Everything Rugby League - The Podcast

In this episode, Sophie Curtain opens up about her journey in women’s rugby league — from grassroots beginnings to the big stage. With grit, passion, and a few bruises along the way, she shares the highs, the hits, and the heart behind her game. A must-listen for fans of the women’s game and anyone who loves a good comeback story.

What’s next for rugby league on the world stage? We go straight to the top.In this high-stakes episode, IRL Chair Troy Grant joins Everything Rugby League – The Podcast to reveal the bold blueprint for global expansion. From breaking into new markets to overhauling the international calendar and tackling World Cup controversy, nothing is off-limits.It’s fast-paced, honest, and packed with insight. If you care about the future of the international game, this is one you can’t miss.

In this weekend episode, we sit down with Martyn Sadler – the influential editor of League Express and one of the sport's most respected voices. From the Super League's evolving structure to the global growth of the international game, Martyn shares his insights, criticisms, and hopes for rugby league's future. A must-listen for fans passionate about where the game is headed.Link to subscribe to League Express magazine - https://pocketmags.com/au/league-express-magazine

In this episode, we sit down with James Sullivan – winner of the Toyota National Volunteer of the Year – to talk all things Western Australia Bears. A passionate advocate for rugby league in WA and a familiar voice across SportFM, TABradio, and SEN WA, James shares his insights on the historic inclusion of the WA Bears into the NRL. We explore what this means for the game's future, the role of community volunteers, and why expansion west is more than just a strategic move — it’s a grassroots revolution.

In this episode, we’re joined by Bolu Fagborun — head coach of the Nigerian women’s rugby league team, the Green Falcons. Bolu shares his incredible journey, the challenges and triumphs of building a new powerhouse in African rugby league, and the preparations underway for the inaugural Women’s World Series in Canada. From grassroots passion to global ambition, this conversation highlights how rugby league is changing lives in Nigeria and beyond. Tune in for insights, inspiration, and a look at the exciting future of the women’s game!

In this episode, we sit down with Arnaldo Telo — the driving force behind rugby league’s emergence in Albania. Arnaldo shares the incredible story of how he introduced the sport to a country with no rugby league history, the challenges he’s faced, and the dreams he has for the future of the game in the Balkans. From grassroots efforts to building a national team, Arnaldo’s passion and determination shine through. Whether you're a die-hard rugby league fan or just love hearing about sporting pioneers, this is an interview you won’t want to miss.

Rugby league journalist Phil Caplan joins the show for a deep dive into the state of international rugby league. We tackle the big questions: Should the NRL buy Super League? What really happened with the Toronto Wolfpack? Plus, we unpack Salford’s uncertain future, the challenges facing rugby league journalism, and where the sport goes from here. It’s a wide-ranging chat about league’s global ambitions, growing pains, and what needs to change.

We’re joined by Jason Lassey, the mind behind Sports Industry AU. With deep expertise in the numbers that drive Australian sport—broadcasting, sponsorship, attendance, and membership—Jason breaks down where Rugby League truly stands in the broader sporting landscape of Australia.

Robert Tuliatu is a Greek RL International.In a captivating chat, Robert took us through his rugby league career playing in places like Las Vegas, South Africa and Albania for teams including the London Broncos, London Skolars, Wast Wales Raiders, Avignon XIII, Cessnock Goanna’s, Asquith Magpies, Newcastle Thunder, Athen Raiders and the Australian Universities RL team.On top of traveling the world playing Rugby League, Robert is a qualified lawyer, with a double degree in law and an Arts double major in Philosophy and Ancient History (crazy, we know!). We managed to catch up with him just before he goes off the grid to travel deep into the heart of the amazon for a few weeks.To learn more about Planet Coordinate or subscribe to their great newsletter, go to https://www.planetcoordinate.com/

