Launched last night at Birchgrove Oval in Balmain, the spiritual birthplace of Rugby League in Australia, FOX LEAGUE will honour the origins of the game and champion and celebrate Rugby League like no one else.

Switching on February 20, channel FOX SPORTS 502 will become FOX LEAGUE with all the shows firing up from February 27 before Round 1 kicks off on March 2. FOX LEAGUE will give fans what they have been asking for – every game, every round live, guided by the best commentary team in the business, on their very own channel that never switches off.

Joining the FOX family in 2017 is the highly sought-after sports presenter, Yvonne Sampson, who will lead a new era for Rugby League coverage alongside one of Australia’s brightest broadcasters, Matty Johns.

Other new faces joining the network, as it gears up for its biggest and best year ever, is recently retired Broncos great, Justin Hodges, former half-back star, Brett Finch and popular sports presenter Hannah Hollis. Fans will see more of Corey Parker and Mick Ennis plus hear from new match-day caller, Brenton Speed.

Sharing play-by-play commentary duties with Speed is Warren Smith and Andrew Voss.

Hodges, Parker and Sampson join Mal Meninga, Kevin Walters, Ben Ikin and Gorden Tallis to lead the strongest Queensland contingent ever assembled at FOX SPORTS.

In 2017, fans will hear from more of the most respected female sports presenters in the country with Sampson joined by Hollis, Lara Pitt, Megan Barnard, Tara Rushton and Jess Yates to feature prominently across the week’s programming.

The LIVE on-field action starts earlier in the week this season, with the new Thursday night match hosted by Sampson, Johns and a bumper panel of experts weekly from 7.00pm EDT.

Then it’s a Friday double-header, with the new 6pm match only on FOX LEAGUE, before a massive Super Saturday EXCLUSIVE triple-header. FOX LEAGUE will be the only place to watch both Sunday matches LIVE, wrapping up the weekend’s action.

And it gets better. Across the week, six new magazine shows will keep fans entertained, informed and across all Rugby League’s big issues. There will be something for everyone - more fun and more debate, bringing fans even closer to the game they love.