2004 in rugby league

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]

References

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