Tom Brock Bequest Committee

18/09/2025

Tracey Lee Holmes holds the rare distinction of being not only a Tom Brock Lecturer, but a Tom Brock Scholar as well!
And these are the least of Tracey’s many accomplishments in sport and media.
Tracey has just released her memoir, The Eye of the Dragonfly.
The Newtown Review of Books carries a fabulous review of Tracey’s book by another Tom Brock alumnus, Braham Dabscheck.
https://newtownreviewofbooks.com.au/tracey-lee-holmes-the-eye-of-the-dragonfly-reviewed-by-braham-dabscheck/

04/09/2025

Thank you The Footy Almanac for this excellent review of our 26th Annual Tom Brock Lecture!

Patrick Skene had his first rugby league story published on The Footy Almanac in 2014. He regards that as his ‘the spring of the Nile’ moment as his ventures into writing about rugby league flowed from that source. Earlier this year, Patrick was one of a panel of four guests at the Almanac’s i...

26/08/2025

Less than one week to go! Register now for next week's Tom Brock Lecture, Petersham RSL 6:30pm. Author Patrick Skene will provide the history of Rugby League in Papua New Guinea, looking at the heroes and pioneers that have laid the foundation for PNG's imminent entry into the NRL. This bold venture will then be discussed in a panel discussion featuring Patrick, the NRL's senior reporter Brad Walter and PNG Sydney Consul-General Ponabe Yuwa.

This is a free event, register now!

The history of Rugby League in Papua New Guinea followed by a discussion of the introduction of a PNG team in the NRL.

17/08/2025

The WES SMYTHE AWARD FOR A COMMUNITY AND RUGBY LEAGUE PROJECT for 2025 is awarded to SAMUEL GUTHRIE.
Samuel's project is about a rugby league club in central western New South Wales that is no longer with us.
The Mandurama Reds had their glory days in the 1920s, and by the 1950s they'd ceased to exist.
We excited to see what Samuel's research reveals.

2025 :Samuel Guthrie/Central West Libraries In the 1920s, the Mandurama Reds were celebrated as ‘champions of the west’ (The Sun). They drew crowds from across theCentral West NSW, but ceased to exist during the 1950s. Today, Mandurama is a quiet stop on the Mid-Western Highway, itsschool and pu...

07/08/2025

Congratulations to our TOM BROCK SCHOLAR for 2025, JOANNA LESTER!
Joanna's project is entitled 'The Tries That Bind Us: Australia and Papua New Guinea as Rugby League Neighbours'.
This project will explore how and why rugby league became the national sport of Papua New Guine a (PNG), Australia’s nearest neighbour, and the role of Australians in this process.
On the eve of PNG’s much anticipated entry into the NRL it will ask – what does PNG’s relationship with rugby league mean for its complex national identity, and for its evolving relationship with Australia?
We can't wait to see what Joanna uncovers in her research.

2025: Joanna Lester The Tries That Bind Us: Australia and Papua New Guinea as Rugby League Neighbours project outline This project will explore how and why rugby league became the national sport of Papua New Guinea (PNG), Australia’snearest neighbour, and the role of Australians in this process. O...

30/07/2025

Announcing the 26th Annual Tom Brock Lecture!
Join us at Petersham RSL on Monday 1 September 2025 for 'Stories of PNG Rugby League' with Patrick Skene.
See our website for more details:
https://www.tombrock.com.au/the-26th-annual-tom-brock-lecture/

The 26th Annual Tom Brock Lecture Posted on July 28, 2025 by admin The 26th Annual Tom Brock Lecture: Stories of PNG Rugby League This year’s Tom Brock Lecture will be held at Petersham RSL from 6:30pm on Monday, 1 September. The lecture will be delivered by author Patrick Skene, and will retrace ...

05/06/2025

Applications for the Tom Brock Scholarship and the Wes Smythe Award for a Community & Rugby League project are closing soon.

Have a Rugby League related research project underway or in planning? We would love to hear about it. Learn more about our scholarships program and submit an application here:

https://www.tombrock.com.au/scholarships-2025-26/

Send a message to learn more

15/05/2025

Prolific rugby league historian TOM MATHER recently published a book on the enigmatic rugby league administrator HARRY SUNDERLAND (1889-1964).
Harry Sunderland was pretty much as complex a character as you can get!
Tom digs deep into the newspaper archive and synthesises the many different facets of Sunderland's life and his involvement in rugby league. From his work with the Queensland Rugby League to his presence on Kangaroo tours of Great Britain and his brief stint as Wigan manager, it's all told in Tom's inimitable style.
Harry Sunderland: Rugby League Pioneer is available in print and Kindle editions from Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com.au/Harry-Sunderland-Rugby-League-Pioneer/dp/B0DVLZN7HC

26/04/2025

https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/agents-juggling-players-and-coaches-are-afforded-plenty-of-leeway-20250425-p5lu6k.html

Some should count themselves fortunate that they don’t represent clowns and acrobats.

20/04/2025

Great yarn on the first Kangaroos. https://www.southportfootballclub.co.uk/from-ash-lane-to-the-ashes-the-untold-southport-story-of-the-first-kangaroo-tour/?fbclid=IwY2xjawJua9xleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHgL2oQRzxoMLm4b2lVL0NynWPpwrjHJgea0YRE76K3psh1MFptGO1BJ-El53_aem_IT_ewN6AcSUQXrIkFEjRGg

As the Rugby League Ashes return to England for the first time in 22 years, excitement is building like never before. Headingley and the new Everton Stadium are already sold out, Wembley tickets ar…

11/04/2025

Applications for the WES SMYTHE AWARD FOR A COMMUNITY AND RUGBY LEAGUE PROJECT 2025–26 are now open!
The objective of this $2000-award is to encourage a partnership between an individual researcher and a rugby league community to assist and enhance the operations of the rugby league community.
Applications close on 9 June 2025.
See this page for further details:

11/04/2025

Applications are now open for the 2025/26 TOM BROCK SCHOLARSHIP!
We'll award the $3000 scholarship to the candidate with the most attractive and achievable research project relating to rugby league football.
Applications close on 9 June 2025.
Details here: