What if?

What if Melbourne Storm had won?

Real result: Parramatta Eels beat Melbourne Storm 22–10 · the game

History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by October 3, 2021, 36 days later, after 1 reign that never happened.

The alternate belt: Panthers

What if Penrith Panthers had won?

Real result: Parramatta Eels beat Penrith Panthers 22–20 · the game

History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by May 21, 2022, 15 days later.

The alternate belt: Eels

What if Penrith Panthers had won?

Real result: Parramatta Eels beat Penrith Panthers 34–10 · the game

It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by October 2, 2022, 65 days later, after 4 reigns that never happened.

The alternate belt: Storm → Roosters → Rabbitohs → Panthers

What if Melbourne Storm had won?

Real result: Parramatta Eels beat Melbourne Storm 14–0 · the game

History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by September 4, 2020, 15 days later.

The alternate belt: Dragons

What if Cronulla Sharks had won?

Real result: South Sydney Rabbitohs beat Cronulla Sharks 22–14 · the game

It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by September 8, 2018, 99 days later, after 7 reigns that never happened.

The alternate belt: Broncos → Warriors → Storm → Rabbitohs → Roosters → Raiders → Warriors

What if South Sydney Rabbitohs had won?

Real result: Wests Tigers beat South Sydney Rabbitohs 22–6 · the game

History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by September 8, 2018, 49 days later, after 3 reigns that never happened.

The alternate belt: Roosters → Raiders → Warriors

What if Brisbane Broncos had won?

Real result: Canberra Raiders beat Brisbane Broncos 20–14 · the game

It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by July 21, 2023, 104 days later, after 3 reigns that never happened.

The alternate belt: Rabbitohs → Eels → Warriors

What if Canberra Raiders had won?

Real result: Manly Sea Eagles beat Canberra Raiders 42–14 · the game

It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by May 18, 2024, 363 days later, after 12 reigns that never happened.

The alternate belt: Warriors → Rabbitohs → Bulldogs → Broncos → Storm → Broncos → Panthers → Storm → Knights → Warriors → Dragons → Roosters

What if Manly Sea Eagles had won?

Real result: Penrith Panthers beat Manly Sea Eagles 18–16 · the game

The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Canberra Raiders, not Sydney Roosters.

The alternate belt: Sharks → Roosters → Wests Tigers → Cowboys → Raiders

What if Penrith Panthers had won?

Real result: Gold Coast Titans beat Penrith Panthers 19–18 · the game

It takes a while: the belt is back on its real path by September 12, 2026, 84 days later, after 2 reigns that never happened.

The alternate belt: Cowboys → Dolphins

What if Gold Coast Titans had won?

Real result: Canterbury Bulldogs beat Gold Coast Titans 30–12 · the game

The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Canberra Raiders, not Sydney Roosters.

The alternate belt: Storm → Roosters → Wests Tigers → Cowboys → Raiders

What if Canterbury Bulldogs had won?

Real result: Canberra Raiders beat Canterbury Bulldogs 40–16 · the game

The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Canberra Raiders, not Sydney Roosters.

The alternate belt: Roosters → Wests Tigers → Cowboys → Raiders

What if Canberra Raiders had won?

Real result: Penrith Panthers beat Canberra Raiders 42–18 · the game

History snaps back fast: the belt is back on its real path by September 5, 2026, 35 days later, after 2 reigns that never happened.

The alternate belt: Knights → Sea Eagles

What if Penrith Panthers had won?

Real result: New Zealand Warriors beat Penrith Panthers 28–12 · the game

The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Canberra Raiders, not Sydney Roosters.

The alternate belt: Roosters → Wests Tigers → Cowboys → Raiders

What if New Zealand Warriors had won?

Real result: Dolphins beat New Zealand Warriors 26–16 · the game

The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Newcastle Knights, not Sydney Roosters.

The alternate belt: Knights

What if Dolphins had won?

Real result: Sydney Roosters beat Dolphins 36–20 · the game

The belt never finds its way back. Today it would belong to Dolphins, not Sydney Roosters.