Newcastle & Hunter Community Rugby League is the governing body of second tier rugby league in the Newcastle and Hunter region. Formed in 2006 after a merger between the Maitland & Coalfields Rugby League and Lower Hunter Rugby League Competitions. It is now the largest senior Rugby League competition in the world. Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League competitions consists of five senior men's divisions, A Grade, B Grade, C Grade, Northern Conference & Southern Conference, as well as two Ladies League Tag divisions and Ladies Tackle. Currently there are over 50 men's teams, as well as 18 Ladies League Tag teams and 8 Ladies Tackle teams.
History
The inaugural season of Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League was 2007 after the amalgamation of the Lower Hunter Rugby League and the Hunter Valley Rugby League. 23 clubs (24 teams) entered 3 grades in the first season.
Current clubs
| Club
|
Year Entered
|
City/Region
|
Ground
|
| A-Grade
|
| Dudley Magpies
|
1981
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Dudley Park
|
| Kotara Bears
|
|
Newcastle
|
Hudson Park
|
| South Newcastle Lions
|
2022
|
Newcastle
|
Townson Oval
|
| Swansea Swans RLFC
|
1967
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Parbury Park
|
| University of Newcastle Seahorses
|
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Bernie Curran Oval
|
| Windale
|
1962
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Mick Bird Oval
|
| Woodberry Warriors
|
|
Maitland
|
Fred Harvey Oval
|
| B-Grade
|
| Awabakal United
|
2018
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Walters Park
|
| Glendale Gorillas
|
1967
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Bower Oval
|
| Maitland Pickers
|
2022
|
Maitland
|
Maitland Sportsground
|
| Northern Lakes Warriors
|
1976
|
Central Coast
|
Northern Lakes RLFC
|
| Raymond Terrace Magpies
|
|
Port Stephens
|
Lakeside Complex
|
| Wangi Wangi Warriors
|
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Wangi Oval
|
| Waratah Mayfield
|
|
Newcastle
|
Waratah Oval
|
| West Wallsend Magpies
|
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Les Wakeman Oval
|
| C-Grade North
|
| Aberglasslyn Ants
|
2017
|
Maitland
|
McKeachies Paddock
|
| Abermain-Weston Hawks
|
1910
|
Cessnock
|
Kurri Kurri Sportsground
|
| Dungog Warriors
|
1930
|
Dungog
|
Bennett Park
|
| Fingal Bay Bomboras
|
1998
|
Port Stephens
|
Fingal Bay Oval
|
| Kurri Kurri Bulldogs
|
|
Kurri Kurri
|
Kurri Kurri Sportsground
|
| Kearsley Crushers
|
2017
|
Cessnock
|
Jeffrey Park
|
| Maitland United
|
2017
|
Maitland
|
Coronation Park
|
| Thornton-Beresfield Bears
|
|
Newcastle
|
Somerset Park
|
| C-Grade South
|
| Budgewoi Bulldogs
|
2019
|
Central Coast
|
Hallakulani Oval
|
| Dora Creek Swampies (C-Grade)
|
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Neville Thompson Oval
|
| Hamilton Ducks
|
2019
|
Newcastle
|
Learmont Park
|
| Lakes United Seagulls
|
1947
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Cahill Oval
|
| Morisset Bulls
|
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Gibson Oval
|
| Northern Lakes Warriors (C-Grade)
|
1976
|
Central Coast
|
Northern Lakes RLFC
|
| Shortland Devils
|
|
Newcastle
|
Tuxford Park
|
| Wallsend Maryland Tigers
|
|
Newcastle
|
The Grange
|
| Northern Conference
|
| Clarence Town Cobras
|
1975
|
Dungog
|
Clarence Town Park
|
| Gloucester Magpies
|
|
Gloucester
|
Bert Gallagher Oval
|
| Karuah Roos
|
|
Port Stephens
|
Lionel Morten Oval
|
| Paterson River
|
|
Maitland
|
Paterson Showground
|
| Raymond Terrace Magpies (2nd)
|
|
Port Stephens
|
Lakeside Complex
|
| Stroud Raiders
|
|
Stroud
|
Stroud Showground
|
| Tea Gardens Hawks
|
|
Tea Gardens
|
Myall Park
|
| Waratah Mayfield (2nd North)
|
|
Newcastle
|
Waratah Oval
|
| Southern Conference
|
| Cardiff Cobras
|
1934
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Cardiff Oval
|
| East Maitland Griffins
|
|
Maitland
|
King Edward Park
|
| Glendale Gorillas
|
1967
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Bower Oval
|
| Hinton Hornets
|
|
Maitland
|
Stuart Park
|
| Morpeth Bulls
|
|
Maitland
|
Ray Lawler Reserve
|
| Stockton Sharks
|
|
Newcastle
|
Lynn Oval
|
| Waratah Mayfield (2nd South)
|
|
Newcastle
|
Waratah Oval
|
| West Wallsend Magpies (2nd)
|
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Les Wakeman Oval
|
| League Tag only teams
|
| Central Charlestown Butcher Boys
|
|
Newcastle
|
St John Oval
|
| Club
|
First Season
|
Last Season
|
Home Ground
|
Region
|
| Belmont Sharks
|
|
|
Barton Field
|
Lake Macquarie
|
| Belmont North Broncos
|
|
|
Lenaghan Oval
|
Lake Macquarie
|
| Belmont South Rabbitohs
|
2011
|
|
Leneghan Oval
|
Lake Macquarie
|
| Bolton Point
|
1997
|
?
|
?
|
Lake Macquarie
|
| Booragul Bears
|
?
|
1996
|
Tulkaba Park
|
Lake Macquarie
|
| Bulahdelah Woodchoppers
|
|
|
|
Mid North Coast
|
| Carrington Pirates
|
|
|
Connelly Oval
|
Newcastle
|
| Cessnock Cutters
|
|
2014
|
|
Cessnock
|
| Elermore Vale Miners
|
1995
|
1998
|
|
Newcastle
|
| Gateshead Zebras
|
1972
|
2013
|
Alan Davis Oval
|
Lake Macquarie
|
| Hamilton Pumas
|
|
|
Learmonth Park
|
|
| Lakeside Hawks
|
|
|
Lakeside Sports Complex
|
Port Stephens
|
| Lambton Kingfishers
|
1998
|
2016
|
Ford Oval
|
Newcastle
|
| Mallabula Panthers
|
|
Port Stephens
|
Vince Woodman Field
|
|
| Merewether Storm
|
1998
|
1998
|
Empire Park
|
Newcastle
|
| Mt Hutton Mountain Lions
|
|
|
|
Lake Macquarie
|
| North Newcastle Blue Bags
|
1989
|
2018
|
Passmore Oval
|
Newcastle
|
| Ourimbah-Wyoming Magpies
|
|
2022
|
Bill Sohier Park
|
Central Coast
|
| Tall Timbers Timber Cutters
|
2019
|
Central Coast
|
Bill Sohier Park
|
|
| Thornton Beresfield Bears
|
2010
|
2020
|
|
Maitland
|
| Warners Bay-Mt Hutton
|
1997
|
1997
|
Mt Hutton Oval
|
Lake Macquarie
|
| Williamtown/Hexham Jets
|
|
|
Hexham Oval
|
Port Stephens
|
| West Maitland Wallaroos
|
|
|
Coronation Oval
|
Maitland
|
| Westlakes Wolves
|
1998
|
2002
|
Tulkaba Park
|
Lake Macquarie
|
Major Grades
Lake Macquarie Forklift Services A Grade Premiers
Women's Tackle Premiers
Ladies League Tag Division One
| Season
|
Grand Finals
|
League Premiers
|
| Premiers
|
Score
|
Runners-up
|
Venue
|
| 2016
|
Umina Bunnies
|
20–0
|
University She Horses
|
Harker Oval
|
Umina Bunnies
|
| 2017
|
Aberglasslyn Ants
|
18–0
|
University She Horses
|
No1 Sportsground
|
Aberglasslyn Ants
|
| 2018
|
Aberglasslyn Ants
|
18–4
|
University She Horses
|
No1 Sportsground
|
Aberglasslyn Ants
|
| 2019
|
Aberlgasslyn Ants
|
20–0
|
University She Horses
|
Waratah Oval
|
Aberglasslyn Ants
|
| 2020
|
Aberlgasslyn Ants
|
14–2
|
University She Horses
|
St John Oval
|
Aberlgasslyn Ants
|
Minor Grades
B Grade Premiers
C Grade Premiers
| Season
|
Grand Finals
|
League Premiers
|
| Premiers
|
Score
|
Runners-up
|
| 2009
|
Thornton-Beresfield
|
32 – 16
|
Hinton
|
Thornton-Beresfield
|
| 2010
|
Dungog
|
28 – 20
|
Dora Creek
|
Dungog
|
| 2011
|
Swansea
|
24 – 18
|
Paterson River
|
Swansea
|
| 2012
|
Dudley
|
17 – 16
|
Fingal Bay
|
Fingal Bay
|
| 2013
|
Gateshead Zebras
|
28 – 24
|
Stroud
|
Gateshead Zebras
|
| 2014[4]
|
