JANUARY 2008:

The naming of Rugby League’s 100 greatest players
Rugby League will celebrate its most famous year to date with one of the debates of the century. A team of expert judges has been compiled to name the 100 greatest players of all time. The names of the selected players will be unveiled at the start of 2008.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Newtown Centenary Anniversary

Thursday, January 17, 2008
Souths Centenary Anniversary

Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Balmain Centenary Anniversary – Celebration at Balmain Town Hall

Thursday, January 24, 2008
Roosters Centenary Anniversary

FEBRUARY 2008:

Saturday, February 2, 2008

Centenary Fan Day at Telstra Stadium
The Centenary celebrations will kickoff with a huge public fan day featuring all 16 NRL clubs and 400 NRL players at Telstra Stadium. Rugby League fans of all ages can take part in a host of activities, including ARL skills clinics, autograph signings and kicking competitions in what is certain to be the biggest public fan event in the game’s history.

Monday, February 4, 2008
Western Suburbs Centenary Anniversary – Plaque unveiling event

Thursday, February 7, 2008
• North Sydney Centenary Anniversary

MARCH 2008

March – September

Harvey Norman Regional Celebrations
Rugby League will celebrate the contribution regional Australia has made to the game over a 100-year period by hosting 10 Regional Celebrations across New South Wales and Queensland.

Local footy heroes will be invited back to their home town for a day-long celebration, which will also feature a traditional “local derby” between two Rugby League rivals, ARL skills clinics and a host of community-oriented activities.

A Rugby League museum will be erected in each local Harvey Norman store two weeks prior to each Regional Celebration, showcasing a collection of local memorabilia as well as a selection of artefacts from the National Museum of Australia’s exhibition.

The Harvey Norman Regional Celebrations will commence in Nowra on March 19 and conclude in Mackay on September 10. Please refer to attached Press Release for detailed information including all 10 regional locations and dates.

March – July

Toyota Centenary Cup
The Toyota Centenary Cup is a grass-roots knock-out competition to find the best bush footy team in Australia.

Every NSW Country Group and Queensland region will be represented with the best team from each state showcasing their talents in front of a packed Telstra Stadium crowd as the curtain raiser to State of Origin Three.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Season Launch of the 2008 Telstra Premiership
The NRL will host the official launch of the 2008 Telstra Premiership in Sydney, highlighting Rugby League’s heritage and commemorating the start of the game’s Centenary season.

Friday, March 7, 2008
Official opening of the National Museum of Australia exhibition, Canberra.
The National Museum of Australia will mark the Centenary of Rugby League with a major exhibition showcasing rare ‘treasures of the game’ in Canberra, Brisbane, Sydney and Townsville throughout 2008.

The exhibition will officially open in March at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra and feature an array of priceless Rugby League memorabilia, including the Royal Agricultural Society Shield – the game’s inaugural Premiership trophy.

A host of Rugby League legends will attend the official opening on Friday, March 7, while the Canberra Raiders will celebrate the official public opening the following day by hosting a fan day.

For detailed information, including dates and venues, please refer to separate Press Release.

Thursday, March 13, 2008
NSW Referees Association – Centenary anniversary celebrations
A celebration of the history of the Referees Association and their contribution to the development of Rugby League.

March 14/15/16/17, 2008
Round 1 of the 2008 NRL Telstra Premiership
Two of the game’s pioneers, South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Sydney Roosters, will be scheduled at Telstra Stadium in Round 1 as a Centenary feature match. Wests Tigers will host a match at the SCG while the Gold Coast Titans will welcome the opening of their new home ground, Skilled Park.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Anniversary of the establishment of the Queensland Rugby Association in 1908.

An esteemed list of Rugby League legends will gather at Suncorp Stadium for a luncheon to mark the 100-year anniversary of a governing body in Queensland. Round 3 of the Telstra Premiership will incorporate a Queensland weekend, featuring the Brisbane Broncos and North Qld Cowboys at Suncorp Stadium and the Gold Coast Titans playing at Skilled Park.

