The Ron Massey Cup (formerly known as the Bundaberg Red Cup and Jim Beam Cup) is a semi-professional development level rugby league competition in New South Wales (NSW), Australia, run by the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL). The competition is run concurrently with the National Rugby League (NRL). It currently comprises 13 teams drawn from the Sydney metropolitan area. The competition is named after Ron Massey, a former rugby league coach. Ron Massey died on 19 September 2016.
The competition is an expanded version of the former Metropolitan Cup and Second Division competitions. The competition was renamed the Bundaberg Red Cup after the 2008 season (the last Jim Beam Cup season), after Bundaberg Rum replaced former sponsor Jim Beam. For the 2013 season, the competition was re-branded as the Ron Massey Cup in honour of the former coach, tactician, mentor and administrator.
Clubs Ten teams are competing in the 2026 Ron Massey Cup. The fixture list is available on the NSWRL website. Colours Club Location (all NSW) Stadium Premierships Founded Joined* Blacktown Workers Blacktown H.E. Laybutt FieldsNone 1964 2012 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Belmore Hammondville OvalNone 1937 2023 Glebe Dirty Reds GlebeGoddard Park2024 1908 2015a Hills District Bulls Baulkham Hills Crestwood Oval2022 1964 2016 Manly LeaguesManlyLionel Watts Park, Brookvale Oval, Sydney Academy of Sport and Recreation None 1947 2025 Mounties RLFC Mount PritchardAubrey Keech Reserve2015-16 1927 2009b Penrith BrothersPenrithParker St ReserveNone 1968 2009c Ryde-Eastwood Hawks Ryde TG Milner Field1972, 1974-76, 1990, 2000 1962 2003d St Marys Saints St Marys St Marys Leagues Stadium1993-94, 2001, 2023, 2025 1908 2016e Wentworthville Magpies Wentworthville Ringrose Park1964-65, 1967-71, 1973, 1998-99, 2009-20, 2012-13, 2017-19 1963 2003
Former teams in the Ron Massey Cup
St Mary's-Penrith Cougars (2003) South Sydney Juniors (2003–2004) Woy Woy Roosters (2003–2004) Ourimbah Magpies (2003–2005)1 Newtown Jets (2003–2006) Seven Hills Demons (2007) Belrose Eagles (2005–2008) Erina Eagles (2003–2008) Shellharbour City Marlins (2007–2008) Southern Sydney Sharks (2008) WA Reds (2008–2009) Chester Hill Rhinos (2007–2009) Big Units Rebels (2009) Campbelltown Eagles (2008–2010)
Bankstown Sports (2011) Sydney Bulls (2003–2011)2, 3 St Johns Eagles (2011–2012)4 Burwood North-Ryde United (2012–2014) The Entrance Tigers (2003–2007, 2010–2014)5 Kingsgrove Colts (2011–2016) Auburn Warriors (2012–2017) Asquith Magpies (2005–2007. 2013–2016, 2018–2020) Guildford Owls (2003, 2013–2020) Windsor Wolves (2003–2016, 2020–2021) Western Suburbs Magpies (2013–2019, 2021–2022) Kaiviti Silktails (2020–2023) Cabramatta Two Blues (2004–2021, 2025)5
History
The Ron Massey Cup is the latest in a succession of Sydney-based second tier, semi-professional Rugby League competitions.
Inter-District/Second Division (1963–1973)
The second tier senior Rugby League competition in Sydney was the Inter-District Competition established in 1963 by the NSWRL. It was renamed the Second Division in 1964. Like succeeding competitions the Second Division had a high turnover of participating clubs. The 'promotion' of two of the two biggest clubs Penrith Panthers (1966 champions) and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, at the conclusion of the 1966 season did not help the long-term stability of the competition.
During this period Wentworthville ("The Magpies") was the most successful club, competing in every grand final of the Second Division, winning a total of 8 premierships (including 5 in a row between 1967 and 1971). Due to their domination of the competition 'Wenty' was widely considered the best candidate for promotion to the NSWRL Premiership when two positions were made available for the 1967 competition. Due to their proximity to Parramatta, where a Premiership club was established in 1947, the Magpies were overlooked.
