The Official Rugby League Dictionary

With so many new words and phrases being tossed up these days, your Glorious King Of The Universe thought it was about time you received guidance in your life. Here in League Freaks Rugby League Dictionary you will find the true meaning of all the words and phrases you will hear when gathered around Rugby League fans.

Allegedly
Oh, he did that shit!

Alternative Lifestyle Clowns
Name given to Harlequins Rugby League team. Not that there’s anything wrong with that!

Australian Rugby League Commission
The new governing body for Rugby League in Australia. It consists of an independent 8 man board who will oversee all of the major decisions within the game in Australia. And probably New Zealand. And the Pacific Islands. But thats it.

Bag, Bagging
The art of abusing someone as is to “Bag” them. A term used mostly by Australians.

Ball Boy
The young kids on the sidelines that are in charge of making sure a ball is readily available to the players on the field when needed, and also for retrieving the ball when it leaves the field of play. Formula One driver Mark Webber used to be a Ball Boy for the Canberra Raiders.

Banana Bender
A Queenslander or Maroons fan.

Barbecuing Alone
The act of masturbating by yourself. Made famous by James Maloney when asked on The Footy Show what his most embarrassing moment was and he said he was caught barbecuing alone.

Beaver
The nickname of Manly Sea Eagles legend and try scoring freak Steve Menzies. Also what players go on the lookout for in clubs and pubs around the world.

Benefit Of The Doubt
The referee’s way of saying “I have no f*cking idea”.

Blood Bin
The name given to the act of sending a player from the field who is bleeding. Also the reason why women don’t make the best Rugby League players.

Blue And Gold Army
A group of people that are the best fans in the NRL….as long as their team is winning. They can be identified by the constant talk that their current halfback is the next Peter Sterling.

Bonding Session
The act of bringing a team together via binge drinking, group sex, horse riding and various other fun past times.

Bottle Thrower
A resident of of Hull or a supporter of Hull FC. Given the name after many riots at games, none of which were the fault of Hull fans but all of which involved Hull fans.

Bulldogs Army
The name given to the Canterbury Bulldogs supporter group. Very passionate, occasionally over the top, they sometimes get a bad wrap from the media who hates their guts!

Cane Toad
A Queensland resident or Maroons supporter.

Castlefax
The name given to Castleford Tigers when a jersey clash during a Super League fixture at Shay Stadium forced them to wear Halifax jerseys grabbed out of the Halifax team shop to wear during the game.

Chicken Wing
The act of trying to control a player on the ground by holding his arm and pushing it backwards, trying to push it around his back. Also what George Rose finds absolutely delicious!

Chip
A small kick over or through the defensive line, something Queenslanders have on their shoulders and what Keiron Cunningahm likes to eat by the kilo as long as they are covered in gravy. Lots of gravy.

Choke
The art of losing a game you should have won. This game be by giving up a big lead, or by losing a finals match against a lesser fancied opponent. Noted Chokers include the Parramatta Eels, St George/Illawarra Dragons and Leeds Rhino’s.

Chorley
The place League Freak resides no matter where he is in the world.

Cockroaches
A NSW resident or Blues supporter.

Corner Post
The marker used to show the line between the field of play and in-goal areas along the sideline. Formally made out of a cardboard pole resembling a giant toilet roll, now covered by foam padding with sponsor logos on them. Once something to take home after running onto the field, now such an act draws a $5,000 fine.

Crusher
The nickname of Manly legend Noel Cleal.

Crusher Tackle
The act of grabbing a player around the neck in a tackle and applying pressure on a players neck to push the tackled players chin into his chest.

Dally M Medal
An award handed to the outstanding player of the NRL regular season. Points are awarded in every game on a 3-2-1 basis. The player with the most points at the end of the regular season is the Dally M medal winner.

Davatar
The nickname of Dave Taylor who looks like one of those big bastards of Avatar.

Dogging
The act of having sex in a public park surrounded by strangers, and what Joel Monaghan does with his own pooch.

Drag Queens
One of the nicknames fans give to the St George/Illawarra Dragons.

Dulls
Name given to the Bradford Bulls Rugby League club for their one dimensional play and the lack of atmosphere at their games generated by their quiet fans.

Facial
The act of rubbing your hands in the face of an opposition player, a beauty treatment or a messy sexual act that can sting the eyes.

Falcon
The act of a Rugby League ball hitting a player in the face or head.

Fatty, The Fat Man
The nickname of former Manly and Queensland great Paul Vautin. Also what League Freak calls Keiron Cunningham.

Fergo and The Freak
A Rugby League podcast hosted by a Rugby League historian and an outspoken Rugby League expert. The podcast covers topics such as what various non-edible animals taste like, how terrible the media is, and what is the most expensive, ridiculous purchase League Freak can make that proves he is nothing but an immature child.

Freddy
The nickname of former Australian legend Brad Fittler.

Full Support Of The Board
The last thing a coach gets before being sacked.

Fox Sports Australia
The official pay television broadcaster of the National Rugby League. Also known for its grubby, muck-raking “journalism” that focuses on the sort of gossip and non stories you’re use to seeing in New Idea magazine. Filled with stories by “Staff writers” because no one wants to put their name to such trash.

Gateshull Thunder Sharks
Name give to the bastard creation that came from the merging of the Gateshead Thunder and Hull Sharks.

Golden Boot Award
Award that is handed out by the RFL to a player deemed to be the best in the world. Supposedly voted on by Rugby League journalists from around the world (None of which have ever actually be identified), few things in the game today have less credibility than this award. Previous winners include Stacey Jones and Andrew Farrell. Nuff said.

Grapple Tackle
The act of getting a player in a headlock in a tackle and applying pressure to a players head or neck in a tackle. Its designed to slow a player down in a tackle and allow the defense to get into a better position to defend the next play.

Hooker
The player that wears the number nine jersey whos job it is to clear the ball from the ruck and either run it or pass it to the first receiver. Also a lady of the night.

A Hoppa
The act of sticking ones fingers up the arsehole of another person, usually a man. This term come into use world wide after former Manly winger John Hopoate went on a “Hoppa” rampage and violated a number of opposition NRL players in this manner.

Hull’s B Team
Hull KR, the much smaller, less well known Rugby League club playing in Hull.

Import (Super League)
The common way to refere to anyone playing in the Rugby Super League competition that wasn’t born and grew up in England. While officially there are limits on imports, the fact is that the rules governing imports are so relaxed and full of holes that they have no effect on Super League clubs signing overseas players.

International Rugby League Federation
Name of a meeting held in Sydney or Leeds every year. Involves representative from most League playing nations. It goes for around 4 days and everyone gets a free stay in a hotel. After days of supposedly talking, nothing gets resolves and the big three of the Australian Rugby League, New Zealand Rugby League and Rugby Football League do what they want anyway and make things up as they go. A waste of time and money.

It’s Not His Go
A phrase use to excuse the terrible actions of a Rugby League player in the face of public scrutiny. Used as a way to try and negate actual physical damage a player has done, or a general grubby act. Is usually followed up by similar behaviour over a long time frame, none of which is the players “go”.

Joey
The name given to a juvenile Kangaroo, also the name given to Newcastle Legend Andrew Johns.

Joynts Voluntary Tackle
It’s in the last seconds of the 2002 Super League Grand Final, Sean Long by some strange twist of luck managed to land himself a drop goal which put saints 19-18 ahead, the Saints fans are counting down Joynt receives the ball and…..well… for a man of his age to have played 80 minutes was a tremendous effort, but it had it’s effect, Joynt folded like a pack of cards and fell to the floor in front of the bulls defenders, but like the true champions he was, he was able to scramble back up and make the extra few yards….or he was just scared he would make a mistake when tackled so fell over?

KC
Short for Kingston Communication’s Stadium and Keiron Cunningham. Current questions surround which takes longer to walk around.

Key Indicators
A phrase used by the NRL referee’s for when they are targeting a certain area of the game. More commonly known as a crackdown or a “Did he pull that call out of his arse or what”.

Kick And Clap
A slag name for Rugby Union, the sport played by fat, skilless Rugby players. So called because most of the players in Rugby Union just kick the ball into the stands. This is followed by polite applause from a Union crowd that doesn’t know the name of any players on the field but who like to eat cheese and drink white wine and talk about what school they used to go to and how they love their range rover.

Kolpak Stiff
A player from a Commonwealth nation who does not count as an import in Super League even if they have never even been to Britain and have no relatives or ties to Britain what so ever.

