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The 1985–86 Rugby Football League season was the 91st ever season of professional rugby league football in Britain. Sixteen teams competed from August, 1985 until May, 1986 for the Slalom Lager Championship.

Season summary

Slalom Lager League Champions were Halifax.
Halifax finished on top of the First Division table to claim their fourth championship, but Warrington defeated them in the Rugby League Premiership competition.
Paul Bishop of Warrington scored a record equalling 5 drop goals in the Premiership semi-final against Wigan on 11 May 1986.

Castleford were 15–14 winners over Hull Kingston Rovers in the Silk Cut Challenge Cup.

Wigan were 11–8 winners over Hull Kingston Rovers in the final for the John Player Special Trophy.

Warrington were 38–10 winners over Halifax in the Premiership Trophy. Warrington’s Australian forward Les Boyd was awarded the Harry Sunderland Trophy as man-of-the-match.

2nd Division Champions were Leigh.
Bridgend Blue Dragons and Southend Invicta dropped out of the competition. The promotion scheme was changed to 3-up 3-down.

Wigan beat Warrington 34–8 to win the Lancashire County Cup, and Hull Kingston Rovers beat Castleford 22–18 to win the Yorkshire County Cup.

First Division

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PP Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Halifax (C) 30 19 6 5 499 365 136.7 44 Qualification for Premiership first round
2 Wigan 30 20 3 7 776 300 258.7 43
3 St Helens 30 20 2 8 729 503 144.9 42
4 Warrington 30 20 1 9 665 393 169.2 41
5 Widnes 30 19 3 8 520 454 114.5 41
6 Leeds 30 15 3 12 554 518 106.9 33
7 Hull Kingston Rovers 30 16 1 13 507 500 101.4 33
8 Hull 30 15 2 13 616 508 121.3 32
9 Oldham 30 13 4 13 524 549 95.4 30
10 Salford 30 14 0 16 508 561 90.6 28
11 Castleford 30 12 1 17 551 585 94.2 25
12 Bradford Northern 30 11 1 18 447 473 94.5 23
13 Featherstone Rovers 30 9 3 18 419 616 68.0 21
14 York (R) 30 9 0 21 413 592 69.8 18 Relegated to Second Division
15 Swinton (R) 30 8 0 22 371 648 57.3 16
16 Dewsbury (R) 30 5 0 25 313 847 37.0 10
Source: [1]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points scored percentage (points scored divided by points conceded)
(C) Champions; (R) Relegated

Second Division

Pos Team Pld W D L PF PA PP Pts Qualification
1 Leigh (C, P) 34 33 0 1 1156 373 309.9 66 Promotion to First Division
2 Barrow (P) 34 27 0 7 1012 398 254.3 54
3 Wakefield Trinity (P) 34 24 1 9 680 435 156.3 49
4 Whitehaven 34 22 0 12 619 479 129.2 44
5 Rochdale Hornets 34 21 0 13 763 485 157.3 42
6 Blackpool Borough 34 20 0 14 769 570 134.9 40
7 Batley 34 18 3 13 567 450 126.0 39
8 Bramley 34 17 1 16 608 663 91.7 35
9 Fulham 34 16 1 17 679 709 95.8 33
10 Doncaster 34 16 1 17 611 650 94.0 33
11 Carlisle 34 15 2 17 585 682 85.8 32
12 Sheffield Eagles 34 14 1 19 516 617 83.6 29
13 Workington Town 34 13 0 21 684 723 94.6 26
14 Hunslet 34 11 3 20 594 795 74.7 25
15 Huddersfield Barracudas 34 8 4 22 542 841 64.4 20
16 Runcorn Highfield 34 9 2 23 489 790 61.9 20
17 Keighley 34 9 2 23 401 918 43.7 20
18 Mansfield Marksman 34 2 1 31 383 1080 35.5 5
Source: [2]
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Points scored percentage (points scored divided by points conceded)
(C) Champions; (P) Promoted

Premiership

Main article: 1985–86 Rugby League Premiership
18 May 1986
Warrington (4) 38 – 10 Halifax (1)
Tries: Johnson, Forster, Bishop, Boyd (2), Tamati, Jackson
Goals: Bishop (5)
 [3]
 Tries: C. Anderson
Goals: Whitfield (3)
Elland Road
Attendance: 13,683
Referee: Fred Lindop
Player of the Match: Les Boyd

Sources

References

  1. ^ “Championship 1985/86”. Rugby League Project. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  2. ^ “Second Division 1985/86”. Rugby League Project. Retrieved 19 March 2026.
  3. ^ Macklin, Keith (19 May 1986). “Warrington’s power pack makes light of Halifax”. The Times. p. 29.