Group 10 is a rugby league competition in the Central West area of New South Wales, under the auspices of the New South Wales Rugby League. It had been under the control of Country Rugby League but that changed after the NSWRL agreed to a new constitution and the CRL voted to wind up its affairs immediately. The decisions was made on 19 October 2019 and the merger means that the aim of a unified administration of the sport in NSW was achieved over a year ahead of time.
Ahead of the 2022 season, the Group 10 and Group 11 competitions merged to form the Western Premiership.Schedule for 2022 Peter McDonald Premiership finally confirmed in Parkes Champion Post 24 January 2022
Origin and formation
At the end of the 1946 representative campaign, it was Bathurst that was crowned Western Challenge Cup premiers after finishing ahead of Lithgow, Orange and Oberon in the four-team group. The team's 7–0 win against Oberon in the final match of the round-robin competition in August at the Bathurst Sportsground saw the team finish the campaign undefeated.
Group 10 would meet two months later but Group 10 secretary Harley Brazil put forward a radical proposal, which alter the future of rugby league in the Central West region. Brazil put forward a "scheme" for an inter-town competition, with a goal to kick off in 1947. Brazil's idea was to see the leading eight teams in the Group (Bathurst Railway, Bathurst Waratahs, Lithgow Small Arms Factory, Lithgow Western Suburbs, Oberon, Orange Our Boys, Orange Waratahs and Portland) participate in the competition.
When the districts met in February, not everyone accepted Brazil's proposal, which become referred to as the 'Brazil plan' by the local press. Representatives from Bathurst, Orange, Lithgow, Mudgee, Oberon, Blayney and Portland would debate over three proposals for several hours. The three proposals mentioned in the Lithgow Mercury on 26 February 1947 included:
The 'Brazil plan': The leading clubs from the major districts competing in an inter-town club competition. The 'Bathurst proposal': An inter-district competition with games played every two weeks, to permit the local competitions to be played on alternative weeks. Winners of the inter-district competition would receive a prize of £100 and the Western Challenge Cup. The 'Orange proposal': Rugby league would conduct the same way it was in the 1946 season, with the Western Challenge Cup to be played for at least every three weeks.
Ultimately, it was the 'Brazil plan' that was adopted by 10 votes to eight but it was quickly followed by opposition from Orange and Bathurst.
Issues continued and by Group 10's annual general meeting on 16 March, tensions reached boiling point between Orange and Bathurst and the other leagues. According to the Lithgow Mercury, Bathurst and Orange were granted permission to conduct their own competitions, independent of the new inter-town club tournament.
Brazil's plan for a new inter-town club competition was thrown into turmoil, with only four teams nominating, well below the secretary's eight-team dream. At the Group's meeting on 7 April, only Lithgow Small Arms Factory, Lithgow Western Suburbs, Oberon Tigers and Portland Colts had put their hands up for the new competition.
The first ever games in Group 10 had been locked in for Sunday, 13 April. Wests would play Oberon in Lithgow, while Portland would host Factory. Both games would kick-off at 3.15pm, with curtain-raisers the local Lithgow first grade competition games. Match reports in the Lithgow Mercury indicate Wests overcame the Tigers 17–3. C. Hallam scored the first try for Wests, which may have been the first ever try scored in the competition. In the other match, Portland downed Factory 14–7. Factory won the inaugural premiership by defeating Portland 17–7 in the grand final.
Overview
The current season format consists of fourteen rounds, with each team playing each other twice. The top five teams then play-off to the McIntyre final five system, culminating in the grand final which is held at the home ground of the major semi-final winner.
Former NRL players to play in Group 10 in recent times include Luke Branighan (Oberon and Bathurst St Patrick's) and Josh Starling (Oberon and Bathurst Panthers), with the latter signing on for the Panthers ahead of the 2020 season. Former Manly forward George Rose played one season for Oberon in 2016.GOOD SIGN: Oberon Tigers sign George Rose in Oberon Review, 17 March 2016 NSW legend Mark O'Meley played a one-off game for St Pat's in 2016.NSW legend Mark O'Meley to turn out for Bathurst St Pat's in Central Western Daily 30 June 2016 Mick Sullivan has been one of the most influential ex-NRL players in recent times, leading Orange CYMS to five premierships during his nine-season stint between 2010 and 2018, a record haul for a captain-coach in the competition's history.Mick Sullivan, the greatest: Five-time premiership winner to call time on decorated stint with Orange CYMS in Central Western Daily] 13 April 2018
Current clubs and location From 2023, all four grades of Group 10 Clubs play in the Peter McDonald Premiership alongside Group 11 Rugby League clubs.Schedule for 2022 Peter McDonald Premiership finally confirmed in Parkes Champion Post 24 January 2022 Although a Group 10 Premier is still crowned in all grades, with this being the best team in the Group 10 Pool of the Peter McDonald Premiership. In 2022, Group 10 still officially fielded Reserve and women's League Tag competitions while the First Grade and Under 18s competitions were run as the Peter McDonald Premiership.
