History of rugby league: History of Bradford Rugby League Club History of Bradford Rugby League Club 1863 - 1900: In the Beginning 1863: Bradford Rugby Club is created.1876: Manningham Albion is formed. Its name is shortened to Manningham in 1880.1884: Bradford win the Yorkshire Challenge Cup Trophy.1895: Bradford and Manningham are among 22 clubs that secede from the Rugby Football Union after an historic meeting at The George Hotel in Huddersfield, in response to a dispute over "broken time" payments to players. These 22 clubs form the Northern Rugby Union.1895-6: Manningham are the first winners of the Northern Union Championship. They also win the Yorkshire Senior Competition.1896-7: Manningham lose the second ever Challenge Cup final to Batley 7-0. The lineout is abolished and replaced with a punt from touch, and later, in 1901, a 10 yard scrum.

1901 - 1914: Pre-War 1903-4: Bradford finish top of the league level on points with Salford. They win the Championship play-off 5-0. Manningham turn to soccer and, as Bradford City, are elected to the Football League without playing a match.1905-6: Bradford win the Challenge Cup 5-0 against Salford and are runners up in the Championship.1906-7: Bradford win Yorkshire Cup 8-5 against Hull Kingston Rovers.The number of players making up a team is reduced from 15 a side to 13.1907: "The Great Betrayal". Bradford abandons the 13 a side Northern Union game to become a soccer club, Bradford Park Avenue. A new team BRADFORD NORTHERN is created to take their place in the Northern Union.First international tour of England - by New Zealand Rugby Union "rebels".1908: Australian and New Zealand Rugby League launched and the Australians tour England for the first time.1910: First British tour of Australia and New Zealand.

1919 - 1939: Northern Union to Rugby League 1922: Name of Northern Rugby Football Union changed to Rugby Football League.1933: Bradford Northern sign a ten year lease with the council for a former quarry being used as a waste dump at Odsal Top. Work begins to turn it into the largest stadium outside Wembley.First Rugby League match in France. Australia beat Great Britain in an exhibition match at the Stade Pershing in Paris1934: Bradford Northern move to Odsal Stadium and play their first match there on September 1st.La Ligue Francaise de Rugby a Treize (French Rugby League) formed. First international match between France and Great Britain.1938-9: The Halifax-Leeds Challenge Cup semi-final at Odsal on April 1st sets a new English attendence record of 64,453. 1940 - 1950: Wartime & Wembley 1940-41: Bradford beat Dewsbury 15-5 in the Yorkshire Cup final. Their try scorers are Trevor Foster (2) and W.

Best, and the goal kicker George Carmichael (3).Also in 1941, Rugby League is banned in France during the German occupation in World War 2 (game re-established in 1946)1941-2: Bradford are the Championship runners up, but win the Yorkshire Cup final against Halifax 24-0. The try scorers are Davies (2), Best, Carter, Trevor Foster and H. Smith, with goals by Ernest Ward (2) and George Carmichael.1943-4: Bradford win a two leg Challenge Cup final against Wigan 8-0 on aggregate.1944-5: Bradford reach the Challenge Cup finals again but this time lose to Huddersfield 13-9 on aggregate. However they do win a two leg Yorkshire Cup final against Keighley 10-7 on aggragate.

The try scorers are Trevor Foster and Ernest Ward (pictured top right), and the goal kickers James and Darlison.Also in 1944 a Rugby League Combined Services Team beat a Rugby Union Combined Services team at Odsal in a match played under Rugby Union rules.1945-46: Bradford win the Yorkshire Cup 5-2 against Wakefield Trinity, their try being scored by Frank Whitcombe (pictured left) and converted by George Carmichael.1946-7: Bradford beat Leeds 8-4 in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley. Bradford’s tries are scored by Trevor Foster and Emlyn Walters and converted by Ernest Ward. Willie Davies won the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match.1947-8: Bradford go to Wembley again but lose the Challenge Cup to Wigan 8-3. Bradford’s solitary try is scored by, Edwards, although the Lance Todd Trophy is won by Frank Whitcombe. This is the first Rugby League match ever attended by the reigning monarch, HRH King George VI, who presents the trophy.

Bradford are also the Championship runners up.1948-9: In their third consectutive Challenge Cup final Bradford beat Halifax 12-0 in front of 95,050 fans. Trevor Foster and Eric Batten (pictured bottom right) are the try scorers, while Ernest Ward kicked three goals and won the Lance Todd Trophy. They also win the Yorkshire Cup against Castleford 18-9. The try scorers in that match are Foster, Leake and Edwards(2), who also kicked 3 goals.1949-50: Bradford win the Yorkshire Cup against Huddersfield 11-4, with a try by Davies and 4 goals by Ernest Ward. 1951 - 1963: Decline & Fall 1951-2: Bradford are the Championship runners up but beat New Zealand at Odsal in the first floodlit football match of any code in the North of England.1953: A crowd of 69,429 watch Bradford play Huddersfield in the Challenge Cup 3rd Round. This is Northern’s largest ever attendance.

They also win the Yorkshire Cup final 7-2 against Hull, with a try by Hawes and 2 goals by Phillips.1954: The Challenge Cup Final replay between Warrington and Halifax is held at Odsal in front of Rugby League’s largest ever crowd, officially 102,569 but estimated unofficially to be over 120,000. (The official record stood for 45 years until it was broken in 1999 when 104,583 people attend the opening of Sydney's new Olympic venue, Stadium Australia, to watch Newcastle Knights v Manly Sea Eagles and Parramatta Eels v St George-Illawarra Dragons double-header in the Australian NRL competition).

Meanwhile, debate continues to rage over the "actual" attendance at Odsal that day in 1954!Also in 1954, the first ever Rugby League World Cup is staged in France.1960: 83,190 people attend the Championship final at Odsal between Wakefield and Wigan, many not getting in until half time.1963: After attracting a record low crowd of 324 against Barrow (23 November) Northern go out of business on December 10th. 1964 - 1994: Renaissance 1964: Thanks to the strenuous efforts of such people as Trevor Foster and Joe Phillips the Bradford Northern club is reformed and accepted back into membership of the Rugby League.Substitutions allowed for first time - but only for injured players and only up to half time.1965-66: Bradford win the Yorkshire Cup 17-8 against Hunslet.

Bradford’s try scorers are Williamson (2) and Brooke, with four goals by Clawson.End of unlimited tackles and introduction of four tackle rule.1967: Bradford play York in one of the first two Rugby League fixtures ever to be played on a Sunday. Leigh also play Dewsbury on the same day (Dec 17).1972-3: Bradford lose the Challenge Cup final against Featherstone 33-14. Bradford’s tries are scored by Redfearn, Fearnley, and converted by Eddie Tees (pictured right).1973-4: Bradford win the Second Division Championship and are promoted into the First Division. During this season Keith Mumby makes his debut, becoming the youngest player ever to appear for the club at only 16 years of age, scoring 12 goals and a try in a match against Doncaster. He goes onto make a record 576 appearances for the club.

