BY CURTIS WOODWARD

Is there anything more interesting than an archaeological dig in search of the past? Okay, so we’re not hunting tyrannosaurus bones but we can pretend can’t we? Our poison is sifting through the internet to find prehistoric rugby league websites. Check out these bay boys. Some are live and some have been archived but it’s amazing the things you find:

2001 National Rugby League Tipping Competition
A tipping competition page for the 2001 season that also included stats and results for as far back as 1998. If you click through, you can actually find information on the Adelaide Rams. Unfortunately, the website was last updated in February 2001 meaning the tipping comp never happened.

Western Reds 1995-1997
A good old Angelfire site that has all the information you never needed on the now defunct Western Reds.

‘Co-Op News’ website from 2001
This is a total spinout with the “latest” news on Terry Hill, Craig Wing and Adam Muir. The main page shows Parramatta leading the minor premiership race while a survey further down the right hand side asks voters what they think of Channel Nine’s coverage with 79% saying the TV rights should be given to another network. At the top right it shows results from  round 20, 2001 with big wins for the Eels, Cronulla and North Queensland.

Official NRL website 2000
Have a look at this bad boy from the year 2000. Articles look at Matt Rua at the Storm, Geoff Toovey in doubt for the NSW Blues and news on Andrew Farrar taking over as Dragons coach for season 2001. In the fixtures section, it shows matches for round 18 which includes that classic Penrith comeback against Wests Tigers. The website also let fans download screen savers and wallpapers and listen to Mario Fenech’s weekly preview of the round ahead.

 
Sydney Roosters website
Here’s the Roosters website from way back in 2002. With the Warriors in town to play the Roosters at the Sydney Football Stadium, the Roosters were offering tickets for just $7!

Newcastle Knights website
Here is the 2008 version of the Newcastle Knights website with a lovely story about ‘Knights Nanna’s – Ready to cuddle’. Content is king!

Queensland’s Former Origin Greats
This one is only from 2012 but has an iconic shot of Wally Lewis watching the retiring Darren Lockyer hold aloft the State of Origin shield.

@woodward_curtis