Australian Rugby League
Founded	1924
RLIF affiliation	1948
Chairman	Colin Love (1999-)
Official website
www.rugbyleague.com.au

The Australian Rugby League (ARL) is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) and the Queensland Rugby League (QRL). The ARL Board comprises three members from the NSWRL, three members from the QRL and a chairman who holds the casting vote.

Since its inception the ARL has administered the Australian national team and represented Australia in international rugby league matters. During the Super League war of the mid-1990s the ARL also administered Australia's club premiership until the National Rugby League was formed.

History

1924-1994: Control of international matters

The Australian Rugby League Board of Control (later the Australian Rugby League) was formed in December 1924 to administer the running of the national team. George Ball was the first secretary of the Board and John La Maro the first chairman. Prior to this time, international rugby league was organised by both the NSWRL and the QRL. It was only after this time that the Australian team began to wear the now familiar sporting colours of Green and Gold. During this period it as known as the ARFL, (Australian Rugby Football League).

Until 1984 the ARL was run by the NSWRL, and many Queensland players and administrators throughout this period believed that the NSWRL used this power to the detriment of Queenslanders, especially with respect to national team selection. The ARL was duly incorporated, as a separate entity, and Ken Arthurson was the first executive chairman of the new body.

1995-1997: Control of the first grade competition

See also: Super League war

The premier first grade rugby league competition in Australia had been run by the New South Wales Rugby League from the first season in 1908 until the end of 1994. With further expansion of the competition nationwide implemented for the 1995 season the NSWRL passed, to the ARL, control of the Winfield Cup competition, following the inclusion of teams from Perth, Townsville and Auckland.

Following Kerry Packer's announcement that he owned both free-to-air and pay television broadcasting rights for the sport in Australia, News Limited undertook a bold bid to create a rival competition, Super League (Australia). Super League successfully attracted eight of the ARL clubs.

In the State of Origin series of 1995, the ARL forbade the players of those eight clubs from participating in the interstate competition. However, those clubs were allowed to participate in the premiership seasons of 1995 and 1996, while the the ARL fought in the courtroom to stop the Super League competition from eventuating. However, Super League conducted a rival competition in 1997.

Both the ARL and Super League competitions ran parallel to eachother that year. At the close of the season, despite having the financial backing of Optus, the ARL decided that it was not in the best interests of the game to run two competitions and undertook moves to approach News Limited and invite the traditional clubs back into the main competition. As a consequence of the negotiations that followed, the National Rugby League was formed before the 1998 season from the ARL and Super League competitions.

Australian Rugby League premiers

Season	Grand Final Information			Minor Premiers
	Premiers	Score	Runners-Up
1995	Sydney Bulldogs	17-4	Manly-Warringah	Manly-Warringah
1996	Manly-Warringah	20-8	St. George	Manly-Warringah
1997	Newcastle Knights	22-16	Manly-Warringah	Manly-Warringah

1998-present

The ARL remains responsible for administering all aspects of the game of rugby league in Australia and conducting representative rugby league matches including, State of Origin competition, the New South Wales City-Country competition and the national team, the Kangaroos.

The Australian Rugby League's major elite competition in Australia, the National Rugby League (NRL), is conducted as a partnership with News Limited as a result of the events following the Super League war of 1995-1997.

ARL Development

ARL Development is a non-profit company formed by the ARL to develop the sport from an introductory level to the age of 18 years. In achieving this, ARL Development has developed new modified codes that gradually introduce children to rugby league. This is done by restricting the rules and then gradually releasing these restrictions.

The two introductory modified codes currently in use are mini footy and mod league. On completion of mod league, players make a move to full international rugby league laws.

Mini footy

To provide a safer and less intimidating environment, the following changes have been made to the international rugby league laws:

• 3x10minute periods
• 8 players per team
• 4 tackles
• No kicking
• Small field and football
• Every player has a minimum of one full period
• Nationally accredited coaches, referees and first aid officers
• Code of Conduct and safe play code enforced

These modifications are aimed at providing a child with a safe environment, a firm knowledge of the rules of the sport and time to practice the skills such as tackling, passing and common defensive and attacking tactics.

Mod league

Mod league introduces rules more common to the full international laws of rugby league, whilst also keeping the theme of being an introductory level. It is a necessary bridge between mini footy and the full rigours of international rugby league laws.