(Mumby, left, in action for Bradford Northern).1974-75: Bradford win the Regal Trophy 3-2 against Widnes, their points coming from a try by Carlton.1977-78: Peter Fox joins Bradford as coach for the first time. Bradford win the Premiership final 17-8 against Widnes, with tries by Haigh, Barends, Roe and Dave Redfearn (pictured in Great Britain gear on the right, with brother Alan, who also starred as a scrum half for Bradford Northern, to his left), and goals by Mumby and Wolford. They are also Championship runners-up.1978-79: Bradford appear in another Premiership final but this time lose against Leeds 24-2, Bradford’s solitary points coming from a goal by Ferres.1979-80: Bradford win the Championship. They also win the Regal Trophy 6-0 against Widnes, with a try by Parker and goals by Mumby and Stephenson. Peter Fox wins the award for Coach of the Year.

Peter Fox and Jimmy Thompson are pictured (left) with the Championship trophy.1980-81: Bradford win the Championship again.1981-82: Bradford lose the Yorkshire Cup final against Castleford 18-7, their points coming from a try by Parker and a goal by Ellery Hanley.1982-83: Bradford lose the Yorkshire Cup final again, this time against Hull by 18 points to 7. Keith Whiteman was the only try scorer for Bradford, with a conversion and 2 drop goals from Dean Carroll. The half time score was Bradford 6 Hull 7, the referee was Stan Wall and the attendance 11,755 at Headingley. Keith Mumby wins the award for First Division Player of the Year while Brian Noble wins the Young Player award.1985: Ellery Hanley (left) wins both the Man of Steel award (for the personality judged to have made the biggest impact in the season) and First Division Player of the Year.

He subsequently joins Wigan in the then British Rugby League record transfer deal, worth £80,000 and a player exchange involving Steve Donlan and Phil Ford.1987-8: After drawing 12-12, Bradford win the Yorkshire Cup final replay against Castleford 11-2. In the replay Bradford’s points come from tries by Brendan Hill and Wayne Heron, and goals by David Hobbs.1989-90: Bradford beat Featherstone 20-14 in the Yorkshire Cup final with 2 tries each by Gerald Cordle and Paul Harkin, and 2 goals by David Hobbs.1990-91: Bradford lose the Regal Trophy against Warrington 12-2, Bradford’s only points coming from a goal by David Hobbs.1993-4: Bradford finish as runners up in the Championship behind Wigan on points difference.Jeff Grayshon, pictured bottom right, was a stalwart of the Bradford Northern pack during the 1980s.

1995 - 1999: Birth of Super League 1995-96: The club's name is changed from Bradford Northern to become known as the Bradford Bulls. They adopt a new club logo and appoint highly rated Australian Brian Smith as coach, and later Chief Executive. In April 1995, the Rugby League announce the decision to form the European Super League, and the switch in playing season from winter to summer, to begin in March 1996. The Super League consists of 10 clubs from the existing First Division (including Bradford Bulls) plus London Broncos from the Second Division, and new club Paris St Germain.1996: Bradford lose the Challenge Cup final 40-32 to St Helens. Bradford’s points come from tries by Jon Scales, Bernard Dwyer and a hat trick from captain Robbie Paul - the first ever scored at Wembley. Paul Cook kicked 6 goals. Robbie Paul won the Lance Todd Trophy followed later in the season by the award for Super League Player of the Year. In September, assistant coach Matthew Elliot becomes head coach following Brian Smith’s decision to return to Australia as coach of Parramatta Eels.

Bradford Bulls finish the season as the best supported team in the competition with an average attendance in excess of 10,000.The Australian version of Super League is prevented from starting as planned in 1996, to run parallel to the British season, due to a court injunction obtained by the Australian Rugby League.1997: Bradford win the Super League title with an record run of 20 successive victories from the start of the season. They are also Challenge Cup runners-up for a second season, losing to St Helens 32-22. Bradford's try scorers were Danny Peacock, Paul Loughlin, Glen Tomlinson, and James Lowes. Steve McNamara scored the goals. James Lowes wins the Man of Steel award. He is also chosen as Super League Player of the Season while Matthew Elliot (pictured) is chosen as Super League Coach of the Season. Bradford are once again the best supported club, with an average of over 15,000.The Australian Super League finally kicks off, entering into direct competition with the Australian Rugby League causing a split in the game.

All 10 Australian Super League clubs contest the World Club Championship series against the 12 clubs in the European competition.1998: A generally disappointing season for Bradford, with a fifth place finish in the Super League. They remain the best supported club, however, with an average attendance in excess of 13,000. Leon Pryce beats Keith Mumby's record from 1973 to become the youngest player ever to appear for the club.The Championship is decided by a top five play off system for the first time, culminating with an Australian styled Grand Final. Wigan win the inaugural Grand Final at Old Trafford against Leeds Rhinos. After one season, the Australian Super League merges with the Australian Rugby League to form a unified competition known as the National Rugby League (NRL).1999: Bradford sign New Zealand international Henry Paul from Wigan Warriors to link up with brother Robbie Paul for the first time at professional club level. The club achieves record season ticket sales, and a new scoring record is established when the Bulls defeat Workington Town by 92 points to nil in the fourth round of the Challenge Cup at Odsal.

Bulls secure Minor Premiership in Super League IV whilst also remaining undefeated at Odsal. The final home game sees the Bulls smash the Super League attendance record with 24,020 fans packing Odsal to see the 19-18 defeat of Leeds Rhinos. A Rugby League record 50,717 fans at Old Trafford see the Bulls in the Grand Final against St Helens, where they are defeated by 8 points to 6. Henry Paul wins the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man of the match. 2000 to Present Day: A New Millennium2000: Bulls win the Challenge Cup for the first time in 51 years by 24 points to 18 against local rivals Leeds Rhinos. Henry Paul wins the Lance Todd Trophy as man of the match. The match is played at the Scottish Rugby Union's Murrayfield Stadium, the first time in the history of the competition that the final has been held in Scotland, and goes ahead despite major flooding at the ground only two days before.A record 16 teams contest the twelfth Rugby League World Cup, which is staged at multiple venues around England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland and France.

The tournament is won by Australia who defeat New Zealand in the final at Old Trafford, Manchester.2001: The Bulls take up residence at Valley Parade, home of Bradford City AFC, to allow for the redevelopment of Odsal Stadium. They reach the Challenge Cup final at Twickenham, but suffer a 13-6 defeat to St Helens. On 3rd May in a home match against Warrington, Henry Paul sets a new World Record for consecutive goal kicks (35). The Bulls finish the regular season as Minor Premiers and on 13th October at Old Trafford, a new Super League Grand Final record attendance of 60,164 is established as the Bulls crush Wigan Warriors 37-6 to claim the Championship Trophy.