KR
The shortened name for St Helen’s Rugby League clubs dilapidated stadium known as Knowsley Road. Much the same now as it was thousands of years ago when the Romans built it. KR also stands for Kingston Rovers, as in the Hull kind.

Man Of Steel
The name of the award given to the best player over the course of the Rugby Super League season. The terribly corny name comes from the previous sponsorship from a steel company for this award. Is also the name given to Superman, or someone that has taken way too much Viagra.

Millennium Magic
The name given to an entire round of Super League games played at Cardiffs Millennium Stadium on the one weekend. Is a chance for everyone from Northern England to head to Wales, get pissed and watch some footy!

Mo
Maurice Lindsey, the former head honcho of the Wigan Warriors Rugby League Club. Yes…it’s all his fault!

Modern Era
The modern era of Rugby League began in 1990 when the 10 meter rule came into the game (previously 5 meters) forcing a defensive team to retreat 10 meters back from the tackled player.

National Rugby League (Governing Body)
Formed as a result of a peace deal thrashed out after the Super League War, the NRL is 50% owned by the Australia Rugby League and 50% owned by News Limited. It governing the running of the 16 team NRL competition and nothing else.

National Rugby League (Competition)
Formed in 1998, it is the elite 16 team competition consisting of 15 Australian based sides and 1 New Zealand based team.

New South Wales Rugby League (Governing Body)
Once the most powerful governing body in Australia, now does little more than make certain suit wearers feel important and run the NSW Rugby League team during State Of Origin time.

Niggle
The act of getting under an opposition player or fans skin by verbally or physically breaking them down with a relentless barrage insults or confronting tactics. For examples of world class niggle look at Terry Hills entire career.

One-on-One Strip
The act of reliving an opponent of possession of the ball. Also what you pay extra for when you’re on the Gold Coast in one of their gentleman’s clubs.

Paint Sniffer/Petrol Sniffer
A resident of Salford or a supporter of the Salford Reds.

Pan Face
Andrew Farrell’s nickname.

Pie Eaters
Nickname for Wigan Rugby League fans because hundreds of years ago people from Wigan went on strike, but then they ate humble pie and came back, or it could be because they just like stuffing their faces with pies?

Prowler
The name given to a player that charges into a standing, stationary tackle and hits an attacking player in the back when he can not defend himself.

Rabbits
A slang term for the South Sydney Rabbitohs Rugby League club, the nickname of Australian Rugby League commentator Ray “Rabbits” Warren.

Red Hall
The headquarters of the Rugby Football League. Situated in Leeds, its where some of the most stupid decisions in the history of game game have come out of including cutting import numbers by boosting them to 10 per Super League club and handing out salary cap fines and penalties to teams that have not broken the salary cap.

Redemption
What the media tries to convince everyone is possible with the biggest cunts that play the game of Rugby League.

Refs Fault
The art of breaking down 80 minutes of Rugby League actions in a game that see’s two teams compete, involving 34 players and coming to the conclusion that your team lost because the referee made one decision in the game that you don’t agree with. Is only used by losers with losing teams.

Relegation
The stripping of a clubs playing roster, funding and assets in the name of sport. This is as a result of the club being sent down one division and no one wanting to play or be a part of a club that is down at a lower level.

Rising Star – Australia And New Zealand
A young player showing a lot of promise in the junior grades. he stands out among his peers and is improving his game every chance he gets.

Rising Star – UK
Anyone under the age of 25 who has a pulse.

Rusty
The nickname of South Sydney Rabbitohs co-owner Russell Crowe.

Salary Cap
An set limit that teams are allowed to spend on player salaries. Used to provide an even playing field, better competition and fairness to all teams within the competition that it is applied in. Does not apply to Wigan, Bradford or St Helen’s.

Salford New Stadium
The longest construction project on modern human history. A place where at least 14,000 spare seats will be stored, if it ever gets built.

The Sandow Flop
The act of shoulder charging a player that is already on the ground.

A Schoey
The act of bagging current players for their lack of international success despite being a loser yourself, still identifying yourself as a player even though you’re of pension age, talking up your OBE which you received for serviced to Australia’s trophy cabinet, then block anyone on Twitter that won’t lick your arse and tell you how you played great against semi professional teams like Salford.

