Update: Community Competitions 2020
Author : NSWRL
As announced last month, the NSWRL Board has agreed to a plan to work towards re-starting Rugby League activities in NSW in July, with a return to training from 1 July and competition from 18 July 2020. The re-start is subject to the relevant advice from Government and health authorities at the time, the AIS framework around guidelines for playing and training and the approval of the NSWRL Board upon review on 1 June 2020.
The table below is a draft of proposed revised formats and structures for competitions once the re-start is finally approved. Not all competition structures have been finalised. This information will continue to be updated as more details are finalised.
As at 22 May 2020
Region / District Start Date Rounds Grand Final Date
EAST COAST
Northern Rivers RL TBC
Group 2 RL TBC
Group 3 RL TBC
GREATER NORTHERN
Group 4 RL 18 July 26 / 27 September
Group 19 RL 18 July
Group 21 RL 18 July 17 October
NEWCASTLE / CENTRAL COAST
Newcastle RL 18 July 10 rounds
Newcastle and Hunter RL 18 July 10 rounds 24 October
Central Coast 18 July 9 rounds 3 October
GREATER SOUTHERN
Illawarra RL TBC
Group 6 RL 18 July 7 rounds 19 or 26 / 27 September
Group 7 RL 18 July 12 rounds 1 / 8 November
BIDGEE
Canberra RL TBC
Group 9 RL 18 July 9 rounds 26 / 27 September
Group 16 RL 18 July 9 rounds 26 / 27 September
Group 20 RL 18 July 9 rounds 26 / 27 September
WESTERN
Group 10 RL 18 July 9 rounds 26 / 27 September
Group 11 RL 18 July 9 rounds 26 / 27 September
Group 14 RL 18 July 9 rounds 26 / 27 September
Outback RL 18 July 6 rounds 13 September
CRONULLA
6s-12s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
13s-18s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Senior Comps 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Blues Tag 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
ST. GEORGE
6s-12s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
13-18s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Senior Comps 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Blues Tag 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
SOUTH SYDNEY
6s-12s TBC
13s-18s 18 July 3 / 4 October
Senior Comps TBC
Blues Tag NA NA NA
EASTERN SUBURBS
6s-12s TBC
13s-18s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Senior Comps
18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Blues Tag 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
BALMAIN
6s-12s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
13s-18s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Senior Comps 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Blues Tag 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
MANLY
6s-12s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
13s-18s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Senior Comps 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Blues Tag 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
NORTH SYDNEY
6s-12s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
13s-18s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Senior Comps 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Blues Tag 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
PENRITH
6s-12s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
13s-18s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Senior Comps 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Blues Tag NA NA NA
PARRAMATTA
6s-12s 18 July 3 / 4 October
13s-18s 18 July 3 / 4 October
Senior Comps 18 July 3 / 4 October
Blues Tag 18 July 3 / 4 October
CANTERBURY
6s-12s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
13s-18s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Senior Comps 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Blues Tag 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
WESTERN SUBURBS
6s-12s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
13s-18s 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Senior Comps 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Blues Tag 18 July 10 / 11 rounds 3 / 4 October
Newcastle RL Competitions Update
Monday 11 May 2020
The Newcastle Rugby League is planning to play a 10-round senior competition as part of a proposed model for the planned resumption of Rugby League activities in July.
Newcastle Rugby League CEO Matt Harris said his organisation is working with the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) to provide an opportunity for clubs and players to play Rugby League in the region in some format this year.
The announcement follows the decision by the NSWRL Board last month to work towards a plan to re-start community football and other abbreviated senior competitions state-wide from 18 July 2020 subject to the existing Government advice available at the time.
A decision on whether these competitions can go ahead as planned will be taken by the NSWRL Board on 1 June, after considering all available advice from the Federal and State Governments.
NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said: “The most important thing is that we will be guided by the health regulations and the health and safety of all players, team staff, match officials, club officials and the public will be a priority.”