APRIL 2008

Friday, April 11, 2008
Newcastle Centenary Anniversary

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Captains’ Table Centenary Ball
A Centenary Ball will be held in Sydney on the eve of the anniversary of the Premiership’s first round. This will be the game’s premier corporate Centenary event, honouring players past and present and giving the public a chance to purchase tables at the ball. A highlight of the evening will be the naming of the official Team of the Century.

April 18/19/20/21, 2008
Anniversary of the first ever Premiership round on April 20, 1908
One hundred years since those gallant pioneers first lined up for their teams in the Premiership, the NRL will schedule a “Heritage Round”.

This is certain to be one of the biggest rounds of Rugby League in history, with NRL clubs scheduled to play against each other on the basis of the eras they first entered the competition. Each team will play in heritage jerseys honoring their own club’s proud history.

Heritage Round:
Wests Tigers v Souths - Parramatta v Manly
Newcastle v Roosters - Cowboys v Warriors
Bulldogs v Dragons - Cronulla v Penrith
Broncos v Titans - Storm v Raiders

Saturday, April 19, 2008
Premier League match between foundation clubs North Sydney and Newtown at North Sydney Oval

Sunday, April 20, 2008
Premier League match between foundation clubs Balmain and Wests at Birchgrove Oval. This famous oval was the scene of one of the first matches, along with Wentworth Park, and remains a treasured part of the game’s history.

Friday, April 25, 2008

Anzac Day match - Dragons v Roosters, Sydney Football Stadium
As well as continuing a modern-day tradition between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the Sydney Roosters, this event will celebrate Rugby League’s links with the Defence Forces over the past century.

MAY 2008

Friday, May 2, 2008

City v Country - Wollongong
WIN Stadium, Wollongong has been chosen by the Country Rugby League to host the City v Country match during the Centenary year. The week’s activities and the match itself will showcase the contribution of country and regional areas to the development of Rugby League over the past century.

Friday, May 9, 2008

Centenary Test - Sydney Cricket Ground
Anniversary of the first ever Test between Australia and New Zealand in 1908. The Test between Australia and New Zealand marks 100 years to the day since these two countries played on May, 9, 1908. The Test will be played on the historic Sydney Cricket Ground with both teams wearing heritage replica jerseys.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

First State of Origin game in the 2008 series - Telstra Stadium
The 2008 Harvey Norman State of Origin series will celebrate a century of interstate Rugby League rivalry, with both teams wearing 1908 heritage jerseys. The NSW Team of the Century will be presented to the crowd.

JUNE 2008

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

100 Years of Queensland v New South Wales function - Brisbane
A gala event will be held at the Brisbane Convention Centre to mark a century of interstate Rugby League between Queensland and New South Wales. A host of Rugby League legends from both states will be in attendance, with a feature of the evening to be the announcement of the Queensland Team of the Century.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

Harvey Norman State of Origin Game Two - Suncorp Stadium
Queensland will present their Team of the Centenary as part of a spectacular pre- game entertainment program.

JULY 2008

Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Harvey Norman State of Origin Game Three - Telstra Stadium
The match that has decided so many Origin series in the past will take on unprecedented significant in the game’s Centenary.

Tuesday, July 8, 2008
Balmain Hall of Fame Dinner - Westin Hotel Sydney

AUGUST 2008

South Sydney - Back to Redfern Street Fair & Concert
DATE TO BE CONFIMRED

Throughout August

Centenary International Schoolboys Series
A Test Series to be played between the Australian Schoolboys and England Academy at various locations throughout August.

Saturday, August 4 - Monday, August 6, 2008

Centenary All Schools Carnival
More than 5000 schoolboy players will take part in a Rugby League knock-out competition through out Australia.

Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Anniversary of the first ever Premiership Final in 1908 - Easts v Souths
One of the great rivalries in Australian sport will be reignited during Round 25 as the Roosters and Rabbitohs battle it out in honour of the first Premiership final 100 years ago.

SEPTEMBER 2008

Friday, September 19, 2008
Western Suburbs Black and White Ball

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Men of League Ball - Sydney
Each year The Men of League Ball brings together players from the past to honour champions and help those in need. A century of Rugby League camaraderie will be on show during one of the most special sporting nights of the year.

