A BRIEF HISTORY OF RUGBY LEAGUE

1823: According to the myth, American student William Webb Ellis runs with the ball in hand during a football match in Rugby Public School, England.

1872: Rugby Union rules were standardised with the first clubs being formed in France and England.

1892: The Rugby Union charges a number of working class clubs in the north of England with 'professionalism'. The dispute was over 'broken time' payments being made to players who lost wages for not being at work while playing football, or through injury sustained while playing football. The hard line line taken by the Rugby Union made it almost impossible for the working-class man to play the game, and this created a wedge between the north and south of England.

1895: The issue of compensation for lost work time led to a break-away movement. On August 27th or 29th, at an historic meeting at the George Hotel, Huddersfield the 'Northern Rugby Football Union' is formed. 'Coincidentially', England's Rugby Football Union creates the 1823 myth of William Webb Ellis, 72 years after event was supposed to have happened.

Delegates from nine Lancashire and 12 Yorkshire rugby union clubs met in Hudderfield and formally break away from the Rugby Union and form a new, independent body: the Northern Union.

The first round of Rugby League matches was played in Great Britain on September 7th, 1895. 
The only media report was in the Pall Mall Gazzette which stated "Professional Rugby League set in on Saturday - no deaths were reported".

The original clubs and year of foundation (and formation years as a rugby football club): Batley 1880, Bradford 1863, Brighouse Rangers 1878, Broughton Rangers 1877, Dewsbury 1875, Halifax 1873, Huddersfield 1864, Hull 1865, Hunslet 1883, Leeds 1890, Leigh 1877, Liversedge 1877, Manningham 1876, Oldham 1876, Rochdale Hornets 1871, St Helens 1874, Tyldesley 1879, Wakefield Trinity 1873, Warrington 1875, Widnes 1873, Wigan 1879.
Dewsbury withdrew a few days later and were replaced by Runcorn (1876). Stockport was also accepted by telephone at the meeting at the George Hotel. The inaugural competition which the 22 founding clubs played for was called the Northern Union.

1897: The 'lineout' is abolished by the Northern Union. Goals were reduced to two points.

1898: The Northern Union legalises professionalism.

1906-7: A number of rule changes were made. Teams were reduced to 13 players a side instead of 15.

1907-1908: A New Zealand team tours Great Britain playing under Northern Football Union rules.
On the 1st January, 1908, at Aberdare, the first ever full Rugby League international from a touring side takes place, Wales versus New Zealand. Wales win the game 9-8 before a crowd of 17,000. An Australian team tours soon after playing three Tests 1908-1909.
The New South Wales Rugby League is formed in Australia in 1908.

1922: The name 'Rugby League' is adopted by the Northern Union.

