Newcastle Rugby League

History

A Newcastle team competed in the inaugural New South Wales Rugby League premiership of 1908 but withdrew after the 1909 season to form the local competition.

The four original teams were Central Newcastle (Blue & White), Northern Suburbs (Light & Dark Blue vertical stripes), South Newcastle (Red & White) and Western Suburbs (Red & Green). The season kicked off 14 May 1910 with South playing West and Central playing Northern Suburbs. South Newcastle finished the season on top of the ladder; the final was played in front of 2500 spectators at Hamilton League Ground, with Central overcoming South 13–4.

The 1911 season saw the previous minor premiers South slump to the bottom of the ladder. The final was played in front of 4000 spectators and saw North victorious over Central 10–2. 1911 saw the Combined Newcastle & Hunter team Tour Queensland, defeating the Queensland State team in all matches played. Newcastle played against the touring New Zealand team in a tight match almost pulling off an upset before going down 21–20.

The 1912 season saw the addition of Eastern Suburbs, playing in Black and White. They were immediately competitive and made the grand final.

The First World War saw a halt to the competition for 1917 and 1918. Although the Newcastle Morning Herald did continue to publish results for competition games for those two years.

1919 saw a split, with two smaller competitions held – the "Lilywhites" or clubs faithful to the NSWRL, composed of Eastern Suburbs and Northern Suburbs, and the "Bolsheviks" or rebels composed of South, North and West.

1920 saw the competition reunited and expanded to six teams as Kurri Kurri competed for the first time.

Current clubs

Central Charlestown Butcher Boys

(formerly Central Charlestown & Central Newcastle – moved to Charlestown in the early 1960s)

Nickname: Butcher Boys

Home Ground: St John Oval, Charlestown (played at Passmore Oval, Wickham in 2008; Central Newcastle played at Learmonth Park, Hamilton, before merging with Charlestown)

Joined competition: 1910

Premierships: 1910 1921 1928 1930 1937 1939 1949 (7)

Cessnock

Nickname: Goannas

Home Ground: Cessnock Sportsground

Joined competition: 1930

Premierships: 1941 1950 1954 1955 1960 1972 1977 2003 (8)

Kurri Kurri

Nickname: Bulldogs

Home Ground: Kurri Sportsground

Joined competition: 1920 (club formed in 1911)

Premierships: 1931 1940 1945 1993 1994 1995 (6)

Lakes United

Nickname: Seagulls

Home Ground: Cahill Oval, Belmont

Joined competition: 1947

Premierships: 1947 1974 1975 1985 1986 1987 1996 2001 2006 2007 2015 (11)

Macquarie

(formerly Macquarie United and Toronto Workers)

Nickname: Scorpions

Home Ground: Lyall Peacock Field, Toronto

Joined competition: 1960

Premierships: 1991 (1)

Maitland

(originally Maitland United – merged with Morpeth-East Maitland in 1942)

Nickname: Pickers (formerly Pumpkin Pickers)

Homeground: Maitland Showground

Years in competition: 1925–2003; 2005–2007; 2009–

Premierships: 1933 1934 1956 1957 1958 1965 1969 1971 1973 1983 2010 2011 (12)

Port Stephens

Nickname: Sharks

Home Ground: Tomaree Sporting Complex, Nelson Bay and Lakeside Oval, Raymond Terrace

Joined competition: 2012

Premierships:

South Newcastle

Nickname: Lions

Home Ground: Townson Oval, Merewether

Joined competition: 1910

Premierships: 1919 1927 1943 1946 1963 1964 1968 1976 1988 1989 2016 (11)

Western Suburbs

Nickname: Rosellas or the Maggots

Home Ground: Harker Oval, New Lambton

Joined competition: 1910

Premierships: 1912 1915 1916 1922 1961 1966 1970 1978 1980 1981 1982 1984 1992 1997 1998 1999 2002 2004 2008 2012 2013 2014 (22)

Former clubs

Eastern Suburbs

Nickname: Unknown

Home Ground: Newcastle Sportsground (also played at Wickham Oval & Lynn Oval, Stockton)

Years in competition: 1912–1942

Premierships: 1913 1923 1924 1932 (4)

Northern

(also North-Nelson Bay Marlins, Northern Blues and Nelson Bay Blues – they returned to Northern Blues)

Nickname: Blues (mascot is a Marlin)

Home Ground: Tomaree Sporting Complex, Nelson Bay

Years in competition: 1989–2011

Premierships: 2005 (1)

Northern Suburbs

Nickname: Bluebags

Homeground: Passmore Oval, Wickham

Years in competition: 1910–1988 (re-located to Nelson Bay as North-Nelson Bay)

Premierships: 1911 1914 1920 1925 1926 1929 1935 1938 1948 1951 1953 1959 1962 1967 1979 (15)

Waratah Mayfield

Nickname: Cheetahs

Home Ground: Waratah Oval, Waratah

Years in competition: 1927–2001; 2003–2004

Premierships: 1936 1942 1944 1952 1990 2000 (6)

Raymond Terrace

Nickname: Magpies

Home Ground: Lakeside Oval, Raymond Terrace

Years in competition: 2001–2008 (now play in Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League)

Premierships: nil

Wyong

Nickname: Roos (mascot is a Kangaroo)

Home Ground: Morrie Breen Oval, Wyong

Years in competition: 2003–2012 (now play in NSW Cup)

Premierships: 2009 (1)

Premiers

Past winners of the Newcastle RL Premiership

Team of the Century

In 2008, rugby league football's centennial year in Australia, the Newcastle Rugby League named its 'Team of the Century':

1. Clive Churchill (Central)
2. Eddie Lumsden (Kurri Kurri)
3. Ron Bailey (Waratah-Mayfield)
4. Brian Carlson (North)
5. Johnny Graves (Maitland)
6. Bob Banks (Central)
7. Andrew Johns (Cessnock)
8. Paul Harragon (Lakes United)
9. Allan Buman (West)
10. Jim Gibbs (South)
11. Don Schofield (Cessnock)
12. Herb Narvo (North)
13. (c) Wally Prigg (West)
14. John Sattler (Kurri Kurri)
15. Albert Paul (Lakes United)
16. Matthew Gidley (West)
17. Les Johns (South)