OCTOBER 2008

Sunday, October 5, 2008

2008 NRL Grand Final – Telstra Stadium
The 2008 Premiers are destined to hold a special place in the game’s rich history and Grand Final day will honour that occasion in spectacular fashion.

Saturday, October 25 – Saturday, November 22, 2008

The Centenary World Cup – Final to be played at Suncorp Stadium
Ten nations will compete in the crowning moment of the 2008 Centenary
Year. The World Cup will be the first on Australian soil since 1977.

1907-1919:

1907
The signing of Rugby Union champion Dally Messenger to Rugby League for the All Golds match is the catalyst for the beginning of a new game.

1908
The first premiership games, at Wentworth Park and Birchgrove Oval, are played on April 20 with Glebe, Souths, Newtown, Easts, Norths, Balmain, Wests and Newcastle the foundation clubs. Cumberland join in second round then exit at end of season. Souths become the first Premiers. Australian tradition of numbering players from 1-13 (fullback to prop) is established.

1909
The signing of Chris McKivat and other members of the 1908 Wallabies team guarantees Rugby League’s future. Newcastle exit at end of season.

1910
The first English Rugby League team arrives for a Test series in Australia. Annandale join an eight-team premiership.

1911
Rugby League is first played at the Sydney Cricket Ground and Sydney Sports Ground.

1912
Harold Horder scores the greatest try on debut in the game's history, running more than 100 metres in a match against Glebe.

1913
Easts win their third straight premiership and become permanent holders of the Royal Agricultural Society Shield.

1914
England's victory in the famous 'Rorke's Drift Test' remains one of the greatest against-the-odds wins the game has seen.

1915
Rugby League elects to 'play on' though the war years despite seriously depleted teams and the loss of the NSWRL secretary Ted Larkin on the first Gallipoli landing. Balmain win their first Premiership.

1916
"The first referees' Appointment Board (Alec Burdon, Harry Flegg and Les Mead) is established. The league decrees that 10% of gross gate receipts at all matches will be donated to the war effort. For the second year running, Balmain achieve a 'black and gold sweep', winning all three grades.

1917
Glebe's first-grade team, including the famous Burge brothers, goes on strike and is suspended by the NSWRL.

1918
South Sydney, inspired by one of the game's greatest fullbacks in Howard 'Silver Belt' Hallett, win the Premiership.

1919
First tour to New Zealand by an Australian Test team.

THE 1920's:

1920
Australia win the Ashes at home for the first time but won’t win another series for 30 years. Sydney University join a nine-team competition but Annadale exit at end of season. Rugby League News (now Big League) is first published.

1921
St George enter the Sydney competition.

1922
North Sydney win the Premiership for the second year in succession, and for what turns out to be the last time in the club’s history. Queensland score their first win in an interstate Rugby League match following 22 defeats.

1923
Duncan Thompson, Norths' champion halfback and captain, is controversially suspended for kicking and never plays in Sydney again.

1924
The first radio broadcast of Rugby League expands the reach of the game. In Queensland, the Galloping Toowomba Clydesdales begin a two-year undefeated run of matches that would include a win against the English touring team of 1924. The Australian Rugby League Board of Control is established.

1925
Souths begin a brilliant run of seven Premierships in eight years.

1926
University reach the Premiership decider for the first and only time in the club’s short history.
1927 A record crowd of more than 56,000 sees NSW defeat Queensland 14–10 in the opening interstate match of the season.

1928
Sensational riot at Earl Park after a match between St George and Balmain. Easts play Souths in the first ever night match, held as part of a speedway program at the Sydney Showground. The tradition of an annual Combined Country versus City match is begun, Country winning 35-34 (previous contests between Country and Metropolis involved 'ad hoc' teams and sporadic timing of matches).

