Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League

Last updated

Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League
Northern Rivers Rugby League logo.jpg
Sport Rugby league
Formerly known as Group 1 Rugby League / Group 18 Rugby League
Instituted2005
Inaugural season2005
Number of teams13
CountryFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
PremiersCudgen hornets (2023)
Most titles Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls (5 titles)
Website NRRRL on facebook
Broadcast partner https://www.bartvsports.com.au/competitions/northern-rivers-regional-rugby-league/

The Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League (NRRRL) is a rugby league competition run in the far north of New South Wales, Australia. It is run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League. The league formed in 2005 as an extended Group 1 Rugby League competition, featuring teams from Group 18 Rugby League. Prior to this, teams from Group 18 played in a competition with teams from the Gold Coast region of Queensland; these clubs have since gone on to form the Gold Coast Rugby League competition. Both Group 1 and Group 18 continue to run junior competitions from Under 5s to Under 16s.

Contents

The competitions run by NRRRL include: First grade, Reserve grade, Under-18's and Ladies League Tag.

Due to sponsorship reasons, in 2007 and 2008 the competition was known as the Retravision Northern League. [1] As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 competition was suspended until August, with four clubs withdrawing. When it resumed, the competition was split in two due to Queensland border restrictions. The former Group 18 teams contested the Green competition, with the former Group 1 teams contesting the Gold competition.

Teams

There are thirteen member clubs of the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League as 2023.

The following clubs in NRRRL fielded teams in the 2023 Senior Mens and Ladies League Tag competitions:

ClubCity/TownFormedHome GroundMen's GradeLadies
Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls Ballina 1920Kingsford Smith Park1stYes
South Sydney colours.svg Bilambil Jets Bilambil 1923 [2] Bilambil East Sports Field1stYes
St. George colours.svg Byron Bay Red Devils Byron Bay 1974Red Devil Park1stYes
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Casino Cougars Casino Queen Elizabeth Park1stYes
Australian colours.svg Cudgen Hornets Cudgen 1950Ned Byrne Oval1stYes
Melbourne colours.svg Evans Head Bombers Evans Head 1999Stan Payne Oval1stYes
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Kyogle Turkeys Kyogle 1960New Park1stYes
Wolvescolours.svg Lismore Marist Brothers Rams Lismore Oakes Oval1stYes
Western Suburbs colours.svg Lower Clarence Magpies Yamba 1915Yamba Sporting Complex1stYes
Parramatta colours.svg Mullumbimby Giants Mullumbimby 1909Mullumbimby RLFC1stYes
City colours.svg Murwillumbah Mustangs Murwillumbah 1989 [3] Murwillumbah Colts JRL1stYes
South Sydney colours.svg Northern United Dirrawongs Lismore 2009Clifford Park1stYes
Canberra colours.svg Tweed Coast Raiders Casuarina 1980Les Burger Field1stYes

Former Clubs

Juniors

The following clubs fielded teams in 2018 Group 1 junior competitions: Ballina Seagulls, Casino Cougars, Clarence Coast Magpies, Grafton Ghosts, Kyogle Tukeys, Lismore Marist Brothers Rams, South Grafton Rebels

The following clubs fielded teams in 2019 Group 18 junior competitions: Bilambil Terranora Jets, Byron Bay Lennox Head Red Devils/Dolphins, Cudgen Headland Hornets, Mullumbimby Giants, Murwillimbah Colts, South Tweed Koala Bears/Ospreys, Tugun Seahawks, Tweed Coast Raiders, Tweed Heads Seagulls