Year Premiers Score Runners-up Winning Coach Referee 1963 Kingsford 9 – 7 Cronulla-Caringbah Sharks Col Pearce 1964 Wentworthville Magpies 20 – 5 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks Lewis Jones Jack Harris 1965 Wentworthville Magpies 31 – 3 Penrith Panthers Lewis Jones Keith Holman 1966 Penrith Panthers 9 – 7 Wentworthville Magpies Leo Trevena Lin Turner 1967 Wentworthville Magpies 25 – 6 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks John Farrelly 1968 Wentworthville Magpies 17 – 5 Arncliffe Scots Lewis Jones John Farrelly 1969 Wentworthville Magpies 20 – 2 Sydney University Lewis Jones Les Samuelson 1970 Wentworthville Magpies 15 – 5 Blacktown Workers Lewis Jones Laurie Bruyeres 1971 Wentworthville Magpies 21 – 15 Sydney University Lewis Jones Keith Page 1972 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks 18 – 14 Wentworthville Magpies Laurie Fagan Keith Page 1973 Wentworthville Magpies 12 – 8 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks D. Rayner Don Macdonald
The Metropolitan League (1974–1976) The Second Division was reorganised in 1974 and renamed the Metropolitan League. It was dominated by the Ryde-Eastwood club. In the absence of Wentworthville, who competed in the Illawarra Rugby League competition, Ryde-Eastwood won all three Metropolitan League titles. The Metropolitan League was dismantled in 1976 and with it the idea of a second-tier competition.
Year Premiers Score Runners-up Winning Coach Referee 1974 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks 37 – 9 St Marys Saints Laurie Fagan D. Macdonald 1975 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks 18 – 14 Windsor Wolves Laurie Fagan 1976 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks 10 – 8 University of NSW
The Metropolitan Cup (1990–2002)
The concept of the second-tier competition was resurrected in 1990 with the establishment of the Metropolitan Cup. Many teams that were involved in the former Second Division and Metropolitan League were included in the new competition, including Ryde-Eastwood and Wentworthville. Other teams in the new competition included the Guildford Owls, Mount Pritchard, Bankstown Greyhounds, Western Suburbs Magpies and the Hills District Bulls. The Newtown Jets, who had been exiled from the New South Wales Rugby League premiership at the close of the 1983 season, were also granted admission into the competition in 1991 and became a successful club in their second life, winning 4 premierships (including 3 in a row between 1995 and 1997).Other teams who competed in the cup over the years included St. Marys Saints, West Wollongong Red Devils, Moorebank Rams (Bulldogs), UTS Roosters (1996), Windsor Wolves, Cabramatta Blues, Sydney Bulls and the Kellyville Bushrangers
The final Metropolitan Cup was contested in 2002 and was won by a newly formed club, the Sydney Bulls, defeating Ryde-Eastwood in the last grand final of the Metropolitan Cup.
Year Premiers Score Runners up Winning Coach Referee 1990 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks 19 – 6 Hills District Bulls Ken Wilson Peter Filmer 1991 Guildford Owls 21 – 6 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks Greg Pierce Chris Ward 1992 Newtown Jets 30 – 18 Wentworthville Magpies B Wakefield 1993 St Marys Saints 30 – 10 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks Mark O'Reilly Kelvin Jeffes 1994 St Marys Saints 32 – 14 Hills District Bulls Mark O'Reilly Graeme West 1995 Newtown Jets 26 – 8 Wentworthville Magpies Col Murphy Matt Hewitt 1996 Newtown Jets 28 – 16 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks Col Murphy David Jay 1997 Newtown Jets 18 – 8 Guildford Owls Col Murphy 1998 Wentworthville Magpies 18 – 12 Kellyville Ian McCann 1999 Wentworthville Magpies 30 – 22 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks Ian McCann 2000 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks 24 – 10 St Marys Saints Dave Nugent 2001 St Marys Saints 20 – 16 Sydney Bulls Tim O'Brien Kelvin Jeffes 2002 Sydney Bulls 44 – 10 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks Steve Ghosn Rod Lawrence
Jim Beam Cup (2003–2008)
The Jim Beam Cup was established in 2003 as part of another overall restructure of the NSWRL competitions operating in the levels below the NRL. The Jim Beam Cup was intended to lay the foundations of a semi-professional 'State League' competition (similar to the Queensland Cup) and included four non-Sydney teams from the Central Coast (Erina Eagles, The Entrance Tigers, Ourimbah Magpies, and Woy Woy Roosters.) With the inclusion of these clubs (who field teams in the Central Coast Division of the CRL) the Jim Beam Cup became a cooperative effort between the NSWRL and the CRL.
Radio coverage was heard on Hawkesbury Radio 89.9FM with Peter Jolly and Shane Skeen.
