Big League is the official magazine of the National Rugby League and that of the NRL's forerunners, the New South Wales Rugby League and Australian Rugby League competitions. Its predecessor, The Rugby League News, was first published in 1920; in 1974 it was rebadged as Big League.
It also serves as a game-day program, containing team line-ups and stats. It goes on sale every Thursday at newsagents and exclusively at all active NRL grounds at weekends. With every issue there is also a copy of "Little League", a 16-page mini-magazine aimed at pre-teen league fans and packed with puzzles, competitions and player profiles. Since 2005 it has been published by News Magazines; previously it had been published by Text Magazines and Pacific Magazines.
Publications:
- A5-sized Season Guide
- Season Preview
- 30 weekly issues
- 100-page Grand Final Souvenir
- Year In Review issue
- State of Origin and Test souvenir programs
- Official Rugby League Annual (228 pages)
The editor is Tony Webeck and the sub-editor is Fiona Bollen. Staff writers are Matt Encarnacion, Tim Matchett, and Maria Tsialis. Big League is designed by Craig Loughlin-Smith, who has been with the title since 1999, as well as designer Joanna Levadetes.
Famous quotes containing the words big and/or league:
“... my mother ... piled up her hair and went out to teach in a one-room school, mountain children little and big alike. The first day, some fathers came along to see if she could whip their children, some who were older than she. She told the children that she did intend to whip them if they became unruly and refused to learn, and invited the fathers to stay if they liked and she’d be able to whip them too. Having been thus tried out, she was a great success with them after that.”
—Eudora Welty (b. 1909)
“We’re the victims of a disease called social prejudice, my child. These dear ladies of the law and order league are scouring out the dregs of the town. C’mon be a glorified wreck like me.”
—Dudley Nichols (1895–1960)