The NSW Koori Rugby League Knockout carnival is one of the biggest Indigenous gatherings in Australia. The winning team gains the right to host the next knockout. Organisers created the knockout to provide further access for Indigenous players to state rugby league.
The carnival is a significant annual event in Indigenous Australian culture and sport. It is a rugby league competition that brings together Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander teams from various communities across New South Wales. The event typically takes place over the October long weekend. The Koori Knockout not only showcases talented rugby league players but also serves as a gathering for Indigenous communities to celebrate culture, heritage, and community pride. It is a highly anticipated event, with teams competing for the title, and communities coming together to support their local teams.
The first knockout was held at Camdenville Park, St Peters, on the October long weekend of 1971 with seven participating teams. The knockout celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2022.
History Concept Source:
The Knockout emerged from the new and growing mostly inner-city Sydney Aboriginal community in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The emerging political movement in Redfern for self-determination and justice, increased opportunities arising from post-referendum federal government initiatives and greater employment prospects in the industrial areas of Sydney influenced Aboriginal families' migration to the inner-city, particularly South Sydney. The Knockout emerged within this complex economic and social context. It was initiated by six men, and one woman, affiliated with Koorie United: Bob Smith, Bob Morgan, Bill Kennedy, Danny Rose, Victor Wright, the late George Jackson, and Barbara Flick. They formed Koorie United in response to the rapidly expanding Sydney Aboriginal community. The established Sydney-based Aboriginal sides, the Redfern All Blacks and La Perouse Panthers (or Blacks as they were sometimes called), were aligned with the South Sydney football district. There were many Aboriginal men looking for a game of football and so Koorie United formed joining the rival Newtown Jets district, with sponsorship from Marrickville Council, where some of the committee members worked.
The Koorie United committee were connected through kinship and the shared experience of relocating to the city. Bob Morgan, Danny Rose and Bill Kennedy hail from the New South Wales north-western town of Walgett in Gamilaroi country. Bob Smith and Victor Wright had relocated from Kemspey on the New South Wales north coast, and while the late George Jackson was based in Sydney, he also had connections with Gamilaroi as his wife was from Coonabarabran. Barbara Flick hails from Collarenebri.
After a meeting at the Clifton Hotel, a popular venue for the Koori community in Redfern during the 1960s and 70s, the Koorie United committee suggested organizing a statewide Knockout competition. Before this initiative, there were numerous town-based knockout events for football and basketball. However, the creation of this Knockout aimed to achieve distinct goals. According to Bob Morgan:Our concept at the time was to also have a game where people who had difficulty breaking into the big time would be on show. They could put their skills on show and the talent scouts would come and check them out.
The Knockout was formed with a view to providing a stage for the many talented Aboriginal footballers playing at the time who had been overlooked by the talent scouts. Although there were some notable exceptions, like Bruce (La Pa) Stewart playing on the wing for Easts and field goal specialist, Eric Simms, with South Sydney, Aboriginal footballers experienced difficulty breaking into the big time. It was thought the Knockout would provide a chance for Aboriginal footballers to get noticed, where for reasons of racism and lack of country-based recruitment they were overlooked. There was also some talk of entering an all-Aboriginal side in the National Rugby League competition. But the instigation of the Knockout was intended to be far more than sporting competition, as original committee member Bob Morgan said:The Knockout was never simply about football, it was about family, it was about community, it was getting people to come together and enjoy and celebrate things rather than win the competition football.
The first knockout In 1971 Koorie United hosted the first knockout at Camdenville Park, St Peters, which attracted seven teams: Koorie United, Redfern All Blacks, Kempsey, La Perouse, Walgett, Moree and a combined Mt Druitt / South Coast side. It was won by La Perouse United. The Koori Knockout was played at Camdenville Oval for a couple of years.
