Australian Rugby League

This report investigates the epic battle
between the Australian Rugby League which has been
around for 87 years and the Super League concept for the
control of Rugby League in Australia. One man, Mr Rupert
Murdoch, is trying to take over and run a rebel Super
League to enhance his power and for financial gain. This
Super League is proposed to run in 1996 with a 10 team
competition as its prospectus. This report reviews the
history of the Australian Rugby League, the battle between
Mr.Murdoch and Mr.Packer, the battle of who controls
pay television, the players future and junior development.
This conflict is mainly based on power, greed and money.
The two protagonist's are prepared to go to any lengths to
achieve supremacy. I have researched archives,
newspapers, pamphlets and watched television to
accumulate information of this divisive conflict. 2. The
History of the A.R.L. The Australian Rugby League
originated in 1908 which was then known as the N.S.W.
Rugby League. The game of Rugby League was born long
ago and faraway, on the 29th of August 1895 in the stately
George Hotel Huddersfield Yorkshire, England. Originally
15 a side teams were reduced to 13 in 1906 and Rugby
League's trademark the play the ball was introduced. The
changes large and small laid the foundations for the fast
moving thrilling game that Rugby League has become. On
the evening of August 8 the N.S.W Rugby League was
formed with a secret meeting at Sydney's Batemans Hotel.
The men driving the new game were: The entrepreneur
James Joseph Giltinan, the great cricketer Victor Trumper,
the influential politician Henry Clammond Hoyle. The
supreme master stroke being the signing of Rugby Unions
champion Herbert Henry Dally Messenger at a fee of 180
pounds. In the summer of 1907-08 more meetings resulting
in the formation of 9 clubs: Glebe, Newtown, South
Sydney, Eastern Suburbs, Western Suburbs, Balmain,
North Sydney, Newcastle which only lasted until 1909,
and... [continues]

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