rlno1 Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Does anyone recall this RL show from the mid 80's? If so do you recall how many seasons it ran for, length, what games it covered and if it was a weekly show? Cheers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POR Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marklaspalmas Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 45 minutes ago, rlno1 said: Does anyone recall this RL show from the mid 80's? If so do you recall how many seasons it ran for, length, what games it covered and if it was a weekly show? Cheers RL Action was on YTV when the pubs shut on a Friday, about 11.30 at night. One game was switched to a Friday evening kick off to allow them to broadcast what I remember as extended highlights. It wasn't every week by any means but may have been 15 matches a year from a 30 game schedule. Keith Macklin was the commentator. I remember it around 1982 to 1985. It may have started before or finished later. 3 https://www.fevarchive.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marklaspalmas Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Around the same time Granada TV used to a midday Saturday afternoon game live. I'm pretty sure that wasn't available in Yorkshire..... https://www.fevarchive.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Griff Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 I'm pretty sure the first game was Hull KR v Australia, 1982 Kangaroo tour. It carried on until at least 1990. "We'll sell you a seat .... but you'll only need the edge of it!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
POR Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 The inspirationally titled “Rugby League” began in March 1981 in the last slot before midnight on Mondays, with a jazz funk theme tune and Bob Hall presenting in front of a green screen backdrop in a Leeds studio The show was only broadcast in ITV’s northern regions and was not even on every week. Things improved in 1981, when ITV’s show returned under a new name – RL Action – Richard Madeley. and commentator kieth Macklin It started on a sunday but Madeley packed in when moved to friday and was replaced by Elton Welsby.” It stopped end of 84 season to be replaced 1987 with a Match of the Day-style programme called Scrumdown. (Yorkshire) and Rugby League Live (Granada) which finished in 92 Funny thing he RFL had plans to broadcast the show in the US, Italy and Spain, but in the end it only went out in the north of England and Scotland. What's even funnier was offered to all ITV regions but most preferred to show Prisoner Cell Block H. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingerjon Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 3 hours ago, marklaspalmas said: Around the same time Granada TV used to a midday Saturday afternoon game live. I'm pretty sure that wasn't available in Yorkshire..... And, rather like everything else, it wasn't every week either. Build a man a fire, and he'll be warm for a day. Set a man on fire, and he'll be warm for the rest of his life. (Terry Pratchett) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dixiedean Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Here's an article which answers the OP questions. https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/sport/no-helmets-required/2020/may/27/short-history-rugby-league-tv-richard-madeley-multiple-screens 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gomersall Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Programme. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Gordon Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 For a short time, we also had Aussie RL Action in the mid-80s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marklaspalmas Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 37 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said: For a short time, we also had Aussie RL Action in the mid-80s. I don't remember that at all. We used to rent NSWRL matches, imported by macron, from a video club on Station Lane in Featherstone 1 https://www.fevarchive.co.uk/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padge Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 3 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said: I don't remember that at all. We used to rent NSWRL matches, imported by macron, from a video club on Station Lane in Featherstone The Aussies weren't happy about it and tried to put a stop to it. Visit my photography site www.padge.smugmug.com Radio 5 Live: Saturday 14 April 2007 Dave Whelan "In Wigan rugby will always be king" This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Archie Gordon Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 2 minutes ago, marklaspalmas said: I don't remember that at all. We used to rent NSWRL matches, imported by macron, from a video club on Station Lane in Featherstone I remember macron videos getting passed around. The TV programme turns out to be 'Australian RL Action' and it seems to have been on for the 1985 play-offs only. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szymala Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 6 minutes ago, Padge said: The Aussies weren't happy about it and tried to put a stop to it. Who did these people think they were wanting to actually watch rugby league ? Us viewers of the Micron tapes were like a secret society. With RLW to read, too. 'Have you seen Illawarra-Souths ? Swap it for the Sharks-Eels game before it has to go back.' Happy times. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roughyed8 Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 53 minutes ago, Archie Gordon said: For a short time, we also had Aussie RL Action in the mid-80s. I have a recolection of Aussie RL on tv in the late 60s/early 70s when there was the Brit invasion with Mal Reilly, Phil Lowe etc. Also i think Granada's RL Live stopped in 91 when ITV got the Union world cup who Insisted no other rugby could be shown during their tournament. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Padge Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 3 minutes ago, Szymala said: Who did these people think they were wanting to actually watch rugby league ? Us viewers of the Micron tapes were like a secret society. With RLW to read, too. 