The title of this profound talk “Stories of PNG Rugby League-How PNG entered the NRL for 2028”. Patrick is joined by guest speakers Ponabe Yuwa (Consul General of PNG NSW) and NRL journalist Brad Walter. Available now through YouTube.
Tom Brock Awards 2025-2026
Tom Brock Scholar for 2025-2026 is Joanne Lester . Project – The Tries That Bind Us: Australia and Papua New Guinea as Rugby League Neighbours Further information
The Wes Smythe Award for a Community and Rugby League Project 2025-2026 is Samuel Guthrie/Central West Libraries. Project: – Will recover the hidden history of the Mandurama Reds and, through them, tell a wider story about community,memory, and change in rural Australia. Further information
The 26th Annual Tom Brock Lecture: Stories of PNG Rugby League, 1 September 2025
This year’s Tom Brock Lecture will be held at Petersham RSL from 6:30pm on Monday, 1 September 2025. Details including registration.
The Tom Brock Bequest Scholarships 2025-2026
Applications are now open for the 2025-26 Tom Brock and Wes Smythe scholarships. These scholarships help to advance the serious study of rugby league. See the following pages for more information:
Applications for both awards will close Monday 9 June 2025.
The 25th Annual Tom Brock Lecture: A Tribute to Ian Heads
The 25th annual Tom Brock Lecture will be held at Petersham RSL , Sydney on Wednesday 11 September 2024 at 6pm. Panel – Phillip Heads, Geoff Armstrong, David Middleton and John Smailes. Further information including free registration.
Tom Brock Scholarship 2024-2005
A scholarship will be offered during the financial year, 1 July 2024 to 30 June 2025, to the value of $3000. The objective will be to encourage new research on rugby league and its relationship to other sports. Preference will be given to a postgraduate student or a beginning researcher who has not yet established a track record in sports history research. Details. Applications close 28 June 2024.
24th Annual Tom Brock Lecture!
Our lecture this year takes place on Tuesday 12 September, 6:00 for 6:30pm. It takes the form of a panel discussion: ‘Whither Bush Footy? Country rugby league in the 21st century’
Our panellists are Matt Parish, Karen Stuart and Geoff Mann.
Australian Society for Sports History 