Koori KO

NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout

40th Anniversary 1971-2010

The annual NSW Rugby League Knockout, emerged from the new and growing Sydney inner-city Aboriginal community in the late 1960’s and early 1970s and can also be understood as part of a much longer tradition of participation by Aboriginal people in the football code of Rugby League.

The Knockout, beginning in Sydney in 1971, is widely described as a "modern day Corroboree" and attracts teams from all over New South Wales from as far as Bourke, Moree, Dubbo, Ballina and Bega to the south. The event runs over the Labour long weekend in October and involves incredible organisation and planning, largely on a voluntary basis. Victory is cited as a lifetime highlight from players and communities and the grand final winner earns the right to host the following event in their home town.

Maling Productions were commissioned by the National Indigenous Television Network to produce 3 days of live rugby league action.