Writing the Rugby League Film: Defining the ‘Greatest Game of All’ Through Genre

Rugby league in cinema is an overlooked research area. The sport enjoys tremendous cultural and financial prominence in some parts of the world, particularly Australia and the UK, and is depicted in several feature films from these countries. Cinematic representations of rugby league are largely unexamined by screen scholars, however, despite the existence of a large “sports” film genre. This leaves an important question: Can films in which rugby league is a central narrative component constitute their own subgenre? From a screenwriting perspective, categorising films into genres based on common narrative elements is an appealing exercise because it tests known forms and craft. If film genre theory and practice help to inform film analysis and industry norms, respectively, how does the screenwriter feature in this? In this research, I combine my passions of screenwriting and rugby league to test the legitimacy of the “rugby league film” as a narrative type in its own right. Using a creative (screenwriting) practice approach, the study fills the knowledge gap in two ways. First, with original textual analysis of rugby league films within a genre framework (exegesis), and second, with an original feature film screenplay (creative artefact) titled “The Goalkicker” that responds to and embodies the research findings. By showcasing cinematic depictions of rugby league through a screenwriting lens, this research offers an original creative-critical exploration of rugby league in cinema.