'Have you seen Illawarra-Souths ? Swap it for the Sharks-Eels game before it has to go back.' Happy times. Micron was (is) a Wigan company who started by being involved in producing club match videos, they then saw there was a market for these videos, pubs and clubs used to get packed when the previous weekends match was released and they showed it. They eventually started importing Aussie videos. 1 Visit my photography site www.padge.smugmug.com Radio 5 Live: Saturday 14 April 2007 Dave Whelan "In Wigan rugby will always be king" This country's wealth was created by men in overalls, it was destroyed by men in suits. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Szymala Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 It was a great time. When the fabulous 1982 Kangaroos came here most fans had barely heard of promising youngsters like Lewis, Kenny, Sterling, Meninga, Miles, Pearce when they arrived. Household names by the time they departed for France. Four years later, anyone here with an ounce of RL knowledge knew all about those returning legends (Pearce was cruelly ruled out with an injury and we never saw him again) plus newcomers like Jack, Belcher, Shearer, O'Connor, Lindner, Cleal, Roach etc. It was scarcely believable that one nation could bring three stand-offs of the calibre of Kenny, Lewis and Terry Lamb on one tour. They solved it by moving Kenny to centre and Lamb was on the 2-man sub's bench. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Halfpenny fan Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 3 hours ago, Archie Gordon said: For a short time, we also had Aussie RL Action in the mid-80s. I remember this, pretty sure it was on Channel 4. Just because you think everyone hates you doesn't mean they don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Poster Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 3 minutes ago, Jill Halfpenny fan said: I remember this, pretty sure it was on Channel 4. Maybe you are thinking of 'Trans World Sport' (means something totally different nowadays eh?) That was on C4 and used to feature quite a bit of Aussie RL. And I'm possibly going even more senile than I thought but I seem to remember it being voiced over by David 'Kid' Jensen?? Can't imagine Richard Partridge fronting an RL programme now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Futtocks Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 5 hours ago, POR said: The inspirationally titled “Rugby League” began in March 1981 in the last slot before midnight on Mondays, with a jazz funk theme tune and Bob Hall presenting in front of a green screen backdrop in a Leeds studio The show was only broadcast in ITV’s northern regions and was not even on every week. Things improved in 1981, when ITV’s show returned under a new name – RL Action – Richard Madeley. and commentator kieth Macklin It started on a sunday but Madeley packed in when moved to friday and was replaced by Elton Welsby.” It stopped end of 84 season to be replaced 1987 with a Match of the Day-style programme called Scrumdown. (Yorkshire) and Rugby League Live (Granada) which finished in 92 Funny thing he RFL had plans to broadcast the show in the US, Italy and Spain, but in the end it only went out in the north of England and Scotland. What's even funnier was offered to all ITV regions but most preferred to show Prisoner Cell Block H. One of the few times that Elton Welsby could be considered an upgrade. Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted. Ralph Waldo Emerson Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jill Halfpenny fan Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 50 minutes ago, The Masked Poster said: Maybe you are thinking of 'Trans World Sport' (means something totally different nowadays eh?) That was on C4 and used to feature quite a bit of Aussie RL. And I'm possibly going even more senile than I thought but I seem to remember it being voiced over by David 'Kid' Jensen?? Can't imagine Richard Partridge fronting an RL programme now. No, it was pure Australian rugby league, it lasted about four weeks showing games from their play offs. 1 1 Just because you think everyone hates you doesn't mean they don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wasginger Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 Screensport used to show French Rugby League in the 80's. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz39 Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 11 minutes ago, wasginger said: Screensport used to show French Rugby League in the 80's. I remember when my Grandparents got Sky right in the early days and going round watching French RL, usually Carcassonne or XIII Catalan on Screensport, it seemed so cosmopolitan, pretty sure Keith Macklin was either on commentary or presenting 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirteenthman Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 C4 showed an hour of highlights of the Aussie GF in 1983, some 8 days after the game had been played. 8pm on a Monday evening. According to the Tv Times it was the first time the game had been seen on Tv in this country. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Magic Rat Posted February 25, 2023 Share Posted February 25, 2023 (edited) I used to love renting the macron? Videos in the late 80's early 90's. There was always a waiting list for the weekly matches and not only was it a golden era is Aussie greats but it was great to see how the Brits were getting on in our off season. Andy Greg at Illawara, Handley, Edwards and Currier at Balmain. Lydon at Easts?, Schofield and Crooks I think at West's and Kevin Ward at Manly.. Great times. I remember the live matches on itv, didn't Clive Tyldesley do the commentary. I think Tamati was the coach of Salford at the time, and they were playing an attractive style of play. Scrumdown was A good watch on a Sunday night after the pubs had closed. John Helm and David Watkins were presenters I think. Happy days Edited February 25, 2023 by The Magic Rat 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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