The three-peat was achieved by the Penrith Panthers in 2023, in one of the most tightly-contested competitions of the modern era.
The opening third of the season saw some incredibly close margins, with the dominant teams starting to open the gaps on their opponents towards the back end of the year.
The Dolphins won plenty of fans in their inaugural NRL year in a season that many would not have predicted to be as successful.
The Warriors were adopted as many fans' 'second-favourite' team, with many riding the 'Wahs Wave', feeling affection for the Shaun Johnson-led side that arguably endured the hardest journey in and out of the COVID-affected period.
The NRL set new records for viewership and attendance in 2023, and it was a year where so many teams were still mathematically in finals contention until the final few rounds.
There was a plethora of encounters that we had to consider when finalising our top ten games of the year. Did we get them right? Were there any matches that you would have included?
10. Round 21: Warriors vs Raiders:ย Cometh the hour, Cometh the man
How Shaun Johnson didn't win the 2023 Dally M Medal will remain one of the great rugby league mysteries.
His season was simply phenomenal, and without his guidance from the number seven jersey, a Warriors' top four finish would have been pie in the sky stuff, as most expected it would be early in the season.
But it was wins like their Round 21 one in Auckland against the Warriors which told the difference on a congested ladder at the end of the season.
Thrilling would be underselling it. The Warriors looked to be all but home and hosed in a regulation win, before tries in back-to-back sets on the final siren to Elliott Whitehead and Jack Wighton forced golden point.
Johnson's calmness and composure came to the fore though, slotting a field goal in the opening minute of golden point to ensure the Warriors got the job done and picked up, what, at that stage, were two critical competition points in the race for a top four berth.
