in round 22, their biggest win of the season.

39 – Titans playmaker Ash Taylor produced the most errors in the NRL, five clear of Cody Walker and Gareth Widdop.

38 – Points scored by Brisbane goal-kicker Chelsea Baker in the inaugural Holden Women's Premiership. Also the number of points scored by the Melbourne Storm in their World Club Challenge win over Leeds Rhinos.

37 – The number of birthday candles on Sharks skipper Paul Gallen's cake on August 14.

36 – Combined line breaks Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker either made (18) or assisted (18) in the regular season – the most of any player.

35 – Percentage of votes for Johnathan Thurston in the NRL Players' Poll on who is the best halfback in the NRL, the Cowboys maestro finishing his career with his peers ranking him No.1 in his position.

34 – Points scored by Brisbane Broncos as they romped to a 22-point win over the Sydney Roosters in the first NRL Holden Women's Premiership grand final.

33 – Penalties conceded by the most penalised player in the NRL in 2018. Come on down Andrew Fifita, one ahead of Manly forward Jake Trbojevic.

32 – Number of tries scored by Beau Scott, who retired this year after stints with Cronulla, St George Illawarra, Newcastle and Parramatta.

30 – James Tedesco shook off his injury-prone tag in his first season as a Sydney Rooster, playing 25 NRL games, three Origins for NSW and two Tests for Australia.

29 – Jarrod Croker is on track to become the first player aged 29 or under to score 2000 points at premiership level. He needs 232 points to reach the milestone and won't turn 30 until September 11, 2020. Jason Taylor holds the record as the youngest player to reach the 2000 milestone. He was 30 and 140 days old when he achieved the mark playing for Parramatta in 2001. Only six players have scored 2000 premiership points.

28 – Number of tackles made as a middle forward by Knights fullback Kalyn Ponga in a remarkable 52-minute Origin debut. He was averaging 4.5 tackles per game in club footy at the time.

27 – Line breaks made by the womens Brisbane Broncos side, the highest number in the NRLW competition.

26 – Dominant tackles effected by Knights centre Sione Mata'utia in the regular season – well clear of the next best back (21 by Chad Townsend and Dean Whare) and third-most of all players behind only Sam Burgess and Matt Prior (31).

25 – Forced line drop-outs by Johnathan Thurston, the pick of the bunch ahead of Corey Norman (23) and Luke Brooks (22).

24 – Line breaks tallied by Sharks fullback Valentine Holmes, the most in the regular season (Nick Cotric with 20 was next best).

23 – The jersey number worn by Cooper Cronk in the grand final in his epic performance despite a fractured scapula.

22 – Tries scored by David Fusitu'a, the most by any player in the regular season, earning the Warriors winger the inaugural Ken Irvine Medal.

21 – Points scored by the Roosters in their memorable grand final win over the Storm at ANZ Stadium.

19 – Penalties conceded by the Melbourne Storm in their round four loss to Cronulla in which Storm skipper Cameron Smith was sin-binned for the first time in his career.

18 – Wooden spoon winners Parramatta were the only team to suffer 18 defeats in 2018.

17 – Tackles busted by Blues fullback James Tedesco in a virtuoso State of Origin I performance – the most by a player in a single game in Origin history.

16 – Damien Cook was a standout at No.9 for the Rabbitohs but 16% of his touches came when he wasn't playing at dummy-half – the highest proportion of any NRL hookers. Cameron Smith ranked second with 15%.

15 – Wins to make the finals was the highest in the era of the top eight system, the previous record was 13 in 1999, 2008 and 2017.

14 – The jersey Kalyn Ponga wore in his State of Origin debut for Queensland.

13 – The number of Penrith players sent to the sin bin in 2018, the worst offenders in the Telstra Premiership.

12 – The jersey number St George Illawarra and Cronulla each retired for a match in August following the untimely death of their former forward Lance Thompson, who died at the age of 40.

11 – Consecutive rounds spent at the top of the ladder by the Dragons from round one, before being briefly pipped by Penrith in round 12 then dropping out of the top four later in the season.

9 – Tries scored by the NSW Blues in their State of Origin series win over Queensland. The try-scorers were James Tedesco (2), Latrell Mitchell (2), Tom Trbojevic (2), Josh Addo-Carr (2) and Boyd Cordner.

8 – Minutes before the first try was scored in the NRLW – that honour went to Warriors winger Hilda Mariu in their upset win over the Roosters.

7 – Tackle breaks per game averaged by Raiders winger Nick Cotric to edge out Roosters fullback James Tedesco (6.7 per game) as the best in the Telstra Premiership.

6 – Matches won by wooden spooners Parramatta in 2018 – nine fewer than their fourth-place finish a year earlier.

5 – Field goals kicked by Adam Reynolds, the highest number during the season.

4 – Players sent to the sin-bin in the Storm v Sea Eagles round 11 match.

3 – The number of seconds Rhyse Martin played in an ISP match for Canterbury to qualify for the finals in which he led them to the NSW and national double.

2 – Competition points separating minor premiers the Roosters (34 points) from the eighth-placed Warriors (32 points) at the conclusion of the regular season, making 2018 easily the tightest season in NRL history.

1 – Number of seasons it took high-profile Roosters recruits Cooper Cronk and James Tedesco to earn their price tags and help the Tricolours to a premiership.