RUGBY LEAGUE IN AUSTRALIA

1907: Rugby Union was being played in Australia and New Zealand for time with similar debates was over payment to players who were injured or missing work due to football commitments. Many wanted to form a separate competition. Some accounts say that it was Alex 'Bluey' Burdon (aka 'Alec' & 'Alick') who was the catalyst for the breakaway League when he was refused compensation for a broken arm in a Rugby Union match in the NSW RU tour of the Northern Rivers. More likely is that there were a number incidents which caused the split. Victor Trumper's Sports Store in Sydney was the venue for the breakaway discussions. The formation of new competition was inevitable but it's level of success depended on the inclusion of Dally Messenger, a Rugby Union star with much drawing power. Messenger agreed to play in the new Rugby League, a decision which was ultimately made by his mother. A 'Rugby League' team was formed which included Burdon, Messenger and a number of other ex-Rugby Union players who were all promptly disqualified from ever playing Union again. The first Australian 'Rebels' game of the breakway was played under Union rules at Sydney's Agricultural Ground on August 17th, 1907. Three Sydney matches were organised against the New Zealand 'All Golds' (a derogatory name given to them by the pro-RU New Zealand press because the breakaway players apparently only played for money) who were on their way to England. The 'All Golds' won all three matches with the organisers showing a profit of £189. This money was used to form the New South Wales Rugby League with James J. Giltinan as it's founder. 1908: The first 'Rugby League' competition is formed in Sydney and played under the new Northern Rugby Football Union rules. There is some debate over which club was the first to form with founding clubs Glebe and Newtown both staking claims. Recently discovered documents support the Newtown RLFC claim. Other foundation clubs were South Sydney, Western Suburbs, North Sydney, Eastern Suburbs, Newcastle, Balmain and Cumberland. The first round of competition kicked off on the 20th April 1908. The eventual First Grade 'premiers' were South Sydney when they defeated Easts 14-12 in the 1908 Final at the Agricultural Showground on the 29th August in front of 4,000 people. On the 27th September, the first Kangaroos arrived in England, and played their first ever Test against Great Britain, (the GB team was referred to as the 'Northern Union', or 'England' until 1948) in December in London. It finished in a 22-22 draw. 1909: The second Test in January 1909 attracted a crowd of 22,000 in Newcastle, and GB won it 15-5. The third Test was played at Aston Villa, GB won it 6-5 before a crowd of 9000. The Australians suggested that the series should be called 'The Ashes'. In the same year, Balmain forfeited the 1909 premiership decider. The decision to forfeit followed a number of disputes including the choice of venue, politics and money, culiminating in Balmain's insistence that the Final not be played as a curtain raiser to a 'Wallabies v Kangaroos' match. 1914: World War I. Rugby Union in Sydney is suspended for four years but Rugby League plays on. With only one major football code to watch, the popularity of Rugby League soars. 1922: England drops the name 'Northern Rugby Football Union' and adopts the Australian name, 'Rugby Football League'. 1954: World Cup is instigated with Australia, New Zealand, France and Great Britain. The first Rugby League World Cup took place in France, in October and November. The final, played at the Parc des Princes packed with 30,000 fans, took place on 13th November, where Great Britain defeated France by 16-12. Also in 1954, a then world record 102,569 League attendance was set when Warrington beat Halifax in a Challenge Cup Final replay at Odsal Stadium, Bradford. Also in 1954, Grand Finals become mandatory in the NSWRL Sydney competition. From 1908 to 1953, there were 13 'Grand Finals' under various semi-final / finals systems. 1962: NSWRL re-introduced the allowance of two replacement players up to and including half time. Replacements were previously allowed up until 1923. 1967: The most significant rule change in the history of the game occurred with the altering of the unlimited tackle rule to a four tackle rule. In 1971 (1972 in GB), this was extended to six tackles. 