For the latest blog post, I thought I would look at the history of the second-tier Rugby League in Australia in a two-part series. Part one will deal with the current NSW Cup, The Ron Massey Cup, the Sydney Shield and how we got here. All this and more in the latest edition of The Blog of Cheese.
From 1908-1916, NSWRFL reserve grade featured the first-grade clubs as well as many stand-alone clubs, including; Enfield (1908), Belmore (1910), Banksia (1911), Waverly (1911-12), South Sydney Federals (1910-12), Western Sydney (1912-13), Mosman (1910-14), Redfern (1911-14), Grosvenor (1911-15), Marrickville (1911-15), Sydney (1908-16), Randwick (1915-16) and Surry Hills (1912 and 1915-16).
From 1917-1996, the NSWRL reserve grade competition featured all the sides that featured in first grade.
In 1997, Super League ran with a reserve grade competition. The ARL re-named its reverse grade Presidents Cup (an underage competition with a couple of overage players). The Presidents Cup continued for 1998.
In 1999, the NRL handed control of the reserve grade competitions to the state bodies. The NSWRL competition was named First Division which existed until 2002. In 2003 the competition was re-named Premier League, which existed until 2007. Since 2008 the competition has been known as the NSW Cup. In 2016, Intrust Super became the naming rights sponsor, and the competition was renamed the Intrust Super Premiership. Intrust Super withdrew from sponsorship at the end of 2018. In 2019 clothing manufacturer Canterbury took over the naming rights with the competition, re-named Canterbury Cup NSW. Below are the different teams that have appeared over the years, listed under the team for which they were a feeder Note: In 2000, Newtown acted as a feeder to the Warriors. North Queensland Young Guns competed in 2000 and 2001.
From 1908-26, the NSWRL third-grade competition was open to any club. Some featured teams include; Drummoyne, Kennsington, Leichhardt, Mascot, Rozelle, Souths Federal, South Sydney Kinkora and Sydney. Third grade returned from 1927-72, featuring first-grade sides only, and it returned briefly from 1982-94.
In a previous post, Rugby League in Australia: State of the Game, I wrote about the history of the third-tier Rugby League in Sydney. Whilst clubs have continued to chop and change at the Ron Massey Cup/Sydney Shield level (A complete list of Ron Massey Cup/Sydney Shield clubs by year at the end of this article, local A-Grade Rugby League is on its last legs. Four years ago, I wrote of a massive problem facing the NSWRL; it is clear the CEO, the COO and the rest of the people at the NSWRL didn’t read what I wrote or, more likely, don’t care. In 2019, the local A-Grade Rugby League was all but dead. Cronulla, Easts (who were kicked out of the South Sydney Competition), Manly/Norths, and Paramatta A-Grade teams have joined Balmain, Canterbury, St. George and Wests in the Sydney Combined Competition and surely it’s only a matter of time until they are joined by Penrith and South Sydney. The same problem from four years ago exists today, clubs backed by clubs (leagues/sporting) dominate clubs, forcing the smaller clubs to fold (though this problem is not unique to the Sydney A-Grade. This problem exists across NSW and QLD). A new problem exists, where clubs are forced to travel around Sydney to play Rugby League. To prevent that and the scenes from Narrabeen earlier this year, it is time to split the SCC into two conferences.
East Conference: Balmain, Cronulla, Easts, Manly, Norths, Souths and St George,
West Conference Canterbury, Parramatta, Penrith and Western Suburbs
Below is the current state of the Sydney A-Grade outside South Sydney/Penrith.
And Another Thing: Since people are naming their Team of the Decade. Here is mine:
1. Billy Slater 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Greg Inglis 4. Justin Hodges5. Manu Vatuvei 6. Johnathan Thurston 7. Cooper Cronk 8. James Graham 9. Cameron Smith 10. Jesse Bromwich 11. Josh Papalii 12. Sam Burgess 13. Jason Taumalolo14. Cameron Munster 15. Matt Scott 16. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves 17. Wade Graham
If you want to contact me, you can email me. Remember to like the page on Facebook to find out when new blog posts are available. Also, to find out the latest news, views and opinions from the world of Rugby League. Follow me on Twitter to get all this, plus live and full-time scores from every game in the NRL. As well as full-time scores from; Super League, Canterbury Cup NSW, Intrust Super Cup, Kingstone Press Championship, Kingstone Press League 1, Ron Massey Cup, Sydney Shield, Brisbane Rugby League, Jersey Flegg, Hastings Deering Colts, Women’s SEQ Division 1, Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Rugby League, Women’s National Rugby League and Women’s Super League.
Till next time,
Cheese
Jim Beam Cup/Bundaberg Cup/Ron Massey Cup clubs by year.
2003
Erina Eagles Guildford Owls, Newtown Jets, Orimbuh Magpies, Ryde-Eastwood Hawks, St Marys-Penrith Cougars, South Sydney Juniors, Sydney Bulls, The Entrance Tigers, Wentworthville Magpies, Windsor Wolves and Woy Woy Roosters.
2004
Cabramatta Two-Blues, Erina Eagles, Guildford Owls, Newtown Jets, Orimbuh Magpies, Ryde-Eastwood Hawks, South Sydney Juniors, Sydney Bulls, The Entrance Tigers, Wentworthville Magpies, Windsor Wolves and Woy Woy Roosters.
