1973–74 Northern Rugby Football League season

1973-1974 saw two division rugby re-introduced. The Championship playoffs were discontinued and the league leaders were declared the champions. A "Club Championship" was played in place of the playoffs but this was a one-off precursor to what became the end of season Premiership. It was a complicated format that involved sides from both divisions.

On 25 April, David Watkins of Salford scored the last of 929 points (41 tries, 403 goals) in a record run of scoring in 92 consecutive games for one club.[1]

Keith Mumby made his début for Bradford Northern this season as the club's youngest ever player, aged 16. In a match against Doncaster this season he scored 12 goals and a try. He went on to become the club's record appearance holder, playing 576 games.[2]

Salford won their fifth Championship. Oldham, Hull Kingston Rovers, Leigh and Whitehaven were demoted to the Second Division.

The Challenge Cup winners were Warrington who beat Featherstone Rovers 24-9 in the final.

The Club Championship was won by Warrington who beat St. Helens 13-12 in the final.

2nd Division Champions were: Bradford Northern, and they York, Keighley and Halifax were promoted to the First Division.[3]

From September until December also saw the appearance of the Australian team in England on their 1973 Kangaroo Tour. Other than the three test Ashes series against Great Britain (won 2–1 by Australia), The Kangaroos played matches against club and county representative sides

The 1978 Kangaroos were captain-coached by champion St George Dragons fullback Graeme Langlands who was making his third tour following from 1963–64 and 1967–68

game	Date	Result	Venue	Attendance
1	30 September	Australia def. Salford 15–12	The Willows, Salford	11,064
2	3 October	Australia def. Wakefield Trinity 13–9	Belle Vue, Wakefield	5,863
3	7 October	Australia def. Dewsbury 17–3	Crown Flatt, Dewsbury	5,865
4	10 October	Australia def. Castleford 18–10	Wheldon Road, Castleford	2,419
5	14 October	Australia def. Widnes 25–10	Naughton Park, Widnes	5,185
6	19 October	Australia def. Oldham 44–10	The Watersheddings, Oldham	2,895
7	24 October	Australia def. Cumberland 28–2	Recreation Ground, Whitehaven	3,666
8	28 October	Australia def. Bradford Northern 50–14	Odsal Stadium, Bradford	5,667
9	3 November	Great Britain def.  Australia 21–12	Wembley Stadium, London	9,874
10	7 November	Australia def. Hull Kingston Rovers 32–2	Craven Park, Hull	5,150
11	10 November	Australia def. Huddersfield 25–9	Fartown Ground, Huddersfield	1,333
12	11 November	Australia def. Leigh 31–4	Hilton Park, Leigh	2,607
13	13 November	St. Helens def. Australia 11–7	Knowsley Road, St Helens	10,013
14	18 November	Australia def. Featherstone Rovers 18–3	Post Office Road, Featherstone	5,659
15	24 November	Australia def.  Great Britain 14–6	Headingley, Leeds	16,674
16	1 December	Australia def.  Great Britain 15–5	Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington	10,019