1971: Field goals (drop goals) were reduced from two points to one point. Conversion and penalty goal remained at two points. 1980: The first 'State of Origin' match is played between New South Wales and Queensland. Previously, interstate matches fielded players based on the location of their current clubs, usually giving NSW a decisive advantage. The State of Origin concept based selection of the junior careers of players. In front of estatic crowd at Brisbane's Lang Park, Queensland won the first State of Origin encounter 20-10. The significance of State of Origin was typified by Queensland captain, Arthur Beetson who although a born and bred Queenslander, played the majority of his adult career for Sydney clubs. 1983: Tries are increased are increased in value from three points to four points. Mid-1990s: The League's interpretation in regards to scrum play is altered to accomodate the modern game. By the mid-1990s, scrum penalties became a thing of the past with referees allowing the half back to feed the scrum in a manner which saw his team win the ball on almost every occasion. This led to a faster more free flowing game but made redundant the role of the hooker forward in scrum play. Another major change was the extension of replacements to an interchange rule which allowed a limited number of players to leave the field and return thus creating a US style 'bench' environment. During the Super League conflict of 1996-97, the interchange rule went unlimited. Since then, limits have been re-imposed with teams being allowed 12 interchanges off a four-man bench. 1996: 'Super League' is formed as a breakaway organisation in Australia. With the advent of Super League, the top tier of the game in Britain moves from a traditional winter to summer sport. 1997: Super League runs separate competition to the Australian Rugby League (ARL). The game ends up in the courts with the NSWRL and ARL on one side and Super League on the other. 1998: Rugby League reforms under new name of National Rugby League (NRL). The ARL controls international fixtures. 1999: St.George & Illawarra becomes Rugby League's first successful joint venture. A new attendance world record of 107,999 is set at Stadium Australia for the 1999 NRL Grand Final on the 26th September 1999. The match won controversially by Melbourne Storm over the St George Illawarra Dragons 20-18. This record crowd surpassing the Rugby League 'double header' (featuring Parramatta Eels v Dragons, won 20-10 by Parramatta) 104,583 set at the same ground on the 6th March 1999 during the launch of the all new Stadium Australia. Also in 1999, foundation club, South Sydney are cut from the competition. The NRL stating that South Sydney did not meet the new competition criteria - a claim that was hotly disputed by South Sydney officials.  2000: Other clubs merge and by 2001 the 14 competing Clubs include: St George-Illawarra Dragons, Newcastle Knights, Sydney (formerly Eastern Suburbs) Roosters, Melbourne Storm, Brisbane Broncos, NZ (formerly Auckland) Warriors, North Queensland Cowboys, Wests Tigers (formerly Western Suburbs and Balmain), Northern Eagles (formerly North Sydney and Manly), Canberra Raiders, Parramatta Eels, Cronulla Sharks, Penrith Panthers and the Bulldogs (formerly Canterbury Bulldogs). The Northern Eagles would later dissolve with the license reverting back the Manly Sea Eagles. Foundation club North Sydney were ultimately cut from the NRL competition at the end of 2001. 2002: South Sydney Rabbitohs are re-admitted in the NRL first grade competition following a court ruling the previous year. Souths first match of the year, a pre-season Charity Shield trial against St George, attracts a crowd of 37,000 at the Sydney Football Stadium. A record for a Rugby League pre-season encounter. The match ended in a 20-all draw. In one of the biggest scandals in the game's history, competition leaders Canterbury Bulldogs have been found to have breached the salary cap by approximately $1MIL over two seasons. The NRL fines the Bulldogs and strips them of all 37 competition points effectively relegating them to last placed wooden spooners for 2002. 2005: The NRL announces the inclusion of a 16th team, the Gold Coast, for the 2007 competition. Omitted from the NRL in 1998, the Gold Coast 'Titans' will join the Cowboys, Wests Tigers, Dragons, Eels, Broncos, Storm, Sharks, Sea Eagles, Roosters, Panthers, Warriors, Bulldogs, Rabbitohs, Raiders and the Knights in 2007.