2005
Asquith Magpies, Belrose Eagles, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Erina Eagles, Newtown Jets, Orimbuh Magpies (failed to finish the season), Sydney Bulls, The Entrance Tigers, Wentworthville Magpies, Windsor Wolves and Woy Woy Roosters.
2006
Asquith Magpies, Belrose Eagles, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Erina Eagles, Newtown Jets, Orimbuh Magpies, Sydney Bulls, The Entrance Tigers, Wentworthville Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2007
Asquith Magpies, Belrose Eagles, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Chester Hill Rhinos, Erina Eagles, Mounties, Sevin Hills Demons, Shellharbour City Marlins, Sydney Bulls, The Entrance Tigers, Wentworthville Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2008
Belrose Eagles, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Campbelltown Eagles, Chester Hill Rhinos, Erina Eagles, Mounties, Shellharbour City Marlins, Southern Sharks, Sydney Bulls, WA Reds, Wentworthville Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2009
Bankstown City Bulls, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Campbelltown Eagles, Chester Hill Rhinos, Mounties, Penrith Brothers, Southern District Rebels, Sydney Bulls, WA Reds, Wentworthville Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2010
Bankstown City Bulls, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Campbelltown Eagles, Mounties, Penrith Brothers, The Entrance Tigers, Wentworthville Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2011
Bankstown City Bulls, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Kingsgrove Colts, Mounties, Sydney Bulls (failed to finish the season), The Entrance Tigers, Wentworthville Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2012
Auburn Warriors, Blacktown City Workers, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Kingsgrove Colts, Mounties, The Entrance Tigers, Wentworthville Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2013
Asquith Magpies, Auburn Warriors, Blacktown City Workers, Burwood North Ryde, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Guildford Owls, Kingsgrove Colts, Mounties, The Entrance Tigers, Wentworthville Magpies, Western Suburbs Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2014
Asquith Magpies, Auburn Warriors, Blacktown City Workers, Burwood North Ryde, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Guildford Owls, Kingsgrove Colts, Mounties, The Entrance Tigers, Wentworthville Magpies, Western Suburbs Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2015
Asquith Magpies, Auburn Warriors, Blacktown City Workers, Burwood North Ryde, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Guildford Owls, Kingsgrove Colts, Mounties, Wentworthville Magpies, Western Suburbs Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2016
Asquith Magpies, Auburn Warriors, Blacktown City Workers, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Concord Burwood Wolves, Guildford Owls, Hills District Bulls, Mounties, Wentworthville Magpies, Western Suburbs Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2017
Auburn Warriors, Blacktown City Workers, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Concord Burwood Wolves, Guildford Owls, Hills District Bulls, Mounties, St Marys Saints, Wentworthville Magpies and Western Suburbs Magpies.
2018
Asquith Magpies, Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Glebe Burwood Reds, Guildford Owls, Hills District Bulls, Mounties, Penrith Brothers, St Marys Saints, Wentworthville Magpies and Western Suburbs Magpies.
2019
Asquith Magpies, Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles, Cabramatta Two-Blues, Glebe Burwood Reds, Guildford Owls, Hills District Bulls, Mounties, Penrith Brothers, St Marys Saints, Wentworthville Magpies and Western Suburbs Magpies.
Sydney Shield
2012 (shortened competition played towards the back end of the season)
2013
Asquith Magpies, Auburn Warriors Belrose Eagles, Blacktown City Workers, Burwood North Ryde, Cabramatta Two Blues, Guildford Owls, Hills District Bulls, Kingsgrove Colts, Mounties and Wentworthville Magpies
2014
Asquith Magpies, Auburn Warriors Belrose Eagles, Blacktown City Workers, Burwood North Ryde, Cabramatta Two Blues, East Campbelltown Eagles, Guildford Owls, Hills District Bulls, Mounties, Peninsula Seagulls and Wentworthville Magpies.
2015
Asquith Magpies, Auburn Warriors Belrose Eagles, Blacktown City Workers, Cabramatta Two Blues, East Campbelltown Eagles, Guildford Owls, Hills District Bulls, Mounties, Peninsula Seagulls, Wentworthville Magpies, Western Suburbs Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2016
Asquith Magpies, Auburn Warriors Belrose Eagles, Blacktown City Workers, Cabramatta Two Blues, East Campbelltown Eagles, Guildford Owls, Hills District Bulls, Mounties, Peninsula Seagulls, St Marys Saints, Wentworthville Magpies, Western Suburbs Magpies and Windsor Wolves.
2017
Asquith Magpies, Belrose Eagles, Blacktown City Workers, Cabramatta Two Blues, East Campbelltown Eagles, Guildford Owls, Hills District Bulls, Moorebank Rams, Mounties, St Marys Saints, Wentworthville Magpies and Western Suburbs Magpies.
2018
Asquith Magpies Belrose Eagles, Blacktown Worker Sea Eagles, Cabramatta Two Blues, East Campbelltown Eagles, Guildford Owls, Hills District Bulls, Moorebank Rams, Penrith Brothers, St Marys Saints and Wentworthville Magpies.
2019
Asquith Magpies Belrose Eagles, Cabramatta Two Blues, East Campbelltown Eagles, Guildford Owls, Hills District Bulls, Moorebank Rams, Penrith Brothers, Ryde Eastwood Hawks, St Marys Saints, Sydney University, Wentworthville Magpies.