New South Wales Country Rugby League
Encyclopedia
2011 Tier 2 Championships
History
Newcastle was the first city outside Sydney to start a league competition, being involved in the Sydney PremiershipNew South Wales Rugby League premiership
The New South Wales Rugby League premiership was the first rugby league football club competition established in Australia. Run by the New South Wales Rugby League from 1908 until 1994, the premiership was the state's and later the country's elite rugby league competition...
in 1908-09 and then starting their own competition
Newcastle Rugby League
The Newcastle Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Newcastle, Australia. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1910...
in 1910.
In 1911, a Goldfields' League was formed in West Wyalong, and games were played in Tamworth, Aberdeen, and along the South Coast. The game was introduced to Orange in 1912 and spread quickly through the western districts. In 1913 branch leagues were formed at Bathurst, Dubbo, Nowra, and Tamworth.
In 1920, the NSWRL set up a Country Committee. NSW Country was divided into six sections: South Coast, Northern Districts, Central Northern Districts, Western Districts, Southern, and North Coast. The group system was introduced in 1922, with neighbouring towns being organised into 12 groups.
The Country Rugby League (CRL) was officially formed in 1934, "subject to the NSW Rugby League still being the paramount institution."
In 1939 a dispute arose between the CRL and the NSWRL. The CRL wanted a new administration structure, an equal partnership in which the NSWRL looked after league in Sydney, and the CRL looked after it in the bush. When their proposal was rejected the CRL broke away from the NSWRL for a week, but returned to the fold with a promise that a committee would be set up to sort things out. Eventually the CRL gave in on the grounds that it was in no one's best interests to have the game divided during the war.
The NSWRL and CRL have since cooperated in the running of Rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
in NSW, including various 'joint ventures' such as the NSWRL Jim Beam Cup
NSWRL Jim Beam Cup
The Bundaberg Red Cup is a semi-professional development level rugby league competition in New South Wales , Australia, run jointly by the New South Wales Rugby League and the Country Rugby League of New South Wales . The competition is run concurrently with the National Rugby League...
which features three teams from areas under the control of the CRL.
Team of the Century
In 2008, rugby league football's centenary year in Australia, the Country Rugby League named its 'Team of the Century':- Clive ChurchillClive ChurchillClive Bernard Churchill AM was an Australian rugby league footballer and coach of the mid-20th century. An Australian international and New South Wales and Queensland interstate representative fullback, he played the majority of his club football with and later coached the South Sydney Rabbitohs...
(Central Newcastle) - Brian CarlsonBrian CarlsonBrian Carlson was an Australian professional rugby league footballer of the 1950s and 60s. He was a centre & utility back for the Australia national team. He played in 17 Tests and 6 World Cup games between 1952 and 1961, as captain on 2 occasions...
(North Newcastle) - Eddie LumsdenEddie LumsdenEddie Lumsden is an Australian former rugby league player. He was a winger with the St. George Dragons during their eleven-year premiership winning run from 1956 to 1966, playing in nine grand finals....
(Kurri Kurri) - Michael Cronin (Gerringong)
- Graeme LanglandsGraeme LanglandsGraeme 'Changa' Langlands, MBE, is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach of the 1960s and 70s. He retired as the most-capped player for the Australian national team with 45 from 1963 to 1975, and captained his country in 15 Test matches and World Cup games. Langlands was the...
(Wollongong) - Bob FultonBob FultonRobert "Bob" Fulton AM is an Australian rugby league football identity. Fulton played, coached, selected for and has commentated on the game with great success at the highest levels and has been named amongst Australia's greatest rugby league players of the 20th century.As a player Fulton won...
(Wests Wollongong) - Andrew JohnsAndrew JohnsAndrew Gary "Joey" Johns is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who is considered by many to be the greatest player of all time. He was heralded as the world's best halfback for a number of years...
(Cessnock) - Steve Roach (West Wollongong)
- Ian Walsh (Condobolin)
- Glenn LazarusGlenn LazarusGlenn Patrick Lazarus is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century. He primarily played at prop forward, representing Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin...
(Queanbeyan United) - Herb NarvoHerb NarvoHerbert Narvo was an Australian rugby league footballer and boxer of the 1930s and 40s. He was a national representative rugby league player and national heavyweight boxing champion...
(North Newcastle) - Bradley ClydeBradley ClydeBradley Clyde is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who, at the peak of his playing career was widely acknowledged as the best lock forward in the game....
(Belconnen United) - Wally PriggWally PriggWally Prigg was an Australian rugby league player. He was a lock forward for the Australian national rugby league team. He played 19 Tests for the Kangaroos between 1929–38, 7 as captain and has since been named amongst the nation's finest footballers of the 20th century.-Club and representative...
(West Newcastle)