In 1980, he was instrumental in the establishment of the State of Origin series between teams representing New South Wales and Queensland.
[6] In 1983, the Australian ABC-TV current affairs programme Four Corners, aired an episode entitled "The Big League".
Reporter Chris Masters described allegations of corruption within the NSWRL, including suggestions that officials were siphoning funds from particular clubs and international matches, while players and spectators endured sub-standard facilities.
As a result of the program, a Royal Commission (the Street Royal Commission) was formed whose findings resulted in New South Wales chief magistrate Murray Farquhar being sent to prison, Humphreys' career ending abruptly and ABC being sued for libel by the then NSW State Premier, Neville Wran (who eventually settled out of court).
He had suffered strokes which resulted in some paralysis[10] prior to his death on 29 April 2010 at the age of 80 in a hospital in Sydney.