First Grade Premierships

SeasonGrand Final InformationMinor Premiers
PremiersScoreRunners-upReports
2005 Hullcolours.svg Tweed Heads Seagulls 44–18 City colours.svg Murwillumbah MustangsMDN [4] Hullcolours.svg Tweed Heads Seagulls [5]
2006 Australian colours.svg Cudgen Hornets 19–16 City colours.svg Murwillumbah Mustangs City colours.svg Murwillumbah Mustangs [6]
2007 Parramatta colours.svg Mullumbimby Giants 34–30 Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls Star [7] Parramatta colours.svg Mullumbimby Giants [8]
2008 St. George colours.svg Byron Bay Red Devils 25–24 Canterbury colours.svg Grafton Ghosts FNC [9] Canterbury colours.svg Grafton Ghosts [10]
2009 Western Suburbs colours.svg Lower Clarence Magpies21–20 South Sydney colours.svg Northern UnitedABC [11] Western Suburbs colours.svg Lower Clarence Magpies [12]
2010 Canterbury colours.svg Grafton Ghosts 14–6 Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls FNC [13] Canterbury colours.svg Grafton Ghosts [14]
2011 Canterbury colours.svg Grafton Ghosts 10–6 City colours.svg Murwillumbah MustangsFNC [15] City colours.svg Murwillumbah Mustangs [16]
2012 City colours.svg Murwillumbah Mustangs27–26 Canterbury colours.svg Grafton Ghosts MDN [17] City colours.svg Murwillumbah Mustangs [16]
2013 Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls 30–24 City colours.svg Murwillumbah MustangsStar [18] City colours.svg Murwillumbah Mustangs
2014 Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls 17–6 St. George colours.svg Byron Bay Red Devils Star [19] Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls
2015 Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls 34–6 City colours.svg Murwillumbah MustangsStar [20] City colours.svg Murwillumbah Mustangs
2016 City colours.svg Murwillumbah Mustangs16–14 Australian colours.svg Cudgen Hornets ABC [21] City colours.svg Murwillumbah Mustangs
2017 Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls 36–28 Australian colours.svg Cudgen Hornets Star [22] Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls
2018 Canberra colours.svg Tweed Coast Raiders 24–4 Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls TDN [23] Canberra colours.svg Tweed Coast Raiders
2019 Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls 38–18 City colours.svg Murwillumbah MustangsNBN [24] Star [25] Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls
2020 (Green) Canberra colours.svg Tweed Coast Raiders 24–18 City colours.svg Murwillumbah MustangsNBN [26] Canberra colours.svg Tweed Coast Raiders
2020 (Gold) Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls 30–16 Wolvescolours.svg Lismore Marist BrothersNBN [27] Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls
2021 season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 South Sydney colours.svg Bilambil Jets 30–18 Melbourne colours.svg Evans Head Bombers Parramatta colours.svg Murwillumbah Mustangs

Ladies League Tag

SeasonGrand Final InformationMinor Premiers
PremiersScoreRunners-upReports
2017 St. George colours.svg Byron Bay Red Devils 12–8 Wolvescolours.svg Lismore Marist Brothers
2018 Wolvescolours.svg Lismore Marist Brothers 22–4 St. George colours.svg Byron Bay Red Devils Wolvescolours.svg Lismore Marist Brothers
2019 Canberra colours.svg Tweed Coast Raiders 12–10 Wolvescolours.svg Lismore Marist Brothers
2020 (Green) Canberra colours.svg Tweed Coast Raiders 4–2 Australian colours.svg Cudgen Hornets Australian colours.svg Cudgen Hornets
2020 (Gold) Wolvescolours.svg Lismore Marist Brothers18–0 Cronulla colours.svg Ballina Seagulls Wolvescolours.svg Lismore Marist Brothers
2021 season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Australian colours.svg Cudgen Hornets 14–10 Wolvescolours.svg Lismore Marist Brothers Australian colours.svg Cudgen Hornets

Juniors

Both Group 1 and Group 18 run independent junior competitions as was before the merger to form the NRRRL in seniors.