Year Premiers Score Runners-up Winning Coach Referee 2003 The Entrance Tigers 14 – 10 Wentworthville Magpies Matt Parish Jason Robinson 2004 Sydney Bulls 22 – 16 The Entrance Tigers Steve Ghosn Rod Lawrence 2005 Windsor Wolves 23 – 18 Sydney Bulls Steve Ghosn Jared Maxwell 2006 Sydney Bulls 56 – 22 Newtown Jets David Bayssari Alan Shortall 2007 The Entrance Tigers 30 – 20 Sydney Bulls Jamy Forbes Chris James 2008 Windsor Wolves 36 – 16 Sydney Bulls Trent Rosa Adam Gee
Bundaberg Red Cup (2009–2012) The 2009 Grand Final was a closely fought battle between Minor Premiers Wentworthville Magpies and Cabramatta Two Blues, with Wentworthville coming out victorious by 24–20 in the game at Leichhardt Oval. Year Premiers Score Runners-up Winning Coach Referee 2009 Wentworthville Magpies 24 – 10 Cabramatta Two Blues Brett Cook Chris Sutton 2010 Wentworthville Magpies 38 – 28 Bankstown City Bulls Brett Cook Jon Stone 2011 Cabramatta Two Blues 28 – 20 Mount Pritchard Mounties Corey Ruttle Robert Bowen 2012 Wentworthville Magpies 16 – 14 The Entrance Tigers Alex Chan Phil Henderson
Ron Massey Cup (2013–) During the 2012/13 offseason it was announced that Bundaberg Rum had withdrawn their sponsorship, and the competition would be renamed as the Ron Massey Cup, after the great Parramatta assistant coach.
Year Premiers Score Runners-up Minor PremiersWooden Spoon Winning Coach Referee 2013 Wentworthville Magpies 32 – 18 Mount Pritchard Mounties Alex Chan Adam Cassidy 2014 The Entrance Tigers 22 – 18 Mount Pritchard Mounties Wentworthville Magpies Burwood North Ryde United Jamy Forbes Adam Cassidy 2015 Mount Pritchard Mounties 30 – 14 Asquith Magpies Mount Pritchard Mounties Kingsgrove Colts Chris Hutchinson Daniel Olford 2016 Mount Pritchard Mounties 36 – 16 St Marys Saints Mount Pritchard Mounties Kingsgrove Colts Mark Speechley Ryan Jackson 2017 Wentworthville Magpies 38 – 4 Auburn Warriors St Marys Saints Western Suburbs Magpies Chris Yates Ryan Jackson 2018 Wentworthville Magpies 38 – 4 St Marys Saints Wentworthville Magpies Penrith Brothers Brett Cook Darian Furner 2019 Wentworthville Magpies 32 – 14 St Marys Saints Wentworthville Magpies Penrith Brothers Brett Cook Kieron Irons2020Season was suspended after 1 round due to lockdowns enacted to mitigate risks of the COVID-19 pandemic.2021 Season was suspended after 16 rounds due to lockdowns enacted to mitigate risks of the COVID-19 pandemic. 2022 Hills District Bulls 18 – 12 Glebe Dirty Reds Hills District Bulls Western Suburbs Magpies Mick Withers Damian Brady 2023 St Marys Saints 40 – 12 Wentworthville Magpies St Marys Saints Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Darren Baker Clayton Wills2024 Glebe Dirty Reds19 – 6 Wentworthville Magpies St Marys Saints Hills District BullsCraig GarveyAaron Zammit2025St Marys Saints34 – 22Wentworthville MagpiesSt Marys SaintsBlacktown WorkersDarren BakerMitchell Currie2026St Marys Saints18 – 16 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks Ryde-Eastwood Hawks Manly LeaguesGlenn JonesMicheal Ford
Premiership Tally No.ClubPremierships1 Wentworthville Magpies17 (1964, 1965, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1998, 1999, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2017, 2018, 2019)2 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks6 (1972, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1990, 2000)3 St Marys Saints6 (1993, 1994, 2001, 2023, 2025, 2026)4 Newtown Jets4 (1992, 1995, 1996, 1997)5 The Entrance Tigers3 (2003, 2007, 2014)6 Sydney Bulls3 (2002, 2004, 2006)7 Mount Pritchard Mounties2 (2015, 2016)8 Windsor Wolves2 (2005, 2008)9 Cabramatta Two Blues1 (2011)10 Guildford Owls1 (1991)11 Penrith Panthers1 (1966)12 Kingsford1 (1963)13 Hills District Bulls1 (2022)14 Glebe Dirty Reds1 (2024) Bold means the team is still currently playing in the competition.
Timeline of Teams