The NSWRL President's Cup is a semi-professional, open-aged rugby league football competition played in New South Wales. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL). The competition includes teams from domestic rugby league clubs (mainly from the Illawarra District), Ron Massey Cup, Sydney Shield and Canterbury Cup clubs.
History The President's Cup is a rugby league trophy which has been awarded in many competitions, governed by New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL). It was 1910 when Sir James Joynton Smith, the newly appointed President of the NSWRL, donated the trophy. Joynton Smith was the Lord Mayor of Sydney and earned a knighthood for his philanthropic work. A shrewd businessman, he was a key figure in the game up until his death in 1943.
Initially the President's Cup was awarded in the Under 21 competition between representative teams from each district's junior league. It ran in this format until the mid-1990s.
As the top tier premiership expanded in the 1980s, and the Under 23s competition was scrapped, the Under 21s competition was expanded. In 1997, with a split competition, the ARL scrapped reserve grade, and the Under 21s served as curtain raisers to first grade games. The following year, the first year of the NRL, the Under 21s competition was scrapped, junior competitions were rationalised, and reserve grade was reintroduced under different names, including Premier League and First Division. The President's Cup trophy was awarded to the winner of this competition. In 2008, the centenary of rugby league in Australia, this division was renamed as the NSW Cup competition. The President's Cup trophy was awarded for the first two years in this grade, then a new trophy was awarded for the 2010 competition.
Historic President's Cup competitions President's Cup 1910–1996 (Third Grade 1910–1972, 1982–1984; Under-23s 1973–1981, 1985–1987; Under-21s 1988–1996) (Awarded President's Cup)YearPremiersScoreRunners-up1910 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1911 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1912 Balmain Tigers1913 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1914 Balmain Tigers1915 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1916Not held1917Not held1918 North Sydney Bears1919 Newtown Jets1920 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1921 Newtown Jets1922 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1923 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1924 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1925 Western Suburbs Magpies1926 Balmain Tigers1927 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1928 Newtown Jets1929 Balmain Tigers1930 Balmain Tigers1931 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs1932 Balmain Tigers1933 North Sydney Bears1934Southern Districts1935 St. George Dragons1936 South Sydney Rabbitohs1937 North Sydney Bears1938 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1939 Balmain Tigers1940 Balmain Tigers1941 St. George Dragons1942 South Sydney Rabbitohs1943 South Sydney Rabbitohs1944 Newtown Jets1945 Western Suburbs Magpies1946 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles1947 Western Suburbs Magpies1948 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1949 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1950 Newtown Jets1951 South Sydney Rabbitohs1952 Balmain Tigers1953 South Sydney Rabbitohs1954 Balmain Tigers1955 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1956 Newtown Jets1957 St. George Dragons1958 Western Suburbs Magpies1959 Balmain Tigers1960 South Sydney Rabbitohs1961 South Sydney Rabbitohs1962 South Sydney Rabbitohs1963 South Sydney Rabbitohs1964 South Sydney Rabbitohs1965 South Sydney Rabbitohs1966 Balmain Tigers1967 Balmain Tigers1968 South Sydney Rabbitohs1969 South Sydney Rabbitohs1970 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles1971 South Sydney Rabbitohs1972 South Sydney Rabbitohs1973 Balmain Tigers1974 South Sydney Rabbitohs1975 Parramatta Eels1976 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs1977 South Sydney Rabbitohs1978 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1979 Parramatta Eels1980 South Sydney Rabbitohs1981 St George Dragons1982 South Sydney Rabbitohs1983 South Sydney Rabbitohs1984 Illawarra Steelers1985 St George Dragons24–20 Parramatta Eels1986 South Sydney Rabbitohs13–0 Penrith Panthers1987 St George Dragons32–14 South Sydney Rabbitohs1988 Parramatta Eels28–14 Eastern Suburbs Roosters1989 South Sydney Rabbitohs26–4 Canberra Raiders1990 Canberra Raiders13–6 St George Dragons1991 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs22–14 Parramatta Eels1992 Western Suburbs Magpies St George Dragons1993 Eastern Suburbs Roosters17–4 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks1994 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Eastern Suburbs Roosters1995 Newcastle Knights Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks1996 South Queensland Crushers24–12 Parramatta Eels Reserve Grade/First Division/Premier League/NSW Cup Premiers 1997–2010 (Awarded President's Cup)YearPremiersScoreRunners-up19971 Parramatta Eels26–16 Balmain Tigers1998 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs26–22 Parramatta Eels1999 Parramatta Eels44–4 Balmain Tigers2000 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs30–26 Penrith Panthers2001 St. George Illawarra Dragons34–10 Parramatta Eels2002 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs24–22 St. George Illawarra Dragons2003 Canberra Raiders31–6 St Marys-Penrith Saints2004 Sydney Roosters30–8 St. George Illawarra Dragons2005 Parramatta Eels31–12 Sydney Roosters2006 Parramatta Eels20–19 Newtown Jets2007 Parramatta Eels20–15 North Sydney Bears2008 Wentworthville Magpies12–8 Newtown Jets2009 Bankstown City Bulls32–0 Balmain Ryde-Eastwood Tigers2010 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs24–12 Windsor Wolves
Modern President's Cup After the Metropolitan Cup/Bundaberg Rum Cup/Jim Beam Cup/Ron Massey Cup took over the mantle of the Third Grade Championship. This was until, after the NSWRL-CRL merger in 2020, the champions of the Illawarra Rugby League and Newcastle Rugby League began to playoff against the Ron Massey Cup champions for the prestigious President's Cup. The Peter McDonald Premiership became the fourth feeder league to this Champions League-style tournament in 2022 following the Group 10–Group 11 merger.