Michael Withers scores a try hat-trick and is awared the Harry Sunderland Trophy as Man of the Match.Also in 2001, Bulls second row forward Jamie Peacock scores the opening try for Great Britain after just two minutes as they defeat Australia 20-12 in Huddersfield in the first Ashes Test for seven years, but Australia go on to take the series 2-1, winning the second Test at Bolton and the third Test at Wigan.2002: The Bulls are crowned World Club Champions on 1st February after defeating Australian Premiers Newcastle Knights 41-26 in front of a crowd of 21,113 at Huddersfield's McAlpine Stadium. James Lowes is named as Man of the Match and Paul Deacon kicks eight goals from nine attempts plus one drop goal for a total of 17 points in the match, an individual scoring record for this competition.2003: Bradford Bulls have the most successful season in the history of the Club, winning all three titles.

They travelled to Cardiff to beat the Leeds Rhinos at the Millennium Stadium 22-20, then went on to lift the League Leaders Shield for finishing top of the Super League after 28 rounds, before defeating Leeds Rhinos again, for the fifth time in the season, in the Qualifying Semi Final Play Off to Reach the Tetley's Rugby Super League Grand Final. An outstanding performance of skill and domination saw the Bulls claim the Super League title with victory over a spirited Wigan Warriors. The season also saw the retirement of super star hooker James Lowes after an illustrious career, and the departure of veteran loose forward Mike Forshaw.2004: Bradford Bulls regained the world club challenge by beating the NRL champions Penrith Panthers 22–4 in front of a packed crowd at the McAlpine Stadium in Huddersfield. 2004 also saw the Bulls beat Leeds Rhino’s in the play offs to reach the Grand Final, Only to meet their arch rivals two weeks later at Old Trafford in front of a record grand final crowd of 67,000. This time Bradford were narrowly edged out by Leeds, eventually losing 18–6.

2004 was a superb year for the ‘The Volcano’ Lesley Vainikolo as he smashed the Super League try scoring record with a total of 37 tries in only 26 appearances. This remarkable achievement started in the first round of the regular super league season as he crossed the try line on 5 separate occasions against Wigan Warriors to equal the record for the total number of tries in a super league game.2004 also saw 5 Bradford players being named in the Great Britain squad for the tri-nations series with Brian Noble being placed in charge of the GB Lions side. Four other Bulls players were named in the New Zealand side to face them. The series was a great success for Bulls utility back Stuart Reardon as he crossed the try line 4 times and finished Great Britain’s top try scorer. Warrington Wolves Fixtures | Warrington Wolves Players | Warrington Wolves Team Current Ground: Halliwell Jones stadium (Wilderspool Stadium, 1895-2003) Honours: Championships: 1947/48, 1953/54, 1954/55.

Challenge Cup: 1905, 1907, 1950, 1954, 1974, 2009. History: Warrington were one of the twenty one founder clubs of the Northern Rugby Football Union in 1895 after splitting from Rugby Football Union. Warringtons' first game in what would be come Rugby League resulted in a 5-4 victory over Hunslet at Wilderspool. Two years later brought the first ever Challenge Cup competition to the sport and after a first round scoreless draw at Broughton, Warrington progressed as far as the semi finals, where they were beaten 6-0 by Batley at Fartown, Huddersfield. 1898 saw the short move to what is now the known position of the clubs' Wilderspool stadium when brewers Greenall Whitley leased the ground for 10 years. The year also saw professionalism brought to the sport, although players were also required to have alternative employment. The first game at the new and final site saw Warrington draw 3-3 with Swinton.

Warrington appeared in their first Challenge Cup final in 1901, losing to Batley at Headingley, Leeds in front of just under 30,000 spectators. Later that year, Warrington were one of 14 clubs to form the new Northern Rugby League which was the footing for the sport as we know it today. The league was split into two leagues and thus forming the still unbroken record of Warrington being the only team never to have played outside the top flight of the sport. With signing on fees as astronomical as cigar, a small lemonade and a pat on the back, Warrington again reached the Challenge Cup final in 1906 and were victorious for the first time, beating Hull KR 6-0 at Headingley. The following year saw a proposal from Warrington reducing the amount of players from 15, to 13. 1907 then saw the club lift the Challenge Cup for a second time, beating Oldham 17-3 in the final at Broughton The league was then suspended during the war after many players were sent off to battle and others were involved in government work.

Player George Thomas never returned from the Somme, after being “blown apart” by a German shell. In 1922, the Northern Union changed it's name to Rugby League, which is a title it carries to this day. Between the two wars, Warrington were unsuccessful in the league and Challenge Cup, although four Lancashire Cups and one Lancashire League trophies made their way to Wilderspool. Another period of suspension followed with rugby league not being played at Wilderspool between 1940 and 1945, with the stadium used as a storage depot during the war. The 10th of November 1945 saw the debut of what was to become arguably the greatest rugby league player in the history of the sport. Brian Bevan, although he was named in the “A” team to play Widnes as A.N. Other. He started as he would go on, scoring a wonder try, before making his full debut against Oldham the following week, again as A.N.Other and immediately signed a three year contract following the game.

Another future legend in Harry Bath signed for Warrington in 1948 and he helped Warrington to second in the league, where they then went on to beat Bradford in the Championship final at Maine Road, the first league success in the clubs' history. The following year, 75,000 watched Warrington fail to hold on to their Championship trophy, as they lost to Huddersfield at Maine Road. 1950 saw Warrington in the Challenge Cup final at Wembley. It would be their first triumph at the national stadium, beating local rivals Widnes 19-0 in front of just under 95,000 people. The 1953 season was undoubtedly the greatest in the clubs history, securing the league and cup double. Halifax beat Warrington to top spot in the league and were the opponents at Wembley for the Challenge Cup final. A 4-4 draw meant a replay at Odsal in Bradford would be required. The official attendance for that replay was 102,569, although there were upwards of 120,000 inside of the stadium after spectators found alternative routes into the stadium.

Warrington won the game 8-4. Warrington then faced Halifax in the Championship final three days later, running out 8-7 victors to secure the double. Brian Bevan ended the season contributing 62 tries to his Warrington career total of 740. Warrington defended their Championship trophy the following yeah, with a 7-3 victory over Oldham at Maine Road, where Bevan scored his 61st try of the season. Brian Bevan made his farewell appearance for the club in 1962, before moving to Blackpool. The winger scored 740 tries in 620 appearances for the club, a world record that is unlikely to ever be broken. After the departure of Bevan and severe financial problems, the club almost disbanded in 1970, before a local businessman stepped in and too over the club. Dwindling attendances and poor performances on the field meant he had a tough job to turn the club around.

The 1972/73 season saw a 20 match unbeaten run enable Warrington finish top of the league, although a shock loss to Dewsbury at Wilderspool meant the season had been in vain. Coach Alex Murphy finally brought a trophy to the club the following season, with the club beating Featherstone 24-9 at Wembley, for their first major trophy in 19 years. It would be their last major trophy of the century aswell. Although three Lancashire cups and three Regal trophies were won in this period. In 1996, the top flight of English rugby league switched from a winter season to the summer, as the Super League was formed, with the help of a massive TV deal from Sky Sports. At the beginning of the Super League era, most teams adopted a moniker into their names. Warrington RLFC became the Warrington Wolves. The early years of the new millennium saw the Wolves flirt with relegation and administration. A new stadium was needed to help the club financially, with the now dilapidated Wilderspool in a dire condition and with housing and industry surrounding it, expansion was not an option.

After their first play off appearance following the final year at Wilderspool, Warrington moved to the new Halliwell Jones on Winwick Road, on the opposite side of the town centre to Wilderspool. A sell out crowd of 14,206 saw a win over Wakefield, with Nathan Wood the scorer of the stadiums' first try. After some safety issues, the capacity of the stadium was reduced to 13,024. Warrington shocked the rugby league world in 2005 by signing Australian legend Andrew Johns on loan from Newcastle Knights for the remaining weeks of the season and the end of season play offs. This signing would pay financial dividends for years to come and “Joey” would also help Warrington sign other big name players in the future, including NRL grand final winners. Warrington are on a sure financial footing, with director Simon Moran able to pump millions into the club and sign high profile players. This helped the Wolves secure a franchise place for a revamped 14 team league from 2009, with no promotion or relegation.

The Warrington bid was one of the best of the 19 received and were granted a franchise with an “A” in the areas required. In 2009, after a poor start, the Wolves brought in Tony Smith as Head Coach to replace James Lowes who returned to an assisting role. The move brought an immediate impact as the Wolves' lowly start was eradicated and they climbed towards a play-off place. Success - rarely felt in Cheshire despite being tipped to win a major trophy in most recent seasons - was finally achieved as the Wolves lifted the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley, after beating Huddersfield 25-16. Next Match There have been great Super League and Challenge Cup finals over years Challenge Cup: Wakefield 13-12 Wigan 1946 During the Second World War, the final was moved away from Wembley. Initially it was hosted at a neutral venue, Bradford’s Odsal Stadium, before being played over two legs between 1943 and 1945. However, it reverted back to its normal format in 1946, with supporters flocking down south.

It was Wakefield who won this tight contest with a last minute kick from Lance Todd Trophy winner Billy Stott to start rugby league’s post-war era in fine style. Warrington 8-4 Halifax 1954 This tie was remembered not for the game itself, which was as dour as the first match – a 4-4 draw that went to a replay – but for the attendance. A record crowd of over 102,000 turned up to Odsal for the encounter, the most in either code, although it was thought to be closer to 120,000. The first game is renowned for being the only showpiece event at Wembley in the history of the competition not to feature a try. The second game was an improvement, albeit only a slight one, as Jim Challinor and Gerry Helme went over to seal an 8-4 victory for Warrington. Leeds 11-10 Wakefield 1968 This list wouldn’t be complete without the famous ‘Watersplash Final’ where the teams competed in sodden conditions as a heavy downpour probably left the pitch unplayable in modern terms.

This contributed to a tight and tense encounter as Leeds took an 11-7 advantage and were closing in on a ninth title. Drama ensued in the last minute though when Ken Hirst crossed under the sticks, giving Don Fox a seemingly simple conversion in front of the posts to win the game for Wakefield. Given Fox’s goal-kicking prowess, the outcome was supposed to be inevitable but, with the field proving a challenge, the Wakefield player scuffed his effort to hand their opponents a dramatic triumph. Hull KR 10-5 Hull FC 1980 This was the first Hull derby in the Challenge Cup final and, rather more pertinently for Rovers’ fans, their only triumph in the competition in the club’s history. What better way to claim your first Cup trophy than against your fiercest rivals? In no way was this game a classic, albeit the tightness of the scoreline heightened the tension. However, the occasion merits inclusion, having rendered the city of Hull a desolate land with 95,000 supporters marching down to London.

Wigan 28-24 Hull FC 1985 Full of skill, intensity and a second half fightback by Hull, this was regarded as one of the best Challenge Cup finals to grace the Wembley turf. Played in front of just under 100,000 spectators, they witnessed favourites Wigan race into a 22-8 half-time lead before the Black and Whites came back into the game after the break. At 28-12 in arrears, James Leuluai touched down twice and Gary Divorty also crossed to set up a grandstand finale. However, it wasn’t to be for the Yorkshire outfit as Wigan held on. Sheffield 17-8 Wigan 1998 This is considered one of the major Challenge Cup upsets as a Wigan team featuring several greats of the game including Andy Farrell and Jason Robinson succumbed to Sheffield, who had finished the Super League campaign 24 points behind the Warriors. Inspired by scrum-half Mark Aston, who was awarded the Lance Todd Trophy for his performance, Sheffield scored three tries to the Lancashire side’s one as their boundless energy and physicality shocked their illustrious opponents.

Wigan went on to win the Super League later that season. Hull FC 25-24 Leeds 2005 The most recent all-Yorkshire final – before this month’s Challenge Cup showdown between the Rhinos and Castleford Tigers – was a classic which was only decided in the last few moments. The scores remained tightly locked throughout, with Hull’s 19-12 advantage the largest gap between the two sides during the match. At that point it appeared as though John Kear’s men were in command, but the Headingley-based outfit fought back and went in front through Marcus Bai’s converted try. However, Paul Cooke touched down late on, with Danny Brough adding the extras to snatch a momentous and unlikely victory. #72481494 / gettyimages.com This was probably the most dominant performance in a Grand Final. How times have changed for a Bradford side that will play next season in the Championship. In the early 2000s, the Bulls were one of the country’s outstanding teams and this victory in 2001 confirmed their excellence.

Very little separated these two teams in the regular season and in the Super League betting odds , with both sides going into the play-offs with a record of 22 wins, one draw and five defeats. However, the Yorkshire outfit were a class above when it came to the showpiece event. They scored six tries in all, three of those coming through full-back Michael Withers, as they secured a famous win. St Helens 19-18 Bradford 2002 #1548209 / gettyimages.com The Super League betting odds predicted that this would be one of the closest winning margins in Grand Final history. Both teams went into the play-offs with identical records and it was no surprise to see them so evenly matched. There were mistakes, one which led to the Saints’ second try, but the skill level was also very impressive and Robbie Paul’s try for the Bulls was of the highest order. Despite being 18-12 down early in the second period, St Helens fought back and levelled matters via a Sean Long penalty. With the clock winding down, the Merseyside-based outfit then went on the charge from within their own half.

The ball was shifted to Long, who kept his cool to kick a drop-goal. The drama didn’t end there though as Bradford felt they should have had a chance to win the game when Saints’ captain Chris Joynt went to ground without being touched - a ‘voluntary tackle’, which is a penalty offence. Leeds 24-16 St Helens 2008 #83129188 / gettyimages.com This is arguably the best of the recent Grand Finals as Leeds overcame Saints in an enthralling contest to secure their second consecutive title. It also came in the midst of St Helens’ remarkable run of five successive defeats in Super League title deciders. Although Daniel Anderson’s men opened impressively and took the lead through James Graham’s try, the Rhinos took control and went into the break 12-6 ahead. The game remained in the balance throughout the second period, but Danny McGuire’s score sealed the victory. SEMI FINAL SEVEN ASIDE / TENNIS | YFA Download context pdf This film is one of a number donated by Simon Foster, son of Bradford and England rugby league legend Trevor Foster, who features in some of the films, and possibly also in this one.