Venues Koorie United won the Knockout in 1974, and it was decided that the Koori Knockout would be held in Kempsey the following year. The Kempsey Knockout was a memorial to the late Victor Wright Senior, a long-time supporter of the Knockout and of Aboriginal Football. From there, the tradition of the winning team hosting the Knockout commenced.
The original winning trophy was donated by the Foundation for Aboriginal Affairs.
The inscription on the trophy reads, NSW Koorie Sports Committee Annual Football Knockout Perpetual Trophy, donated by the Foundation of Aboriginal Affairs.
BAC Walgett became the first team to win the Knockout on three consecutive occasions. Their first win in 1988 (at Newcastle) resulted in some controversy regarding the tradition of the winner hosting the carnival, questioning the capacity of a small remote country township (population around 2200) to stage such a major event. With upwards of 6000 footballers, 50-odd teams and officials, supporters and family coming to town in 1989 for the three-day carnival, the Walgett community carried the day and went on to win it at Walgett in 1989 and again in 1990. The BAC management team chose to stage the carnival in Sydney in 1991 for its 21st anniversary.
Knockout winners YearMen's Knockout WinnersWomen's Knockout WinnersUnder 17 Boys Knockout WinnersUnder 17 Girls Knockout WinnersTeamTeamTeamTeam1971 La Perouse United1972 Redfern All Blacks1973 Redfern All Blacks1974 Koorie United 1975 Kempsey All Blacks1976 Louis St Dodgers1977 West Kempsey1978 Redfern All Blacks1979 Redfern All Blacks1980 Narwan Eels1981 Zetland Magpies1982 Zetland Magpies1983 Dubbo Pacemakers1984 Koorie United1985 Moree Boomerangs1986 Narwan Eels1987 Newcastle All Blacks1988 BAC Walgett1989 BAC Walgett1990 BAC Walgett1991 La Perouse All Blacks1992 Redfern All Blacks1993 Redfern All Blacks 1994 Toomelah Tigers1995 Bourke Weilmoringle1996 Nambucca Valley Rams1997 Nambucca Valley Rams1998 Wellington Wedgetails1999 Nambucca Valley Rams2000 Narwan Eels / Louis St Dodgers2001 Narwan Eels / La Perouse Panthers2002 Moree Boomerangs / La Perouse Panthers2003 Cec Patten-Ron Merritt Memorial2004 Cec Patten-Ron Merritt Memorial2005 Cec Patten-Ron Merritt Memorial2006 Cec Patten-Ron Merritt Memorial2007 Wollumbin Warriors/Newcastle All BlacksCasino2008 Narwan EelsCasinoNulla Dolphins 2009 BAC Walgett2010 Walgett Aboriginal Connection2011 Mindaribba Warriors2012 Newcastle YowiesMindaribba Sisters2013 Newcastle YowiesNewcastle YowiesLa Perouse2014 Walgett Aboriginal ConnectionRedfern All BlacksNewcastle All Stars2015 Redfern All BlacksRedfern All BlacksToomelah Tigers2016 Redfern All BlacksRedfern All BlacksLa Perouse2017 Newcastle YowiesRedfern All BlacksIllawarra Titans2018 Newcastle All BlacksNewcastle YowiesWestern Koori Eels2019 South Coast Black CockatoosWellington WedgetailsKempsey SharksLa Perouse2020 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Australia2021 Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Australia2022Newcastle All BlacksDunghutti ConnexionsBlacktown Red Belly WarriorsCabbage Tree Island2023Walgett Aboriginal ConnectionWiradjuri Aboriginal RiversLa Perouse PanthersNorthern United Dirawongs2024Walgett Aboriginal ConnectionRedfern All BlacksLa Perouse PanthersWaterloo Storm2025Newcastle YowiesNewcastle Yowies Narwan EelsNewcastle Yowies 2026Wiradjuri Aboriginal RiversNewcastle YowiesNarwan EelsDunghutti RLFC
