Join us for a conversation about the history of rugby league with Sia Soliola and Katrina Fanning, and facilitated by Tim Gavel. This panel event will look at some of the changes and big milestones which have happened in professional rugby league over the last 30 years.
Rugby league has always been a sport which has rapidly changed as society has changed. One of the periods which saw a massive transformation of the code was the game’s expansion in the 1990s beyond its strongholds in Sydney and Brisbane to becoming a national code. It was also a period that the game became more inclusive with the emergence of women’s rugby league.
Entry is free to this event but bookings are essential.
The talk will be available to view live online via the Library's Facebook and YouTube pages. You do not need to book a ticket to watch the event online.
This event is presented in association with the Tom Brock Bequest and the Grit & Gold: Tales from a Sporting Nation exhibition.
About Sia Soliola
Throughout his stellar rugby league career, Sia Soliola played a combined total of 336 matches across the NRL and Super League, with 137 of those matches for the Canberra Raiders over 7 seasons. Soliola made his NRL debut for the Roosters in 2005. He arrived in Canberra in 2015 as part of a club rebuild under Coach Ricky Stuart after 5 years playing for St Helens in the Super League in England. His influence was immediate, and his contributions helped the club achieve some wonderful successes in his time in green, including winning the Meninga Medal in his first season and helping the Raiders make their first preliminary final in over two decades in 2016.
About Katrina Fanning
For over 25 years, Wiradjuri woman Katrina Fanning has lived and breathed rugby league. Following a successful career as a player, she was appointed manager of the Indigenous Women’s All Stars team, Chairperson of the Australian Rugby League Indigenous Council, and President of the Canberra and Australian Women’s Rugby League Associations.
About Tim Gavel
As a sports commentator with ABC Grandstand for over 30 years, Tim Gavel has called a range of sports including NRL, Super Rugby, Wallabies, Rowing World Cups, Rugby World Cups, Socceroos, Matildas, Opals, Boomers, WNBL, NBL, International Netball, Men’s and Women’s One Day International cricket, Big Bash, World Volleyball League for Fox Sports, Rowing World Cup and National Championships for Fox Sports and the 2000 Paralympics.
Image: New South Wales Rugby Football League, By laws and rules together with laws of the game, 1908, nla.obj-52863578
Type
Special event
