1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season

The 1897–98 Northern Rugby Football Union season was the third season of rugby league football.

Summary The leading try scorer this season was Hoskins of Salford, who crossed the line 30 times. The leading goal scorer was Albert Goldthorpe of Hunslet who was successful 66 times. The leading points scorer was also Goldthorpe who scored 135 points in the season.

Oldham won the Lancashire Senior Competition and Hunslet won in Yorkshire, but only after winning a play-off with Bradford.

Rule changes The line-out was abolished and replaced with the punt-out.Bottom ten: Rugby league rules, Rugby League World, Aug 2009: 62 The value of all goals was reduced to two points.Top ten: Rugby league rules, Rugby League World, Aug 2009: 61

Lancashire Senior Competition Oldham won the Lancashire competition outright. Although participating in the Lancashire Senior Competition, Runcorn and Stockport were from Cheshire. Warrington, and Widnes were in Lancashire until the 1974 boundary changes and now lie within the northern boundary of Cheshire. TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 Oldham26221229594+201472 Swinton26203332183+238433 Widnes261916251114+137394 Salford261637275182+93335 Broughton Rangers261349183108+75306 Wigan2611114124173-49237 Leigh2611213176170+6228 St. Helens2610214161192-31229 Warrington2610214131178-472210Runcorn269215142184-422011Stockport268216154253-991812Tyldesley268117111281-1701713 Rochdale Hornets267019146247-1011414Morecambe26422074285-21110

Source: R.L.Yearbook 1995-96 cited in "The Vault".

League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0. Pld = Games played; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; PF = Match points scored; PA = Match points conceded; PD = Points difference; Pts = League points. Notes

Yorkshire Senior Competition Hunslet and Bradford ended the league season with 48 points. In a championship play-off Hunslet beat Bradford 5–2. TeamPldWDLPFPAPDPts1 Hunslet302244327117+210482 Bradford302325319139+180483 Batley3017310234111+123374 Halifax3016311193164+29355 Manningham3015411276181+95346 Castleford3016113256208+48337 Wakefield Trinity3016113248214+34338Leeds Parish Church3015114187213-26319 Leeds3013413186171+153010 Huddersfield3012315208170+382711 Hull3011415192187+52612Bramley3011415156199-432613Brighouse Rangers309516143172-292314Holbeck3011019171310-1392215Heckmondwike309219148315-1672016Liversedge30312676449-3737

Source: .

League points: for win = 2; for draw = 1; for loss = 0. Pld = Games played; W = Wins; D = Draws; L = Losses; PF = Match points scored; PA = Match points conceded; PD = Points difference; Pts = League points.

References

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