Martyn Sadler

Brighouse

League Express Editor at Rugby League World

editor of the weekly newspaper Rugby League Express

Featured in: Favicon

totalrl.com

Articles

Talking Rugby League: How would NRL buy stake in Super League?

1 week ago | totalrl.com | Martyn Sadler

“THE NRL has agreed to consider a proposal to buy a 33 per cent stake in the Super League on the proviso it gets complete administrative control of the struggling competition from 2028 as part of a bid to grow the sport internationally.”That was the opening paragraph of a news story that appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald last week. But what does it mean? How could the NRL buy a 33 per cent stake in the Super League?
Talking Rugby League: All hail the surprise leaders in Championship and League One

2 weeks ago | totalrl.com | Martyn Sadler

IN last week’s League Express Podcast I made a point of congratulating two clubs outside Super League who are both having outstanding seasons. One look at the Championship and League One league tables will reveal that the leaders are Halifax Panthers and Midlands Hurricanes, both clubs having played five games and currently undefeated.
League Express Podcast 84 - Will the NRL buy into Super League?

2 weeks ago | totalrl.com | Martyn Sadler

In this week’s episode of the League Express Podcast, Jake Kearnan and I discuss the weekend’s Challenge Cup results, the new information regarding an NRL stake in Super League and whether French sides have a future in Super League. We give England coach Shaun Wane some advice on who he might select to face the Australians in the Ashes this autumn.
Talking Rugby League: London Broncos’ future more hopeful with major event planned

2 weeks ago | totalrl.com | Martyn Sadler

THE future for London Broncos is suddenly looking much more hopeful. Gary Hetherington has been heavily involved in brokering support and new ownership for the capital city club and there will be a major event at the Australian High Commission a week on Tuesday (15th April) at which we will learn more about the club’s future and about the future of Rugby League in London.
Talking Rugby League: Hull KR’s super sub Jez Litten can take on Australia

2 weeks ago | totalrl.com | Martyn Sadler

HULL KR were hugely impressive in defeating their neighbours and close rivals Hull FC on Saturday. And the great thing for their coach Willie Peters and their supporters was that they were able to do it largely without their inspirational star Mikey Lewis, who departed the game with an apparent groin strain after around 15 minutes with the score at 0-0. At that moment I can only imagine that the Hull FC supporters felt a surge of optimism as their likely tormentor-in-chief left the field.
Talking Rugby League: Ashes fever strikes - but safety concerns emerge at Everton

3 weeks ago | totalrl.com | Martyn Sadler

RUGBY LEAGUE supporters throughout the country have apparently responded enthusiastically to the announcement of the impending Ashes series last week, with the RFL reporting that ticket and hospitality sales are already extremely strong, particularly for the second and third Test matches at Everton and Headingley respectively.
League Express Podcast 82

4 weeks ago | totalrl.com | Martyn Sadler

We look ahead to the forthcoming Ashes series and we pay tribute to milestone men Ryan Hall and Leroy Cudjoe. We discuss the Hull FC revival under John Cartwright, Hull KR’s perfect start to the season and what we have learnt five weeks into the Super League season. We pay tribute to Halifax Panthers coach Kyle Eastmond, whose side sits undefeated at the top of the Championship, and we acknowledge Midlands Hurricanes, who are sitting on top of League 1.
Wakefield Trinity player up for award after donating liver to save baby’s life

1 month ago | totalrl.com | Martyn Sadler

HAVE you heard the story of Courtney Evans, the 25-year-old who plays for the Wakefield Trinity women’s team who donated part of her liver to a baby who desperately needed a liver transplant to survive? Courtney recently underwent a 10-hour operation at St. James’s Hospital in Leeds to become their youngest-ever liver donor. The procedure took place two days after she played in the semi-final of the Women’s Rugby League (League 2) with her former club, the Halifax Panthers.
Talking Rugby League: Why clubs want Nigel Wood to replace Simon Johnson at RFL

1 month ago | totalrl.com | Martyn Sadler

SIMON JOHNSON’S time as the Chairman of the RFL looks to be up – or at least it is if the clubs have anything to do with it. I suspect that most readers would struggle to recognise Simon, and that is part of the problem. Apparently he has been a perfectly effective Chairman of the RFL when it comes to running meetings. But his critics suggest that he has been ineffective when it comes to heading off crises such as the one we have experienced with Salford Red Devils in recent months.
Final Whistle: Las Vegas games are historic but will they be significant?

1 month ago | totalrl.com | Martyn Sadler

WHEN does history become significant? Towards the end of every year in our sister publication League Express we run a series of articles setting out the most historic and/or significant events that have occurred during the preceding twelve months. We list 50 events in what we consider to be their order of importance. Inevitably there is a certain amount of subjectivity that we have to bring into play when we assess which events should be included and how we should order them.