ClubHome GroundPMPWinnersRunners-up Years wonYears runner-up Bathurst Panthers Carrington Park Yes 4 3 2006, 2007, 2018, 2019 2000, 2004, 2005 Bathurst St Patrick's Jack Arrow Sporting Complex Yes 6 2 1968, 1973, 1989, 2001, 2008, 2014 1953, 1982 Lithgow Workmen's Club Tony Luchetti Showground Yes 4 18 1960, 1991, 2005, 2012 1957, 1959, 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1972, 1976, 1978, 1988, 1990, 1998, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2015 Mudgee Dragons Glen Willow Yes 8 8 1986, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2016, 2022, 2023 1984, 1985, 1987, 2001, 2003, 2008, 2010, 2019 Orange CYMS Wade Park Yes 12 7 1952, 1953, 1954, 1958, 1959, 1987, 1988, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2015, 2017 1950, 1951, 1956, 2002, 2012, 2016, 2022 Orange Hawks Wade Park Yes 3 7 1955, 1999, 2003 1969, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1997, 2013, 2023
Junior Clubs
Bathurst Panthers Bathurst St Patrick's Blayney Bears Bloomfield Tigers (Feeder club for Orange Hawks) Cowra Magpies Eglington Eels Bathurst (No seniors) Lithgow Storm Mudgee Dragons Oberon Tigers (Seniors play in Woodbridge Cup) Orange CYMS Wallerawang Warriors (No seniors)
Previous clubs ClubWinnersRunners-up Years wonYears runners-upStatusLast season Bathurst Charlestons 1 4 1979 1948, 1952, 1966, 1967 Amalgamated with Bathurst Leagues Club to form Bathurst Penguins in 1990. 1989 Bathurst Penguins 2 3 1994, 1997 1991, 1992, 1995 Amalgamated with Penrith Panthers Leagues Club to form Bathurst Panthers in 2000. 1999 Bathurst Railway 9 0 1948, 1949, 1950, 1957, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1981 Disbanded 1993 Bathurst Waratahs 0 0 Disbanded 1952 Blayney Bears 5 3 1977, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1998 1986, 1994, 1999Woodbridge Cup2023 Cowra Magpies 4 11 1978, 1983, 1992, 1995 1955, 1970, 1971, 1977, 1979, 1980, 1989, 1993, 1996, 2014, 2018Woodbridge Cup2023 Glen Davis 0 0 Disbanded 1950 Kandos Waratahs 0 0 Mid West Cup 1975 Katoomba 0 0 Disbanded 1962 Lithgow East Diggers 1 0 1951 Disbanded 1954 Lithgow Shamrocks 3 2 1982, 1984, 1985 1981, 1983 Disbanded 1994 Lithgow Small Arms Factory 2 2 1947, 1956 1949, 1954 Disbanded 1965 Lithgow State Mine 0 0 Disbanded 1956 Lithgow St Patrick's 0 0 Disbanded 1955 Lithgow Western Suburbs 0 0 Disbanded 1951 Millthorpe 0 0 Disbanded 1948 Oberon Tigers 11 4 1961, 1962, 1963, 1964, 1965, 1966, 1967, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1975 1958, 1960, 1968, 2017 Woodbridge Cup 2019 Orange Aces 0 0 Disbanded 1953 Orange Our Boys 0 0 Disbanded 1954 Orange Rovers 0 0 Disbanded 1950 Orange Waratahs 0 0 Disbanded 1949 Portland Colts 0 1 1947 Mid West Cup 1974 Wallerawang Warriors 0 0 Mid West Cup 1961
Past premiers
Group 10 (1947-2021) Between 1948 and 1951, Group 10 was split into a Western Zone and an Eastern Zone, with the top teams from each zone crossing over to contest a finals series.