See also

Sources

YearsAcronymItemAvailable
Online		Via
1967–69, 1971–96-Country Rugby League Annual ReportNoState Library of NSW
2003 to 2014RLW Rugby League Week YeseResources at State Library of NSW
2007 to 2019Star The Northern Star Yes Northern Star website
2005 to 2019-Various Newspaper WebsitesYesAs referenced

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Northern Rivers</span> Region in New South Wales, Australia

Northern Rivers is the most north-easterly region of the Australian state of New South Wales, located between 590 and 820 kilometres north of the state capital, Sydney, and encompasses the catchments and fertile valleys of the Clarence, Richmond, and Tweed rivers. It extends from Tweed Heads in the north to the southern extent of the Clarence river catchment which lies between Grafton and Coffs Harbour, and includes the main towns of Tweed Heads, Byron Bay, Ballina, Kyogle, Lismore, Casino and Grafton. At its most northern point, the region is 102 kilometres (63 mi) south-southeast of the Queensland capital, Brisbane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ballina, New South Wales</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia

Ballina is a town in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, and the seat of the Ballina Shire local government area. It lies 740 km (460 mi) north of Sydney and 185 km (115 mi) south of Brisbane. Ballina's urban population at the end of 2021 was 46,190. The town lies on the Richmond River and serves as a gateway to Byron Bay.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tweed Heads, New South Wales</span> Town in New South Wales, Australia

Tweed Heads is a coastal town at the mouth of the Tweed River in the Northern Rivers region of the state of New South Wales, Australia. Tweed Heads is the northern most town in New South Wales, and is located in the Tweed Shire local government area. It is situated 830 km (520 mi) north of Sydney and 103 km (64 mi) south of Brisbane. The town is next to the border with Queensland and is adjacent to its "twin town" of Coolangatta, which is a suburb of the Gold Coast in Queensland.

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The Summerland Australian Football League or SAFL was an Australian rules football competition in the Northern Rivers and New England region of New South Wales, Australia, in existence from 1984 to 2011. It now is reformed under the AFL Queensland banner under various QFA divisions, currently QFA Division 2 South/Northern Rivers.

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Group 1 Rugby League was a rugby league competition held in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League. The group, however, still runs a junior rugby league competition. When the Group 18-Gold Coast competition dissolved in 2005, the New South Wales sides joined together with Group 1 to form a divisional league, Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League (NRRRL). Group 18 also still holds its own individual junior rugby league competition.

Group 2 is a rugby league competition on the north coast of New South Wales Since 1966, run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League. The Group 2 area runs from Grafton in the north to Macksville in the south. Group 2 teams played for many decades before 1966 when some redistribution, amalgamation or control mechanism presumably changed. Teams on the Nambucca River, namely Bowraville, Macksville and Nambucca Heads played in a southern division against Kempsey, Smithtown, Port Macquarie and Wauchope before 1966.

The Clayton Cup is a trophy that was awarded by the Country Rugby League to the NSW country rugby league team with the best overall record for that season. To be eligible, the team must win the highest level of competition in its region. Usually the winner of the Clayton Cup goes through the season undefeated. In late 2019, the Country Rugby League was absorbed by the New South Wales Rugby League.

Group 18 is the name of a junior rugby league competition on the far north coast of New South Wales, Australia. Currently, the group has no senior competition. Prior to 2005, there was a joint Gold Coast-Group 18 competition which fielded teams from both the Queensland and New South Wales sides of the border. With the Burleigh Bears joining the Queensland Cup in 1997 and the Tweed Heads Seagulls joining them in 2003, the combined competition started to lose some of its lustre. In 2005, it was dissolved with the remaining Queensland teams forming a dedicated Gold Coast competition and the NSW teams joining an expanded Group 1 competition, now named Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League. Both Group 1 and Group 18 run junior competitions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Murwillumbah railway line</span> Former railway line in New South Wales

The Murwillumbah railway line is a mostly disused railway line in far north-eastern Northern Rivers New South Wales, Australia. The line ran from Casino to Lismore, Byron Bay, Mullumbimby and Murwillumbah, opening in 1894. It is one of only two branches off the North Coast line,. Train services to the region ceased in May 2004. The line from Casino to Bentley and Murwillumbah to Crabbes Creek was formally closed on 23 September 2020 to facilitate the construction of a rail trail.