Similarities with Mini footy:

• Tackle below armpits
• Code of Conduct and safe play code enforced
• Every player has a minimum of one half
• Nationally accredited coaches, referees and first aid officers

Changes to bridge the gap between mini footy to rugby league:

• Kicking (without bombs)
• 2x20 minute halves
• Maximum number of players per team on the field at once is 11 at ages 9, 10, 11 and 13 at age 12
• 6 tackles

Members

• New South Wales Rugby League
• Queensland Rugby League

Affiliated states

• Northern Territory Rugby League
• South Australian Rugby League
• Tasmanian Rugby League
• Victorian Rugby League
• Western Australia Rugby League

Affiliated leagues

• Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League
• Australian Universities Rugby League
• School Sports Australia
• Australian Police Rugby League
• Australian Women's Rugby League

See also

• Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame
• Australia national team
• National Rugby League
• State of Origin

External links

• Official site\

Rugby League in Australia
Australian Rugby League	Affiliated States Championship · Australian Kangaroos · City vs Country · Prime Minister's XIII · State of Origin
National Rugby League	Telstra Premiership · Toyota Cup
New South Wales Rugby League	Amco Cup · Jersey Flegg · Jim Beam Cup · NSWRL Premiership · Premier League · SG Ball Cup · NSWRL Harold Matthews Cup · New South Wales Tertiary Student Rugby League
New South Wales Country Rugby League	Group 1 · Group 2 · Group 3 · Group 4 · Group 5 · Group 6 · Group 7 · Group 8-Canberra Raiders Cup · Group 9 · Group 10 · Group 11 · Group 12 · Group 13 · Group 14 · Group 15 · Group 16 · Group 17 · Group 18 · Group 19 · Group 20 · Group 21 Newcastle Rugby League · Illawarra Rugby League · Central Coast Rugby League · Castlereagh Cup · Bogan Cup · Woodbridge Cup · Mid-West Cup
Queensland Rugby League	Queensland Cup · Brisbane A-Grade · Brisbane Rugby League premiership · Bulimba Cup · Foley Shield · Winfield State League Central Division · Northern Division · South East Qld Division · South West Division · Wide Bay Division
Northern Territory Rugby League	Central Australian Rugby Football League · Darwin Rugby League
South Australian Rugby League	Adelaide First Grade Premiership
Tasmanian Rugby League	Tasmanian First Grade Premiership
Victorian Rugby League	Victorian Rugby League • Central Highlands Rugby League • Goulburn Murray Rugby League
Western Australia Rugby League	Perth First Grade • Goldfields First Grade • Pilbara First Grade
Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League	Australian Schoolboys • ASSRL Championships

Rugby League in Oceania
Main Articles	Australia · Cook Islands · Fiji · New Zealand · Papua New Guinea · Samoa · Tokelau · Tonga
Major Federations	Australia · New South Wales · New Zealand · Queensland
National Teams	American Samoa · Australia · Cook Islands · Fiji · New Caledonia · New Zealand · Niue · Papua New Guinea · Samoa · Tokelau · Tonga
Competitions	ANZAC Test · Bartercard Cup · Baskerville Shield · Federation Shield · National Rugby League · Pacific Cup · Pacific Rim Championship · State of Origin · Tri-Nations

Rugby League International Federation
Test Nations	Australia · Cook Islands · England · Fiji · France · Great Britain · New Zealand · Papua New Guinea · Russia · Samoa · South Africa · Tonga
Affiliate Nations	American Samoa · Argentina · Austria · Canada · Czech Republic · Estonia · Germany · Greece · Ireland · Italy · Ivory Coast · Jamaica · Japan · Lebanon · Malta · Morocco · Netherlands · New Caledonia · Niue · Norway · Scotland · Serbia · Sweden · Tokelau · Tuvalu · United States · Wales
Unaffiliated Nations	Georgia · Latvia · Moldova · Norfolk Island · Portugal · Singapore · Solomon Islands · Ukraine · West Indies
Major International Competitions	Baskerville Shield · European Nations Cup · Mediterranean Cup · Pacific Cup · Pacific Rim Championship · The Ashes · Tri-Nations · World Club Challenge · World Cup · World Sevens
Awards and Rankings	Hall of Fame · Golden Boot · RLIF Awards · World Rankings

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