Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League

Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League
SportRugby league
Formerly known asMaitland & Coalfields Rugby League & Lower Hunter Rugby League
Instituted2006
Inaugural season2007
Number of teams45
Country Australia
Grand Final WinnersWaratah Mayfield Cheetahs (2024)
Broadcast partnerBar TV Sports (Australia)

Newcastle & Hunter Community Rugby League is the governing body of second tier rugby league in the Newcastle and Hunter Region and the 4th tier of Rugby League in Australia.

It is now the largest senior Rugby League competition in the world. Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League competitions consist of five senior men's divisions, A Grade, B Grade, C Grade, D Grade Northern Conference & D Grade Southern Conference. The league also has three Ladies League Tag divisions. Currently there are over 45 men's teams from 37 clubs and 21 Ladies League Tag teams.

History

Formed in 2006 after a merger between the Maitland & Coalfields Rugby League and Lower Hunter Rugby League competitions.

The inaugural season of Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League commenced in 2007 after the amalgamation of the Lower Hunter Rugby League and the Maitland & Coalfields Rugby League. 24 teams from 23 clubs entered 3 grades in the first season.

Current clubs

A-Grade
Club Nickname Founded LGA Home Ground Location
Cardiff Cobras 1934 Lake Macquarie Cardiff Oval Cardiff
Dora Creek Dora Creek Swampies 1969 Lake Macquarie Neville Thompson Oval Dora Creek
Dudley Magpies 1981 Lake Macquarie John Balcomb Oval Dudley
Lakes United Seagulls 1947 Lake Macquarie Cahill Oval Belmont
Maitland Pickers 1955 Maitland Maitland Sportsground Maitland
Raymond Terrace Magpies 2017 Port Stephens Lakeside Sporting Complex Raymond Terrace
Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 1927 Newcastle Waratah Oval Waratah
West Wallsend Magpies 1971 Lake Macquarie Les Wakeman Oval West Wallsend
B-Grade
Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location
Hinton Hornets 1913 Maitland Stuart Park Hinton
Kotara Bears 1967 Newcastle Hudson Park Adamstown Heights
Bulla Mallabula Panthers 2010 Port Stephens Mallabulla Sporting Complex Mallabulla
Morpeth Bulls 1911 Maitland Morpeth Oval Morpeth
Shortland Devils 1968 Newcastle Tuxford Park Shortland
Thornton-Beresfield Bears 2019 Maitland Somerset Park Sporting Fields Thornton
University of Newcastle Seahorses 1970 Newcastle Bernie Curran Oval Callaghan
Windale Eagles 1962 Lake Macquarie Mick Bird Field Windale
C-Grade
Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location
Dudley Magpies 1981 Lake Macquarie John Balcomb Oval Dudley
Dungog Warriors Dungog Bennett Park Dungog
East Maitland Griffens 1911 Maitland King Edward Park East Maitland
Fingal Bay Bomboras 1998 Port Stephens Fingal Bay Oval Fingal Bay
Karuah Roos Port Stephens Lionel Morten Oval Karuah
Maitland United Hitmen 1988 Maitland Coronation Oval Telarah
Singleton United Greyhounds 1947 Singleton Pirtek Park Dunolly
Stockton Sharks Newcastle Lynn Oval Stockton
Wallsend Maryland Tigers 1967 Newcastle Grange Oval Maryland
Woodberry Warriors Woodberry Warriors 1974 Maitland Fred Harvey Oval Woodberry
D-Grade Northern
Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location
Clarence Town Cobras 1975 Dungog Clarence Town Park Clarence Town
Gloucester Magpies Mid Coast Bert Gallagher Oval Gloucster
Bulla Mallabula Panthers 2010 Port Stephens Mallabulla Sporting Complex Mallabulla
Morpeth Bulls 1911 Maitland Morpeth Oval Morpeth
Paterson River The Rivers Maitland Paterson Showground Paterson
Raymond Terrace Magpies 2017 Port Stephens Lakeside Sporting Complex Raymond Terrace
Stroud Raiders Mid Coast Stroud Showground Stroud
Tea Gardens Hawks Tea Gardens Myall Park Hawks Nest
Thornton-Beresfield Bears 2019 Maitland Somerset Park Sporting Fields Thornton
Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 1927 Newcastle Waratah Oval Waratah
D-Grade Southern
Abermain-Weston Hawks 1913 Cessnock Howe Park Abermain
Cardiff Cobras 1934 Lake Macquarie Cardiff Oval Cardiff
Glendale Gorillas 1967 Lake Macquarie Bill Bower Oval Glendale
Kearsley Crushers 2017 Cessnock Jeffrey Park Kearsley
Morisset Bulls Morisset Bulls Lake Macquarie Gibson Field Morisset
Swansea-Caves Beach Swans 1967 Lake Macquarie Parbury Park Swansea
Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 1927 Newcastle Waratah Oval Waratah
West Maitland Kangaroos 1967 Maitland Coronation Oval Telarah
West Wallsend Magpies 1971 Lake Macquarie Les Wakeman Oval West Wallsend