NSWRL is reviewing all junior and senior competitions within the state and, with more than 80,000 junior participants and 20,000 senior participants, is looking to support leagues and assist if main stream competitions are unable to commence.
Newcastle and Hunter Community Competitions Update
Monday 4 May 2020
The largest community Rugby League competition in New South Wales, the Newcastle and Hunter Community Rugby League, is set to play a 10-round senior competition while Maitland, Newcastle and Group 21 Juniors are set to play at least nine rounds and two weeks of finals as part of a proposed model for the planned resumption of Rugby League activities in July.
NSWRL Newcastle and Central Coast Regional Area Manager Keith Onslow said he was also working with the NSWRL on other competition structures to provide an opportunity for any competitions that may not be able to form in their own right to be able to play Rugby League in some format this year.
The announcement follows the decision by the NSWRL Board last week to work towards a plan to re-start community football and other abbreviated senior competitions state-wide from 18 July 2020 subject to the existing Government advice available at the time.
“The most important thing is that we will be guided by the health regulations and the health and safety of all players, team staff, match officials, club officials and the public will be a priority,” Onslow said.
“We as NSWRL accept that there may be some teams and clubs who may not be able to participate but we will design competition models for those who want to play and can play in 2020.
“The Newcastle and Hunter competition being an amateur competition is in a good position but obviously there still are costs involved in putting those teams on the field.
“We understand the challenges clubs face and that they may not be able to contribute, but we’ll design a competition model for those that can.”
NSWRL is reviewing all junior and senior competitions within the state and, with more than 80,000 junior participants and 20,000 senior participants, is looking to support leagues and assist if main stream competitions are unable to commence.
“We are developing formats to suit each individual region and group and with a large amount of participants in the Newcastle area we are confident we will see successful junior and senior competitions commence in July, however that may look,” NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said.
“80 percent of our participants come from junior Rugby League, so it is important to get these competitions up and running with the health and safety of the community in mind.”
The Central Coast Rugby League Competition is set to play a similar nine-round competition that includes Ladies League Tag, Under-19s, Open Grade, Reserve Grade and First Grade, while the Central Coast Junior Rugby League are finalising their competition details.
Any clubs who find themselves without a competition should contact Keith Onslow (konslow@nswrl.com.au) about opportunities to enter the Newcastle and Hunter Community Rugby League competition.
Outback Rugby League Plan to Resume
Outback Rugby League (ORL) is proposing to play a six-round senior competition in the planned state-wide resumption of Rugby League activities in July.
The announcement follows the decision by the NSWRL Board to work towards a plan to re-start community football and other abbreviated senior competitions state-wide from 18 July 2020 subject to the existing Government advice available at the time.
All communities across the Far West are eager to kick off in July as per the NSWRL’s return to play target dates as a four-team senior men’s competition, with Menindee Yabbies, Wilcannia’s two clubs (Boomerangs and Parntu Warriors) and new club Silver City Scorpions (Broken Hill) welcomed into the fold.
The 2020 Musicians Club Outback Rugby League Senior Men’s Premiership will be played over six rounds under the current draft model and three teams, one each aligned to Yabbies (Menindee), Scorpions (Silver City) and Boomerangs (Wilcannia), have nominated for the inaugural Musicians Club Women’s Monarch Blues Tag Premiership.
NSWRL Far West Competitions Support Officer Dallas Reeves said the progress at a recent senior clubs meeting was positive.
“It would be great to give our Far West communities some small normality in life this year,” he said.
“We (NSWRL) want the competition to proceed and so do the clubs.
“A plan is in place to play if it is considered safe by authorities to do so.”
The draft draw includes a one-day pre-season tournament on either July 18 or 19, followed by a six-round men’s regular season and men’s preliminary final, with the grand final tentatively set down for Sunday, September 13.
Outback Junior Rugby League is scheduled to kick-off in Broken Hill on Sunday 26 July as part of round one of the Musicians Club Outback Rugby League Premierships.
