2004 in rugby league explained

The year 2004 in rugby league football centered on Australasia's 2004 NRL season and Super League IX.

January

• 26th - Sydney, Australia: The Rugby League International Federation announces that the next World Cup will be held in Australia in 2008 to celebrate the centenary of the game in the Southern Hemisphere.^[1]

February

• 13th - Huddersfield, England: The 2004 World Club Challenge is won by the Bradford Bulls who defeated the Penrith Panthers 22-4 at Alfred McAlpine Stadium before a crowd of 18,962.
• 24th - Coffs Harbour, Australia: Several players from the Bulldogs NRL club face police investigation after a complaint of sexual assault from a 20-year-old woman.^[2] No charges were laid.

March

• 12th - Sydney, Australia: The first round of the NRL's 2004 Telstra Premiership begins with 2003 champions, the Penrith Panthers losing 14-20 to the Newcastle Knights before a crowd of 19,936 at Penrith Stadium.^[3]

April

• 25 - Widnes, England: Widnes Vikings hooker Shane Millard completes a match with a fragment of tooth embedded in his head after a head clash in the first half with the Castleford Tigers' Dean Ripley.^[4]

May

• 15th - Cardiff, Wales: The 2004 Challenge Cup tournament culminates in St Helens's 32–16 victory against Wigan in the final at Millennium Stadium before a crowd of 73,734.^[5]

June

• 17th - Leeds, England: The Rugby Football League bans St Helens R.F.C. players Martin Gleeson (4 months) and Sean Long (3 months) and fines each £7,500 plus £2,205 costs for a betting scandal.^[6]

July

• 7th - Sydney, Australia: The 2004 State of Origin series is won by New South Wales who defeated Queensland 36–14 in the third and deciding game of the series at Telstra Stadium before a crowd of 82,487.

August

• 4th - Sydney, Australia: The National Rugby League judiciary hands down an 18-week suspension to Melbourne forward Danny Williams for a king hit on Wests forward Mark O'Neill in Round 19.^[7]

September

• 22nd - Sydney, Australia: The 6th annual Tom Brock Lecture, entitled No more bloody bundles for Britain: The Post-World War II tours of the British and French Allies, is delivered by Tom Keneally, AO^[8]

October

• 4th - Sydney, Australia: The NRL season culminates in the 2004 NRL Grand final in which the Bulldogs defeat the Sydney Roosters 16-13 at Telstra Stadium before a crowd of 82,127.

November

• 7 - Warrington, England: The 2004 European Nations Cup tournament culminates in England's 36-12 victory over Ireland in the final at Halliwell Jones Stadium before a crowd of 3,582
• 16th - Manchester, England the Super League season culminates in the 2004 Super League Grand final in which the Leeds Rhinos defeat the Bradford Bulls 16-8 at Old Trafford before a crowd of 65,547.
• 22 - Leeds, England: At the 2004 RLIF Awards Great Britain captain Andy Farrell is awarded the Golden Boot Award for the World's best player.^[9]
• 27 - Leeds, England: The 2004 Tri-Nations tournament culminates in Australia's victory over Great Britain in the final at Elland Road before a crowd of 39,120.^[10]

December

• 23rd - Leeds, England: The Rugby Football League fines Keith Senior and Ryan Bailey £1,500 each after they tested positive to the banned stimulant ephedrine.^[11]

Notes and References

1. News: Australia to stage 2008 World Cup . Telegraph.cok.uk . UK . Telegraph Media Group Limited . 2004-01-26 . 2010-06-16.
2. News: abc.net.au . Bulldogs' accuser gives statement to police . ABC News . Australia . . 24 February 2004 . 6 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20110629005311/http://www.abc.net.au/news/australia/nsw/200402/s1051920.htm . 29 June 2011 . dead .
3. News: Masters, Roy . Roy Masters (rugby league) . Knights clean up as Penrith discovers success is a wet cake of soap . . Australia . . 13 March 2004 . 6 March 2011.
4. News: Richards. Martin. A tooth stuck in head - but hooker plays on. 8 September 2013. The Guardian. 28 April 2004.
5. News: Harlow. Phil. Saints win Challenge Cup. 8 September 2013. BBC News. 15 May 2004.
6. News: Whalley. John. Gleeson and Long banned. 8 September 2013. The Telegraph. 18 June 2004.
7. News: Walter. Brad. Williams gets 18 matches for king-hit. 9 September 2013. The Age. 5 August 2004.
8. Web site: Keneally . Tom . "No more bloody bundles for Britain": The Post-World War II tours of the British and French allies . . Tom Brock Bequest Committee . 18 January 2011 . Tom Keneally . https://web.archive.org/web/20120808034625/http://www.la84foundation.org/SportsLibrary/TomBrock/TomBrockLecture6.pdf . 8 August 2012 . Australia . 2005 . live .
9. News: Whalley. John. Captain Farrell voted world's best player. 24 July 2011. The Telegraph. 23 November 2004.
10. News: Hughes . Ed . Great Britain 4 Australia 44: Kangaroos crush Lions’ pride . . UK . 2 . Times Newspapers Ltd . 28 November 2004 . 6 March 2011.
11. News: Fisher. Michael. More education crucial as trio fail drugs test. 8 September 2013. The Telegraph. 24 December 2004.