This film is unusual in that it combines films taken by two different filmmakers to cover events at Odsall Stadium in 1939. The first part is by C.A. Mitchell of Halifax, and the second by the much better known C. H. Wood. Mitchell seems to have disappeared in the mists of time; although, judging by this film, he was a gifted filmmaker, managing to capture the atmosphere and much of the play from just one camera on the side-line – nicely situated right behind the line of flight for the conversion. On the other hand, C. H. Wood was a well-known local commercial filmmaker who made thousands of films, and in particular the most extensive collection of British motorcycle racing films, over 400, from the 1940s through to the 1990s. For more information on C. H. Wood and his company see the Contexts for Hot Work (1955) and The Magnet Cup (1960). The rugby match is notable for a record attendance of 66,308 (although the Bradford Bull’s website gives it as 64,453).

This is higher even than the record sell-out crowd of 65,537 at Old Trafford in 2003, when Bradford Bulls claimed the Super League title with victory over Wigan Warriors. Odsal is actually in the Guinness Book of Records for hosting the World Record Rugby League crowd of 102,569 for the RL Challenge Cup final replay between Warrington v. Halifax on 5th May 1954 (a record that stood for almost 45 years). It has been the home ground of Bradford Northern (later Bradford Bulls) since 1934, apart from a couple of years at Valley Parade (2001/2). The Stadium has an interesting history.

The Bradford Bull’s website states that : “In the 1950s, geologists discovered that Odsal had been situated in a deep channel, gouged out during the 4th Ice Age 10,000 years ago, which probably explains why many people have commented that Odsal seems to have a climate all of its own!” The Stadium has undergone many changes since 1939, and had just as many plans to convert it into the 'Wembley of the North'. Although the Stadium was renamed "Grattan Stadium" in 2006, it is returning to its old name of Odsal in 2011. The film gives an idea of the many different sporting events that have been held at Odsal over the years; including speedway, stock car racing, basketball featuring the world famous Harlem Globetrotters, wrestling, show jumping and the Asian sport of Kabaddi. Halifax RL, who won this match, in the hooped striped shirts and white shorts, was founded in 1873, becoming the first ever winners of the Yorkshire Cup in 1878 (going on to win it on another four occasions).

In 1938 they reached the semi-final of the Challenge Cup, after winning three replays in a row, before they were knocked out by Barrow at Fartown (Huddersfield) in the dying seconds of the game. But in 1939 Halifax became the last team to win the Challenge cup final before the war beating favourites Salford 20-3 in front of a record 55,453 spectators at Wembley (still a lower crowd, which perhaps shows the silliness of playing a Rugby League Final in London at that time). The rules of Rugby League have changed since 1939: to prevent the game getting bogged down in too many tackles, the four-tackle rule and a five-metre defence line were introduced in 1967, followed by the six-tackle rule in 1971. One other change that might be observed is the size of the players: carrying a couple of stones less weight than the modern player the game does appear a bit faster! For more on Rugby League in Bradford see the Context for Rugby League Wartime Matches: Odsal Stadium, Bradford (1939-1944).

The second half of the film showing the tennis tour provides very rare film of four of the leading men’s tennis players of the time, all American. These professional players, at a time when they were contracted to promoters – and when there were still many amateurs – spent more time on tours than playing tournament matches, and earned more this way. Prior to this tour, the four had taken part in a competition in London between March 22 and April 4, in which Budge collected £500 prize money. The tennis matches at Odsal were part of a gruelling tour, managed by Jack Harris, taking in the British Isles and Western Europe followed by engagements in South Africa, Asia, and Australia, and starting in Dublin in May. The tour also included Wembley and Southport, with each session, as here, closing with "cheery" doubles. They had also just played at another rugby ground: at St. Helen's in Swansea, Wales on June 7-9. For both rugby grounds they used the same portable board court. At Bradford Stoefen won both his matches, defeating Budge and Tilden (see the account of the year and tour at ‘Budge’s great pro-year’, References).

Well before the days of tennis on TV, the tour was a success, with up to 10,000 spectators at football grounds on the European part. There are plenty of spaces available at Odsal, with what looks like special seats in the stands. But with the cheapest tickets over three times the cost of the earlier rugby match (at 1/-), perhaps this is no surprise. First out are Bill Tilden, in the overcoat, and his opponent, Lester Stoefen. Although Bill Tilden was nicknamed ‘Big Bill’, he is clearly shorter than Stoefen. By this time Bill Tilden would have been well past his prime, when he dominated tennis in the early 1920s. He was a major celebratory of his time, with a lifestyle hobnobbing with film stars like Charlie Chaplin and Douglas Fairbanks (see the photos on the website for A Terrible Splendor). It would have been interesting to know what Big Bill thought of Bradford, and the dilapidated stadium – one can see the grass growing on the terraces and the rather ramshackle ‘V’ shaped crowd barriers. Stoefen was something of a doubles specialist, having won three Grand Slam doubles titles.

These two are followed by the red headed Don Budge, the first player to win the grand slam (all four major titles), against the four times world champion Ellsworth Vines. The two had had many battles in the year already leading up to this friendly game, with Budge narrowly winning. The two players had sailed over together from New York aboard the Queen Mary on May 10. They also competed against each other in tournaments that year; and must have been pretty sick of playing each other by the time the year was up! Ellsworth Vines had won the World Championship Series five years on the trot before being defeated in the final in 1939 by Donald Budge, with Lester Stoefen runner up on two of those occasions. Before that Vines had won at Wimbledon in 1931. Donald Budge, the son of a truck driver from California, went on to win it again in 1941 and 1942 and was runner up in 1946. At the time of this film he was just 24. The ruling opinion seems to be that Budge was the more consistent player, but that on his day Vines was unbeatable.

Notably missing from the tour is Fred Perry, the greatest British tennis player of the era (and probably of any other). Perry, for many years world amateur champion, turned professional in 1937, and had toured extensively the previous two years with Vines and Budge (earning a fortune in the process). Another player that just missed out from the tour was the much respected German star, Baron Gottfried von Cramm, who had won Queen’s earlier in the year. Coached by Bill Tilden, von Cramm had played Don Budge two years earlier in the deciding 1937 Davis Cup match at Wimbledon (also losing in the final the previous two years to Fred Perry). According to Marshall Fisher in his intriguing book, A Terrible Splendor , the game was make or break for von Cramm, an opponent of the Nazis regime, who apparently had been phoned by Adolf Hitler just before the game! Despite his popularity in Germany he had much to fear: he was gay and both his Jewish doubles partner and his Jewish lover had fled Germany. He had a running battle with the Nazis regime, refusing the play their game, and in 1938 served 6 months in jail for homosexuality.

