Supplied by Ted Thompson - Life Member of the South Australian Rugby League

In the late 1940's the Port Adelaide Rugby Union club broke up and formed four League teams. Games were being played on the grasslands at McKinnon Parade, North Adelaide. After showing interest, Ted Thompson was asked to become a Board Member. The South Australian Rugby League was then known as the Amateur SARL.

In the early 1950's, a South Australian Team was selected to visit Sydney to play South Sydney at Redfern Oval. The team travelled to Sydney by train, via Melbourne. South Sydney won the game 45 -10. Wally McArthur, a member of the SA team was selected and signed to play with English Club, Warrington.

Ted visited schools in the Port and North Adelaide areas to form school teams. At least one coach was required to look after each team. Then during the late 1950's and 1960's, Woomera Rocket Range formed four clubs to create a competition. They comprised of an Army, Airforce and two local clubs. The ARL agreed to recognise the Woomera group as the SARL. A few years later the Woomera teams folded when the Airforce and Army were transfered to the Northern Territory.

In early 1976 Peter Clarke (Sparrow) contacted Ted Thompson to help form the SA Rugby League. Peter hired a small theatre in the State Administration Centre to get things moving.

The SARL started playing on a school oval in the East Parklands, and then SA Railways Oval. A number of teams were formed including North, Port, Glenelg and South Adelaide (later Southern Vales), and for a short time Norwood and West Lakes. A team from Murray Bridge played occasionally and at one time discussions started about a team from Berri joining.

** With the voluntary liquidation of the South Australian Rugby League Inc., the ARLC South Australia Ltd known as NRL South Australia, is the new official governing body for the game of rugby league in SA. **