Almanac Rugby League

The Almanac Rugby League Crew

If you’d like to publish a rugby league story on The Footy Almanac website, please contact Ian Hauser.

 

If you’d like to join the Footy Almanac’s rugby league email list to receive our regular
Thursday updates during the season and occasional updates in the off-season, contact John Harms in the first instance.

 

The Footy Almanac’s coverage of rugby league features a team of four regular columnists:

Ian Hauser provides a round by round preview/review and comments on specific players/incidents.
Matt O’Hanlon (Prop by the Sea) offers a quirky take of the week’s happenings on and off the field.
Mark Shannon (The Prospector) comments on various issues in the code, both historical and current.
Russel Hansen (Rabbit in the Vineyard) gives a specific take on South Sydney’s progress.

as well as numerous other occasional contributors.

Our collection of articles appears below. The first article was published in 2010.

 

2026 NRL – RITV: For Jai – Rabbitoh 1166

June 18, 2026 by 4 Comments

RITV saw much to like when the Rabbitohs took on the Broncos but sees a long and challenging road ahead as the home stretch towards possible finals pans out before them.

Almanac Footy: Prop By The Sea – Round 15 – You Gotta Love Footy!

June 18, 2026 by 2 Comments

Prop has us all guessing with his ‘Living next door to Alice 13’. Stick with it and you’ll get the solution.

Almanac Footy: The Prospector’s Pickaxe – Roy, Rod, and Ross

June 18, 2026 by 8 Comments

The Prospector reminisces about the Grand Final lunch he attended in 1987, and the notable names he met and learned from.

Almanac Rugby League – 2026 State of Origin, Game 2: Droughts break, eventually!

June 17, 2026 by 1 Comment

The Maroons broke their 31-year MCG drought with a comprehensive win over the Blues in Game 2 of the 2026 State of Origin series. Rugby league editor Ian Hauser provides the view from his couch.

Almanac State of Origin Lunch – June 17: With Roy Masters and some Queenslanders on tour.

June 17, 2026 by Leave a Comment

The Footy Almanac crew are meeting for lunch on June 17, before the second State of Origin match. Come and meet some Real Queenslanders from Up North as they prepare for the game at the MCG. All welcome.

2026 NRL – Round 16 and State of Origin Game 2: Plenty on offer this week

June 17, 2026 by Leave a Comment

It’s a big week on the rugby league calendar as Queensland fights to stay in the hunt for State of Origin supremacy in 2026.

2026 NRL, Round 14 – RITV: Souths on the edge of a cliff

June 11, 2026 by 2 Comments

South Sydney’s enigmatic form in 2026 has RITV asking a few pertinent questions of coach Wayne Bennett.

2026 NRL – Prop by the Sea: Round 14: You Gotta Love Footy

June 11, 2026 by 7 Comments

Prop by the Sea recaps the highs and lows of Round 14, and picks which teams he’s going to bet on in Round 15.

Almanac Footy: The Prospector’s Pickaxe – The Steeden, the Gilbert and the Trionda

June 11, 2026 by 4 Comments

The Prospector’s Pickaxe diverts this week to look at other footy codes during the downtime wait before the next State of Origin game.

2026 NRL Round 15 – Into the second half and not a lot seems to have changed

June 10, 2026 by 1 Comment

Just back from a trip to Japan, Ian Hauser gets the impression that not a lot has changed in the NRL over the past month or so.