ABC North Coast is an ABC Local Radio station based in Lismore and broadcasting to the Northern Rivers region in New South Wales. This includes the towns and cities of Grafton, Ballina, Byron Bay, Casino and Murwillumbah.

Caleb Binge is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Gold Coast Titans of the National Rugby League. He primarily plays prop.

The Grafton Ghosts are an Australian rugby league football team based in Grafton, New South Wales. The club was founded in 1963 as a joint venture of the Grafton All Blacks and Grafton United teams.

Ballina Seagulls Rugby League Football Club is an Australian rugby league football club based in Ballina, New South Wales formed in the late 1920s. The club has both junior and senior teams.

The Byron Bay Red Devils are an Australian rugby league football team based in Byron Bay, New South Wales they played in the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League.

The LJ Hooker League is a cricket competition on the NSW Far North Coast comprising teams from the Ballina, Casino, Lismore and Tweed District Cricket Associations.

References

  1. ↑ Miller, Adrian. "Local league enters new era". The Daily Telegraph.
  2. ↑ "PlaySport.com: Find, Organise and Play Sport Like Never Before". playsport.com. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  3. ↑ "Murwillumbah Leagues Club". Murwillumbah Leagues Club. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  4. ↑ Final Triumph
  5. ↑ Tweed (12 September 2005). "Mustangs host Tweedshowdown | Tweed Daily News". Mydailynews.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  6. ↑ Lismore (19 August 2006). "Bros have the experience". Daily Telegraph. Northern Star. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  7. ↑ Lismore (28 July 2009). "Drought's drug ban". Northern Star. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  8. ↑ Northern Rivers (29 August 2007). "Stirring Seagulls win one man down | Lismore Echo". Echonews.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  9. ↑ "Byron Bay wins rugby league grand final | Far North Coaster Magazine". Farnorthcoaster.com.au. 14 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "Grafton Ghosts, Byron Bay battle it out to host NRRRL grand final | Far North Coaster Magazine". Farnorthcoaster.com.au. 27 August 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  11. ↑ "Lower Clarence celebrate the 2009 NRRRL Grand Final at the Maclean showground - ABC (none) - Australian Broadcasting Corporation". www.abc.net.au.
  12. ↑ "Minor premiers meet defending premiers | Far North Coaster Magazine". Farnorthcoaster.com.au. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  13. ↑ "2010 NRRRL Grand Final Results".
  14. ↑ "Ballina and Grafton Ghosts to meet in NRRRL grand final".
  15. ↑ "NRRRL Grand Final Results".
  16. 1 2 "Mustangs backed to beat Ghosts | Tweed Daily News". Mydailynews.com.au. 1 September 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  17. ↑ gmartin (3 September 2012). "Mustangs are grand final champs | Tweed Daily News". Mydailynews.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  18. ↑ mcraig (5 September 2013). "Ballina Seagulls set to break 20-year Premiership drought". Northern Star. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  19. ↑ Craig, Mitchell (17 September 2014). "Brothers key to Ballina's grand final win over Red Devils". Northern Star. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  20. ↑ Craig, Mitchell. "NRRRL's 2015 highlights and our pick for team of the year". Northern Star. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  21. ↑ "Emotions overflow as Murwillumbah Mustangs honour fallen team mate". ABC News. 19 September 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  22. ↑ Craig, Mitchell (11 September 2017). "Hard-fought win for Seagulls in NRRRL grand final". Northern Star. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  23. ↑ Vivian, Steve (9 September 2018). "Raiders conquer Ballina in historic NRRRL grand final win". Tweed Daily News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  24. ↑ "Fairytale Season Ends In Grand Final Win For Ballina". NBN News. 8 September 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  25. ↑ "Seagulls win another NRRRL grand final". 8 September 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  26. ↑ "TWEED COAST RAIDERS TAKE HOME PREMIERSHIP IN NRRRL GREEN COMP". 11 October 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  27. ↑ "BALLINA SEAGULLS WIN NRRRL GRAND FINAL AGAINST MARIST BROTHERS". 18 October 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.


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