FIRST GRADE NSWRL / ARL / SL / NRL CLUBS SINCE 1908 The NSWRL first grade Rugby League competition was a Sydney-based for decades before it became a national and then an international competition with the introduction of Auckland. The make up of the current NRL competing clubs is unrecognisable when compared to the foundation clubs of 1908. Here is a complete list of district clubs which have come, gone, had name changes or merged since the Sydney competition began. Team Nickname(s) Years Premierships Notes Adelaide 'Rams' 1997-1998 0 * Annandale 'Dales' 1910-1920 0   Auckland / New Zealand 'Warriors' 1995- 0 * Balmain 'Black and Golds' / 'Watersiders' / 'Tigers' 1908- 11     11     =>2000 Wests Tigers 'Wests' / 'Tigers' 1 TOTAL 16 Western Suburbs 'Wests' / 'Magpies' 1908- 4 =>1909 Western Suburbs Cumberland 'Fruitpickers' 1908- 0     4   Brisbane 'Broncos' 1988- 6 * Canberra 'Raiders' 1982- 3 * Canterbury-Bankstown / Canterbury 'Berries' / 'Bulldogs' 1935- 8 * Cronulla-Sutherland / Cronulla 'Sharks' 1967- 0 * Eastern Suburbs / Sydney 'Easts' / 'Tri-Colours' / 'Roosters' 1908- 12   Glebe 'Dirty Reds' 1908-1929 0   Gold Coast 'Seagulls' / 'Gladiators' / 'Giants' / 'Chargers' / 'Titans' 1988-1998 ~ 2007- 0   Hunter 'Mariners' 1997 0 * Manly-Waringah / Manly 'Sea Eagles' 1947- 5                 =>2000 Northern Eagles =>2001 Manly 'Sea Eagles' 6 Norths not part of the 2002 competition North Sydney 'Norths' / 'Shoremen' / 'Bears' 1908-2001 2           Melbourne 'Storm' 1998- 2   Newcastle 'Knights' 1908-1909 ~ 1988- 2 Foundation club re-joined competition in 1988 Newtown 'Bluebags' / 'Jets' 1908-1983 3   North Queensland 'Cowboys' 1995- 0 * Parramatta 'Eels' 1947- 4   Penrith 'Panthers' 1967- 2 * Perth 'Western Reds' 1995-1997 0 * South Queensland 'Crushers' 1995-1997 0   South Sydney 'Souths' / 'Rabbits' / 'Rabbitohs' 1908-1999 ~ 2002- 20 Foundation club re-joined competition in 2002 St George 'Saints' / 'Dragon Slayers' / 'Dragons' 1921- 15   15         =>1999 St George-Illawarra 'Saints' / 'Dragons' 0 TOTAL 15 Illawarra 'Steelers' 1982- 0   0   University of Sydney 'Students' / 'Varsity' 1920-1937 0   * In 1997 there were 2 competitions * denotes teams which competed in Super League. FIRST GRADE PREMIERSHIP RECORDS NSWRL / ARL / SL / NRL YEAR PREMIERS RUNNERS UP SCORE No. OF TEAMS IN SEMIS (Total including play-off teams if applicable) ‡ MINOR PREMIERS 1ST ON LADDER‡ 2ND ON LADDER‡ WOODEN SPOON (last) 1908 Souths Easts 14-12 4 Souths & Easts - Cumberland 1909 Souths Balmain forfeit 4 Souths Balmain Wests 1910 Newtown† Souths 4-all 2 Newtown Souths Wests 1911 Easts Glebe 11-8 2 (3) Glebe Easts & Souths Balmain 1912 Easts† - - 0 Easts Glebe Wests 1913 Easts† - - 0 Easts Newtown Wests 1914 Souths† - - 0 Souths Newtown Annandale 1915 Balmain† - - 0 Balmain Glebe Norths 1916 Balmain Souths 5-3 2 Balmain & Souths - Wests 1917 Balmain† - - 0 Balmain Souths Norths 1918 Souths† - - 0 Souths Wests Annandale 1919 Balmain† - - 0 Balmain Easts Norths 1920 Balmain† - - 0 Balmain Souths Annandale 1921 Norths† - - 0 Norths Easts University 1922 Norths Glebe 35-3 2 Norths & Glebe - St George 1923 Easts Souths 15-12 2 Easts & Souths - University 1924 Balmain† Souths 3-0 2 Balmain & Souths - Newtown 1925 Souths† - - 0 Souths Wests Newtown 1926 Souths University 11-5 4 Souths Glebe & Easts St George 1927 Souths St George 20-11 4 Souths St George University 1928 Souths Easts 26-5 4 St George & Easts - Newtown 1929 Souths Newtown 30-10 4 Souths St George University 1930 Wests St George 27-2 4 Wests Easts University 1931 Souths Easts 12-7 4 Easts Souths & Wests University 1932 Souths Wests 19-12 4 Souths Wests