1929
Glebe are voted out of the competition.

THE 1930's:

1930
Wests win their first Premiership, against St George, in the first recognised Grand Final.

1931
Radio broadcasts are banned by the NSWRL in the belief that they are affecting crowd numbers.

1932
Australia defeat Great Britain 15–6 in a Test that becomes known as 'The Battle of Brisbane'.

1933
Centre Ray Morris dies en-route to England with the Kangaroos.

1934
Establishment of the Country Rugby League.

1935
Canterbury join the competition and lose 87–7 to Easts, with Dave Brown scoring 45 points.

1936
Easts dominate the competition, building their reputation as one of the greatest ever teams.

1937
The last Kangaroos team to tour before the war leaves for England.

1938
Canterbury win their first premiership, ending Easts’ hopes of four in a row.

1939
Queensland square the series with NSW, despite losing the first two games 50–15 and 54–13.

THE 1940's:

1940
NSWRL decides to play on during World War II, responding to the call of Prime Minister Menzies.

1941
St George win their first Premiership.

1942
A crowd stampedes from the hill to the members' area as Canterbury defeat St George on a wet Grand Final day.

1943
A war-weary nation flocks to the Rugby League finals series, with 60,992 attending the Grand Final, won by Newtown over Norths.

1944
"Newtown are accused of throwing the season final to force a Grand Final play-off and an extra gate - in any case Balmain have the last laugh, winning both matches and thus the Premiership. Claude Corbett, one of the game's pioneering journalists, dies. His stated principle 'was to encourage and not to knock'.

1945
Bumper Farrell of Newtown and Bill McRitchie from St George feature in the infamous 'ear bite' incident. Roosters legend Dick Dunn scores 19 points to beat Balmain 22-18 in the final and win the Premiership.

1946
The British Lions team, known as the 'Indomitables', tour Australia and are unbeaten in the Test series.

1947
Parramatta and Manly join the competition.

1948
The omission of Len Smith from the Kangaroo tour ranks as one of the greatest injustices in the game’s history.

1949
Johnny Hawke heroically leads St George to the club’s second Premiership.

THE 1950's:

1950
The nation rejoices as Australia win the Ashes against Great Britain for the first time in 30 years.

1951
French sensation Puig-Aubert and his team tour Australia, captivating crowds with the brilliance of their play.

1952
Wests down Souths in a hugely controversial Grand Final.

1953
Farcical tour of the American All Stars … but the crowds are huge.

1954
Referee Aub Oxford abandons a wild NSW v Great Britain match. Great Britain defeat France in the first World Cup. Compulsory Grand Finals introduced to the NSWRL Premiership.

1955
Souths win 11 games straight to take the Premiership. They are inspired by Clive Churchill who, despite a broken arm, lands a winning goal against Manly.

1956
St George secure their third Premiership to begin a history-making run of titles.

1957
The World Cup comes to Australia for the first time with the Kangaroos taking the trophy. Rugby League also comes to Australian television for the first time as Channel Nine broadcasts Balmain v Canterbury from Leichhardt Oval on April 27.

1958
A brilliant Great Britain team, inspired by Vince 'Wild Bull of the Pampas' Karalius, defeats Australia.

1959
St George go through the season undefeated, as Rugby League mourns the death of 'The Master' Dally Messenger.

THE 1960's:

1960
Keith Barnes boots one of the game’s greatest goals, from 59 metres out, to inspire Balmain to victory over St George in a Premiership match at Leichhardt Oval.

1961
Don Parish becomes the first fullback to score a try in a Rugby League Test, crossing as Australia lose 12-10 to New Zealand at Carlaw Park. St George become the first team to win six premierships in a row - and they keep 'marching in'.

1962
Ken Irvine takes advice from referee Darcy Lawler and lands a sideline goal to get Australia home in a sensational third Test win over Great Britain.

1963
Fairfax photographer John O'Gready captures his famous 'Gladiators' photo in the aftermath of a controversial St George v Wests Grand Final.

1964
Australia beat France in a series for the first time at home.

1965
A record Grand Final crowd of 78,056 crams in to the SCG to see St George win their 10th straight Premiership.

1966
St George claim a world record 11th consecutive Premiership.

1967
Introduction of four-tackle rule, the most significant rule change in the game's history, as Penrith and Cronulla-Sutherland join the competition.

