Late cuts: A rich history in NRL since the 1908 kickoff

What you need to know about the NRL finals, in which the Warriors play the Eels tomorrow.

As the Warriors embark on their first tilt at the National Rugby League finals, here are 10 facts about the playoffs:

* The Eels have the highest points differential of the 14 teams, an incredible 433 points to the better - 839 for and 406 against. Only six times in the past 20 years have the team with the best points differential failed to go on and win the premiership.

* Only twice in that 20 years have a side finished on top of the points differential, and as minor premiers, but not won the title - Manly, who lost 17-4 to the Canterbury Bulldogs in the 1995 grand final, and the Sharks, beaten 24-8 by the Dragons in the second preliminary final in 99.

* The Eels' 839 points is a season record, beating Brisbane's 812 in 1988, and the 137 tries is also a season record. They also jointly have the record for most wins in a season, 23, achieved in 1982, Manly equalling that in 83.

* The Eels entered the competition in 1947 and have won four premierships, in 1981, 82, 83 and 86. They were runners-up in 76, 77 and 84. Brett Kenny has most games for the club, 265. Ray Price had 258, Peter Sterling 227 and Mick Cronin 216.

* The Eels featured in the only try-free grand final, the 4-2 defeat of Canterbury in 1986.

* The top two performing sides in the NRL, the Eels and Bulldogs, are the only two of the 14 who have enjoyed increased support this season. The Eels have attracted around 16,500 to each of their 13 home games, the Dogs about 14,450, each side up an average 2000 a game on last season. The Warriors' average is around 11,800 - with 15,000 the break-even.

* Likely grand final referee Bill Harrigan has whistled 337 premiership games since his debut in 1986. The next best, Steve Clark, has 183 since he started blowing in 1992, with Tim Mander on 179. Harrigan has refereed the last three grand finals.

* Twenty-two Kiwis have played in the premiership grand final, 12 capturing victory rings: Billy Kelly (Balmain lost to Easts 18-12 in 1915); Bill Noonan (Canterbury lost to Easts 19-4, 1974); Henry Tatana (Dragons lost to Easts 38-0, 1975); Darrell Williams (Manly lost to Brent Todd's Canberra 18-8, 1987); Gary Freeman (at Balmain, lost 24-12 to Canterbury, 1988); Todd (Canberra beat Freeman's Balmain 19-14, in 1989); Todd again (Canberra beat Penrith 18-14 the following year); and yet again (the Raiders lost 19-12 to Penrith, 1991); Quentin Pongia and Ruben Wiki (Canberra, who lost 36-12 to a Canterbury side including Daryl Halligan, Jarrod McCracken and Jason Williams); Williams, Halligan and John Timu (Bulldogs beat Matthew Ridge's Manly 17-4 in 1995); Ridge and Craig Innes (Manly beat the Dragons 20-8 in 1996); Innes (Manly lost 22-16 to Newcastle in Super League year 1997); Halligan and Willie Talau (with Canterbury when they lost 38-12 to the Broncos in 1998); Richard Swain, Matt Rua, Stephen Kearney and Tawera Nikau (the Storm beat Craig Smith's Dragons 20-18 in 1999); and Tonie Carroll (the Broncos beat the Roosters, who had David Solomona, 14-6 last year).

* Kevin Walters has most grand final winners' rings, six, with Canberra in 1989 and the Broncos in 92, 93, 97, 98 and 2000. Glenn Lazarus is the only player to win premierships with three clubs, Canberra in 89 and 90, the Broncos in 92 and 93, and the Storm in 99. Terry Lamb had four with Canterbury in 80, 84, 85 and 88.

* Stadium Australia is the fourth venue for the grand final. The first premiership in 1908 was won 14-12 by South Sydney over Easts at Moore Park.

In 1916 the game was shifted to the Sydney Cricket Ground and from then to 1952 it kept shifting between those two and the Sydney Sports Ground.

It stayed at the SCG from 1952 to 1988 when it went to the new Sydney Football Stadium. The first grand final at the Homebush Olympic stadium was in 1999, setting a world attendance record for the game of 107,558.