Joseph Platt was the man who organised the historic meeting at the George Hotel in August 1895, and he remained secretary of the Northern Union for 25 years.

He steered the NU through the split, rule changes, international expansion, and World War One - yet his attempts to expand the game were hamstrung by the self-interest of the founder clubs. This week's 'Rugby Reloaded' looks at his life and career, and asks if British rugby league has changed significantly in the century since Platt's death.

For more on the history of rugby and the other football codes, take a look at www.rugbyreloaded.com (where you can find the links for this episode) and follow me on Twitter at @collinstony