What does the abbreviation NRL stand for in Australian rugby league?

NRL stands for National Rugby League, Australia’s premier professional rugby league competition.

The competition began in 1998 after the Australian Rugby League and Super League Australia competitions merged following the sport’s “Super League war.” It replaced the former Winfield Cup-era premiership as the top-level national competition.

The NRL includes clubs from Australia and, since 1995, has also included the New Zealand Warriors. Although “NRL” is often used to mean the competition itself, the National Rugby League is also the organisation responsible for administering the competition in partnership with the Australian Rugby League Commission.

The abbreviation is sometimes confused with “NSWRL,” which refers to the New South Wales Rugby League, a separate organisation and former state competition. The NRL season culminates in the NRL Grand Final, traditionally played at Stadium Australia in Sydney.