Norths 1933 Newtown St George 18-5 4 Newtown Easts & Souths Wests 1934 Wests Easts 15-12 4 Easts & Wests - University 1935 Easts Souths 19-3 4 Easts Souths University 1936 Easts Balmain 32-12 4 Easts Balmain & Canterbury University 1937 Easts - - 0 Easts Souths & St George University 1938 Canterbury Easts 19-6 4 Canterbury Souths St George 1939 Balmain Souths 33-4 4 Balmain St George & Canterbury Newtown 1940 Easts Canterbury 24-14 4 Easts Newtown Wests 1941 St George Easts 31-14 4 Easts, Balmain & Canterbury - Norths 1942 Canterbury St George 11-9 4 Canterbury Balmain Wests 1943 Newtown Norths 34-7 4 Newtown Balmain Canterbury 1944 Balmain Newtown 12-8 4 Newtown Balmain Canterbury 1945 Easts Balmain 22-18 4 (5) Easts Newtown Souths 1946 Balmain St George 13-12 4 St George Newtown Souths 1947 Balmain Canterbury 13-9 4 (5) Canterbury Balmain Parramatta 1948 Wests Balmain 8-5 4 Wests Newtown & Balmain Norths 1949 St George Souths 19-12 4 Souths Wests Easts 1950 Souths Wests 21-15 4 Souths Balmain Norths 1951 Souths Manly 42-14 4 Souths Manly Norths 1952 Wests Souths 22-12 4 (5) Wests St George Parramatta 1953 Souths St George 31-12 4 Souths St George Wests 1954 Souths Newtown 23-15 4 Newtown Souths Parramatta 1955 Souths Newtown 12-11 4 Newtown St George Wests 1956 St George Balmain 18-12 4 (5) St George Balmain Parramatta 1957 St George Manly 31-9 4 St George Manly Parramatta 1958 St George Wests 20-9 4 (5) St George Wests Parramatta 1959 St George Manly 20-0 4 St George Wests Parramatta 1960 St George Easts 31-6 4 (5) St George Wests, Easts, Balmain & Canterbury Parramatta 1961 St George Wests 22-0 4 Wests & St George - Parramatta 1962 St George Wests 9-6 4 St George Newtown Souths 1963 St George Wests 8-3 4 St George Wests Easts 1964 St George Balmain 11-6 4 St George Parramatta Canterbury 1965 St George Souths 12-8 4 St George Norths Easts 1966 St George Balmain 23-4 4 (5) St George Balmain Easts 1967 Souths Canterbury 12-10 4 St George Souths Cronulla 1968 Souths Manly 13-9 4 Souths Manly Newtown 1969 Balmain Souths 11-2 4 Souths Balmain Cronulla 1970 Souths Manly 23-12 4 Souths Manly Parramatta 1971 Souths St George 16-10 4 Manly Souths Wests 1972 Manly Easts 19-14 4 Manly Easts Parramatta 1973 Manly Cronulla 10-7 5 Manly Cronulla Penrith 1974 Easts Canterbury 19-4 5 Easts Manly Balmain 1975 Easts St George 38-0 5 (7) Easts Manly Souths 1976 Manly Parramatta 13-10 5 Manly Parramatta Newtown 1977 St George Parramatta 9-all 5 Parramatta St George Newtown Replay     22-0         1978 Manly Cronulla 11-all 5 Wests Cronulla & Manly Newtown Replay     16-0         1979 St George Canterbury 17-13 5 St George Parramatta Norths 1980 Canterbury Easts 18-4 5 Easts & Canterbury - Penrith 1981 Parramatta Newtown 20-11 5 Easts Newtown Balmain 1982 Parramatta Manly 21-8 5 Parramatta Manly Canberra 1983 Parramatta Manly 18-6 5 (6) Manly Parramatta Wests 1984 Canterbury Parramatta 6-4 5 (6) Canterbury St George & Parramatta Wests 1985 Canterbury St George 7-6 5 (6) St George Balmain Illawarra 1986 Parramatta Canterbury 4-2 5 (6) Parramatta Souths Illawarra 1987 Manly Canberra 18-8 5 Manly Easts Wests 1988 Canterbury Balmain 24-12 5 (6) Cronulla Canterbury Wests 1989 Canberra Balmain 19-14 5 (6) Souths Penrith Illawarra 1990 Canberra Penrith 18-14 5 (6) Canberra & Brisbane - Souths 1991 Penrith Canberra 19-12 5 (6) Penrith Manly & Norths Gold Coast 1992 Brisbane St George 28-8 5 Brisbane St George Gold Coast 1993 Brisbane St George 14-6 5 Canterbury St George Gold Coast 1994 Canberra Canterbury 36-12 5 Canterbury Norths Balmain 1995 Canterbury Manly 17-4 8 Manly Canberra North Queensland 1996 Manly