 Giltinan died in 1950 and the Shield was created for the following season in his honour, first introduced for the 1951 New South Wales Rugby Football League season.From 1951, the Shield was awarded to the winner of the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) Grand Final, replacing the "Labor Daily" Cup.In addition to the Shield, premiership winning teams received the W. D. & H. O. Wills Cup from 1960–1981, the Winfield Cup from 1982–1995, and the Optus Cup in 1996.