Koori vs. Murri Interstate Challenge
The QLD Murri vs. NSW Koori Interstate Challenge is an annual rugby league game played between the Open Men's winners of the NSW Koori Knockout and Murri Rugby League Carnival. YearKoori vs. Murri Interstate ChallengeWinnersScoreRunners-up2012 Mindaribba Warriors 40–18 Southern Dingoes2013 Argun Warriors 28–24 Newcastle Yowies2014 Newcastle Yowies 18–12 Southern Dingoes2015 Badu Kulpiyam 30–22 Walgett Aboriginal Connection2016 The Southern Dingoes 26–12 Redfern All Blacks2017 Redfern All Blacks 34–12 Cherbourg Hornets2018 Newcastle Yowies 38–26 Dhadhin Geai Warriors
Festival of Indigenous Rugby League
2014 Festival of Indigenous Rugby League The NRL launched a Festival of Indigenous Rugby League program to take the place of the prestigious pre-season Rugby League All Stars game following every World Cup year. The 2014 Festival of Indigenous Rugby League featured a trial match between the Newcastle Knights and an Indigenous team, drawn from the NSW Koori Rugby League Knockout and Murri Rugby League Carnival in Queensland, as well as the NRL Indigenous Player Cultural Camp, Murri vs Koori women's and Under 16s representative games, a Murri v Koori match, a jobs expo and community visits.
2018 Festival of Indigenous Rugby League 2018 Festival of Indigenous Rugby League created a strong connection between the Maori, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. The First Nations Goannas are chosen from the Koori Knockout and the Murri Carnival. With a strong showcase of cultural celebration from both teams. The 2018 Festival of Indigenous Rugby League was held at Redfern Oval featuring a Double header between the First Nation Goannas v NZ Maori and First Nation Gems v NZ Maori Ferns, And a curtain raiser game for the Koori vs Murri Interstate challenge Between Newcastle Yowies and Dhadin Geai Warriors .
Championships By Team Open Men's Teams Wins YearsRedfern All Blacks 81972, 1973, 1978, 1979, 1992, 1993, 2015, 2016BAC / WAC Walgett 81988, 1989, 1990, 2009, 2010, 2014, 2023, 2024Narwan Eels 51980, 1986, 2000, 2001, 2008Cec Patten-Ron Merritt Memorial 4 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006Newcastle Yowies 4 2012, 2013, 2017, 2025La Perouse Panthers 3 1971, 2001, 2002Nambucca Valley Rams 31996, 1997, 1999Zetland Magpies 21981, 1982Koorie United 2 1974, 1984Louis St Dodgers 2 1976, 2000Moree Boomerangs 2 1985, 2002Newcastle All Blacks 32007, 2018, 2022Dubbo Pacemakers 1 1983Toomelah Tigers 1 1994Wellington Wedgetails 1 1998Bourke Weilmoringle 1 1995Kempsey All Blacks 1 1975West Kempsey 1 1977Mindaribba Warriors 1 2011Wollumbin Warriors 1 2007La Perouse All Blacks 1 1991South Coast Black Cockatoos 1 2019Wiradjuri Aboriginal Rivers12026
Open Women's Teams Wins YearsRedfern All Blacks 52014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2024Newcastle Yowies 52013, 2018, 2023, 2025, 2026Casino 22007, 2008Dunghutti Connexions 1 2022Mindaribba Sisters 12012Wellington Wedgetails 1 2019
Under 17 Boys Teams Wins YearsLa Perouse 42013, 2016, 2023, 2024Narwan Eels 2 2025, 2026Newcastle All Stars 12014Illawarra Titans 12017Toomelah Tigers 1 2015Western Koori Eels 12018Kempsey Sharks 1 2019
Under 16/17 Girls
Tournament changed to Under 17's in 2022 to match boys competition.
Teams Wins YearsLa Perouse 12019Cabbage Tree Island 12022Northern Island Dirawongs 12023Waterloo Storm 12024Newcastle Yowies 12025Dunghutti RLFC12026
Trophies