Sean Fagan - Rugby League Historian and Author

Media Information

Sean Fagan of RL1908.com is available for interview, quotes and/or feature articles or research relating to any aspect of rugby league history, 19th century "football", and topical issues for your magazine, newspaper, radio show, website, or television program.

To contact Sean by email about your media request, send your inquiry to RL1908@gmail.com

For an immediate response, telephone Sean on (02) 9836 0972
or 0431 925 832.

Correspondence can be faxed to 8587 0046
or posted to: RL1908 PO Box 168 Kellyville NSW 2155

Print

Sean has written articles for newspapers and magazines including The Daily Telegraph, The Sydney Morning Herald, The Australian, The Sunday Telegraph, The Courier-Mail (Brisbane), Inside Sport, Big League, Rugby League Week, Rugby League Express, Rugby League Review, The Northern Star (Lismore), The Canberra Times, Central Western Daily (Orange, NSW), and Test match programmes (in Australia & England).

Web

Sean has written rugby league history articles and content for the web sites of the NRL, ARL & RLWC 2008 as well as the official club sites for Manly Sea Eagles, Sydney Roosters,
South Sydney Rabbitohs and Melbourne Storm, as well as for the film "The Final Winter" and the documentary "South Side Story".

Books

Sean is the author of The Rugby Rebellion (original edition & "Centenary Edition") and The Master: The Life and Times of Dally Messenger (details here). Contributor to other books, including League of Legends.

Television Interviews

Sean has conducted in-studio television interviews (live-to air and pre-recorded), including ABC's "Offsiders" (Barrie Cassidy & panel) and Sky News "Sportsline" (Craig Norenbergs).
[Watch Offsiders interview - starts at 14m:30s mark]

Radio Interviews

Sean has appeared on numerous radio programs across Australia and New Zealand, including with Chris Smith (2GB), John Stanley (2UE), Tim Webster (2UE), Mick O'Regan (ABC "Sports Factor"), Tony Delroy (ABC), David Morrow / Warren Ryan (ABC Grandstand), John Gibbs & Greg Alexander (2UE), Richard Glover (2BL), Peter Peters & Greg Hartley (2KY) and Brendan Telfer (Radio Sport NZ).

Research, Quotes, Content Writing & Media Releases

Sean has provided information, quotes and prepared content for the use of journalists at Australian and New Zealand daily newspapers & AAP, the NRL, sports magazines (incl. Inside Sport), sporting organisations (incl. South Sydney Rabbitohs, Sydney Roosters, Melbourne Storm, the NRL, the ARL Centenary Committee), ARL "Team of the Century" announcement, National Museum of Australia (League of Legends), the SCG Trust, tv and film documentaries, merchandise and other promotional content.

Recent media involvement includes:

