<iframe src="//www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-K3L4M3" height="0" width="0" style="display:none;visibility:hidden">

Australian Books

Ruck ‘n roll

23 September 2017

9:00 AM

23 September 2017

9:00 AM

As every Speccie reader certainly will be aware and no doubt heartily applaud, the game of rugby league was born in the north of England as an assertive child of the working class. The northern clubs, determined to pay their players for missing a shift on Saturday in the mines or mills, broke with the London controllers of English rugby, who refused to tarnish the amateur status of the game.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Subscribe for just $2 a week

Try a month of The Spectator Australia absolutely free and without commitment. Not only that but – if you choose to continue – you’ll pay just $2 a week for your first year.

  • Unlimited access to spectator.com.au and app
  • The weekly edition on the Spectator Australia app
  • Spectator podcasts and newsletters
  • Full access to spectator.co.uk
Or

Unlock this article

REGISTER

You might disagree with half of it, but you’ll enjoy reading all of it. Try your first month for free, then just $2 a week for the remainder of your first year.


Comments

Don't miss out

Join the conversation with other Spectator Australia readers. Subscribe to leave a comment.

Already a subscriber? Log in

Close