Since its inception, the ARL has administered the Australian national team and represented Australia in international rugby league matters.

The ARL controls the National Rugby League and NRL Women's Premiership as well as annual representative competitions such as the State of Origin series, the Indigenous All Stars Match, the Affiliated States Championship and the Women's National Championships.

The New South Wales Rugby League run the Jersey Flegg Cup for male Under 21 players.

It was only after this time that the Australian team began to wear the now-familiar sporting colours of Green and Gold.

In 1986 the ARL was incorporated under the name Australian Rugby Football League Limited as a separate entity and Ken Arthurson was the first executive chairman of the new body.

Following Kerry Packer's announcement that his Optus Vision company owned both free-to-air and pay television broadcasting rights for the sport in Australia, News Corporation, controlled by Rupert Murdoch, undertook a bold bid to create a rival competition, Super League (Australia).

[1] In the 1995 State of Origin series, the ARL forbade the players of those eight clubs from participating in the interstate competition.

However, those clubs were allowed to participate in the premiership seasons of 1995 and 1996, while the ARL fought in the courtroom to stop the Super League competition from eventuating.

It is headquartered in Sydney at “Rugby League Central”, Moore Park, New South Wales.

Commissioners were required to not have had any link to any rugby league football governing body or organisation for the previous 2 years to ensure their independence.

[3] Ten members may, with the additional support of both the NSW and Queensland Rugby Leagues, vote to remove a Commissioner.

[3] Fourteen members are required to remove a Commissioner without the support of both the NSW and Queensland Rugby Leagues.