11 May 2008 - appeared at the League of Legends Exhibition at the National Museum in Canberra - a rugby league historians panel (Sean Fagan, Ian Heads and Geoff Armstrong) exploring 100 years of the game.
10 May 2008 - provided comments to Philip Derriman for his article re Another Test of Kangaroos in The Sydney Morning Herald.
9 May 2008 - two articles in the official Test match programme for the Centenary Test between Australia and New Zealand at the SCG.
9 May 2008 - researched and wrote bio profiles for a commemorative publication issued by the SCG Trust for rugby league legends awarded SCG Life Membership.
9 May 2008 - interview with Craig Zonca for ABC Radio North Queensland re the Centenary Test match and rugby league history in Queensland.
2 May 2008 - appeared on ABC Radio Riverina during Riverina Grandstand with Shannon Byrne - discussing the NSW Country "Team of the Century" and Riverina RL history.
18-21 April 2008 - article for Big League magazine re Dally Messenger and the unsual role he played on April 20, 1908.
18-21 April 2008 - researched and wrote the copy text for the NRL Heritage Round street posters.
20 April 2008 - appearing on ABC Radio National's Background Briefing radio documentary program - looking at the founding of rugby league in Australia. Additional info here.
18-21 April 2008 - researched and wrote the history text for the NRL Heritage Round club posters for Manly Sea Eagles, Penrith Panthers, Canterbury Bulldogs and Canberra Raiders - posters for each of the 16 NRL clubs will be given-away at their NRL Rd.6 match.
19 April 2008 - appeared on ABC Radio Riverina during Riverina Grandstand with Shannon Byrne - discussed the "Team of the Century" and the NSW Country "Team of the Century".
18 April 2008 - in-studio interview with Tim Webster on Radio 2UE re Dally Messenger, "The Master" book, and the "Team of the Century."
17 April 2008 - article for the History feature page in The Daily Telegraph - reviewing action and events from the opening club round of 1908. Fair Reward for Fair Play.
17 April 2008 - appearing on 2HD Newcastle at approx 6.40am with Luke Grant - talking about rugby league back in 1908.
22 March 2008 - provided comments to Philip Derriman for his League Wary of Spoiling Tactics article in The Sydney Morning Herald on the "cross-code anniversary war" between Australian football and rugy league. Further comments here.
22 March 2008 - in response to article by Spiro Zavos (link) in The Sydney Morning Herald on the birth of rugby league, I fired-off a letter to the sports editor. Further comments here.
18 March: Article and historical cartoons for April 2008 edition of *Inside Sport* magazine on the issues of professionalism and player behaviour when rugby league began in 1908. Article here.
11 March 2008 - interviewed by Steve Mascord for The Daily Telegraph re Dally Messenger and his mother.
10 March 2008 - interviewd by Philip O'Brien of The Canberra Times for a feature spread on a century of rugby league and the League of Legends exhibition.
7 March 2008 - article for League of Legends: 100 Years of Rugby League in Australia - a book publication by the National Museum of Australia in conjunction with League of Legends exhibition
23 February 2008 - article for The Sydney Morning Herald on the 125 year history of the attempts by Australian rules to overthrow the rugby codes: The Long, Long War
13 February 2008 - two feature history articles on the early decades of the game - in Rugby League Week "Centenary of Rugby League" edition.
2 February 2008 - *Radio 2GB* talking rugby league history and development of Leagues Clubs wth Pete Graham on "The Club Show".
10 December 2007 - article in Rugby League Express (UK) re the evolution of the playing laws and suggested future changes for the game.
24 November 2007 - interviewed by Philip Derriman in The Sydney Morning Herald re the founding of rugby league, as well as research for 2008 documentary film projects.
18 November 2007 - article for The Sunday Telegraph on the first game of Australian rules (1858), revealing that it was in fact a game of rugby - see article.
20 October 2007 - interviewed by Andrew Stevenson in The Sydney Morning Herald re playing rules and professionalism & the evolution of the codes.
28 September - studio interview with Tony Delroy on ABC Radio (Nightlife) re Dally Messenger and the writing of his biography, The Master.
28 September - interview with Mick O'Regan on ABC Radio National (Sports Factor) re Manly "Silvertails" and why they are the club other Sydney fans love to hate.
19 September: Article on Dally Messenger's kicking skills for *Inside Sport* magazine.