Ladies League Tag

LLT A-Grade
Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location
Central Newcastle Butcher Girls Lake Macquarie
Cessnock Goannas Cessnock
Raymond Terrace Magpies Port Stephens
University of Newcastle Shehorses Newcastle
Wallsend Maryland Tigers Newcastle
Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs Newcastle
LLT B-Grade
Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location
Aberglasslyn Ants Cessnock
Dungog Warriors Dungog
Kotara Bears Newcastle
Nelson Bay Bandits Port Stephens
Shortland Devils Newcastle
Singleton United Greyhounds Singleton
Stroud Raiders Mid Coast
Thornton-Beresfield Bears Maitland
University of Newcastle Shehorses Newcastle
Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs Newcastle
LLT C-Grade
Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location
Aberglasslyn Ants Cessnock
Clarence Town Cobras Dungog
Glendale Gorillas Lake Macquarie
Nelson Bay Bandits Port Stephens
Raymond Terrace Magpies Port Stephens
Stockton Sharks Newcastle
Swansea-Caves Beach Swans Lake Macquarie
Tea Gardens Hawks Mid Coast
Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs Newcastle

Former Men's clubs

Club First Season Last Season Home Ground Region
Aberglasslyn Ants Cessnock
Awabakal United Lake Macquarie
Belmont Sharks Lenaghan Oval Lake Macquarie
Belmont North Broncos Lenaghan Oval Lake Macquarie
Belmont South Rabbitohs 2011 Leneghan Oval Lake Macquarie
Bolton Point 1997 Lake Macquarie
Booragul Bears 1996 Tulkaba Park Lake Macquarie
Budgewoi Bulldogs Central Coast
Bulahdelah Woodchoppers Mid North Coast
Carrington Pirates Connelly Oval Newcastle
Cessnock Cutters 2014 Cessnock
Elermore Vale Miners 1995 1998 Newcastle
Gateshead Gateshead Zebras 1972 2013 Alan Davis Oval Lake Macquarie
Hamilton Ducks Newcastle
Hamilton Pumas Learmonth Park Newcastle
Kurri Kurri Bulldogs Cessnock
Lakeside Hawks Lakeside Sports Complex Port Stephens
Lambton Kingfishers 1998 2016 Ford Oval Newcastle
Merewether Storm 1998 1998 Empire Park Newcastle
Mt Hutton Mountain Lions Lake Macquarie
Northern Lakes Warriors Central Coast
North Newcastle Blue Bags 1989 2018 Passmore Oval Newcastle
Ourimbah-Wyoming Magpies 2022 Bill Sohier Park Central Coast
South Newcastle Lions Newcastle
Tall Timbers Timber Cutters 2019 Bill Sohier Park Central Coast
Wangi Wangi Warriors Lake Macquarie
Warners Bay-Mt Hutton 1997 1997 Mt Hutton Oval Lake Macquarie
Williamtown/ Hexham Jets Hexham Oval Port Stephens/ Newcastle
West Maitland Wallaroos Coronation Oval Maitland
Westlakes Wolves 1998 2002 Tulkaba Park Lake Macquarie

