1941–42 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season

British wartime rugby league season December 2022 December 2022 1941–42 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season Northern Rugby League 1941–42 Season Dewsbury Champions Bradford Northern Runner-up 17 1940–41 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season 1940–41 1942–43 Northern Rugby Football League Wartime Emergency League season 1942–43 The 1941–42 Northern Rugby Football Union season was the third season of the rugby league’s Wartime Emergency League necessitated by the Second World War. With fewer clubs than the previous season the Rugby Football League (RFL) decided to amalgamate the two county leagues (Yorkshire and Lancashire) into one joint league. The season started with 18 clubs but finished with 17 after Broughton Rangers withdrew in January 1942. The single division championship was won by Dewsbury, who had finished the season in first position and then defeated Bradford Northern in the play-off final. The Challenge Cup was won by Leeds while Bradford Northern won the Yorkshire Cup, the Lancashire Cup was not played. Pre-season developments The RFL annual general meeting was held on 11 June 1941 and with four clubs confirming that they would not enter the league for 1941–42 and a further five unsure about participating, the RFL indicated that a single division championship would be played. The clubs confirming that they would not be playing were Salford, Warrington (both of whom had withdrawn from the league part way through the previous season), Widnes and Rochdale Hornets (neither of which had entered the previous season). The five unconfirmed teams were Hull Kingston Rovers, Barrow (neither of which had entered the previous season), Leigh, Liverpool Stanley and Broughton Rangers (who had filled the bottom three places in the previous season's Lancashire league).https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19410612/071/0003 Combined Rugby League Next Season Yorkshire Observer 12 June 1941 3 24174 subscription British Newspaper Archive The Rugby League Council confirmed the decision to have a single league at its meeting at the end of July.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19410731/085/0003 Rugby League Plans Yorkshire Post 31 July 1941 3 29322 subscription British Newspaper Archive By the time of the council meeting on 31 July three of the five undecided teams confirmed that they would not be participating, Hull Kingston Rovers, Barrow and Liverpool Stanley. Broughton Rangers decided to play while Leigh were still undecided. Among the Yorkshire clubs, Hull F.C. and Castleford still had to confirm their places.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19410731/029/0002 Rugby League Plans For Next Season Yorkshire Observer 31 July 1941 2 24216 subscription British Newspaper Archive While Hull and Castleford confirmed their continued entry, the RFL declined Leigh's application. Leigh had vacated their Mather Lane and moved into the ground of Hindsford AFC, the RFL did not consider that the Hindsford ground was good enough for first class matches.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000324/19410826/078/0006 Leigh R.L. Club Hull Daily Mail 26 August 1941 6 17414 subscription British Newspaper Archive Leigh appealed the decision but the appeal was refused as the ground wasn't of the required standard and the club had not submitted their original application until after the fixtures for the season had already been arranged.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19410918/146/0005 International At odsal Yorkshire Post 18 September 1941 5 29364 subscription British Newspaper Archive The league therefore comprised the 14 teams from Yorkshire who had competed in 1940-41 and four from Lancashire; Broughton Rangers, Wigan, Oldham and St Helens. In other developments, the RFL announced that players of non-playing clubs were entitled to play for other teams under the guest rules introduced in the first season of the war, without any payment being paid to the parent club.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003295/19410808/089/0004 Football. No "Hiring Out" Of R.L. Players Halifax Evening Courier 8 August 1941 4 18810 subscription British Newspaper Archive Three representative games were also planned; an international between England and Wales, a Lancashire v Yorkshire game, and a Rugby League XIII against a Services XIII. League season The season began on 6 September 1941 with a full programme of fixtures.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19410908/080/0003 Rugby League Games Yorkshire Post 8 September 2022 3 29355 subscription British Newspaper Archive The early part of the season passed smoothly although in October there were concerns that illegal payments were being made to players to induce them to make guest appearances for other clubs.