4 September: Article for the "History" feature page in The Daily Telegraph re Dally Messenger, his nickname & the history of the "Dally M" brand.
August/Sept: Interviewed re Dally Messenger and "The Master" on more than a dozen city, national & regional radio programs across Australia including Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Hobart, Alice Springs, Kalgoorlie and Longreach.
17 August: Article for the "History" feature page in The Daily Telegraph re 100 years since the first NSWRL match which was between the NZ "All Golds" and NSW "All Blues".
12 August: Interviewed on ABC TV's " Offsiders" sports show with Barrie Cassidy and panel re the birth and history of rugby league. [Watch on-line here - interview at 14m:30s mark / Transcript]
11 August: Interviewed on Sky News TV's "Sportsline" by Craig Norenbergs re The Master and birth of rugby league.
11 August 2007 - appeared on "The Hot Seat with James MacSmith" on South Sydney FC TV - interviewed re the founding of the Rabbitohs, the upcoming centenary, and the past 100 years of rugby league.
11 August 2007 - interviewed by Andrew Stevenson in The Sydney Morning Herald re Dally Messenger & the founding of rugby league in Australia.
9 August 2007 - Radio 2HD Newcastle: discussed "The Master" with Luke Grant.
8 August 2007 - interview with John Gibbs & Greg Alexander on Sports Today on Radio 2UE Sydney re Dally Messenger and Albert Baskerville.
8 August 2007 - Radio 2GB: discussed "The Master" with Chris Smith.
8 August 2007 - interviewed by Andrew Stevenson in The Sydney Morning Herald re the signing of Dally Messenger and cross-code issues.
7 August 2007 - Article in Rugby League Review magazine on the birth of rugby league in Australia.
5 August 2007 - ABC Radio Grandstand: discussed "The Master" & 1908 playing laws with David Morrow and Warren Ryan.
5 August: Radio 2KY - "Hollywood & Zorba Show" discussed "The Master" with Greg Hartley and Peter Peters.
4 August 2007 - ABC Radio (Brisbane): discussed "The Master" with Warren Boland.
29 July 2007 - interviewed by Steve Kilgallon of the Sunday Star Times (Auckland) re the NZRL inviting All Blacks to play in the 2007 "All Golds" team (story here).
29 July 2007 - ABC Radio Grandstand: discussed 1908 playing laws with David Morrow and Warren Ryan.
28 July 2007 - interview on Radio 2SER-FM in Sydney on "A View From The Hill" about Dally Messenger and the writing of "The Master".
26 July 2007 - interview with Paula Tapiolas (mornings) and Anthea Kissel (sport) on ABC Radio North Queensland re Dally Messenger and the writing of "The Master".
July 2007 - interview with Paul Makin on Radio 2UE Sydney re the history of State of Origin, and its importance to the success of rugby league.
June 2007 - interviewed on Radio 2SER-FM in Sydney on"A View From The Hill" about the history of rugby league rules and issues concerning the modern game.
June 2007 - written article for The Sydney Morning Herald as part of the "League's Lost Heart" series: Innovation's always been the name of the game
June 2007 - provided background information for content utilised in the NSWRU's reinstatement of Dally Messenger and news of the forthcoming book (The Master).
June 2007 - interviewed by Andrew Stevenson in The Sydney Morning Herald re the history of football on Sundays and the 1961 rule to stop dummy-half runs.
June 2007 - interview with Paul Makin on Radio 2UE Sydney re the careers of Parramatta greats, Ray Price and Michael Cronin.
May 2007 - interviews with Paul Makin on Radio 2UE Sydney re the 1969 NSWRL Grand Final, and the career and legacy of Clive Churchill.
April 2007 - interviewed by Roy Masters for article in The Sydney Morning Herald re the evolvement of the play-the-ball rule in rugby league.
April 2007 - interview with Graeme Hughes (Talkin' Sport) on Radio 2SM Sydney re the Kangaroos v Wallabies rugby league matches in 1909.
March 2007 - interview with Mick O'Regan on ABC Radio National (Sports Factor) re birth of rugby league, various events over the past 100 years and the 2008 Centenary.
November 2006 - article for The Australian on the connections between Australian cricket and the birth of rugby league in Australia.
October 2006 - article for The Australian on the football code war between rugby league, rugby union and Australian football in Sydney and Melbourne.
October 2006 - interviewed by Andrew Stevenson for article in The Sydney Morning Herald re Dally Messenger and his experiences playing Australian football in Melbourne.
September 2006 - interviewed by Ray Chesterton for article in The Daily Telegraph re 100 years since the play-the-ball rule and 13-a-side was introduced to rugby league.