Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League
SportRugby league
Formerly known asGroup 1 Rugby League / Group 18 Rugby League
Instituted2005
Inaugural season2005
Number of teams13
Country Australia
PremiersCudgen hornets (2023)
Most titles Ballina Seagulls (5 titles)
WebsiteNRRRL on facebook
Broadcast partnerhttps://www.bartvsports.com.au/competitions/northern-rivers-regional-rugby-league/

The Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League (NRRRL) is a rugby league competition run in the far north of New South Wales, Australia. It is run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League. The league formed in 2005 as an extended Group 1 Rugby League competition, featuring teams from Group 18 Rugby League. Prior to this, teams from Group 18 played in a competition with teams from the Gold Coast region of Queensland; these clubs have since gone on to form the Gold Coast Rugby League competition. Both Group 1 and Group 18 continue to run junior competitions from Under 5s to Under 16s.

The competitions run by NRRRL include: First grade, Reserve grade, Under-18's and Ladies League Tag.

Due to sponsorship reasons, in 2007 and 2008 the competition was known as the Retravision Northern League.[1] As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 competition was suspended until August, with four clubs withdrawing. When it resumed, the competition was split in two due to Queensland border restrictions. The former Group 18 teams contested the Green competition, with the former Group 1 teams contesting the Gold competition.

Teams

There are thirteen member clubs of the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League as 2023.

The following clubs in NRRRL fielded teams in the 2023 Senior Mens and Ladies League Tag competitions:

Club City/Town Formed Home Ground Men's Grade Ladies
Ballina Seagulls Ballina 1920 Kingsford Smith Park 1st Yes
Bilambil Jets Bilambil 1923[2] Bilambil East Sports Field 1st Yes
Byron Bay Red Devils Byron Bay 1974 Red Devil Park 1st Yes
Casino Cougars Casino Queen Elizabeth Park 1st Yes
Cudgen Hornets Cudgen 1950 Ned Byrne Oval 1st Yes
Evans Head Bombers Evans Head 1999 Stan Payne Oval 1st Yes
Kyogle Turkeys Kyogle 1960 New Park 1st Yes
Lismore Marist Brothers Rams Lismore Oakes Oval 1st Yes
Lower Clarence Magpies Yamba 1915 Yamba Sporting Complex 1st Yes
Mullumbimby Giants Mullumbimby 1909 Mullumbimby RLFC 1st Yes
Murwillumbah Mustangs Murwillumbah 1989[3] Murwillumbah Colts JRL 1st Yes
Northern United Dirrawongs Lismore 2009 Clifford Park 1st Yes
Tweed Coast Raiders Casuarina 1980 Les Burger Field 1st Yes

Former Clubs

Juniors

The following clubs fielded teams in 2018 Group 1 junior competitions: Ballina Seagulls, Casino Cougars, Clarence Coast Magpies, Grafton Ghosts, Kyogle Tukeys, Lismore Marist Brothers Rams, South Grafton Rebels

The following clubs fielded teams in 2019 Group 18 junior competitions: Bilambil Terranora Jets, Byron Bay Lennox Head Red Devils/Dolphins, Cudgen Headland Hornets, Mullumbimby Giants, Murwillimbah Colts, South Tweed Koala Bears/Ospreys, Tugun Seahawks, Tweed Coast Raiders, Tweed Heads Seagulls

First Grade Premierships

Season Grand Final Information Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up Reports
2005 Tweed Heads Seagulls 44–18 Murwillumbah Mustangs MDN[4] Tweed Heads Seagulls[5]
2006 Cudgen Hornets 19–16 Murwillumbah Mustangs Murwillumbah Mustangs[6]
2007 Mullumbimby Giants 34–30 Ballina Seagulls Star[7] Mullumbimby Giants[8]
2008 Byron Bay Red Devils 25–24 Grafton Ghosts FNC[9] Grafton Ghosts[10]
2009 Lower Clarence Magpies 21–20 Northern United ABC[11] Lower Clarence Magpies[12]
2010 Grafton Ghosts 14–6 Ballina Seagulls FNC[13] Grafton Ghosts[14]
2011 Grafton Ghosts 10–6 Murwillumbah Mustangs FNC[15] Murwillumbah Mustangs[16]
2012 Murwillumbah Mustangs 27–26 Grafton Ghosts MDN[17] Murwillumbah Mustangs[16]
2013 Ballina Seagulls 30–24 Murwillumbah Mustangs Star[18] Murwillumbah Mustangs
2014 Ballina Seagulls 17–6 Byron Bay Red Devils Star[19] Ballina Seagulls
2015 Ballina Seagulls 34–6 Murwillumbah Mustangs Star[20] Murwillumbah Mustangs
2016 Murwillumbah Mustangs 16–14 Cudgen Hornets ABC[21] Murwillumbah Mustangs
2017 Ballina Seagulls 36–28 Cudgen Hornets Star[22] Ballina Seagulls
2018 Tweed Coast Raiders 24–4 Ballina Seagulls TDN[23] Tweed Coast Raiders
2019 Ballina Seagulls 38–18 Murwillumbah Mustangs NBN[24] Star[25] Ballina Seagulls
2020 (Green) Tweed Coast Raiders 24–18 Murwillumbah Mustangs NBN[26] Tweed Coast Raiders
2020 (Gold) Ballina Seagulls 30–16 Lismore Marist Brothers NBN[27] Ballina Seagulls
2021 season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Bilambil Jets 30–18 Evans Head Bombers Murwillumbah Mustangs

