The S. G. Ball Cup is a junior rugby league football competition played predominantly in New South Wales, between teams made up of male players aged under 19. Teams from Canberra, Melbourne, and Auckland also participate. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales a team from Perth (West Coast) also participated. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, and includes both junior representative teams of NRL and NSWRL clubs that do not field a team in the NRL.

The S. G. Ball Cup is named after S. G. "George" Ball, one of the five people responsible for the formation of South Sydney, and who was club secretary for over fifty years.

Clubs In 2026, 17 clubs fielded teams in the NSWRL S G Ball Cup. Balmain Canberra Canterbury Central Coast Cronulla Illawarra Manly Melbourne Newcastle New Zealand (Auckland) North Sydney Parramatta Penrith Souths St George Sydney (Eastern Suburbs) Western Suburbs

In 2020, 18 clubs fielded teams in the NSWRL S G Ball Cup. After the sixth round on March 14 & 15, the 2020 competition was suspended and subsequently cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Three teams from 2020 that did not return in 2021 were Central Coast, New Zealand, and West Coast. New Zealand returned in 2023. Central Coast returned in 2026.

Previous teams that participated in the SG Ball Cup include: Gold Coast (2008–09), Newtown (1970s, early 1980s & 2009), and the Western Sydney Academy of Sport (2007–17).

Eastern Suburbs changed their name to Sydney City and then Sydney.

Central Coast and Sydney both compete as the Roosters. Typically, Sydney compete in navy blue jerseys with red and white chevrons, whilst the Central Coast compete in white jerseys with red and navy blue chevrons.

Melbourne Storm competed in the S.G. Ball Cup from 2009 to 2014, did not compete from 2015 to 2018, and competed as the Victoria Thunderbolts from 2020 to 2022. The club returned as the Melbourne Storm from the 2023 season.

S. G. Ball Cup Premiers

1965 to Current

Year Premiers Score Runners up Minor Premiers Wooden Spoon Notes1965 Souths5 – 4 Canterbury Not applicable – Knock-Out Competition 1966 Parramatta 12 – 0 Souths Parramatta Norths 1967 Parramatta7 – 2 Souths Canterbury Newtown 1968 Parramatta7 – 4 Souths Parramatta Norths 1969 Souths13 – 3 Penrith Souths Newtown 1970 St George12 – 10 Parramatta Souths Easts 1971 Wests7 – 3 Souths Souths Newtown 1972 Canterbury13 – 8 Parramatta Parramatta Norths 1973 Parramatta19 – 10 Penrith Penrith Norths 1974 Souths12 – 8 Balmain Balmain Norths 1975 Souths13 – 2 St George Parramatta Newtown 1976 Souths28 – 3 Wests Souths Norths 1977 Penrith5 – 2 Parramatta 1978 Canterbury14 – 0 Penrith 12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams. Semi-Finals were:Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place,Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place. 1979 Souths8 – 0 Balmain 1980 Souths23 – 10 Balmain 1981 Penrith18 – 9 Balmain 1982 Balmain25 – 16 Newtown Cronulla Easts 1983 Parramatta30 – 0 Wests Wests Newtown 1984 St George18 – 16 Parramatta Parramatta Wests 1985 Parramatta32 – 12 St George Canterbury Wests 1986 Souths16 – 8 Parramatta Souths 1987 Parramatta32 – 10 Canberra Parramatta Easts 1988 Parramatta20 – 10 Penrith 1989 Illawarra32 – 22 Penrith Illawarra Easts 1990 Newcastle23 – 10 Manly Newcastle Easts 1991 Parramatta32 – 6 Manly Manly Easts 1992 St George20 – 0 Canterbury St George Easts 1993 Parramatta28 – 20 St George 1994 Souths22 – 20 Newcastle 1995 Canberra36 – 6 Penrith Canberra 1996 Illawarra8 – 0 Parramatta Illawarra Canterbury 1997 Sydney City (Easts)11 – 10 Newcastle Newcastle 1998 Souths20 – 16 Manly Illawarra Canterbury 1999 Parramatta38 – 6 Illawarra Parramatta St George 2000 Penrith28 – 24 Illawarra Newcastle Wests 2001 Newcastle34 – 26 Penrith Parramatta St George 2002 Wests18 – 16 Parramatta Illawarra Manly 2003 Canberra16 – 4 Parramatta Parramatta St George 2004 Newcastle42 – 16 Souths Sydney (Easts) Norths 2005 Canberra34 – 12 Illawarra Parramatta Norths 2006 Penrith 18 – 16 Souths Parramatta Norths 2007 Parramatta 22 – 12 Penrith Penrith Western Sydney (A) 2008 Sydney (Easts) 38 – 20 Parramatta Canterbury Norths 2009 Canterbury 42 – 16 Melbourne St George Wests 2010 Sydney (Easts) 28 – 24 Parramatta Cronulla Central Coast 2011 Newcastle 25 – 24 Canterbury Wests Western Sydney (A) 2012 Balmain 42 – 20 Canberra Balmain Western Sydney (A) 2013 Balmain 14 – 6 Penrith Penrith West Coast 2014 Sydney (Easts) 34 – 30 (iet) Penrith Parramatta West Coast 2015 Cronulla24 – 16 Souths Canberra Norths 2016 Penrith25 – 10 Illawarra Newcastle West Coast 2017 Parramatta30 – 22 Cronulla Cronulla West Coast 2018 Penrith25 – 14 Canterbury Sydney (Easts) West Coast 2019 Illawarra34 – 23 Manly Manly West Coast 2020Season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.2021 Canberra 18 – 14 Illawarra Sydney (Easts) Norths 2022 Penrith 22 – 20 Sydney (Easts) Sydney (Easts) Victoria (Melbourne) 2023 Parramatta 28 – 22 Newcastle Canberra Melbourne 2024 St George 40 – 18 Canterbury Sydney (Easts) Balmain 2025 Sydney (Easts) 33 – 26 (aet) Parramatta Parramatta Norths 2026 Sydney (Easts) 28 – 24 Newcastle Souths Central Coast Notes: U16/s from 1965 until 2005 U18/s from 2006 until 2020 U19/s from 2021 onwards

Premiership Tally No.ClubSeasons1 Parramatta 14 (1966, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2007, 2017, 2023)2 South Sydney10 (1965, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1994, 1998)3 Penrith7 (1977, 1981, 2000, 2006, 2016, 2018, 2022)4 Sydney (Eastern Suburbs)6 (1997, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2025, 2026)5 Canberra4 (1995, 2003, 2005, 2021)5 Newcastle4 (1990, 2001, 2004, 2011)5 St George4 (1970, 1984, 1992, 2024)8 Canterbury3 (1972, 1978, 2009)8 Balmain3 (1982, 2012, 2013)8 Illawarra3 (1989, 1996, 2019)11 Western Suburbs2 (1971, 2002)12 Cronulla1 (2015) Manly0 Norths0 Bold means the team is currently taking part in the competition.

See also Harold Matthews Cup Laurie Daley Cup Mal Meninga Cup Tarsha Gale Cup Rugby League Competitions in Australia Rugby League Competitions in New South Wales Rugby League Competitions in New Zealand

References