Rugby League
A full-contact sport played with 13 players on each team, competing on a rectangular field, using skills such as running, passing, kicking and tackling.
Rugby league originated in 1895 when clubs in northern England split from the Rugby Football Union due to disputes over player payments.
Modifications to traditional rugby union rules followed, most notably reducing team size from 15 to 13 players.
In Australia, the first rugby league competitions, the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) and Queensland Rugby League (QRL), were established in 1908. 1
Discover more about rugby league through the Clearinghouse evidence base:
- Modified Sports - adaptations that make rugby league more inclusive and accessible.
- Australian Sport History - history and Hall of Fame information about rugby league.
Evolution:
- New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) [1908-]
- Queensland Rugby League (QRL) [1908-]
- Australian Board of Control [1924-1967]
- Australian Rugby League (ARL) [1967-2012]
- News Limited [1997-2012]
- Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) [2012-]
Participation
An estimated 173,000 Australians [aged 15+] participated in rugby league at least once in 2025. 2
An estimated 83,000 Australian children [aged 0-14] participated in rugby league at least once in 2025. 2
An estimated 39,000 Australian women and 134,000 men [aged 15+] participated in rugby league at least once in 2025. 2
Explore further participation statistics for rugby league through the AusPlay online portal., opens in a new tab
Governing body
The Australian Rugby League Commission, opens in a new tab is the organisation recognised by government at all levels as the national controlling body for rugby league in Australia.
In 1924, a national governing body, the Australian Board of Control, was established and later renamed the Australian Rugby League (ARL) in 1967.
The NSWRL competition expanded to a national competition during the 1990s, with administration transferring to the ARL in 1995.
A rival competition, Super League, backed by News Limited, commenced in 1997. The following year, Super League and the NSWRL competitions merged to form the National Rugby League (NRL), with both organisations jointly overseeing the competition.
In 2012, the Australian Rugby League Commission (ARLC) was created, unifying the ARL and News Limited under a single governing structure for the NRL. 3
REFERENCES
- History of Rugby League Australia & The NRL,, opens in a new tab National Rugby League, (accessed 15 October 2025).
- AusPlay Data Portal: Sport-related participation – frequency of participation, opens in a new tab, Australian Sports Commission, (accessed 6 May 2026)
- History Of Rugby League Administration,, opens in a new tab National Rugby League, (accessed 15 October 2025).
Documents
The Clearinghouse for Sport has sought permission from relevant organisations for the inclusion of their documents in this archive. Copyright ownership remains vested with the organisation and as such permission from the copyright owner should be sought if you wish to communicate, adapt or reproduce these documents.
- NRL Annual Report 2025[PDF • 101.74 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2024[PDF • 90.03 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2023[PDF • 24.7 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2022[PDF • 8.9 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2021[PDF • 19.17 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2020[PDF • 16.82 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2019[PDF • 9.66 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2018[PDF • 26.21 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2017[PDF • 88.22 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2016[PDF • 17.55 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2015[PDF • 25.49 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2014[PDF • 16.34 mb]
- NRL Annual Report 2013[PDF • 6.82 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 2008[PDF • 8.75 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 2007[PDF • 3.31 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 2006[PDF • 3.22 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 2005[PDF • 4.63 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 2004[PDF • 15.46 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 2002[PDF • 8.07 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 2001[PDF • 10.6 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 1992[PDF • 5.78 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 1991[PDF • 6.95 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 1990[PDF • 6.32 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 1989[PDF • 5.46 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 1988[PDF • 5.14 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 1987[PDF • 2.51 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Annual Report 1986[PDF • 3.82 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Foundation 2002 Prospectus[PDF • 6.09 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Commission Financial Report 2012[PDF • 14.2 mb]
- Australian Rugby Football League Financial Report 2007[PDF • 531.94 kb]
- NRL Strategic Plan 2018-2022[PDF • 15.22 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Development General Managers Report 2007[PDF • 10.53 mb]
- Australian Rugby League Development Activity Report 2006[PDF • 3.35 mb]