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19411004/076/0006 Illegal Payments Alleged Yorkshire Evening Post 4 October 1941 6 15903 subscription British Newspaper Archive The most notable of these involved former Great Britain captain Jim Sullivan who was alleged to have received illegal payments from Dewsbury to play for the Yorkshire club rather than his registered club, Wigan. The investigation found no proof of such payments being made but did censure Sullivan for demanding more than the 25s maximum match fee from Wigan.Collins Tony Rugby league in twentieth century Britain : a social and cultural history 2006 Routledge 978-0415396158 78 Until the end of October there were no problems but towards the beginning of the following month, Broughton Rangers, started cancelling matches and later the matter was referred to the RFL.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19411107/047/0003 Hunslet's chance against Wigan Yorkshire Evening Post 7 November 1941 3 15932 subscription British Newspaper Archivehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19411120/059/0003 Four Rugby Cup Players Suspended Yorkshire Observer 20 November 1941 3 24312 subscription British Newspaper Archive With the club declining to play any matches over the Christmas period they RFL held further discussions and in early January 1942 Broughton resigned from the competition and their results to that date were expunged from the league table.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19411213/204/0007 Future of Broughton Rangers Yorkshire Post 13 December 1941 7 29438 subscription British Newspaper Archivehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19420108/031/0003 Suspension Of Sine Die On Keighley Player Yorkshire Observer 3 8 January 1942 subscription British Newspaper Archive In December 1941 concerns began to be raised that teams would not all play the same number of games and suggestions appeared that the league table should be based on win percentages rather than competition points of two points for a win and one point for a draw.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19411230/080/0003 Percentage Or Points In Rugby League? Yorkshire Observer 30 December 1941 3 24344 subscription British Newspaper Archive Changes in petrol rationing also imposed additional pressures on clubs in arranging travel to away games. The basic ration for non-essential travel was cut twice during 1941 and permits were required for long coach trips leading to players having to commit long hours to getting to and from matches.Zweiniger-Bargielowska Ina Austerity in Britain : rationing, controls, and consumption, 1939-1955 2000 Oxford University Press 9780199251025 194https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19410913/075/0006 Sports & Sportsmen Yorkshire Evening Post 13 September 1941 6 15885 subscription British Newspaper Archive The Yorkshire Evening Post detailed the journeys of York and Hull travelling to St Helens and Wigan respectively on the opening day of the season, with the teams leaving their home towns at 9 am and not getting home until after midnight. Over the following weeks the discussion continued with the Dewsbury club, voicing their opposition to the suggestion on the grounds that it would cost them the title at that time; mid-January 1942.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19420112/043/0003 Dewsbury Pride In Rugby League Leadership Yorkshire Observer 12 January 1942 3 24355 subscription British Newspaper Archive The RFL made no immediate decision but the weather at the end of January and into February saw numerous cancellations e.g. the entire programme on 31 January and 6 February was postponed,https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19420131/226/0007 No Racing Today 31 January 1942 Yorkshire Post 7 29478 subscription British Newspaper Archivehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000271/19420206/202/0006 Postponed Matches Liverpool Echo 6 February 1942 6 19356 subscription British Newspaper Archive and by the end of February the backlog of postponed games totalled 150.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003295/19420226/021/0001 Rugby League To Wait Halifax Courier 26 February 1942 1 19010 subscription British Newspaper Archive It was in March 1942 that the RFL decided that league placing would be based on win percentages and that the title of champions would be decided after a two round play-off involving the top four teams.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19420326/102/0004 Rugby League Decisions Yorkshire Observer 26 March 1942 4 24418 subscription British Newspaper Archive The same meeting in March also decided that the final would be played on 18 April 1942 and that guest players would only be eligible to appear in the play-off games if they had played at least four matches during the season for the club they were guesting for. To ensure the final was played on 18 April, the RFL announced that the four teams at the top of the league table on 6 April (Easter Monday) would be the four going forward to the play-off semi-finals although matches continued to be played until May, for example Huddersfield didn't play Dewsbury until 9 May.