Rugby League is back this weekend (weather permitting) and we are as well. An hour of chat about stuff, as we try to work out what is happening. And a new feature.... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2025. Quite a good year for Hull Kingston Rovers, Wigan Warriors and Halifax Panthers, and, having been at Wembley, and all three Super League Grand Finals, we've got the words of the winners here in celebration, and a few others as well! ------ Buy the magazine: http://www.scratchingshedpublishing.com/ Grab the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/forty20-rugby-league-podcasts/id1434352450 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0JPKZd2GZ9uK8XAbZmUVBP Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/c/Forty20TV Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forty20LIVE And Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/forty20live.bsky.social Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forty20magazine/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A quiz, a load of biscuits, special guests, and as little Rugby League as possible. Merry Christmas from us to you! ------ Buy the magazine: http://www.scratchingshedpublishing.com/ Grab the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/forty20-rugby-league-podcasts/id1434352450 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/0JPKZd2GZ9uK8XAbZmUVBP Subscribe: https://www.youtube.com/c/Forty20TV Follow us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/Forty20LIVE And Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/forty20live.bsky.social Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/forty20magazine/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A double guest special in this episode, as first we welcome back Rob Hawkins, who, after winning the treble with Halifax Panthers, helped England to Ashes success in Australia to secure back-to-back Golden Boots. Then, another returning guest, as author J.R. Rickwood talks about his book Year of the Cougars, Keighley's 1995 season, and more... You can get the book here: https://amzn.eu/d/ak5oj3X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We're joined by the RFL's Head of Match Officials Phil Bentham to talk about the recent documentary - "Beyond the Whistle" - taking a look behind the scenes at the world of professional match officials. Plenty to discuss, including how it came about, refereeing in the modern world, how the Premier League sees our video systems and how we're looking to improve in 2026, and plenty more besides. If you haven't seen it, follow the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UtXyTvaAHrc Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Remember the 2000 Rugby League World Cup? It was rubbish, that's what we were told, but two men who were there in the thick of it (the press box) are here to dispute that. Authors of Super League: The First Ten Years (still available somewhere) - our own Phil Caplan and Jonathan Doidge - reminisce over a tournament which was wet, expansive and won by Australia... Jonathan will be hosting a range of events in 2026 with something for RL, Leeds United and cricket fans... https://x.com/jdzevents/status/1994851574842364284 And, as a bonus, a dip into the Radio Yorkshire archives, as Mark Wilson speaks to Hull KR owner Neil Hudgell in an interview from 2015... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

An end of season review of sorts, as teams have started pre-season for 2026, we're ready for hibernation. Back live in January, but still more to come before the end of the year... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's over....and it went as expected. Or did it? Australia return with the Ashes again, England score two tries in three games, and Shaun Wane's in charge... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

2020 feels like a long time ago, and that's when Sophie Robinson last joined us on the podcast. Since then, she's taken a break from playing, until returning for her Jamaica debut last week, but it's not the start of a comeback. The former Leeds Rhino tells us what she's been up to, what's keeping her busy, the international game, how Jamaica fits in that and how, despite playing, she's back involved at her old club. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ashes are going back to Australia, again, so is there anything we can do to change that going forward? Other Rugby League news and stuff as well, of course... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

It's The Ashes...and we're 1-0 down. What went wrong, and can we stop the Aussies? Probably not, but we're still looking forward to Everton on Saturday....and loads of other Rugby League topics. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The Ashes are here, and so is James back in the studio, so we can talk about those, the changes to Super League, and everything else we can think of... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

"There's Only One Channy Crowl!" is the title of Channy Crowl's autobiography, as you could probably guess, and she joins the podcast to talk about it, representing her birth nation of Canada this autumn, 2025 for St. Helens, future plans and how she ended up on a TV quiz show, but can she get through our tough questions? A fun half hour! You can find more details on how to buy the book on this link: https://womensrl.com/?p=776 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A Grand Final, coaching changes, and Jake Connor isn't in the England squad, to the surprise of no-one, but hasn't stopped them being upset regardless... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

A proper Super Sunday of Rugby League to look back on, with champions crowned from Greater Manchester, Queensland and the South of France, a repeat Grand Final to look forward to, and concentrating as much as we can on, rather than off the field... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Ahead of this weekend's Women's Grand Final, Richard de la Riviere from womensrl.com joins us to talk about that, and a very busy weekend on the pitch where there were comebacks galore, Leigh impressing across the park, Halifax winning the Wheelchair Grand Final and the most ridiculous try there's every been... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

We were at the presentation of the 2025 Super League Dream Team this week, and spoke to a load of Rugby League people, so here they are! 00:00 Intro 00:41 Adrian Lam 04:16 Umyla Hanley 06:29 Daryl Powell 11:33 Mike McMeeken 15:58 Paul Wellens 18:50 Morgan Knowles 23:38 Brad Arthur 26:13 Lewis Martin 29:01 Denis Betts 35:05 Caitlin Casey 38:52 Craig Richards 43:04 Matt Peet 46:31 Willie Peters Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Technical issues plagued the broadcast, but not he recording device, and, would you believe it, we're really excited and positive as the men's Super League play-offs begin, and we have the first Grand Final coming up on Sunday. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Almost as long as Canberra vs. Brisbane, but you can decide if the quality matches that... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Some weeks loads happens, some less so. Still, always plenty to talk about in the world of Rugby League, as the play-off picture is almost set for the men, is for the women, and heading towards a GF in the wheelchairs. The weather has turned... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices