Rugby league in New South Wales is the most popular spectator sport in the state, with the attendance and television audiences exceeding that of the various other codes of football. There are over 400,000 active rugby league participants, with a further 1 million playing the sport in schools, placing the sport second only to soccer for the most played sport in the state. There are more than 500 active clubs, ten of which are professional teams competing in the National Rugby League (NRL).
The code in Australia began in Sydney in 1907 when the New South Wales Rugby League was formed as a professional competition, following the rules of the Northern Rugby Football Union in England. New South Wales remains the headquarters in Australia, with the Australian Rugby League based in Sydney. Sydney hosts the annual NRL Grand Final and has hosted the Rugby League World Cup twice.
Rugby league, along with touch football variant is played in most secondary schools throughout the state as well as at junior and club levels.
The premier state-level league is the New South Wales Cup, involving reserve teams for New South Wales sides in the NRL.
The New South Wales rugby league team plays against the Queensland rugby league team annually in the State of Origin series. Origin legends include: James Tedesco, Jarryd Hayne, Andrew Ettingshausen, Eric Grothe, Laurie Daley, Brad Fittler, Andrew Johns, Phil Gould, Bradley Clyde, Paul Sironen, Ben Kennedy, Glenn Lazarus, Paul Harrogan, Danny Buderus, Steve Roach, Boyd Cordner, Michael O'Connor and Brett Kenny.https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/11/11/legends-choose-greatest-nsw-origin-team-of-all-time/ Legends choose greatest NSW Origin team of all time] Troy Whittaker 11 November 2020 Clive Churchill, Bob Fulton, John Raper, Reg Gasnier, Graeme Langlands, Dally Messenger, Frank Burge and Dave Brown have been bestowed the title rugby league "Immortals".NRL Immortals: Dally Messenger, Frank Burge and Dave Brown become first pre-war inductees in bombshell announcement Michael Di Lonardo 8 January 2018
History
Conducting its inaugural meeting in 1865, the now-defunct Sydney Football Club holds the honour of being Australia's first rugby club. The inaugural Sydney club competition was in 1874, competed by the Balmain Rugby Union Football Club, Newington College, Uni, and The King's School.
Arguments over the differences in the playing rules followed by each club or school led to the formation of the Southern Rugby Football Union (later renamed the New South Wales Rugby Union).
By the 1890s Rugby football had taken hold in New South Wales, thwarting attempts by Victorian rules and soccer to gain the ascendancy. The game continued to grow becoming the most popular code of football in NSW, until the issue of professionalism led to a schism in 1908 and the formation of the New South Wales Rugby Football League. The NSWRU lost many players including the great Dally Messenger to the new sport of rugby league, which became the most popular sport in the state by attendance and public interest by World War I.
Governing body
The New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) is the governing body for rugby league in New South Wales and is a member of the Australian Rugby League.
The New South Wales Country Rugby League (NSWCRL) is the governing body for rugby league in areas of New South Wales outside the Sydney metropolitan area and for the Australian Capital Territory.
Participation Registered players 2022/23 2023/24 82,397Ausplay Participation Report by State (2022) Rugby League 83,474
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League (NRL) is Australia's top-level competition for the sport of rugby league.
The headquarters of the National Rugby League (NRL) is in Sydney. Greater Sydney is home to 9 of the 17 National Rugby League teams: the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, Parramatta Eels, Penrith Panthers, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Sydney Roosters, and Wests Tigers, as well as being the northern home of the St. George Illawarra Dragons, which is half-based in Wollongong. A tenth New South Welsh team, the Newcastle Knights, is based in Newcastle.
Each team has 12 home games, with all of the fully Sydney-based clubs playing one game regionally. These games move venues every few seasons and are thus not included in the table below as they are non-permanent venues.
Club Location Home Ground(s) First season Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Sydney (Canterbury) Belmore Sports Ground (2 games) (19,000) Stadium Australia (8 games) (83,500) 1935 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Sydney (Cronulla) Shark Park/PointsBet Stadium (11 games) (22,500) 1967 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Sydney (Manly) Brookvale Oval (11 games) (23,000) 1947 Newcastle Knights Newcastle Newcastle International Sports Centre (12 games) (33,000) 1988 Parramatta Eels Sydney (Parramatta) Western Sydney Stadium (11 games) (20,000) Marrara Oval (1 game) (14,000) 1947 Penrith Panthers Sydney (Penrith) Penrith Stadium (11 games) (22,000) 1967 South Sydney Rabbitohs Sydney Stadium Australia (9 games) (83,500)Sydney Football Stadium (1 game) (42,500) 1908 St. George Illawarra Dragons SydneyWollongong Jubilee Oval (6 games) (20,500)Wollongong Showground (6 games) (22,000) 1999 Sydney Roosters Sydney Sydney Football Stadium (11 games) (42,500) Central Coast Stadium (1 game) (20,000) 1908 Wests Tigers Sydney (Campbelltown) (Balmain) Campbelltown Stadium (4 games) (20,000) Leichhardt Oval (4 games) (20,000) Western Sydney Stadium (4 games) (30,000) 2000
Major Competitions For information about the New South Rugby League Premierships run from the inception of rugby league in Australia until the ARL Premierships, see New South Wales Rugby League premiership.
The NSWRL currently administers the following major competitions throughout NSW.
New South Wales Cup
The Knock-on Effect NSW Cup is the state's premier men's open-age competition, directly feeding into the NRL.
Sydney Metropolitan Women's Rugby League The Sydney Metropolitan Women's Rugby League is a Women's rugby league football competition played in Sydney held by New South Wales Women's Rugby League
Ron Massey Cup The Ron Massey Cup is a semi-professional Rugby League competition – the second-tier competition for NSWRL Seniors – with clubs and players feeding into the Knock-on Effect NSW Cup.