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0004162/19420509/173/0005 Results At A Glance Ireland's Saturday Night 9 May 1942 5 subscription British Newspaper Archive The number of games played by each club varied between 17 and 24 and while Dewsbury won 19 and drew 1 of their 24, luckless Bramley lost all 19 matches played. After the matches on 6 April, the top four teams (in order) were Dewsbury, Bradford Northern, Halifax and Hull.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19420407/079/0004 Big Games In Soccer And Rugby Pairings Yorkshire Observer 7 April 1942 4 24427 subscription British Newspaper Archive The semi-finals were played the following Saturday where Dewsbury beat Hull 32–18 while Bradford beat Halifax 15–8.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19420413/127/0004 Rugby League Final To Be Played At Headingley Yorkshire Post 13 April 1942 4 29538 subscription British Newspaper Archive The final was played at Headingley, Leeds on Saturday 18 April saw Dewsbury crowned champions with a 13-0 win over Bradford Northern.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19420420/163/0005 Rugby League Champions Yorkshire Post 20 April 1942 5 29,544 subscription British Newspaper Archive Discipline during the season was reasonable but there were exceptions. Mel De Lloyd, a Warrington player playing as a guest for Keighley was banned indefinitely for dissent towards and assaulting the referee during Keighley's game against Hull in January 1942.De Lloyd's sine die suspension was subsequently lifted in October 1942.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003295/19420910/025/0001 No Action On Rugby League Transfers Halifax Evening Courier 10 September 1942 1 19205 subscription British Newspaper Archive League table main WDL Q 2 percentage yes notratio p DEW Dewsbury BRD Bradford Northern HAL Halifax HUL Hull HUN Hunslet WIG Wigan OLD Oldham LEE Leeds HUD Huddersfield KEI Keighley WAK Wakefield Trinity FEA Featherstone Rovers STH St. Helens CAS Castleford YOR York BAT Batley BRM Bramley 19 1 4 431 172 13 1 3 318 130 13 0 4 262 139 12 0 6 265 146 10 0 8 212 177 11 0 9 241 207 11 0 9 209 209 12 1 10 245 213 12 0 11 355 276 12 0 11 224 306 9 0 10 195 215 8 0 10 166 181 8 0 11 217 270 8 0 12 195 253 6 0 16 231 386 3 1 14 133 269 0 0 19 104 454 green1 Advanced to play-off semi-final PO PO PO PO complete Saxton Irvin History of Rugby League: No. 47 1941–42 Rugby Leaguer 4 Championship final 1941–42 Championship Final 18 April 1942 3:30 pm Dewsbury Hudson, Francis, Kenny Risman Edwards 13–0 Bradford Northern Headingley, Leeds G. S. Phillips n right Dewsbury black gold red Bradford Northern red black gold 13 n y Eddie Waring Miller (Salford) Hudson (Salford) Edwards (Salford) Risman (Salford) Francis (Barrow) Kenny (Salford) Royal Hammond Nicholson Gardner (Salford) Kershaw Curran (Salford) Bunter (Broughton Rangers) Dai Rees Carmichael Best Billington Ward Walters W. Davies K. Davies (Keighley) Whitcombe Carter (Leeds) Higson Foster Smith Hutchinson Befitting their league positions, the top two met at Headingley in the Championship Final on 18 April. Dewsbury, under manager-secretary Eddie Waring, had made wide use of the guest rules to build a strong team including several players currently in the army and based in West Yorkshire including Great Britain and Wales internationals Gus Risman and Roy Francis.Collins Tony Rugby league in twentieth century Britain : a social and cultural history 2006 Routledge 978-0415396158 77–78 Despite this strong team, the game was scoreless at the end of the first half. The first score was a drop goal from Dewsbury's Alan Edwards halfway into the second half and with the Dewsbury forwards dominating the scrums (the second half count was 30 to 6 in Dewsbury's favour), the Dewsbury backs including Risman and Francis took control and ran in three tries through Hudson, Francis and Kenny with Risman adding one goal. The final result of 13–0 was witnessed by over 18,000 spectators with the gate receipts totalling £1,121.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19420420/143/0004 Dewsbury On Top In Title Decider Yorkshire Observer 20 April 1942 4 24438 subscription British Newspaper Archive Cup competitions Lancashire Cup With so few Lancashire clubs in the league, the RFL decided to continue the format of the previous season with the Lancashire Cup not being played for and the Lancashire clubs being allowed to enter the Yorkshire Cup.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19410718/081/0003 Rugby League Plans For Next Season Yorkshire Observer 18 July 1941 3 24205 subscription British Newspaper Archive Yorkshire Cup 1941–42 Yorkshire Cup The structure of the Yorkshire Cup was agreed upon at a meeting in September 1941. All 14 Yorkshire teams taking part in the league entered and they were joined by Lancashire teams, Oldham and Wigan.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19410909/081/0003 Clubs To Pay Bonus In Yorkshire Cup Yorkshire Observer 9 September 1941 3 24250 subscription British Newspaper Archive All ties were to be two legged except the final, with the competition being played over consecutive weekends starting on 25 October 1941.