Ladies League Tag

Season Grand Final Information Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up Reports
2017 Byron Bay Red Devils 12–8 Lismore Marist Brothers
2018 Lismore Marist Brothers 22–4 Byron Bay Red Devils Lismore Marist Brothers
2019 Tweed Coast Raiders 12–10 Lismore Marist Brothers
2020 (Green) Tweed Coast Raiders 4–2 Cudgen Hornets Cudgen Hornets
2020 (Gold) Lismore Marist Brothers 18–0 Ballina Seagulls Lismore Marist Brothers
2021 season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Cudgen Hornets 14–10 Lismore Marist Brothers Cudgen Hornets

Juniors

Main articles: Group 1 Rugby League and Group 18 Rugby League

Both Group 1 and Group 18 run independent junior competitions as was before the merger to form the NRRRL in seniors.

See also

Sources

Years Acronym Item Available
Online		 Via
1967–69, 1971–96 - Country Rugby League Annual Report No State Library of NSW
2003 to 2014 RLW Rugby League Week Yes eResources at State Library of NSW
2007 to 2019 Star The Northern Star Yes Northern Star website
2005 to 2019 - Various Newspaper Websites Yes As referenced

References

  1. ^ Miller, Adrian. "Local league enters new era". The Daily Telegraph.
  2. ^ "PlaySport.com: Find, Organise and Play Sport Like Never Before". playsport.com. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  3. ^ "Murwillumbah Leagues Club". Murwillumbah Leagues Club. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  4. ^ Final Triumph
  5. ^ Tweed (12 September 2005). "Mustangs host Tweedshowdown | Tweed Daily News". Mydailynews.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  6. ^ Lismore (19 August 2006). "Bros have the experience". Daily Telegraph. Northern Star. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  7. ^ Lismore (28 July 2009). "Drought's drug ban". Northern Star. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  8. ^ Northern Rivers (29 August 2007). "Stirring Seagulls win one man down | Lismore Echo". Echonews.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  9. ^ "Byron Bay wins rugby league grand final | Far North Coaster Magazine". Farnorthcoaster.com.au. 14 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Grafton Ghosts, Byron Bay battle it out to host NRRRL grand final | Far North Coaster Magazine". Farnorthcoaster.com.au. 27 August 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  11. ^ "Lower Clarence celebrate the 2009 NRRRL Grand Final at the Maclean showground - ABC (none) - Australian Broadcasting Corporation". www.abc.net.au.
  12. ^ "Minor premiers meet defending premiers | Far North Coaster Magazine". Farnorthcoaster.com.au. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  13. ^ "2010 NRRRL Grand Final Results".
  14. ^ "Ballina and Grafton Ghosts to meet in NRRRL grand final".
  15. ^ "NRRRL Grand Final Results".
  16. ^ a b "Mustangs backed to beat Ghosts | Tweed Daily News". Mydailynews.com.au. 1 September 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  17. ^ gmartin (3 September 2012). "Mustangs are grand final champs | Tweed Daily News". Mydailynews.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  18. ^ mcraig (5 September 2013). "Ballina Seagulls set to break 20-year Premiership drought". Northern Star. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  19. ^ Craig, Mitchell (17 September 2014). "Brothers key to Ballina's grand final win over Red Devils". Northern Star. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  20. ^ Craig, Mitchell. "NRRRL's 2015 highlights and our pick for team of the year". Northern Star. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  21. ^ "Emotions overflow as Murwillumbah Mustangs honour fallen team mate". ABC News. 19 September 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  22. ^ Craig, Mitchell (11 September 2017). "Hard-fought win for Seagulls in NRRRL grand final". Northern Star. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  23. ^ Vivian, Steve (9 September 2018). "Raiders conquer Ballina in historic NRRRL grand final win". Tweed Daily News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  24. ^ "Fairytale Season Ends In Grand Final Win For Ballina". NBN News. 8 September 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  25. ^ "Seagulls win another NRRRL grand final". 8 September 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  26. ^ "TWEED COAST RAIDERS TAKE HOME PREMIERSHIP IN NRRRL GREEN COMP". 11 October 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  27. ^ "BALLINA SEAGULLS WIN NRRRL GRAND FINAL AGAINST MARIST BROTHERS". 18 October 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.

External links


Country Rugby League (NSWRL)
Rugby league in New South Wales
Categories