When was the last time the Canberra Raiders won the minor premiership?

Could this year be the year the Green Machine break their minor premiership drought?

The minor premiership has become increasingly concentrated among elite teams. Since 2013, only three clubs have claimed the J.J. Giltinan Shield: Sydney Roosters (4 times), Melbourne Storm (4 times), and Penrith Panthers (3 times).

With six rounds to play, the Raiders are two points clear at the top with a bye in hand.

Can they actually do it?

MORE: The last time the Raiders won the premiership

The last time the Canberra Raiders won the minor premiership

The Canberra Raiders last won the minor premiership in 1990, making it 35 years ago. The club's golden era when legendary players like Mal Meninga, Ricky Stuart, Laurie Daley, and Bradley Clyde led the Green Machine to consecutive premiership victories in 1989 and 1990.

The 1990 season stands as the most successful in Raiders' history, with the club finishing as minor premiers in all three grades and reaching all three Grand Finals. 

The Raiders capped off their dominant regular season by defeating the Penrith Panthers 18-14 in the Grand Final to claim their second consecutive premiership.

How many minor premierships have the Raiders won?

What makes the Raiders' 1990 minor premiership particularly significant is that it remains their only minor premiership in the club's 43-year history. The club has won three premierships (1989, 1990, and 1994) but has only finished on top of the ladder once at the end of a regular season.

The last time the Raiders won the premiership

The Canberra Raiders' most recent premiership victory came in 1994, when they put the Bulldogs to the sword 36-12 in a dominant Grand Final performance. This victory marked the end of an incredible era for the club, with the match serving as Mal Meninga's farewell game.

Since 1994, the Raiders have endured a 31-year premiership drought, currently the second-longest active drought in the NRL. Their most recent Grand Final appearance was in 2019, when they lost 14-8 to the Sydney Roosters in a controversial match.

When each current NRL team last won the minor premiership