Steve Mascord has spent decades traveling the world, immersing himself in international rugby league. Few, if any, possess a deeper understanding of the game at the global level than Steve. In this exclusive interview, Steve shares his insights on the potential acquisition of Super League by the NRL, offers his thoughts on the future of Super League, discusses whether Papua New Guinea (PNG) can thrive in the NRL, and reflects on the broader landscape of international rugby league.Link to Steve's Patrion page: https://www.patreon.com/rugbyleaguelongreadsLink to Steve's merchandise page: https://haroldhoarder.com.au/

Rob Ashton is the Director of rugby at the Bedford Tigers club, a real rugby league outpost with aspirations to join Championship One.He gives us his genuine thoughts on what we need to do as a game and is an open minded and innovate thinker. Rob is also the Head Coach of Cambridge University rugby league team and if that’s not enough, he’s also taken on the task of developing women’s rugby league in ScotlandRob also gives us his thoughts on international rugby league and some ideas on how we can improve it. We hope you enjoy.

Andrew Charles is a true unsung hero of international rugby league. He is the head coach of Chile and also played a pivotal role in establishing rugby league in Thailand. Additionally, he was one of the trailblazers behind the creation of the Jillaroos. People like Andrew are the driving force of rugby league, usually dedicating themselves to the sport out of sheer passion. We hope you enjoy this episode.

Part two of the expansionist forum. Special guest Fonzie joins Stuart and Keith to discuss the following questions:Is the NRL running international rugby league a good thing?Should the NZRL be absorbed?What are the NRL’s plans for international rugby league?What does a 10 team world cup mean for the game?What countries does it make most sense for the IRL to focus on?The future of Tonga and SamoaWhat effect will a shortened NRL season have on international rugby league?What effect will a shortened NRL season have on the Super League?Rugby League in the northern hemisphereRugby League in the southern hemisphere

Featuring special guest Fonzie, of This Warriors Life fame. This special episode is a forum which discusses all things NRL and Super League, from an expansionists point of view. The guys delve deep into the following questions:Should PNG be included in the NRL?Where should NRL teams 18, 19 and 20 be based?Are we in the golden age of the NRL? Is Rugby League the biggest sport in Australia or does this tag belong to AFL?Have we reached the ceiling for State of Origin and should we allow Kiwis and Englishmen to play if they resided in the state before the age of 13?Will we see more players who are ineligible for State of Origin coming through the NRL? (due to non-NSW and QLD teams)The state of the game in EnglandShould the NRL buy the Super league?Viewers can listen to This Warriors Life at https://open.spotify.com/show/6NoKh6jPYu2XDysZVheqFM

Interview with Ireland and Bradford prop Ronan Michael. Ronan is a young Irish forward who is signed to Bradford in 2025. He is quite possibly the most fun rugby league player we've come across. His love and enthusiasm for the game is infectious. We hope you smile as much as we did when listening to this interview.

Interview with Netherlands Coach and GM of Rochdale Hornets - Matt Rigby

Mark Graham is New Zealand rugby league's player of the century. He is also a former coach of the New Zealand Warriors and an NRL Hall of Fame inductee.Also joining us in the lead up to the release of the film Sharko is Luke Graham. Luke is an incredibly gifted film maker and Mark's son.More information about the film can be found at SHARKO | Documentary

Jovan Vujosevic is the Regional Director for Europe at the European Rugby League. In this interview, we talk about how he came to love rugby league, which European countries are showing the most promise, Stu's mandatory food question and many more topics.

We sat down with North Queensland Recruitment Manager to talk about his roles with Jamaica Rugby League, Vanuatu Rugby League, Pacifique Treize and life as the recruitment manager for an NRL club. Link to donate towards the London Broncos cause: https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/save-london-broncos

This is the one you've been waiting for, the in-depth interview with Danny Kazandijan, talking all things International Rugby League (IRL), straight from the horse's mouth. We tackle issues such as the reduction of teams in the World Cup, the future of the game, which countries look the most promising, and many more topics.