1968
Cronulla halfback Terry Hughes wins the first Rothmans Medal.

1969
In a huge upset, Balmain slow the pace and steal the Grand Final from hot favourites Souths.

THE 1970's:

1970
John Sattler plays almost the entire Grand Final against Manly with a broken jaw.

1971
NSWRL introduces the six-tackle rule.

1972
Manly win their first premiership after 25 years.

1973
Death of NSWRL president W.G. Buckley sees Balmain’s Kevin Humphreys as the game's new leader.

1974
The televised night-time Amco Cup begins, producing a fairytale win for the team from Western Division, NSW.

1975
Easts, coached by Jack Gibson, defeat St George by a record 38-0 in the Grand Final - remembered, sadly, as the day the great Graeme 'Changa' Langlands wore white boots.

1976
Easts become first Premiership team to wear a sponsor's name on their jersey - City Ford.

1977
The game's first drawn first-grade Grand Final - St George v Parramatta. St George would score a runaway win in the Grand Final replay the following Saturday.

1978
Referee Greg 'Hollywood' Hartley is at the epicentre of a dramatic, fierce and controversial finals series. The Grand Final, this time between Manly and Cronulla, is drawn for the second year running and the replay a week later is another runaway result - to Manly.

1979
Australia smash Great Britain in a Test series at home to highlight a widening gap between the Rugby League powers.

THE 1980's:

1980
State of Origin football begins sensationally with Queensland winning the first game 20-10 at Lang Park.

1981
Parramatta, coached by Jack Gibson, win their long-awaited first Premiership in what will be Newtown's last ever first grade Grand Final.

1982
Winfield’s sponsorship of the NSWRL Premiership begins as Canberra and Illawarra join an expanded competition.

1983
Newtown withdraw from the competition at the end of the season while Kevin Humphreys resigns after the ABC’s Four Corners program 'The Big League' goes to air.

1984
Parramatta and Canterbury build a fierce rivalry that lasts through the ’80s - with Canterbury taking the Grand Final 6-4 to crush the Eels' hopes of a fourth straight title.

1985
A year of mixed emotions as 'The Little Master' Clive Churchill dies, and the NSW Blues win their first State of Origin series.

1986
Peter Sterling is the inaugural Clive Churchill Medallist, named the best player in the Grand Final that saw the Eels stop the Bulldogs from claiming a third successive Premiership.

1987
Manly win the last Grand Final at the SCG, beating Canberra. State of Origin football heads to the USA.

1988
Brisbane, Newcastle and the Gold Coast Giants join a 16-team competition.

1989
Tina Turner’s 'What You Get Is What You See' is the game's anthem in a wonderful year, highlighted by Canberra’s epic extra time Grand Final win over Balmain. The Giants become the Seagulls. The NSWRL adopts the international system of numbering forwards from the prop (No 8) down to the lock (13).

THE 1990's:

1990
Rugby League pushes the boundaries as State of Origin is played in Melbourne.

1991
Penrith win their first Premiership with retiring hooker Royce Simmons scoring two tries on a magic day.

1992
The Premiership trophy heads north as Brisbane take the Grand Final over St George 28-8.

1993
A crowd of 58,593 watches Brisbane and St George at ANZ Stadium, establishing a new record for a single regular season match. The Bulldogs and the Broncos play the first NSWRL Premiership game in New Zealand at Auckland's Carlaw Park. Canterbury win 20-10.

1994
After leading Canberra to the Premiership, Mal Meninga becomes the first player to captain two Kangaroo tours, leading Australian to a 2-1 Test series win over Great Britain. It is the last 'traditional' Kangaroo tour format.

1995
Auckland, North Queensland, the South Queensland Crushers and the Western Reds join a 20-team competition as the Super League war begins behind the scenes.

1996
As Federal Court orders maintain one competition, the ARL takes control of the Gold Coast, who are reborn as 'the Chargers'. Manly defeat St George 20-8 in the Grand Final while a Federal Court appeal later gives Super League the go-ahead for 1997.

1997
The Adelaide Rams and the Hunter Mariners join a 10-team 'Super League' competition. The ARL runs a 12-team competition. In a memorable ARL finale, Darren Albert scores with just six seconds on the clock to give Newcastle a stunning victory over Manly, while Brisbane beat Cronulla in the Super League decider. The Western Reds, the South Queensland Crushers and Hunter Mariners are the casualties as News Ltd and the ARL vote to end the Rugby League war.

