Super League (Australia)

The Super League was an Australian rugby league football competition that ran for a single season in 1997. It was formed during the Super League war, a period of intense conflict and division within Australian rugby league stemming from Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation seeking to establish a global Super League competition.

The catalyst for the war was News Corporation's offer of substantial funding to clubs to join its proposed Super League. This offer was viewed as a challenge to the established Australian Rugby League (ARL), which controlled the existing premiership competition. The dispute centered around control of broadcasting rights and the future direction of the sport.

In 1997, ten teams defected from the ARL to participate in the Super League competition. These teams were: Adelaide Rams, Auckland Warriors, Brisbane Broncos, Canberra Raiders, Canterbury Bulldogs, Hunter Mariners, North Queensland Cowboys, Perth Reds, Penrith Panthers, and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (who later rejoined the ARL competition).

The 1997 Super League season ran concurrently with the ARL's Optus Cup competition, creating a fragmented landscape for fans and players. The Brisbane Broncos won the Super League Grand Final, defeating the Cronulla Sharks.

Following the 1997 season, a period of negotiation and compromise ensued, ultimately leading to the formation of the National Rugby League (NRL) in 1998. This unified competition brought together the teams from both the Super League and the ARL, effectively ending the Super League war. The history of the Super League serves as a significant chapter in the history of Australian rugby league, marking a period of upheaval and transformation that ultimately shaped the structure and organization of the modern NRL.