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000650/19410909/067/0003 Yorkshire R.L. Cup Liverpool Daily Post 3 9 September 1941 26878 subscription British Newspaper Archive Bradford Northern and Halifax won through to the final which was played at Fartown, Huddersfield on 6 December 1941. Bradford won the final, convincingly, 24–0 in front of a crowd of 6,100.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19411208/064/0003 Davies As Odsal's Cup Hero 8 December 1941 Yorkshire Observer 3 24327 subscription British Newspaper Archive Challenge Cup 1941–42 Challenge Cup The Challenge Cup was played in April and May 1942. All 17 clubs competing in the league competition entered the Challenge Cup and were joined by Swinton who entered the cup despite having not played in the league.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19420325/127/0004 R.L. Cup Draw To-Day Yorkshire Observer 25 March 1942 4 24417 subscription British Newspaper Archive All ties except the final were played over two legs.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003295/19420325/080/0004 Rugby League Challenge Cup Halifax Evening Courier 25 March 1942 4 19037 subscription British Newspaper Archive The first two rounds were drawn on 25 March, the first round only comprised four teams with the other 14 all being given a bye to the second round.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19420325/112/0008 Rugby League Cup Draw Yorkshire Evening Post 25 March 1942 8 16048 subscription British Newspaper Archive Bramley's defeats to Hull F.C. in both legs of the second round concluded a dismal season for the club as they finished without a victory in any competition. The competition was played on consecutive Saturdays from 11 April (first round, first leg) to 6 June 1942 (final).Challenge Cup 1941/42 - Results https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/competitions/challenge-cup-1941-42/results.html Rugby League Project 15 December 2022 The final was a repeat of the previous season's final as Leeds faced Halifax at Odsal Stadium in Bradford. Leeds retained the cup beating Halifax 15–10 on 6 June 1942.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19420608/099/0004 Leeds Repeat Rugby Cup Success Yorkshire Observer 8 June 1942 4 24480 subscription British Newspaper Archive Among the victorious Leeds team were Salford players Alan Edwards and Gus Risman who had therefore been part of the winning Championship and Challenge Cup teams but for different clubs.Collins Tony Gus Risman - The Indomitable https://tony-collins.squarespace.com/rugbyreloaded/2016/1/30/gus-risman-intro-to-rugby-renegade Rugby Reloaded 16 December 2022 29 April 2016 Representative matches England v Wales 18 October 1941 3:30 pm England Lawrensen Belshaw (3) 9–9 Wales Edwards Risman (3) Odsal, Bradford 4,339 F. Peel (England) n right England blue white red Wales green red white 13 n y Belshaw (Warrington) Batten (Hunslet) Lawrenson (Wigan) Ward (Bradford) Peake (Warrington) Brogden (Hull) Johnson (Johnson) Higson (Bradford) Brooks (Oldham) Thacker (Hull) Irving (Halifax) Jubb (Leeds) Tattersfield (Leeds) Jones (Wigan) Walters (Bradford) Evans (Leeds) Risman (Salford) Edwards (Salford) Morris (Leeds) Jenkins (Leeds) Prosser (Leeds) Murphy (Leeds) Whitcombe (Bradford) Watkins (Wigan) Orford (Wakefield) Foster (Bradford) An England v Wales match was played at Odsal, Bradford on 18 October 1941. A crowd of 4,339 saw the teams play out a 9-all draw with each side scoring a try and three goals. All the points were scored in the first half; England took an early lead with a Belshaw penalty but Wales scored a try through Edwards which Risman converted. A Risman penalty put Wales 7–2 ahead but England equalised with a try by Lawrensen which Belshaw converted. Wales regained their lead with another Rismen penalty but Belshaw kicked another penalty to square things up again.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000650/19411020/087/0004 R.L. International Liverpool Daily Post 20 October 1941 4 26913 subscription British Newspaper Archive The Yorkshire Observer reporter, George Thompson, commented that by peace-time standards the game "wasn't so good" but "on war-time estimations it was quite a good game".https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19411020/052/0003 Forwards Come To England's Rescue 3 20 October 1941 Yorkshire Observer 24285 subscription British Newspaper Archive Northern Command v Rugby League XIII 21 March 1942 3:30 pm Rugby League XIII Lawrensen (2), Chapman (2) Lockwood (3) 18–22 Northern Command XIII Francis, Pepperell, Case, Walsh Ward (5) Thrum Hall, Halifax 6,000 P. Cowell n right Rugby League XIII Northern Command XIII 13 n y Lockwood (Huddersfield) Batten (Hunslet) Belshaw (c) (Warrington) Lawrenson (Wigan) Edwards (Salford) Tracey (St Helens) Jenkins (Leeds) Thacker (Hull) Egan (Wigan) Gee (Wigan) Orford (Wakefield) Irving (Halifax) Chapman (Warrington) Ward (Bradford) Case (Bradford) Pepperell (Huddersfield) Longley (Featherstone) Lloyd (Castleford) Francis (Barrow) Walsh (Castleford) Prosser (Leeds) L. L. White (Castleford) L. White (York) Foster (c) (Bradford) Jubb (Leeds) Tattersfield (Leeds) Rugby league was not recognised by the British armed services and rugby union was the only code approved, however the Northern Command sports board (NCSB) acknowledged the number of league players at their disposal and realised that there would be interest in fielding a rugby league team. A match between a Northern Command XIII and Bradford Northern was played at the beginning of the season following a suggestion made during the previous season.