Rugby League Week to close down

Australian magazine Rugby League Week, a pillar of the media coverage of the game since 1970, is set to close down due to low sales.

Bauer Media, the owners, informed staff on Thursday.

The NRL will take over the Immortals concept, which honours the game’s greatest players.

“For more than four decades, Rugby League Week has been a prominent voice connecting the game of rugby league to its fans,” Bauer chief executive Nick Chan said in a statement published by B&T.

“While it’s never an easy decision to close a brand with such a distinguished heritage, commercial realities and our focus on key consumer categories have led us to take this action.

“I want to thank all those who have worked on Rugby League Week over the years, in particular the current team of dedicated professionals led by editor Shayne Bugden and editor-in-chief Martin Lenehan, who have consistently produced outstanding league coverage for the audience.”