Sydney Shield The Sydney Shield is the NSWRL's fourth-tier men's competition, feeding into the Ron Massey Cup for both emerging and senior players.
Tertiary Student Rugby League The NSW Tertiary Student Rugby League is an affiliated body of the New South Wales Rugby League, established to promote the development of Rugby League within Universities, TAFE and other Tertiary Institutes within the state of NSW.
Jersey Flegg Cup The Jersey Flegg Cup is a senior rugby league competition played in New South Wales, played between teams made up of players aged under 20.
S.G. Ball Cup The S. G. Ball Cup is a junior rugby league football competition played in New South Wales, played between teams made up of players aged under 18.
GIO Schoolboy Cup The GIO Schoolboy Cup is the premier secondary schools rugby league competition in Australia.
Tarsha Gale Cup The Tarsha Gale Cup is a women's junior rugby league competition played in New South Wales, between teams made up of players aged under 18.
Harold Matthews Cup The Harold Matthews Cup is a junior rugby league competition played in New South Wales, between teams made up of players aged under 16.
Senior Competitions Statewide/Representative
Open age Canterbury Cup NSW NSW Women's Premiership Presidents Cup NSW Challenge Cup Men's Country Championships Women's Country Championships
Age-based Jersey Flegg Cup (U20s) S.G. Ball Cup (U18s) Laurie Daley Cup (U18s) Tarsha Gale Cup (Women's U18s) Harold Matthews Cup (U16s) Andrew Johns Cup (U16s)
Metropolitan
NSWRL Premier Competitions Ron Massey Cup Sydney Shield
NSWRL Conference Competitions
Macarthur Division Rugby League NSWRL Conference Competitions Metro Open Age Gold (Manly/Norths/Balmain/Canterbury/Parramatta) Central Northern Open Age (Manly/Norths/Balmain) Central West Open Age (Canterbury/Parramatta) Southern Open Age (Cronulla/St George) Penrith District Rugby League South Sydney A Grade
Region - Macarthur Wests Tigers
Macarthur Division Rugby League (formerly Country, Group 6)*
Junior Only
Balmain JRL Canterbury JRL Cronulla-Sutherland JRL Manly-Warringah/North Sydney JRL Parramatta JRL Penrith JRL St George JRL South Sydney JRL Sydney Roosters JRL
Country
Region 1 – East Coast Dolphins/Northern Rivers Titans Northern Rivers Division (Group 1 and 18's Merger)* Group 2 (Northern Mid North Coast)* Group 3 (Southern Mid North Coast)* Hastings League (Mid North Coast Second Tier)
Region 2 – Greater Northern Tigers Group 4 (Western New England)* Group 19 (New England)* Group 21 (Hunter)*
Region 3 – Bidgee Bulls (Riverina & Monaro) Canberra Division (Formerly Group 8)* Group 9 (Wagga Wagga and Districts)* Group 16 (Far South Coast)* Group 17 (Western Riverina Community Cup) Group 20 (Griffith and Districts)* George Tooke Shield (Canberra Division 2)
Region 4 – Western Rams Peter McDonald Premiership (Groups 10 & 11 First Grade)* Group 10 (Central West) Group 11 (Dubbo and Districts) Group 12 (Outback RL) Group 14 (Castlereagh Cup) Group 15 (Barwon Darling RL) Woodbridge Cup (Central West Division 2) Mid West Cup (Central West Division 3)
Region 5 – Greater Southern (Illawarra-South Coast Dragons) Illawarra Division* Group 7 (South Coast & Southern Highlands)*
Region 6 – Newcastle & Central Coast Central Coast Division* Newcastle Division* Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League
* = Top-level Country leagues; Premiers eligible for Clayton Cup as best regional team in the state.
NRL Victoria Competitions Involving NSW Teams Murray Cup Sunraysia-Riverlands Rugby League
Former competitions Royal Agricultural Society Shield The Royal Agricultural Society Shield, or RAS Shield was the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL)'s first premiership trophy. It was presented to each year's premiership winning rugby league team; the first to win three successive titles would take permanent ownership of the shield. The Eastern Suburbs club achieved this feat winning premierships in 1911, 1912 and 1913.
The hand crafted silver and oak designed shield was donated to the NSWRL by the Royal Agricultural Society of New South Wales in its first year of competition.
Leading journalist Claude Corbett wrote in Sydney, Sun, newspaper on, 1 May 1914, "The Royal Agricultural Society Shield, which was presented at the inception of the League's first grade competition has been won outright by Eastern Suburbs, who upset all calculations by winning the premiership three years in succession. The club has presented the shield to their captain, Dally Messenger, 'as a token of appreciation of his captaincy."
In 1929 Jersey Flegg was appointed to the position of president of the NSWRFL.
J.J. Giltinan Shield In 1951, the NSWRFL originated the J.J. Giltinan Shield, following his death in 1950. This trophy was awarded to the premiers of the NSWRFL competition, being named after one of the founding fathers of the NSWRFL and rugby league in Australia. The trophy remains today, being awarded to the minor premiers of the National Rugby League competition.
Following Jersey Flegg's death in 1960, Bill Buckley was made the NSWRFL's new president.
The NSWRFL had also commenced a very popular and successful mid-week competition in 1974, originally known as the Amco Cup, but later as the Tooth Cup and the National Panasonic Cup. The success of this competition, which included teams from both Brisbane and New Zealand, ultimately created pressure for further expansion in the NSWRFL competition.