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19410215/208/0006 Challenge to Northern Yorkshire Post 15 February 1941 6 29181 subscription British Newspaper Archivehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19411227/083/0006 Northern Command and Rugby League Yorkshire Evening Post 27 December 1941 6 15973 subscription British Newspaper Archive Bradford Northern won the match, played on 30 August, 24–21.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19410901/079/0003 Rugby League Yorkshire Observer 1 September 1941 3 24243 subscription British Newspaper Archive On the back of this match the RFL had hoped to arrange a match between an Army XIII and a Rugby League XIII. The army declined the request as the fixture list for sports was too full, but the NCSB approached the RFL to play a match and one was fixed for 21 March 1942 and was played at Thrum Hall, Halifax.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19420103/076/0006 Army and the Rugby League Yorkshire Evening Post 3 January 1942 6 15979 subscription British Newspaper Archivehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000273/19420124/079/0006 Rugby League and the Army Yorkshire Evening Post 24 January 1942 6 15997 subscription British Newspaper ArchiveFanning Sean Soldiers' league : the story of Army Rugby League 2013 London League Publications 9781903659694 247 In a match that was in the balance until the last minute, Northern Command took the lead with a try by Francis which Ward converted for a 5–0 lead. Penalties were traded then two League tries by Lawrensen and Chapman together with a Batten conversion gave the League team the lead 10–7. Northern Command struck back with a converted try by Pepperell to lead 12–10 at half time. Northern Command extended the lead to 14–10 early in the second half with a further Ward penalty but a second converted try by Chapman gave League the lead. A case try for Northern Command was matched by a second Lawrensen try to make the score 18–17 in the League's favour with time running out. In the last seconds of the game Northern scored a fifth try through Walsh which Ward converted to make the final score 22–18 to the army side.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000650/19420323/101/0004 Rugby League Liverpool Daily Post 23 March 1942 4 27043 subscription British Newspaper Archivehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19420323/118/0004 Command Beat The League Yorkshire Post 23 March 1942 4 29521 subscription British Newspaper Archive Yorkshire League v Lancashire League 28 March 1942 3:30 pm Yorkshire Batten (2), Irving Ward (2) 13–2 Lancashire Belshaw Crown Flatt, Dewsbury 4,000 F. Fairhurst n right Yorkshire Lancashire 13 n y Ward (Bradford) Batten (Hunslet) Fiddes (c) (Huddersfield) Pepperell (Huddersfield) Longley (Featherstone) Brogden (Hull) Jenkins (Leeds) Whitcombe (Bradford) Murphy (Leeds) Irving (Halifax) Kershaw (Dewsbury) Jubb (Leeds) Tattersfield (Leeds) Butler (St Helens) Lees (Oldham) Lawrenson (Wigan) Belshaw (c) (Warrington) Francis (Barrow) Cuncliffe (Wigan) Bradshaw (Wigan) Gee (Wigan) Brooks (Oldham) Garner (St Helens) Fearnley (St Helens) Millington (Widnes) Givvons (Oldham) The final representative match of the season was between players from Yorkshire clubs and players from Lancashire clubs. The match was played at Crown Flatts, Dewsbury on 28 March 1942. 4,000 attended a game that despite Lancashire taking the lead with a Belshaw penalty, Yorkshire dominated. Yorkshire scored three tries with Batten getting two and Irving one - this commentators agreed was the best of the three - and with Ward converting two of the tries, the game ended 13–2 to Yorkshire.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000650/19420330/096/0004 Lancashire Beaten Liverpool Daily Post 30 March 1942 4 27049 subscription British Newspaper Archivehttps://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0000687/19420330/112/0005 Yorkshire's Fine Win Yorkshire Post 30 March 1942 5 29527 subscription British Newspaper Archive Financial performance The RFL annual general meeting was held on 1 July 1942. The accounts showed the RFL showed a profit of £72 with assets of £21,935. The accounts of the Northern Football League i.e. the championship administered by the RFL, which were presented separately showed that the championship made a loss of £133.https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/viewer/bl/0003150/19420630/126/0004 Rugby League Assets Nearly £22,000 Yorkshire Observer 30 June 1942 4 24499 subscription British Newspaper Archive Notes References Category:1941 in English rugby league Category:1942 in English rugby league Category:Northern Rugby Football League seasons