In the end though he fared better than Tilden, who was also gay, and was eventually arrested and shunned for his homosexuality, dying penniless and alone. References Bradford Bulls' Odsal Stadium 'takes breath away' - BBC News BBC News Bradford Bulls' Odsal Stadium 'takes breath away' By Trevor Gibbons BBC News, Leeds 25 January 2012 Close share panel Image caption The ground's setting creates a "sense of theatre" according to John Downes Not that you'd know it from outside the turnstiles on Rooley Avenue but the plain breeze block wall conceals a huge arena that has often been described as the 'Wembley of the north'. Odsal Stadium, the home of Bradford Bulls, has just been bought by the sport's governing body for an undisclosed sum to avoid "predatory approaches", according to Rugby Football League chairman Richard Lewis. It has bought a ground where the pitch is housed at the bottom of a huge bowl and at the entrance level spectators can look down from the rim on to the roof of the stand.

Although Bradford Northern (now Bulls) was formed in 1907 the team played at several grounds before Odsal Stadium was opened in 1934. Before that date the hollow was a vast council rubbish tip on the southern outskirts of Bradford. I remember one game against Wigan when the fog came round the back of the stand like a smoke machine and filled up the bowl John Downes, Bradford Bulls 'Sense of theatre' The tip sat in a valley gouged out during the Ice Age about 10,000 years ago, geologists have concluded. Its unusual setting makes for a "sense of theatre" according to John Downes, one of the club's heritage officers. "The further down you get into the bowl the more crowd atmosphere you get - it's fantastic." Mr Downes has been in crowds of more than 80,000 for games in the ground. However, in 1954 the ground hosted the Challenge Cup Final replay between Halifax and Warrington, after a draw at Wembley. Nobody realised the game would attract a then world-record crowd for rugby league.

The official attendance that day was more than 102,000 but in truth the crowd may have been even larger. Image caption Traffic jams built up as 102,000 packed the ground for the Challenge Cup Final replay in 1954 The long walk Large traffic jams built up around the ground before kick-off and many spectators missed the start of the game and didn't always have a great view even after getting into the ground. Originally the dressing rooms were built at the top on the stadium's rim and players had a long trek down hundreds of steps to the playing area. At half-time during games most of the competing teams went into a huddle on the pitch rather than start back up the steps. The walk to and from the dressing rooms could be an experience for referees and visiting teams, and especially for members of the opposition who had to make the long walk for an "early bath" after getting sent off. Stuart Duffy, football and media manager of Bradford Bulls, remembered a referee being given a police escort, including mounted officers, for the long trek after a particularly contentious match.

When, in 1996, rugby league decided to change to a summer season Mr Duffy suggested the "vibrancy, colour and game-day entertainment" put on at Odsal went a long way to establishing the new competition. Other sports featured at the arena have included football, speedway, show jumping and kabaddi. 'Micro-climate' But it is primarily a rugby league venue and the biggest crowd inside the bowl during the modern era of rugby league is more than 24,000 for a game against local rivals Leeds Rhinos. Mr Duffy summed up the effect on anyone seeing Odsal for the first time. "It takes your breath away", he said. Despite being in a bowl the stadium is situated on a high piece of ground and during winter in particular was renowned for its changeable weather. Image caption Many changes have been made to the ground over its history Mr Downes, who was first taken to the ground in 1949 as an infant in his pram, said: "Odsal has its own micro-climate, it can be sunny in Bradford city centre and fog-bound here or vice versa.

"I remember one game against Wigan when the fog came round the back of the stand like a smoke machine and filled up the bowl. "That was that, the match had to be abandoned." Many changes have been made to the ground, concrete terracing replaced railway sleepers on the vast slopes of the bowl and stands have been knocked down and rebuilt. However, the often suggested idea of upgrading the ground to make it the "Wembley of the north" has never been realised. Despite the false starts and chequered history of the ex-council rubbish tip Mr Downes would have it no other way. "I've spent the best times of my life in Odsal, it's been an honour to be involved," he said. 120 Years of Rugby League! - Manchester Rangers 120 Years of Rugby League! Club News On this day in 1895, a meeting took place at the George Hotel in Huddersfield which was to change the shape of Rugby forever, and eventually introduce a completely different sport to the world. The modern football codes of Soccer, Rugby and Rugby league all evolved from the ball games being played in England's top private schools in the early nineteenth century.

Statue of a young William Webb Ellis outside Rugby School, Warwickshire, England Legend has it that in 1823, at Rugby School, one William Webb Ellis, "with a fine disregard for the rules", picked up the ball and ran with it. The controversy wasn't in picking up the ball, but that he ran with it rather than stopping and kicking it. This eventuated in there being two different school games by the mid nineteenth century - Rugby's running game and the "dribbling" game of Eton. There was controversy in the Universities when students originating from Rugby School would continually handle the ball. This led to the "Cambridge Rules" in 1846 which banned handling the ball. These were the rules adopted by the Football Association in 1863, the original rules of soccer. In 1871 clubs that had adopted Rugby School's handling game formed the English Rugby Union and established their own set of rules which included the original concept of the "try". In 1875 teams were reduced to 15 a side, in 1880 passing the ball was legalised and in 1882 an offside rule was introduced.

Rugby was originally for the well to do but this began to change with the growth of Northern English clubs in the 1870s. In the North the strict amateurism of the game came under pressure with a call from players for payments to compensate for lost wages or 'broken time'. The Rugby officialdom in the South were completely inflexible on this issue and the Northern clubs in the end had little choice but to form their own break away 'Northern Union'. The Northern Rugby Football Union was founded at a meeting in the George Hotel in Huddersfield on 29 August 1895. 1895 - 2015 The Rugby League Timeline 27th August 1895; On 27 August 1895, as a result of an emergency meeting in Manchester, prominent Lancashire clubs Broughton Rangers, Leigh, Oldham, Rochdale Hornets, St Helens, Tyldesley, Warrington, Widnes and Wigan declared that they would support their Yorkshire colleagues in their proposal to form a Northern Union.

29th August 1895; Representatives of twenty-two clubs met in the George Hotel, Huddersfield to form the Northern Rugby Football Union, Twenty clubs agreed to resign from the Rugby Union, but Dewsbury felt unable to comply with the decision. The Cheshire The George Hotel, Huddersfield - The Birthplace of Rugby League club, Stockport, had telegraphed the meeting requesting admission to the new organisation and was duly accepted with a second Cheshire club, Runcorn, admitted at the next meeting. The twenty-two clubs and their years of foundation were: Batley FC 1880, Bradford FC 1863, Brighouse Rangers FC 1878, Broughton Rangers FC 1877, Halifax FC 1873, Huddersfield FC 1864, Hull F.C. 1865, Hunslet FC 1883, Leeds FC 1864, Leigh FC 1878, Liversedge FC 1877, Manningham F.C.

1876, Oldham FC 1876, Rochdale Hornets FC 1871, Runcorn RFC 1895, Stockport RFC 1895, St Helens FC 1873, Tyldesley FC 1879, Wakefield Trinity FC 1873, Warrington FC 1875, Widnes FC 1875, Wigan FC 1872. Rule Changes, 1895 - 1907; Initially, the newly formed Northern Football Union continued to play under the existing laws of the Rugby Football Union with the only minor change being; a penalty awarded for a deliberate 'knock on' - Introduced in 1895. Other new laws were gradually introduced over the next decade and by the time 1907 had arrived, Rugby 'League' was distinctively different from Rugby 'Union'.

The main changes were; 13 players per team (as opposed to 15 in Rugby Union) The 'Play the ball' (heeling the ball back after a tackle) rather than a ruck the elimination of the line-out a slightly different scoring structure with only two points awarded for kicking goals "The object of the changes was, of course, to speed things up, to make the game as attractive to spectators as possible, for they were vital to the payment of broken time and the other emoluments that eventually came the players' way." (Moorhouse 1989, Page 7) 1896/97 - Northern Rugby Football Union Challenge Cup Northern Rugby Football Union Challenge Cup - One of the oldest trophy's in the world The introduction of a National cup competition took place in 1896, and was soon to become one of the biggest draws for the sport.

Fattorinis of Bradford were commisioned to manufacture the Challenge Cup Trophy at a cost of £60 ( This would be over £5000 pound in today's money) The first ever Challenge Cup Final was held at Headingley Stadium, Leeds in 1897 where Batley defeated St Helens 10-3 in front of a crowd of 13,492. The competition was later interrupted by the Great War, although it was held in 1915, when the season that had begun before the war was completed. It was then suspended until the end of hostilities. Initially, the final tie was held at one of the larger club grounds in the north, however, noting the excitement in Huddersfield that the town’s football team were playing at Wembley in the FA Cup Final and the increasing difficulty for any of the rugby league grounds to satisfy spectator demand to see the final tie, the rugby league authorities voted 13–10 to move to the recently built Wembley Stadium in London, aiming to emulate the FA Cup's success and to put the game on the national stage.

1901: £100 Lomas signs for Salford James Lomas became Rugby League's first £100 transfer, from Bramley to Salford in 1901. This was a World Record fee, James Lomas £100 record was broken 10 years later when he moved from Salford to Oldham for a fee of £300. 1907; All Golds Tour Britain Albert Baskerville, Tour Organiser, Sports Writer and Footballer In 1905, as New Zealand's rugby union team, the All Blacks, toured Britain, they witnessed first-hand the growing popularity of the Northern Union games. In 1906, All Black George William Smith, while on his way home, met an Australian entrepreneur, James J. Giltinan to discuss the potential of professional rugby in Australasia. In the meantime, a less-well known New Zealand rugby union player, Albert Henry Baskerville was about to recruit a group of players for a professional tour of Great Britain.

It is believed that Baskerville first became aware of the profits to be made from such a venture while he was working at the Wellington Post Office in 1906: a colleague had a coughing fit and dropped a British newspaper. Baskerville picked it up and noticed a report about a Northern Union match that over 40,000 people had attended. Baskerville wrote to the NRFU asking if they would host a New Zealand touring party. George Smith learned of Baskerville's activities and they joined forces to recruit a team. When the All Golds stopped off in Australia, three games were played at the Sydney Showground, against a professional NSW rugby team. These games were played under rugby union laws, as no copies of the Northern Union laws were available. Baskerville (The New Zealand Tour Manager) was greatly impressed by Dally Messenger, and persuaded him to join the touring party. For this reason, the All Golds are sometimes known as Australasia, rather than New Zealand. Although Messenger was the only Australian in the touring team. Three Test matches, were played at Leeds, Chelsea and Cheltenham; a surprising choice of venues given Rugby League's northern base.

The tour was a great success, and gave a much needed boost to the game in Britain, which was struggling financially against the rise of association football. Baskerville died from illness on the Australian leg of the tour, but the professional rugby movement lived on, pushing forward in New Zealand despite strong opposition from the rugby union establishment. 1910: British Lions Tour Australasia The 1910 Great Britain Lions tour of Australia and New Zealand, the first ever, took place after the 1909–10 Northern Rugby Football Union season and featured a number of Welsh former rugby union internationals. Several Wallabies players changed codes in order to play against this touring team, which was anticipated to be one of the best sides ever to visit Australasia. "The Rugby League matches continue to command more public interest than the Union." — The Sydney Mail, 13 August 1910 1914: The Great War Sport in general suffered as a result of the First World War, and rugby league was no exception. In Britain, the government discouraged all professional sports, and the major competitions were abandoned. In Australia, the situation was slightly less serious, and rugby league continued.

The rugby union authorities opted to suspend play throughout the war, and this decision is often wrongly cited as one of the prime reasons for the traditional dominance of rugby league over rugby union in Australia. 1921: The first £1000 transfer takes place In November 1921 in England, the first £1,000 transfer fee took winger Harold Buck from Hunslet to Leeds. Buck made his début for Leeds against Wigan at Headingley Stadium on Saturday 5 November 1921, he went on to play 99-matches for Leeds scoring 72-tries and 15-conversions, for 246-points. 1922: Northern Union Renamed In 1922, The name of the Northern Rugby Football Union was changed to The Northern Rugby Football League, mirroring its sister organisations overseas, the Australian Rugby Football League and New Zealand Rugby Football League. Eventually the "Northern" was dropped from its name at the beginning of the 1980s. 1932: Rugby League played under floodlights For the first time in the history of the sport, a Rugby League match took place underneath floodlights.

Leeds took on Wigan at White City in London. Leeds won 18–9 in front of a crowd of over 10,000 spectators. The venture was such a success that the owners of the White City Ground took over the "Wigan Highfield" club and moved them to play Rugby League games at the ground under floodlights the following season, with most of their matches kicking off on Wednesday Nights at 8pm. That venture only lasted one season before the club moved back up north. 1934: French Rugby League formed Harry Sunderland, Rugby League Administrator and Journalist Following development work by both Harry Sunderland (on behalf of the Australian Rugby League) and the Rugby Football League based in England, the Australian and Great British Test teams played an exhibition game at Stade Pershing in Paris in late December 1933. The French Rugby League was formed on 6 April 1934. From 1913 to 1922, Sunderland was the Queensland Rugby League's secretary. His administration is credited with the growth of the League in Queensland despite the First World War.

After moving to Melbourne, Victoria where he unsuccessfully attempted to promote rugby league, Sunderland returned north and became an administrator of the Australian national team. He later moved to England where he became manager of the Wigan Rugby League Football Club. Since his death in Chorlton-upon-Medlock, Manchester in 1964, the Harry Sunderland Trophy has been awarded to the man-of-the-match in the European Super League Grand Final. 1940's - 50's, Lance Todd & The Rugby League Boom In 1946, The Lance Todd Trophy was introduced and awarded to the Man of the Match of the Challenge Cup Final. The winners are chosen by members of the Rugby League Writers Association that are present at the game. The first ever winner of the Lance Todd Trophy was Billy Stott whilst playing for Wakefield Trinity and the first ever winner, chosen whilst playing for the losing side was Frank Whitcombe whilst playing for Bradford Northern in 1948. Both Billy Sttt and Frank Whitcombe are former players of Belle Vue Rangers.

