A MOVEMENT began late in 1928 which was to have far reaching and amazingly successful repercussions for the game of Rugby League.

Council members began to search for a permanent home for the great showpiece, the Challenge Cup final.

Attendances had been rising and a 40,000 crowd at Rochdale had proved almost too much for police and ground staff. After many meetings with the authorities at the great new Empire Stadium, agreement was reached for the first Wembley Challenge Cup final to take place in 1929 The clubs destined to take their place in history were Dewsbury and Wigan, who met in the first Wembley final in May. The crowd was 41,500 and receipts were £5,600 which made the experiment well worth-while. Just for the record, Wigan lifted the cup 13-2.

Warrington enjoyed cup success the season after lifting the Lancashire Cup for the second time with a 15-2 victory over Salford.

And it was in 1933 that Wire enjoyed their first trip to Wembley in search of double' success with already having the Lancashire Cup under their belts that season.

Warrington's opponents for the Challenge Cup final were Huddersfield and the game attracted what was then a record crowd of 41,874. Unfortunately it was Huddersfield's year as they took the cup 21-17.

Away from the Challenge Cup, Warrington maintained their superb record against Australian tourists with a 17-8 defeat of the Kangaroos in 1929. Tubby Thompson scored all Wire's points, three tries and four goals.

Australians Bill Shankland and Nelson Hardy were signed for £550 and £450 in 1931. And the Aussie link continued in 1932 with Warrington secretary Bob Anderton elected as business manager for the tour Down Under.

Rugby League took hold in France in the 1930s when the French Rugby Union found itself ostracised by its international fellows amid allegations of professionalism!

As a result yet another breakaway movement was formed and they hosted an exhibition international game in Paris in 1933 and a year later they sent a representative side to England and staged the first Great Britain versus France Test match in April, 1934.