1998
Melbourne join a 20-team united competition as the National Rugby League is formed to administer the Premiership. Canterbury achieve the “comeback of the century” to defeat Parramatta 32-20 in extra time but lose to Brisbane in the Grand Final. Adelaide and the Gold Coast exit at the end of the season, while the Dragons and Steelers merge to form St George Illawarra.

1999
St George Illawarra join a 16-team competition. The first joint venture team into a Grand Final, they lose to the Melbourne Storm courtesy of a penalty try in the dying moments. Souths exit the competition at the end of year. Norths and Manly announce a merger, as do Balmain and Wests.

2000 ONWARDS:

2000
The Wests Tigers and the Northern Eagles join a 14-team competition. Brisbane's Shane Webcke plays the Grand Final with a broken arm against the Roosters as the Broncos win the Premiership.

2001
Souths win their fight to be readmitted to the competition, while Manly take control of the Northern Eagles licence, effectively ending North Sydney's existence in the top grade. Allan Langer, playing for Warrington in the UK, makes a guest appearance for Queensland in Origin Three and snatches the series.

2002
South Sydney return to a 15-team competition. Canterbury breach the salary cap and are stripped of 37 of their 41 competition points as the Roosters go on to win their first Premiership in 27 years.

2003
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles return to the premiership in their own right. The Kangaroos come back from the dead in three successive Tests against Great Britain in a series that revives the international game. Penrith’s Scott Sattler makes an unforgettable tackle as the Panthers stun the Roosters in the Grand Final.

2004
Shaun Timmins’ extra time field goal for the NSW Blues wins State of Origin's first golden-point shoot-out.

2005
Andrew 'Joey' Johns returns from representative football retirement to inspire NSW to victory in the State of Origin series, while the Wests Tigers become the first joint venture team to win a Grand Final, beating the Cowboys. The Gold Coast Titans are announced as a new franchise to join the NRL in 2007.

2006
Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court buy South Sydney. State of Origin sells out Melbourne's Telstra Dome while Darren Lockyer captains Brisbane to a Premiership, Queensland to Origin success and Australia to a Tri Nations series win.

2007
Gold Coast Titans enter the premiership.

• No limit on number of tackles a team can retain possession.
  .
• Scrum formations not regulated (no loose-head rule, numbers in each row not specified, ball permitted to come out from anywhere behind front row). Front rows bind against each other before subsequent rows pack behind.
  .
• Play-the-ball: provided they are onside (no minimum distance specified) all players in vicinity permitted to kick or rake for the ball in any direction.
  .
• Attacking team (the team in the opposition’s half of the field) to put ball into the scrum.
  .
• Scrum feed method unrestricted (spinning and bouncing the ball not illegal).
  .
• Penalty options: drop, place or punt kicks only.
  .
• ‘Fair catch’ rule: catching the ball on the full from an opponent’s kick, knock-on or forward pass earns a ‘free kick’ (can drop or place-kick for goal; ‘tap’ impractical).
  .
• All goals valued at two points. Penalty goals and ‘free kicks’ permitted to be either placed or drop-kicked for goal. All conversions to be place-kicked. ‘Soccer-style’ field goals (kicking a loose or bouncing ball from the ground over the cross-bar on the full) permitted.
  .
• Kicking to touch from penalty results in a scrum (feed given to attacking team).
  .
• Defenders permitted to stand on the ‘mark’ at a penalty or ‘fair catch’. The subsequent kick must go beyond the ‘mark’ for play to continue (‘tap’ impractical).
  .
• Restart of play after unconverted try: drop-kick from inside halfway (ball must cross halfway).
  .
• Kickoff or drop-out crosses touchline on the full: recalled for a scrum (opposing team to feed).
  .
• Restart of play after defending team makes ball dead after carrying, kicking or passing ball into own in-goal: five-yard scrum, with attacking team to feed.
  .
• Restart of play after defender makes ball dead in own in-goal (where opponent kicked or carried ball across the goal-line): 25-yard line drop-out.
  .
• All other significant rules are essentially as per today’s playing laws.