Major Grades

Lake Macquarie Forklift Services A Grade Premiers

Season Grand Finals Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up Venue
A Grade – Lower Hunter Rugby League
1990 West Wallsend Magpies 23–10 Raymond Terrace Magpies Raymond Terrace Magpies
1991 Hexham Swansea-Caves Beach Swans Swansea-Caves Beach Swans
1992 Hexham 31–8 Windale Eagles Windale Eagles
1993 Raymond Terrace Magpies 20–18 Hexham Hexham
1994 Windale Eagles 18–16 Hexham Windale Eagles
1995 Windale Eagles 24–20 Raymond Terrace Magpies Raymond Terrace Magpies
1996 Woodberry Warriors Woodberry 30–20 Dora Creek Dora Creek Swampies Harker Oval Woodberry Warriors Woodberry
1997 Cardiff Cobras 19–16 Raymond Terrace Magpies Raymond Terrace Magpies
1998 Raymond Terrace Magpies 21–16 Cardiff Cobras Passmore Oval Raymond Terrace Magpies
1999 Lambton Kingfishers 20–16 Raymond Terrace Magpies Lambton Kingfishers
2000 Lambton Kingfishers 13–4 Cardiff Cobras Lambton Kingfishers
2001 Dudley Magpies 22–0 Cardiff Cobras Cardiff Cobras
2002 Dudley Magpies 36–14 University Dudley Magpies
2003 Unknown
2004 Unknown
2005 Dudley Magpies 32–2 Dora Creek Dora Creek Swampies
2006 Dora Creek Dora Creek Swampies 31–24 Shortland Devils Shortland Devils
A Grade – Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League
2007 Cardiff Cobras Bulla Mallabula Panthers Cardiff Cobras
2008 Unknown
2009 Wyong Wyong 42–22 Cardiff Cobras St John Oval Wyong Wyong
2010 Wangi Wangi 38–18 West Wallsend Magpies Harker Oval Wangi Wangi
2011 Windale Eagles 20–16 Bulla Mallabula Panthers Lakeside Ground Windale Eagles
2012 Wallsend-Maryland Tigers 44–16 Windale Eagles Cahill Oval Windale Eagles
2013 Wallsend-Maryland Tigers 35–16 Belmont South Rabbitohs Harker Oval Wallsend-Maryland Tigers
2014 Cardiff Cobras 16–14 Windale Eagles Kurri Kurri Sportsground Belmont South Rabbitohs
2015 Belmont South Rabbitohs 34–10 Tea Gardens Hawks Lakeside Ground Belmont South Rabbitohs
2016 Windale Eagles 18–10 Shortland Devils Harker Oval Windale Eagles
2017 Fingal Bay Bomboras 31–26 Shortland Devils No1 Sportsground Dora Creek Dora Creek Swampies
2018 Shortland Devils 36–4 Stockton Sharks No1 Sportsground Stockton Sharks
2019 Dora Creek Dora Creek Swampies 44–4 Belmont South Rabbitohs Waratah Oval Dora Creek Dora Creek Swampies
2020 Thornton Beresfield Bears 22–18 Dora Creek Dora Creek Swampies St John Oval Dora Creek Dora Creek Swampies
2021 Dora Creek Dora Creek Swampies Dora Creek Dora Creek Swampies

Women's Tackle Premiers

Season Grand Finals Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up Venue
2019 Berkeley Vale Panthers 32–4 Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs Waratah Oval Berkeley Vale Panthers
2020 Berkeley Vale Panthers 24–14 Aberglasslyn Ants Lakeside Sporting Complex Berkeley Vale Panthers

Ladies League Tag Division One

Season Grand Finals League Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up Venue
2016 Umina Bunnies RLFC Umina Bunnies 20–0 University She Horses Harker Oval Umina Bunnies RLFC Umina Bunnies
2017 Aberglasslyn Ants 18–0 University She Horses No1 Sportsground Aberglasslyn Ants
2018 Aberglasslyn Ants 18–4 University She Horses No1 Sportsground Aberglasslyn Ants
2019 Aberlgasslyn Ants 20–0 University She Horses Waratah Oval Aberglasslyn Ants
2020 Aberlgasslyn Ants 14–2 University She Horses St John Oval Aberlgasslyn Ants

Minor Grades

B Grade Premiers

Season Grand Finals League Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up
2007 Windale Eagles 20 – 16 Morisset Bulls Morisset Bulls Windale Eagles
2008
2009 Tea Gardens 26 – 24 Wangi Wangi Central Wyong
2010 Mallabula 16 – 12 Raymond Terrace Woodberry Warriors Woodberry
2011 Tea Gardens 30 – 28 Raymond Terrace Raymond Terrace
2012 Stockton 44 – 18 Raymond Terrace Raymond Terrace
2013 Shortland 22 – 14 Morisset Bulls Morisset Bulls Morisset Bulls Morisset Bulls
2014[1] Cessnock Cutters 34 – 26 Tea Gardens University
2015[2] Bulla Mallabula 16 – 6 Waratah Mayfield Lambton Kingfishers
2016[3] Fingal Bay 28 – 24 West Wallsend West Wallsend
2017 Dudley 14 – 10 Kotara Kotara
2018 Woodberry Warriors Woodberry 46 – 10 University Woodberry Warriors Woodberry
2019 West Wallsend 18 – 16 University Morpeth Bulls
2020 Waratah Mayfield 8–4 Aberglasslyn Waratah Mayfield

