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:
“That big gun in your hand makes you look grown up—you think! I’ll bet you spend hours posing in front of a mirror holding it, trying to look tough!... You scum!”
—Richard Brooks (1912–1992)
“He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no harm shall touch you. In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes. At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the wild animals of the earth. For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the wild animals shall be at peace with you.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Job 5:19-23.