2020 format In 2020, the competition returned in light of NSWRL competitions being cancelled due to the COVID-19 crisis. These cancelled competitions include the NSW Cup, Ron Massey Cup and the Newcastle Rugby League competition. Nine teams competed in the returning edition; North Sydney Bears, Dubbo CYMS, Thirroul Butchers, Western Suburbs Red Devils, Western Rams, Hills District Bulls, Wentworthville Magpies, Maitland Pumpkin Pickers and Glebe-Burwood Wolves. The competition was played over nine rounds with two weeks of finals including the Grand Final on 27-Sep at Bankwest Stadium, Parramatta. Maitland Pickers won the Grand Final 17–16 over Glebe-Burwood Wolves, capturing the Premiership as well as the minor premiership for topping the regular season ladder. Hooker Alex Langbridge was named both the player of the Grand Final and of the season as a whole.
2021–present: Statewide third grade From 2021, the competition will be the statewide third grade competition, running as an end of season competition for the premiers of Illawarra Rugby League, Newcastle Rugby League, Peter McDonald Premiership and Ron Massey Cup. The Peter McDonald Premiership joined the other three leagues as third-tier competitions through the merger of the fourth tier Group 10 and Group 11 competitions. After 2021 saw the competition cancelled due to COVID, 2022 saw a return to the competition, with Maitland Pickers defending their 2020 title. On 25 September 2022, they defeated The Hills Bulls 36–12. Maitland Pickers Five-Eighth Chad O'Donnell was named player of the match.
Modern President's Cup champions YearChampionsScoreRunners-upMatch informationDateVenueRefereeNSWRL Presidents Cup (2020–23)2020Maitland Pickers 17 – 16 Glebe-Burwood Wolves27 September 2020Bankwest Stadium, SydneyK. Irons2021Cancelled Due to Covid-192022(2) Maitland Pickers 36 – 12 Hills District Bulls25 September 2022CommBank Stadium, SydneyC. Paddy2023(3) Maitland Pickers 32 – 10 St Marys Saints24 September 2023CommBank Stadium, SydneyD. Brady TeamWinnersRunners-upYears wonYears runner-up Maitland Pickers302020, 2022, 2023– Glebe-Burwood Wolves01–2020 Hills District Bulls01–2022 St Marys Saints01–2023
Conference winners Central Conference YearPremiersScoreRunners-upMatch InformationDateVenueRefereeNSWRL President's Cup (2020)2020Maitland Pickers 17 – 16 Glebe-Burwood Wolves27 September 2020Bankwest Stadium, SydneyK. IronsRon Massey Cup (2021–present)2021Cancelled Due to Covid-192022Hills District Bulls 18 – 12 Glebe Dirty Reds4 September 2022Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, SydneyD. Brady2023St Marys Saints 40 – 12 Wentworthville Magpies3 September 2023Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, SydneyC. Wills TeamWinnersRunners-upYears wonYears runner-up Maitland Pickers102020– Hills District Bulls102022– St Marys Saints102023– Glebe-Burwood Wolves01–2020 Glebe Dirty Reds01–2022 Wentworthville Magpies01–2023
Northern Conference YearPremiersScoreRunners-upMatch InformationDateVenueRefereeDenton Engineering Cup (2021–present)2021Cancelled Due to Covid-192022Maitland Pickers 40 – 4 Macquarie Scorpions11 September 2022McDonald Jones Stadium, NewcastleJ. Butler2023(2) Maitland Pickers 46 – 10 South Newcastle Lions3 September 2023McDonald Jones Stadium, NewcastleJ. Butler TeamWinnersRunners-upYears wonYears runner-up Maitland Pickers202022, 2023– Macquarie Scorpions01–2022 South Newcastle Lions01–2023
Southern Conference YearPremiersScoreRunners-upMatch InformationDateVenueRefereeMojo Homes Illawarra Cup (2021–present)2021Cancelled Due to Covid-192022Collegians Collie Dogs 12 – 10 Western Suburbs Red Devils4 September 2022WIN Stadium, WollongongR. Jackson2023Thirroul Butchers 24 – 18 Collegians Collie Dogs2 September 2023WIN Stadium, WollongongL. Greenfield TeamWinnersRunners-upYears wonYears runner-up Collegians Collie Dogs1120222023 Thirroul Butchers102023– Western Suburbs Red Devils01–2022
Western Conference YearPremiersScoreRunners-upMatch informationDateVenueRefereePeter McDonald Premiership (2022–present)2022Forbes Magpies 28 – 16 Dubbo CYMS4 September 2022Apex Oval, DubboB. Greatbatch2023Dubbo CYMS 25 – 12 Mudgee Dragons10 September 2023Apex Oval, DubboA. Pond TeamWinnersRunners-upYears wonYears runner-up Dubbo CYMS1120232022 Forbes Magpies102022– Mudgee Dragons01–2023
See also NSW Cup Ron Massey Cup Sydney Shield NSW Challenge Cup List of rugby league competitions in Australia
References