Since the beginning of Australian rugby league in 1908, an interstate competition between New South Wales and Queensland has been conducted from almost annually (not in WWI, Spanish Flu and WWII).

[1] The first of these interstate games was played at Sydney's Agricultural Ground on 11 July 1908, before Queensland had even commenced its club competition.

The interstate series was dominated by New South Wales, apart from a golden period for Queensland in the 1920s.

[3] The period spanning 1922 to 1929 saw no Australian team play in Great Britain, the only such hiatus outside the two World Wars.

Matches were played mid-week, so as not to interfere with the Sydney club competition, and the small crowds in New South Wales were hosted at suburban grounds.

[3] Brisbane Courier-Mail reporter Hugh Lunn, Barry Maranta (the future co-founder of the Brisbane Broncos) [7] and Maranta's business partner Wayne Reid played a part in persuading QRL chairman Ron McAullife that the concept could be used in rugby league.

[10] New South Wales clubs were reticent in their support of the concept and set two conditions: Three Sydney clubs remained opposed to the plan: St. George Dragons, South Sydney Rabbitohs and Eastern Suburbs Roosters.

Asterisk (*): includes 1980, 1981 and 1987 exhibition game results in Win-Loss-Draw columns even though they were not part of any series Former Top-Flight Competition: Brisbane Rugby League premiership