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 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.
Seniors
The Group 1 Senior Rugby League Premiership amalgamated with Group 18 Rugby League in 2005 to form the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League, and was thus discontinued in its own right.
Juniors
Current Teams The following clubs are affiliated with Group 1 juniors, but run senior teams in the NRRRL competition: Ballina Seagulls Casino RSM Clarence Coast Magpies (as Lower Clarence in NRRRL) Kyogle Turkeys Lismore Marist Brothers Rams
The following clubs are affiliated with Group 1 juniors, but run senior teams in the Group 2 Rugby League competition: Grafton Ghosts South Grafton Rebels
Former Teams The following clubs fielded junior teams in Group 1 competitions earlier in the 2010s Evans Head Bombers Northern United Dirrawongs Lennox Head Dolphins South Lismore Rabbits Upper Clarence
Notable Juniors Ballina Seagulls Frank Curran (1931–1937 South Sydney Rabbitohs) Mitchell Aubusson (2007–present Sydney Roosters) James Aubusson (2007–2010 Melbourne Storm & Sydney Roosters) James Roberts (2011–present South Sydney Rabbitohs, Penrith Panthers, Gold Coast Titans & Brisbane Broncos) Caleb Binge (2014 Gold Coast Titans) Brian Kelly (2017–present Manly Sea Eagles & Gold Coast Titans) Nick Meaney (2018–present Newcastle Knights & Canterbury Bulldogs) Tyrone Roberts (2011–present Newcastle Knights, Warrington Wolves & Gold Coast Titans)
Casino RSM Matt King Brian Smith Tony Smith Ben Kennedy Albert Torrens John Elford Cody Walker (rugby league)
Clarence Coast Magpies (Lower Clarence Coast Magpies) Luke Douglas Tony Priddle Nathan Brown Daine Laurie (born 1999) Daniel Wagon Kevin Plummer
Kyogle Turkeys Ken Nagas – Former Canberra Raiders (1992–2002) player. Nigel Roy – Former Illawarra Steelers (1993–94), North Sydney Bears (1995–99), Northern Eagles (2000) & London Broncos (2001–04) player. Will Mathews – Former Gold Coast Titans (2008–11, 2018–19) & St George Illawarra Dragons (2012–17) player. Shannon Walker – Former Gold Coast Titans (2008–10) & Australia Rugby 7's (2012–17) player. Jone Macilai – Former Fiji Bati (2008–09) player. David Grant – Former Canberra Raiders (1982–85) Balmain Tigers (1978–1981), Eastern Suburbs Roosters (1977) & South Sydney Rabbitohs (1976) player. Paul Doolan – Former St George Dragons (1990), Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (1991–93) and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks (1994–95) player
Lismore Marist Brothers Rams Andrew King (rugby league) Chris King (rugby league) David Mead (rugby league) Nick Ford-Daley (rugby league)
First Grade Premierships 1964–1983 (Web Archive)
From The Vault on Wayback Machine
1961 Ballina def Casino RSM * Ballina also won the Clayton Cup.
1962 Casino RSM 19–14 Ballina
1963 Casino RSM 8–0 Woodburn
1964 Casino RSM
1965 Casino RSM
1966 Lismore Marist Brothers def Casino RSM
1967 Casino RSM * Casino RSM also won the Clayton Cup.
1968 Casino RSM 32–10 South Lismore
1969 (Two competitions) Ballina 7–3 Casino RSM & 1969 Mallanganee 23–15 Baryulgil
1970 Grafton 12–5 South Grafton
1971 Kyogle+ 14–9 Lower Clarence
1972 South Grafton+ 19-6 Kyogle
1973 Lower Clarence 27–13 Lismore Marist Brothers
1974 Western Suburbs 24–0 South Lismore-Woodburn
1975 South Grafton 17–8 South Lismore-Evans Head
1976 Casino RSM 22–7 South Grafton
1977 Grafton 16–14 South Grafton
1978 South Lismore-Evans Head 18–14 Casino RSM
1979 Casino RSM 33–10 South Grafton
1980 Lismore Marist Brothers 24–8 South Grafton
1981 Lismore Marist Brothers 20–2 Western Suburbs-Alstonville
1982 Ballina 14–4 Casino RSM
1983 Kyogle 14–12 Lower Clarence
1984–present (Grand Final results compiled from scores published in the Rugby League Week.) SeasonGrand Final InformationMinor PremiersPremiersScoreRunners-up1984 Lower Clarence Mapgies25–8 Grafton Ghosts 1985 Casino Cougars17–10 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams Casino Cougars1986 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams19–14 South Grafton Rebels Lismore Marist Brothers Rams1987 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams22–6 Kyogle Turkeys Lismore Marist Brothers Rams1988 Grafton Ghosts14–8 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams Grafton Ghosts1989 Ballina Seagulls12–10 Grafton Ghosts Ballina Seagulls1990 Casino Cougars38–29 Kyogle Turkeys Casino Cougars1991 Grafton Ghosts29–14 Ballina Seagulls Grafton Ghosts1992 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams6–4 Ballina Seagulls 1993 Ballina Seagulls12–8 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams 1994 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams13–6 South Grafton Rebels Lismore Marist Brothers Rams1995 Byron Bay Red Devils17–10 South Grafton Rebels 1996 Byron Bay Red Devils11–10 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams 1997 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams20–10 Ballina Seagulls 1998 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams46–6 Byron Bay Red Devils 1999 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams29–16 Casino Cougars 2000 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams34–10 Byron Bay Red Devils 2001 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams26–2 Ballina Seagulls 2002 Grafton Ghosts22–20 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams Grafton Ghosts2003 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams42–41 South Grafton Rebels2004 Mullumbimby Giants14–12 Lismore Marist Brothers Rams Mullumbimby Giants
References
External links and Sources Rugby League Week at State Library of NSW Research and Collections