Raymond Terrace
|
18 – 12
|
Waratah Mayfield
|
Waratah Mayfield
|
| 2015[5]
|
Paterson River
|
24 – 4
|
Morisset Bulls
|
Paterson River
|
| 2016[6]
|
Carrington Pirates
|
24 – 18
|
Dungog Warriors
|
Carrington Pirates
|
| 2017
|
Waratah Mayfield
|
42 – 28
|
Abermain-Weston Hawks
|
Abermain-Weston Hawks
|
| 2018
|
Windale Eagles
|
24 – 16
|
East Maitland Griffins
|
East Maitland Griffins
|
| 2019
|
Tall Timbers
|
30 – 12
|
Aberglasslyn Ants
|
Aberglasslyn Ants
|
| 2020
|
Budgewoi Bulldogs
|
22 – 12
|
Hamilton Ducks
|
Budgewoi Bulldogs
|
D Grade Premiers
The competition was split into Northern & Southern Conferences in 2018 and 2019.
| Season
|
Grand Finals
|
League Premiers
|
| Premiers
|
Score
|
Runners-up
|
| 2009
|
Gateshead
|
19 – 18
|
Fingal Bay
|
Fingal Bay
|
| 2010
|
Stroud
|
32 – 18
|
Clarence Town
|
Stroud
|
| 2011
|
Gloucester Magpies
|
38 – 24
|
Morisset Bulls
|
Gloucester Magpies
|
| 2012
|
Abermain-Weston Hawks
|
34 – 26
|
Hinton
|
Abermain-Weston Hawks
|
| 2013
|
Carrington Pirates
|
22 – 18
|
Thornton Beresfield
|
Carrington Pirates
|
| 2014
|
Williamtown
|
25 – 18
|
Karuah
|
Williamtown
|
| 2015
|
Clarence Town
|
30 – 20
|
Kotara Bears
|
Kotara Bears
|
| 2016[7]
|
Karuah
|
24 – 20
|
Hinton
|
Hinton
|
| 2017
|
Glendale
|
44 – 30
|
Cardiff Cobras
|
Glendale
|
Northern Conference
| Season
|
Grand Finals
|
League Premiers
|
| Premiers
|
Score
|
Runners-up
|
| 2018
|
Paterson River
|
42 – 16
|
Gloucester Magpies
|
Gloucester Magpies
|
| 2019
|
Dungog
|
22 – 16
|
Stroud
|
Clarence Town
|
| 2020
|
Kearsley Crushers
|
18 – 12
|
Kotara Bears
|
Kotara Bears
|
Southern Conference
| Season
|
Grand Finals
|
League Premiers
|
| Premiers
|
Score
|
Runners-up
|
| 2018
|
Abermain-Weston Hawks
|
18 – 6
|
Cardiff Cobras
|
Kotara Bears
|
| 2019
|
Hamilton
|
26 – 14
|
Kotara
|
Swansea
|
Ladies League Tag Division Two
| Season
|
Grand Finals
|
League Premiers
|
| Premiers
|
Score
|
Runners-up
|
| 2017
|
Cardiff Cobras
|
8–6
|
West Wallsend Magpies
|
No title
|
| 2018
|
Mallabula Black Cats
|
8–0
|
Swansea Swans
|
Mallabula Black Cats
|
| 2019
|
West Wallsend
|
32–0
|
Wangi Wangi
|
Tea Gardens
|
| 2020
|
Shortland Devils
|
10–6
|
Dungog Warriors
|
Shortland Devils
|
Ladies League Tag C Grade
| Season
|
Grand Finals
|
League Premiers
|
| Premiers
|
Score
|
Runners-up
|
| 2019
|
Stroud
|
12 – 4
|
Dungog
|
Stroud
|
References
External links