St George 20-8 8 Manly Brisbane South Queensland 1997 Newcastle Manly 22-16 7 Manly Newcastle South Queensland 1997 (SL) Brisbane Cronulla 26-8 5 Brisbane Cronulla North Queensland 1998 Brisbane Canterbury 38-12 10 Brisbane Newcastle Wests 1999 Melbourne St George-Illa 20-18 8 Cronulla Parramatta Wests 2000 Brisbane Easts 14-6 8 Brisbane Easts North Queensland 2001 Newcastle Parramatta 30-24 8 Parramatta Canterbury Penrith 2002 Easts NZ Warriors 30-8 8 NZ Warriors Newcastle Canterbury 2003 Penrith Easts 18-6 8 Penrith Easts Souths 2004 Canterbury Easts 16-13 8 Easts Canterbury Souths 2005 Wests Tigers North Queensland 30-16 8 Parramatta St George-Illa Newcastle 2006 Brisbane Melbourne 15-8 8 Melbourne Canterbury Souths 2007 Melbourne Manly 34-8 8 Melbourne Manly Penrith 2008 Manly Melbourne 40-0 8 Melbourne Manly Canterbury 2009     - 8       Footnotes † Premiership awarded to minor premiers. In 1910, Newtown and Souths played 4-all draw in the Final with the premiership being awarded to minor premiers, Newtown. ‡ PLAY-OFFS Number of teams in finals refers to the number of teams left after the minor premiership to contest the semi-finals, finals, and/or grand finals. The number in brackets includes teams contesting in play-offs to break a deadlock on the semi-final ladder. eg. 4 (5) means it was a top four semi-finals system but a play-off took place with 5 teams in contention after the regular minor premiership season. Prior to 1993, positions in the semi-finals were not necessarily decided by points for-and-against. Play-offs were sometimes used as tie-breakers. In 1911, there was a play-off for second spot. In 1942 (Canterbury v Balmain) and in 1943 (Newtown v Balmain), there was a play-off for the minor premiership prior to the commencement of those season's semi-finals. On both occasions, the winners held a greater for-and-against and then went on to win the Grand Final. In 1945, 1947, 1952, 1956, 1958 and 1966, there was a play-off for fourth spot. In 1960, a complex series of play-offs developed with four teams in equal second place. In 1961, the prize money for minor premiers was divided equally between Wests and St George (source: Rugby League News). In 1975, there was a play-off for fifth spot with three teams in contention. There were also play-offs for fifth spot in 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1990 and 1991. By 1993, for-and-against statistics became the mandatory replacement for play-offs. In the above records, it is acknowledged that prior to 1993, teams were equal on the ladder regardless of their for-and-against. However, the team with the better for-and-against is noted first. From 1993 onwards, for-and-against comes into play so therefore we have done away with equal ladder standings, this being in line with the modern League system. GRAND FINALS AND SEMI-FINALS SYSTEMS It wasn't until 1954 that the Grand Final became mandatory with a top four semi-final system. In 1973, this was altered to a top five system. In 1995, the expanding competition saw the introduction of the top eight (reduce to top seven in 1997 during the Super League conflict). For one season, in 1998, this was increased to a top 10 to accomodate the unified competition with 20 teams. In 1999, the top eight was re-introduced following the reduction of the number of teams. Prior to Grand Finals becoming mandatory (from 1908 to 1953), there were 13 'Grand Finals' under various semi-final / finals systems.

BRIEF HISTORY

MILE- STONES

LEGENDS

ALL PLAYERS

LEAGUE LADDERS & SEMI FINALS RESULTS

RECORDS

HISTORY RUGBY LEAGUE

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS