Rugby league has one of the great origin stories in world sport - a game literally born out of a pay dispute. Here's some trivia to fire off at your next club function.
It started as a breakaway
Rugby league split from rugby union back in 1895 in the north of England, largely because working-class players wanted compensation for missing work to play - something the amateur-only union code refused to allow. A century-plus later, we still play a different game because of an argument over money.
The number of players has changed more than once
Rugby league didn't always have 13 players a side. Early breakaway games experimented with different formats before the code settled on the 13-a-side, six-tackle structure that separates it from union's 15-a-side game today.
The play-the-ball is unique to league
That distinctive play-the-ball - where the tackled player rolls the ball back with their foot - doesn't exist in any other major football code. It's one of the clearest visual giveaways that you're watching league and not union, even for someone who's never followed either.
State of Origin almost didn't happen
Origin-style representative football only became the concept we know today once frustration grew over Queensland players being picked based on where they currently played rather than where they were from. Fixing that eligibility rule created one of the fiercest rivalries in Australian sport.
Jerseys have always told a story
From heavy cotton guernseys to today's lightweight sublimated jerseys, league jerseys have always carried club and community identity front and centre - colours, sponsors, and now increasingly intricate custom designs that would have been impossible to print a generation ago.
If your club, school or social comp team wants a custom rugby league jersey with your own colours and design, check out our Custom Rugby Jerseys - free design mockup included before anything goes into production.