Over 100,000 people witness the 1954 Cup Final Replay in 1954 The 1947-48 Northern Rugby Football League season's Challenge Cup final was the first rugby league match to be televised. All spectator sports in the United Kingdom experienced a surge in interest in the years following the end of World War II and Rugby League boomed. Large crowds came to be expected as the norm for a period of around 20 years. The total crowds for the British season hit a record in 1949-50, when over 69.8 million paying customers attended all matches. The surge in public interest in the sport was further demonstrated by the 1954 Challenge Cup Final Replay between Halifax and Warrington, held at Odsal Stadium, Bradford on Wednesday, 5 May 1954. The officially recorded attendance was at 102,575 (a record for a single match of rugby league that stood until 107,558 watched Melbourne Storm defeat St George Illawarra Dragons at the Telstra Stadium in 1999).

It is estimated that a further 20,000 spectators were present, as many got in free after a section of fencing collapsed. Warrington beat Halifax 8-4. 1954 - The Inaugural World Cup Dave Valentine, Captain of the winning British team, 1954 The Rugby League World Cup was an initiative of the French who had been campaigning for a competition since 1935. The idea was raised in 1951 by Paul Barrière, the President of the French Rugby League. In 1952, Rugby Football League secretary Bill Fallowfield persuaded the Rugby League Council to support the concept. At a meeting in Blackpool, England in 1953, the International Board accepted Paul Barrière’s proposal that France should be the nation to host the first tournament to be officially known as the "Rugby World Cup". In addition to the hosts, the tournament featured teams from Britain, Australia and New Zealand. The 1954 Rugby League World Cup was won by Great Britain who defeated France in Paris on 13 November to claim the title.

1960's - Rugby League in the household In the UK live coverage of professional Rugby League began in the early 1960s, exposing the game to a national audience. David Attenborough, then controller of BBC2, made the decision to screen rugby league games from a new competition specially designed for evening televising, the BBC2 Television Floodlit Trophy. Although it was widely seen as a gimmick, it proved a success, and rugby league has featured on television ever since. Early 1980's - Rule Changes in Australia In 1981 The Sin Bin rule was introduced in rugby league in Australia. Newtown hooker Barry Jensen became the first player sent there. In 1983 the number of points awarded for scoring a try increased from three to four. Both of these changes were later replicated by the Northern rugby Football League. 1986: Lydon Breaks the £100,000 barrier In 1986, when he joined Wigan, Lydon became Rugby League's first £100,000 transfer making his début in a 44–6 win over Hull.

1990's - Problems Down Under The 1990's saw the importance of television income to the sport continue to rise, and a battle for control of television rights led to the infamous Super League war, which saw the game (in Australia) split between rival competitions. This event affected the sport across the world during the middle of decade The Super League war was the corporate dispute that was fought in and out of court during the mid-1990s between the Rupert Murdoch and News Corporation-backed Super League (Australia) and the Kerry Packer and Optus Vision-backed Australian Rugby League organisations over broadcasting rights for, and ultimately control of the top-level professional rugby league football competition of Australasia. towards the end of 1997 a peace deal was reached and both Leagues united to form the National Rugby League of today. 1996 - The Dawn of a New Era While the Super League war was being fought in Australia, Rupert Murdoch approached the British clubs with a view to forming a European Super League, primarily as a way to gain the upper hand during his battle with Kerry Packer for broadcasting rights for the sport in Australia.

A large sum of money from News Corporation's UK subsidiary, BSkyB, helped fund the proposal. The new competition got under way in 1996. As part of the deal, rugby league switched from a winter to a summer season. The British, Australian and New Zealand seasons are now played concurrently from March to October, and major international tournaments are now largely played in November. The French, however, have continued to play a winter season. In 1995, rugby union went professional, and those who had long derided rugby league as merely a professional version of that game were soon predicting the demise of the sport. The Super League war, the financial problems of the 2000 Rugby League World Cup and the signing of several high-profile rugby league stars by the union game gave ammunition to this claim. However, in reality the 13-man game proved far more resilient. 2006: Fielden leaves Bradford for £450,000 On 22 June 2006 Stuart Fielden made a shock switch from Bradford to join his old coach Brian Noble at Wigan.

Wigan and Bradford agreed a transfer fee of £450,000 making it the most expensive cash only transfer of the Super League era. 2013 - Rugby League World Cup Australia's Cameron Smith holds the World Cup Trophy aloft in 2013 The 2013 Rugby League World Cup was the fourteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup and took place in England, Wales, France and Ireland. Fourteen teams contested the tournament: Australia, England, New Zealand, Samoa, Wales, Fiji, France, Papua New Guinea, Ireland, Scotland, Tonga, Cook Islands, Italy and the United States, the latter two competing in the Rugby League Would Cup for the first time. New Zealand were the defending champions, having defeated Australia in 2008. Australia won the tournament, beating New Zealand 34–2 in the final at Old Trafford, Manchester to lift the Rugby League World Cup for the tenth time in front of a record crowd at an international game (74,468). In terms of attendance, exposure and revenue, Rugby League World Cup 2013 is considered the most successful Rugby League World Cup to date.

2013: Sam Tomkins becomes most expensive player ever On 24 September 2013, it was confirmed that Tomkins would join New Zealand Warriors on a three-year deal starting in 2014, signed for a world record fee of £700,000 Milton Keynes born, Tomkins moved north with his family as a youngster in the early 90's and at the age of seven started playing Rugby League at amateur club Chorley Panthers. To develop his career further, Tomkins' family moved to Wigan where he played for Wigan St. Patrick's, before receiving a scholarship from Wigan with whom he signed a full-time contract at the end of 2007. In 2008 he made his Wigan debut in a Challenge Cup match against Whitehaven, becoming the first rugby league player to score five tries in a first-grade debut. 2015 - 120th Anniversary Celebrations The Rugby Football League and Rugby League Charity RL Cares have spent 2015 celebrating the 120th year of the sport.

In July 2015, The Rugby League Founders walk saw the 22 founder member clubs of the Northern Rugby Football Union commemorated. The Founders Walk entailed a total of 120 miles between all of those 22 founder member clubs in which members of the current rugby league community came together to celebrate the history of the sport. Commemorative Blue Plaques have been unveiled throughout the year at the sites of the founder clubs grounds. Four of those sites still host Rugby League fixtures today (Batley, Leeds, Wakefield and Widnes). Prior to kick off in today's Challenge Cup Final between Leeds Rhinos and Hull Kingston Rovers, their will be an Anniversary Parade to honour those break away clubs from 1895. Manchester Rangers are honoured to be representing Broughton Rangers at the parade with Club Man John Hoskison taking part in the on field celebrations as well as receiving a commemorative Broughton Rangers playing jersey. Manchester Rangers v Rylands Sharks, Friday 11th September 2015, Manchester Regional Arena 19:30pm. ADMISSION: £2 Adults / £1 Concessions / £5 Family (2 Adults and up to 4 Children)

Question: Who won the Rugby League Challenge Cup in 1954, beating Halifax in a replay at Odsal Stadium, before a world record crowd for a Rugby League match of 102,000?
Answer: WARRINGTON