Sean Fagan - Rugby League Historian and Author

Media Information

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com is available for media interview and editorial, quotes and/or feature articles or research relating to any aspect of rugby league history, 19th century football codes, the cross-code football debate (past, present and future) and topical issues for your magazine, newspaper, radio program, website, or television show.

To contact Sean by email about your media request, send your inquiry to SF@RL1908.com.au

For an immediate response, telephone Sean on 0431 925 832.

Correspondence can be faxed to 8587 0046
or posted to: RL1908 PO Box 168 Kellyville NSW 2155

Newspapers and Magazines

Sean has written articles for newspapers and magazines including Inside Sport, Big League, Rugby League Week, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Sunday Telegraph, The Sun-Herald, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier-Mail (Brisbane), Rugby League Express, Rugby League Review, The Northern Star (Lismore), The Canberra Times, Central Western Daily (Orange, NSW), and State of Origin and Test match programmes (in Australia & England). He has also been interviewed and quoted by newspaper journalists in Australia, New Zealand, England, Wales, Canada and the USA.

Television Interviews

Sean has conducted in-studio television interviews (live-to air and pre-recorded), including NRL/Ch.9's documentary & 4-dvd set "A Century of Rugby League", "Centenary of Rugby League" website (sample: Kangaroos' war cry history), ABC's "Offsiders" with Barrie Cassidy & panel [Offsiders interview - starts at 14m:30s mark], Sky News "Sportsline" (with Craig Norenbergs) and "Beneath the Maori Moon" documentary series.

Radio Interviews

Sean has appeared on numerous radio programs across Australia and New Zealand, including with Chris Smith (2GB), John Stanley (2UE), Tim Webster (2UE), Deborah Cameron (ABC 2BL breakfast), Mick O'Regan (ABC "Sports Factor"), Tony Delroy (ABC), David Morrow & Warren Ryan (ABC Grandstand), John Gibbs & Greg Alexander (2UE), Richard Glover (2BL), Peter Peters & Greg Hartley (2KY), Joe Gelonesi (ABC Classic-FM), Peter Pslatis (4BC), Talkin' Sport with Graeme Hughes (2SM) and Brendan Telfer (Radio Sport NZ).

Web

Sean has written rugby league history articles and content for the web sites of the NRL, ARL & RLWC 2008 as well as the official club sites for Manly Sea Eagles, Sydney Roosters, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Melbourne Storm, as well as for the film "The Final Winter", the documentary "South Side Story", the USA NRL, and ABC's news opinion website "Unleashed".

Books

Sean is the author of The Rugby Rebellion (original edition & "Centenary Edition") and The Master: The Life and Times of Dally Messenger (details here). Contributor to other books, including League of Legends.

Research, Quotes, Content Writing & Media Releases

- Centenary Round Street Posters -

- Legends Genuine Memorabilia -

Sean has provided information, quotes, interviews and prepared content for the use of journalists at Australian and New Zealand daily newspapers & AAP, the NRL, sports magazines (incl. Big League, Rugby League Week, Inside Sport & Sport & Style), sporting organisations (incl. South Sydney Rabbitohs, Sydney Roosters, Melbourne Storm), the ARL Centenary Committee (including Centenary Round team posters & "street posters - see right), National Sports Museum, ARL "Team of the Century" announcement, National Museum of Australia (League of Legends), the SCG Trust, Classic Sportswear, Legends Genuine Memorabilia (including writing the history for club jerseys artworks - see right), and other promotional content.

He was also consultant historian for 2008 documentaries: "A Century of Rugby League" 4-disc dvd and "The Spirit of Australian Sport - Rugby League" (History Channel).

Recent & Current Activities...
[Note - all publications/events etc. are subject to late changes by the publisher/organisation]

16 June 2010 - quoted in *The Daily Telegraph* on the NSW Blues facing the loss of their fifth series in a row (link).
16 June 2010 - interviewed on ABC Radio (various stations in NSW & Perth) re State of Origin history. Read ABC North Coast (NSW) article here.
14 June 2010 - feature article in the *State of Origin - Game II - Match Program* magazine on 30 Years of Origin. On sale at the ground and newsagents.
13 June 2010 - column piece in The Sun-Herald on what NRL converts to AFL will find in playing "the mum-friendly game" - the AFL should have poached rules and rugby posts instead (link).
12 June 2010 - written the Foreword to "*Best in the Northern Union*" by Tom Mathers - book revealing the story of the rugby league Lions first tour to Australia and New Zealand in 1910. (link).
3 June 2010 - quoted in The Northern TImes (link) on examples from history of cross-code issues (as covered in The Sun-Herald on 9 May) and how they relate to the NRL today.
1 June 2010 - interviewed on "Sports Today" by Peter Psaltis on 4BC Brisbane re the history and evolution of rule changes and points scoring values in rugby league.
26 May 2010 - interview on ABC Radio Gold Coast with Nicole Dyer on State of Origin history, inter-colonial rugby, and the origin of the state jersey colours and nicknames.
26 May 2010 - interview on MIX-FM Canberra with "Cam & Lisa" on the origins of the state jersey colours of NSW sky blue and Queensland maroon (related history link).
20 May 2010 - article in June edition of *Inside Sport* magazine on the changing role of rugby union in the GPS schools (past, present and future) and the reasons rugby league was rejected in the 1920s:Rugger Gets Serious
16 May 2010 - interview on ABC Radio 'Grandstand' with Warren Ryan and Craig Hamilton on whether rugby league needs to concern itself with growth of other football codes in Australia.
14 May 2010 - features in *Big League* in conjunction with NRL Heritage round, looking at the rivalries between Manly/Parramatta, Wests-Balmain/Souths & St George-Illawarra/Canterbury.
9 May 2010 - column piece in The Sun-Herald on historical examples that show the need for the NRL to act on the concerns surrounding the salary cap (link).
7 May 2010 - feature articles in the Test Match programme on the history of rugby league in Melbourne (since 1914) and Victorian-based Kangaroos & Kiwis (since 1998) - on sale at the ground only or from Big League office.
6 May 2010 - appearing in "Beneath the Maori Moon" documentary series on Maori Television (NZ), talking about early Maori players and teams in Australia in both rugby codes.
27 April 2010 - interviewed on "Sports Today" by Peter Psaltis on 4BC Brisbane re the history of rugby league's founding and early years in Australia.
23 April 2010 - interviewed on numerous radio stations throughout Australia re the implications of the Storm salary cap scandal on the game, including ABC 2BL Sydney's "Mornings with Deborah Cameron".
22 April 2010 - provided comments to Andrew Webster in The Daily Telegraph re the history of rugby league in the AIF during World War One (link).
18 April 2010 - quote from interview with Darren Lockyer included in The Sunday Telegraph article on whether Super League Tests should be recognised by the ARL, allowing Lockyer to equal Ruben Wiki's world record: ARL ruins Lockyer's big Day.
11 April 2010 - quoted in The Sun-Herald re the 100 year anniversary of the Lions first tour of Australia, and the ARL's decision to not schedule in Sydney the Four Nations game between England and Australia (link).
29 March 2010 - interviewed by Steve Mascord for BackPageLead on history of Good Friday games and the decision to play the Storm-Dragons in Melbourne in the face of community criticism (link).
28 March 2010 - column piece in The Sun-Herald on the AFL's attempts to make historical connections to Sydney west - fact or fiction? (link).