Marc Bazeley - Sports journalist

04/08/2025

My latest feature for Rugby League World is now online...

Inside Sheffield's difficult rebuild after Mark Aston.
https://www.totalrl.com/inside-sheffield-eagles-difficult-rebuild-after-mark-aston/

30/07/2025

A few words on something which stood out from Nigel Wood's appearance on The Bench...

NIGEL Wood said many interesting things during his appearance on this week’s episode of The Bench podcast. But when he wasn’t espousing his views on expanding the Betfred Super League or reciting spurious economic impact assessments, one line in particular stuck out. Asked by Bench co-host Jenna...

29/07/2025

A few words from me on yesterday's announcement...

MONDAY'S announcement Super League will expand to 14 teams from the 2026 was not surprising, but big questions remain.

27/07/2025

The latest Rugby League World is out now, including my in-depth feature on how Sheffield Eagles are moving on following Mark Aston's suspension.

Copies available below...

The new Rugby League World is out now, featuring St Helens' new star Harry Robertson plus features from Catalans, Canada, Cardiff and Crete!

Get your copy at http://totalrl.com/shop.

02/07/2025

Didn't expect to be writing about trade union matters and industrial relations in rugby league, yet here we are...

THE funding row which led to the apparent collapse of the RLPA underlines the need for British players to have independent representation.

28/06/2025

It seems like aeons ago already, but here are a few words on Hull KR's Challenge Cup win over Warrington Wolves for Rugby League World...

Heroes, heartbreak, angst and why Hull KR's Challenge Cup triumph is just the start.
https://www.totalrl.com/heroes-heartbreak-angst-and-why-hull-krs-challenge-cup-triumph-is-just-the-start/

20/06/2025

A few words on how Hull KR's defence has been generationally good so far in 2025...

"OFFENSE sells tickets, defence wins championships," is the old aphorism, and Hull KR are doing pretty well on both fronts

11/06/2025

I've been moved to write something...

ARISE, Sir Billy Boston - the first rugby league player to knighted? Well, not quite, if you know who Billy Bulmer is.

09/06/2025

Writing this was undoubtedly a fool's errand and won't change anyone's mind on anything, but anyway...

A closer look at what the Laws saw about Tom Davies' try for Hull KR in Saturday's Betfred Challenge Cup final.

06/06/2025

A few words and numbers for rugbyleaguehub.com...

Ranking all 12 Betfred Super League teams on their expected wins at the midway point of the regular season.

04/06/2025

🏆 Between 1978 and 2016, 14 British Speedway league championships were won by West Midlands clubs.

🔴🟡 Now, Birmingham Brummies are the region's last club standing and will close at the end of the season.

✍️ A few words over at Medium on the demise of a sporting heartland (link in comments)...

👇👇👇

27/05/2025

Had meant for this to go up sooner rather than later, but some thoughts on Lisa Nandy's recent comments around the idea of a football-style independent regulator for rugby league...

THERE are those who say sport and politics should never mix. The impending introduction of an independent regulator for football is but one example of how often those lines are blurred though. What…