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The Entire History Of Rugby League

Goose Step

114,246 views

From a hotel in Huddersfield to the entertainment capital of the world, rugby league has been on an extraordinary journey since 1895. In this video, we explore its origins, the defining moments that shaped the game, the legendary players, the controversies, the drama, the setbacks, the growth—and everything in between.

What are your favourite moments in the sports history? What moments were not included? And would you like to see a deep dive video of any specific topic about the game?

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Higlights Channel: @FendOffRL
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Chapters
0:00 Intro
0:15 Birth of Rugby League
0:57 Start of the 20th Century
1:37 International Expansion
2:10 Birth in Australia
3:20 WW1 Impact
3:37 1920s
3:59 Harry Sunderland Impact and French RL
4:37 WW2 Impact
5:06 Post WW2 Boom
5:31 Australian Rise
5:53 1950s & 1960s
6:15 Rise of the Challenge Cup
6:33 Television Impact on RL
6:56 International Game Growth
7:14 50s & 60s Stars
8:04 Great Britain 70s Success
8:50 Steroids in Rugby League
9:07 World Club Challenge Introduction
9:23 Dally M Medal
9:36 1980s and Origin Birth
10:14 Rule Changes and Expansion
10:32 1980s Top Clubs
10:45 Domestic and International Expansion
11:03 1980s British Stars
11:28 Australian dominance
11:39 Start of the 1990s
11:56 State of the game in UK & Aus
12:22 100 Years Celebration
12:35 The Super League War
13:17 European Super League
14:24 Birth of the NRL
15:11 Dally M Becomes Official
15:27 Start of the 2000s & World Cup
15:54 NRL Growth
17:00 State of Origin Overtakes the Ashes
17:35 Super League in the 2000s
18:22 France Return to Super League
18:35 Magic Weekend Introduction
18:46 Financial Challenges in the UK
18:57 2008 World Cup Shock
19:17 Womens and Wheelchair Game Growth
19:39 2010s and Super League struggles
20:44 Transatlantic Adventure
21:06 More Super League Frustration
21:25 Super League & Challenge Cup Winners
22:11 Melbourne Storm Salery Cap Drama and Rebuild
22:30 NRL 2010s Star Clubs & Players
23:01 Cronulla Sharks Rise and Drug Scandel
23:17 State of Origin Brilliance
23:40 International Game Shake-Up and 2017 World Cup
24:24 Return of Great Britain
24:37 ARLC and Big TV Deals
24:51 NRLW and Super League W are Born
25:25 Pandemic Impact on Rugby League
26:19 Post Covid Rebuild
26:50 Rise of Leigh and Hull KR + Wigan Quadruple
27:17 Penrith Panthers Dominance
27:41 Las Vegas
28:03 Brain Injuries
18:18 The Future + Outro

20 Comments

@Dr3aryCoff33 11 months ago

As an American who has loved Rugby League since my first visit to Australia, and is about to live my dream playing for a local club in NSW, thank you for this incredible video. This should have a lot more attention. I absolutely love rugby league

@TheLeaguie 1 year ago

This video deserves HEAPS more attention. Our game is better off for having content like this!

@linmanfu913 1 year ago

This was a great introduction to RL and much higher quality than I expected as a newcomer to this channel. Naturally there are lots of things where I disagree but three things that I particularly liked were the balanced coverage of the two Hemispheres, the mention of France's golden era, and the inclusion of the women's and wheelchair games.

@newforestpixie5297 1 year ago (edited)

soccer fan of 50 years & pretty clueless about the difference between League & Union until 1:27 seconds and i learn how League doesn’t have Line Outs. I will listen on & learn. Thanks fella from woods near Bournemouth

@peterschuetz8802 1 year ago

Excellent video my man - from a born-in-Melbourne-AFL-player-rugby league convert. Learned a lot of historical details that I wasn't aware of. Keep up your great please!

@daveb3987 1 year ago

The 1995 World Cup was not “on the eve” of the Super League War - it had already been dividing the game all of that year. And Australia’s team was a second rate team and not expected to beat England in that final because the ARL had banned Super League aligned players from rep football all year, which included the star studded Canberra and Brisbane sides.

@BantamGX 1 year ago

1.02 is a photograph of Manningham FC playing at Valley Parade. They were England’s first Rugby League Champions. In 1903 they rebranded the club as Bradford City AFC and switched to playing Association Football. They still play at Valley Parade to this day. PS superb video. C’Mon you BULLS

@jimmaloney1121 11 months ago

Thank you for this awesome video! I've been following league for around 15 years, but it still remains a bit of a mystery to a Yank. I appreciate learning about the history of the code and how it has evolved over the years.

@pietweety7020 1 year ago

Superb video. I often comment on how some content creators drag their videos on for too long, in this instance I believed you rushed through it and although excellent I would have been happy to watch for an hour with a more relaxed in depth timeframe. Either way 10/10

@irishchris89 1 year ago

Wigan go paris to play catalans next year can't wait

@2012NIN 1 year ago

This video needs way more then only 14k views

@FleetingForeground 3 months ago

1990 Ashes series is still the greatest series of all time.

@eddiewebeck4112 1 year ago

Great video. Excellent eyes up rugby league content.

@TheoBenson-nm9ik 11 months ago

Thanks for making this pal im a Salford Red Devils fan and it helps after being relegated that we had the first transfer ever

@grodad 1 year ago

Class video mate. Up the Broncos

@flamingfrancis 1 year ago

Not often reported on is the fact that the great NSW Cricket Captain and Australian cricketer Victor Trumper played a huge role, along with Giltinan, in the foundation of the NSWRFL.

@HueGWang 1 year ago

Outstanding video! The Greatest Game of all is constantly under threat from the greatest evil of all. 💵 GREED 💵

@drevil7684 11 months ago

Great video. Rugby League has an amazing history. It is the number 1 sport in Queensland

@AnthonyKiyola 1 year ago

Excellent documentary. Thoroughly enjoyable.

@anthonykennedy5324 1 year ago

Thank you. Thank you again. Total respect. The amount of work behind this is awesome. OK. I'll say it again. Thank you. Brisbane Broncos fan here. Now... for the Preliminary final tomorrow at Suncorp. PS I remember Vince Karalius and Alan Prescott ! Rugby League Football ...the greatest game of all.