The National Rugby League (NRL) is the top league of professional rugby league clubs in Australasia. Run by the Australian Rugby League Commission, however, there has not been a league-wide Reserve Grade competition since 1988, when the former New South Wales Rugby League expanded interstate to make the first attempt at a national competition, with the NRL Reserve Grade competition being shut down at the end of the 2002 season.
As a result, NRL-listed players who are not selected in their senior teams are made eligible to play in one of the second-tier state leagues: the New South Wales Cup or the Queensland Cup. The system used to accommodate NRL-listed players within these leagues varies considerably from state to state.
Current affiliations For the 2026 season, the 17 National Rugby League clubs will have the following reserves arrangements.http://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/sport/nrl/gold-coast-titans-welcome-twoyear-partnership-with-new-feeder-club-central-queensland-capras/news-story/23aa6ef9b198fe2bd784ffd7f00c0a7c 2017 Titan Feeder Clubs Current clubs NRL club Reserves arrangement Affiliated club Affiliated league Affiliated location Brisbane Broncos Club affiliation (split) Burleigh Bears Queensland Cup Miami (Gold Coast), Qld Club affiliation (split) Souths Logan Magpies Queensland Cup West End (Brisbane), Qld Club affiliation (split) Wynnum Manly Seagulls Queensland Cup Manly West (Brisbane), QLD Club affiliation Sunshine Coast Falcons Queensland Cup Kawana Waters (Sunshine Coast), Qld Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Stand-alone reserves team Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs New South Wales Cup Belmore, NSW Canberra Raiders Stand-alone reserves team Canberra Raiders New South Wales Cup Canberra, ACT Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Club affiliation Newtown Jets New South Wales Cup Marrickville (Sydney), NSW Dolphins Club affiliation (split) Central Queensland Capras Queensland Cup Rockhampton, Qld Club affiliation (split) Norths Devils Queensland Cup Nundah (Brisbane), Qld Club affiliation (split) Redcliffe Dolphins Queensland Cup Moreton Bay, Qld Gold Coast Titans Club affiliation (split) Ipswich Jets Queensland CupIpswich, Qld Club affiliation (split) Tweed Heads Seagulls Queensland Cup Tweed Heads, NSW Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Stand-alone reserves team Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles New South Wales Cup Brookvale (Sydney), NSW Melbourne Storm Stand-alone reserves team Melbourne Storm New South Wales Cup Melbourne, Victoria Newcastle Knights Stand-alone reserves team Newcastle Knights New South Wales Cup Newcastle, NSW New Zealand Warriors Stand-alone reserves team New Zealand Warriors New South Wales Cup Auckland, New Zealand North Queensland Cowboys Club affiliation (split) Mackay Cutters Queensland Cup Mackay, Qld Club affiliation (split) Northern Pride Queensland Cup Cairns, Qld Club affiliation (split) Townsville Blackhawks Queensland Cup Townsville, Qld Parramatta Eels Stand-alone reserves team Parramatta Eels New South Wales Cup Parramatta (Sydney), NSW Penrith Panthers Stand-alone reserves team Penrith Panthers New South Wales Cup Penrith (Sydney), NSW South Sydney Rabbitohs Stand-alone reserves team South Sydney Rabbitohs New South Wales Cup Redfern (Sydney), NSW St George Illawarra Dragons Stand-alone reserves team St George Illawarra Dragons New South Wales Cup Wollongong, NSW &Carlton (Sydney), NSW Sydney RoostersStand-alone reserves team Sydney Roosters New South Wales CupSydney, NSW Wests Tigers Stand-alone reserves team Western Suburbs Magpies New South Wales Cup Leumeah (Sydney), NSW &Leichhardt (Sydney), NSW
Future clubs NRL club Reserves arrangement Affiliated club Affiliated league Affiliated location Perth Bears Club affiliation (split) Brisbane Tigers Queensland Cup Coorparoo (Brisbane), Qld Club affiliation (split) North Sydney Bears New South Wales CupNorth Sydney, NSW PNG Chiefs Stand-alone reserves team PNG Hunters Queensland Cup Port Moresby, PNG
For the 2026 season, the Brisbane Tigers, PNG Hunters and Western Clydesdales in the Queensland Cup and the North Sydney Bears in the New South Wales Cup will be without an NRL affiliation.
NRL club affiliation history Australian Capital Territory club Canberra Raiders Upon their entry to the NSWRL premiership in 1982, the Raiders entered a team in the NSWRL's reserve grade competition. In the NRL-era the club has had the following arrangements: 1998–2007 — fielded stand-alone team in NSWRL organised competitions 2008–2011 — affiliation agreement with Souths Logan Magpies 2012–2020 — affiliation agreement with Mount Pritchard Mounties 2021–present — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup In 2014 the Raiders had a club affiliation agreement with the Queensland Cup's Souths Logan Magpies, but did not supply any contracted players to play in the Queensland Cup competition.
New South Wales clubs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 1998–2008 — fielded stand-alone team in NSWRL organised competitions 2009 — affiliation agreement with Bankstown City Bulls 2010–2020, 2023–present — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup 2021 — affiliation agreement with Mount Pritchard Mounties 2022 — split affiliation agreement with Mount Pritchard Mounties and stand-alone reserve grade team in NSW Cup In 1999 the Bulldogs entered into an affiliation agreement with Queensland Cup team the Logan City Scorpions, after having an informal agreement during the 1998 season. The affiliation continued until the end of the 2002 season when the Scorpions merged with fellow Queensland Cup team Souths Magpies to form the Souths Logan Magpies. From 2023–2025, the Bulldogs maintained a club affiliation agreement with the Queensland Cup's Western Clydesdales, but did not supply any contracted players to play in the Queensland Cup competition.
Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 1998–2007 — fielded stand-alone team in NSWRL organised competitions 2008 — joint venture with Cobras Junior Rugby League Club, known as Cronulla-Sutherland Cobras 2009–2010 — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup 2011–2014 — joint venture with Melbourne Storm to field reserve grade players in NSW Cup under Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks name 2015–present — club affiliation with Newtown Jets
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 1998–1999 and 2003–2008 — fielded stand-alone team in NSWRL organised competitions 2009–2010 — fielded reserve grade team in Queensland Cup, playing as the Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles 2011–2016, 2025–present — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup 2017–2024 — affiliation agreement with Blacktown Workers During the 2000–2002 period when Manly operated the Northern Eagles joint venture in the NRL with the North Sydney Bears, both teams featured reserve grade teams in NSWRL competitions.
Newcastle Knights 1998–2007 — fielded stand-alone team in NSWRL organised competitions 2008 — affiliation agreement with Central Newcastle 2009 — None (Knights reserves played in local Newcastle rugby league competition) 2010–2011 — affiliation agreement with Central Coast Centurions 2012–present — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup From 2020–2022 the Knights had a club affiliation agreement with the Queensland Cup's Ipswich Jets, but did not supply any contracted players to play in the Queensland Cup competition.
Parramatta Eels 1998–2007 — fielded stand-alone team in NSWRL organised competitions 2008–2019 — club affiliation with Wentworthville Magpies 2020–present — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup
Penrith Panthers 1998–2002 — fielded stand-alone team in NSWRL organised competitions 2003–2006 — joint venture St Mary's Cougars known as St Mary's-Penrith Cougars 2007, 2014–present — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup 2008–2013 — club affiliation with Windsor Wolves
South Sydney Rabbitohs 1998–1999, 2002–2006 — fielded stand-alone team in NSWRL organised competitions 2007–2018 — club affiliation with North Sydney Bears 2019–present — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup During the 2000–2001 period when South Sydney were excluded from the NRL competition, the club maintained a team in NSWRL organised competitions. In 2006, South Sydney had a club affiliation agreement with the Queensland Cup's Easts Tigers, but did not supply any contracted players to play in the Queensland Cup competition. From 2024–2025, South Sydney maintained a club affiliation agreement with the Townsville Blackhawks, but did not supply any contracted players to play in the Queensland Cup competition.
St. George-Illawarra Dragons Formed as a joint venture between the Illawarra Steelers and St. George Dragons, the St. George-Illawarra Dragons entered the NRL in the 1999 NRL season. Both teams had fielded stand-alone teams in the NSWRL organised competition in 1998. 1999 — fielded two reserve grade teams Illawarra Steelers and St. George Dragons in NSWRL organised competitions. 2000–2007 — fielded stand-alone team in NSWRL organised competitions 2008, 2011 — reserve grade players played in Illawarra District Rugby League competition 2009–2010 — joint venture with Shellharbour City Dragons 2012–2017 — club affiliation with Illawarra Cutters 2018–present — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup
Wests Tigers Formed as a joint venture between the Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies, the Wests Tigers entered the NRL in the 2000 NRL season. Both teams had previously fielded stand-alone teams in NSWRL organised competitions during the 1998 and 1999 seasons. 2000–2012 — fielded two reserve grade teams Balmain Tigers and Western Suburbs Magpies in NSWRL organised competitions. From 2005–2012, Balmain played as Balmain-Ryde-Eastwood Tigers. 2013–2018 — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup 2019–present — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup playing as Western Suburbs Magpies
New Zealand club New Zealand Warriors 1999 — split club affiliation with Souths Magpies 1999 — split club affiliation with Wynnum Manly Seagulls 2000 — club affiliation with Souths Magpies 2001–2006 — reserve grade players played in local Auckland Rugby League competition 2007 — Entered NSWRL organised competition as Auckland Lions 2008–2013 — joint venture with Auckland Rugby League, playing in NSWRL organised competitions as the Auckland Vulcans 2014–2020, 2023–present — stand-alone reserve grade team in New South Wales Cup 2021–2022 — club affiliation with Redcliffe Dolphins
Queensland clubs Brisbane Broncos Upon their entry to the NSWRL premiership in 1988 the Broncos entered a team in the NSWRL's reserve grade competition. In the NRL-era the club has had the following arrangements: 1998 — club affiliation agreement with Brisbane Brothers 1999–2005 — club affiliation agreement with Toowoomba Clydesdales 2006–2020 — split club affiliation with Redcliffe Dolphins 2006 — split club affiliation with Toowoomba Clydesdales 2007 — split club affiliation with Aspley Broncos 2008, 2024–present — split club affiliation with Burleigh Bears 2008–2010 — split club affiliation with Easts Tigers 2008–2023 — split club affiliation with Norths Devils 2008–present — split club affiliation with Wynnum Manly Seagulls 2008–2015, 2020–2022 — split club affiliation with Central Queensland Capras 2013–2017 — split club affiliation with Ipswich Jets 2014–present — split club affiliation with Souths Logan Magpies From 2026, Brisbane will maintain a club affiliation agreement with the Sunshine Coast Falcons, but will not supply any contracted players to play for the club.
Dolphins 2023–present — split club affiliation with Redcliffe Dolphins 2023–present — split club affiliation with Central Queensland Capras 2024–present — split club affiliation with Norths Devils
Gold Coast Titans 2007–2012, 2024–present — split club affiliation with Ipswich Jets