Note on Replacements: A local rule operated in NSW between 1908 and 1925 whereby a replacement player was allowed for an injured player. From 1925 to 1963, no replacements were allowed.

1909:
Maximum of three forwards in front row of the scrum; other rows remain unrestricted.

1920:
Scrum half required to roll ball into scrum.

1922:
Goal from ‘fair catch/mark’ and soccer-style ‘field goal’ abolished.

1925:
A second football provided at the touch-line to eliminate delays during all first-class matches.

1926:
Goal-line drop-out (instead of from the 25-yard line) after defender makes ball dead; play-the-ball modernised - only marker and man playing the ball to be involved in contest for the ball, and marker to keep both feet on ground until ball is dropped or placed.

1930:
Defending halfback to feed scrums, with attacking side having the loose-head; ‘3-2-1’ scrum formation made mandatory.

1932:
Hooker must have both arms over props (loose-arm rule); penalty extended to include optional scrum (instead of ‘free kick’).

1948:
Front rows cannot pack against each other until ordered by referee.

1951:
Five-yard ruck rule introduced (for one season only); previously there had been a ‘no-yard’ ruck rule.

1952:
No-yard ruck rule reinstated; dummy-half and second-marker to stand one yard behind the two men at the play-the-ball.

1954:
Tap penalty introduced, with offending team to retire 10 yards.

1956:
Three-yard ruck rule, with no minimum distance for dummy-half and second-marker.

1959:
Abolition of tap penalty.

1961:
Dummy-half caught with ball resulted in a scrum.

1963:
Reinstatement of unrestricted dummy-half runs; ball from scrum to come out from behind the second-rowers; non-offending team given feed and loose-head for scrum from penalties (including after kick to touch); teams can replace a maximum of two injured players up to and including halftime.

1964:
Scrums minimum of 10 yards from goal-line; place kickoff from halfway line to restart play after unconverted try; penalty at halfway if kickoff out on the full.

1966:
Five-yard ruck rule implemented.

1967:
Four-tackle rule replaced unlimited tackles; tap penalty reintroduced; scrum replaced by tap kick for restart after penalty kick into touch.

1968:
Restart after attacking team makes ball dead: 25-yard optional kick.

1969:
Front row to pack ‘square’ in the scrums.

1970:
Two replacements for injured players allowed at any time during a game, provided those replacements had played at least half of a lower-grade game.

1971:
Value of field goal reduced from two points to one, and six-tackle rule introduced.

1981:
‘Sin-bin’ and differential scrum penalty introduced; four replacements allowed.

1982:
Scrum feed and loose-head given to non-offending team.

1983:
Value of try increased to four points; handover after sixth tackle if caught in possession.

1986:
Twenty-metre restart when ball caught on full in in-goal.

1987:
‘Head-bin’ introduced (players suffering minor head injuries allowed to return to the field of play after 10 minutes without affecting team’s quota of replacements).

1988:
Two fresh reserves allowed.

1990:
In-goal touch judges used in finals series.

1991:
Interchange rule introduced, allowing four players (two of whom could be fresh reserves and two of whom must have played half a game in the preceding Reserve Grade or President’s Cup) unlimited interchanges throughout a match. This rule was brought in primarily to cut down the risk of the spread of blood-borne diseases. By April an angry public reaction forced a modification which provided for a maximum of four players to be available for a total of six interchanges in a match. Players sent to the ‘blood-bin’ did not count among these six interchanges.

1993:
Ten-metre rule introduced mid-season.

1996:
Unlimited interchange reintroduced.

1997:
Striking in the play-the-ball banned; no minimum distance for attacking team behind dummy-half; ‘40/20’ rule introduced; new guidelines introduced to combat ‘dangerous throws’.

1998:
‘Zero tackle’ introduced; video referee introduced.

2001:
Limited interchange rule reintroduced allowing four replacements and a maximum of 12 interchanges.

2003:
The Golden Point introduced to decide drawn games

2004:
Attacking player held up in-goal: play-the-ball 10 metres from goal-line.

2006:
Tap from penalty kick to be taken 20 metres infield