Scrum Half
Term used in the UK to describe the position commonly referred to everywhere else as a halfback.

Second Chance
Something provided to a talented footballer who has fucked up royally off the field. Is usually directly connection to their ability. Note, a second chance has nothing to do with how many chances a player has had. A good player have have 15-20 second chances.

See You Slater
The call made when Queenslander Billy Slater runs around or through and opposition team to sore another brilliant try.

Serial Dickhead
A player or group of players that make arses of themselves time after time, promise they have turned a corner and yet six months later are back to their old tricks again. Players such as Julian O’Neill, John Hoppoate, Craig Gower and Tim Smith lead the way as serial dickheads.

Shrapnel
Sean Long.

The Shuddersfield Giant Eagles
Rarely used but nonetheless official name of the merged teams Huddersfield Giants and Sheffield Eagles. The youngest of Rugby Leagues pro clubs are now generally referred to as just Shuddersfield.

Slutch
Muddy ground as described by British Rugby League Legend Alex Murphy during his commentating days.

Squirrel Grip
The act of grabbing an opposition player by the testicles, or in other words “grabbing a handful of nuts”. One of the few skills that Leon Pryce possesses.

State Of Origin
A series of three games played between NSW and Queensland…..with some Fijian, New Zealand and PNG players thrown in along with anyone that’s ever visited Queensland for five minutes.

Tommy Turbo
The nickname given to Tom Trbojevic and used consistently by commentators who just can’t pronounce Trbojevic.

Touch Football, Touch Rugby
A non contact version of Rugby League. No kicking is allowed, trys are not converted and there are no scrums, but its is essentially still Rugby League. Also the best way to describe the type of defenses you see in Super League.

Touchie
The shortening of the name “Touch Judge”. The man who runs down the side of a Rugby League field dressed like a referee and holding a flag who apparently does nothing.

Union
A lesser form of Rugby played by people with no testicles and players who can no longer handle the physical nature of Rugby League. Followed by wankers.

Video Referee
The facility available to the on field referee when certain rulings are in doubt. The on field referee can referee a decision up to the video referee who can look at all the camera angles and make sure the right decision is made….most of the time.

Vossy
The nickname of Rugby League commentator Andrew Voss.

Weapon Head
The name given to Richard Villasanti after his missile like head butt on Brad Fittler in the 2002 NRL Grand Final.

Wembley Stadium
The home of the Challenge Cup Final, situated in London. It is the most famous stadium in the world.

We’re Getting Better
Phrase used by British players, fans, commentators and administrators for the last quarter of a century after every battering they taken from an Australian side on home soil and in other countries in every single competition they have played. Usually followed by laughter from Australians that hear the phrase being used.

Wheels
Another word for Testicles. It came into being when Gold Coast players Josh Graham accused Cronulla forward Paul Gallen of grabbing him by the testicles during a game in early 2008. He told the media “He grabbed my ‘wheels’ (testicles) and gave them a bit of squeeze, 100 per cent,”.

Whinos
The name given to Leeds fans because of their insistence of whinging every time their club chokes in a big game.

Wigan Walk
The process that follows the 60th minute of any game Wigan are involved in where by the majority of Wigan supports leave the stadium, win, lose or draw.

Wooden Spoon
The fictional award given to the last placed team in a competition that doesn’t not use promotion and relegation. For Example: South Sydney have won more wooden spoons than any other club in the history of sport.

World Class – Australia and New Zealand
A player that has performed at the highest levels for an extended period of time and achieved brilliant results when matched against the best players in the game. A term that is rarely used in the Southern Hemisphere as you are considered to only be as good as your last game.

World Class – UK
Anyone that can play Rugby League in the UK and who isn’t completely terrible. For example, Denis Moran was described as being a World Class player by his then London Broncos coach Tony Rea. All players tagged as World Class in the UK have all tried and failed against anything considered to actually be World Class.

Wakefield Trinity Zombie Wildcats
After the Wakefield Wildcats went belly up, mid season, in 2011 the very next weekend they had risen from the dead and were playing games again. They rose from the dead, and like Zombies, they stunk and were short of brains.

Got A Suggestion?
Add a comment in the box below and it will be added to League Freaks Dictionary very soon!