C Grade Premiers

Season Grand Finals League Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up
2009 Thornton-Beresfield 32 – 16 Hinton Thornton-Beresfield
2010 Dungog 28 – 20 Dora Creek Dora Creek Dungog
2011 Swansea 24 – 18 Paterson River Swansea
2012 Dudley 17 – 16 Fingal Bay Fingal Bay
2013 Gateshead Gateshead Zebras 28 – 24 Stroud Gateshead Gateshead Zebras
2014[4] Raymond Terrace 18 – 12 Waratah Mayfield Waratah Mayfield
2015[5] Paterson River 24 – 4 Morisset Bulls Morisset Bulls Paterson River
2016[6] Carrington Pirates 24 – 18 Dungog Warriors Carrington Pirates
2017 Waratah Mayfield 42 – 28 Abermain-Weston Hawks Abermain-Weston Hawks
2018 Windale Eagles 24 – 16 East Maitland Griffins East Maitland Griffins
2019 Tall Timbers Timber Cutters Tall Timbers 30 – 12 Aberglasslyn Ants Aberglasslyn Ants
2020 Budgewoi Bulldogs 22 – 12 Hamilton Ducks Budgewoi Bulldogs

D Grade Premiers

The competition was split into Northern & Southern Conferences in 2018 and 2019.

Season Grand Finals League Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up
2009 Gateshead Gateshead 19 – 18 Fingal Bay Fingal Bay
2010 Stroud 32 – 18 Clarence Town Stroud
2011 Gloucester Magpies 38 – 24 Morisset Bulls Morisset Bulls Gloucester Magpies
2012 Abermain-Weston Hawks 34 – 26 Hinton Abermain-Weston Hawks
2013 Carrington Pirates 22 – 18 Thornton Beresfield Carrington Pirates
2014 Williamtown 25 – 18 Karuah Williamtown
2015 Clarence Town 30 – 20 Kotara Bears Kotara Bears
2016[7] Karuah 24 – 20 Hinton Hinton
2017 Glendale 44 – 30 Cardiff Cobras Glendale

Northern Conference

Season Grand Finals League Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up
2018 Paterson River 42 – 16 Gloucester Magpies Gloucester Magpies
2019 Dungog 22 – 16 Stroud Clarence Town
2020 Kearsley Crushers 18 – 12 Kotara Bears Kotara Bears

Southern Conference

Season Grand Finals League Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up
2018 Abermain-Weston Hawks 18 – 6 Cardiff Cobras Kotara Bears
2019 Hamilton 26 – 14 Kotara Swansea

Ladies League Tag Division Two

Season Grand Finals League Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up
2017 Cardiff Cobras 8–6 West Wallsend Magpies No title
2018 Mallabula Tag Mallabula Black Cats 8–0 Swansea Swans Mallabula Tag Mallabula Black Cats
2019 West Wallsend 32–0 Wangi Wangi Tea Gardens
2020 Shortland Devils 10–6 Dungog Warriors Shortland Devils

Ladies League Tag C Grade

Season Grand Finals League Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up
2019 Stroud 12 – 4 Dungog Stroud

References

  1. ^ "Cessnock Cutters v Tea Gardens Hawks grand final: Photos". 16 September 2014.
  2. ^ "Panthers grand final success | Pictures". 22 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Bomboras claim premiership | Video, photos". 12 September 2016.
  4. ^ "Raymond Terrace Magpies claim premiership with 18–12 victory: PHOTOS". 14 September 2014.
  5. ^ "44-year drought broken with Paterson River winning league grand final". 21 September 2015.
  6. ^ "Dungog Warriors fall at last hurdle | PHOTOS". 12 September 2016.
  7. ^ "Karuah Roos claim first title since 1975". 12 September 2016.