# Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League

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 |

## Former clubs

| 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

| Season | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Minor Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | Venue | Minor Premiers |
| A Grade – Lower Hunter Rugby League ||||||
| 1990 | West Wallsend Magpies | 23–10 | Raymond Terrace Magpies | | Raymond Terrace Magpies |
| 1991 | Hexham | | Swansea-Caves Beach Swans | | Swansea-Caves Beach Swans |
| 1992 | Hexham | 31–8 | Windale Eagles | | Windale Eagles |
| 1993 | Raymond Terrace Magpies | 20–18 | Hexham | | Hexham |
| 1994 | Windale Eagles | 18–16 | Hexham | | Windale Eagles |
| 1995 | Windale Eagles | 24–20 | Raymond Terrace Magpies | | Raymond Terrace Magpies |
| 1996 | Woodberry | 30–20 | Dora Creek Swampies | Harker Oval | Woodberry |
| 1997 | Cardiff Cobras | 19–16 | Raymond Terrace Magpies | | Raymond Terrace Magpies |
| 1998 | Raymond Terrace Magpies | 21–16 | Cardiff Cobras | Passmore Oval | Raymond Terrace Magpies |
| 1999 | Lambton Kingfishers | 20–16 | Raymond Terrace Magpies | | Lambton Kingfishers |
| 2000 | Lambton Kingfishers | 13–4 | Cardiff Cobras | | Lambton Kingfishers |
| 2001 | Dudley Magpies | 22–0 | Cardiff Cobras | | Cardiff Cobras |
| 2002 | Dudley Magpies | 36–14 | University | | Dudley Magpies |
| 2003 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2004 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2005 | Dudley Magpies | 32–2 | Dora Creek Swampies | | |
| 2006 | Dora Creek Swampies | 31–24 | Shortland Devils | | Shortland Devils |
| A Grade – Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League ||||||
| 2007 | Cardiff Cobras | | Mallabula Panthers | | Cardiff Cobras |
| 2008 | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| 2009 | Wyong | 42–22 | Cardiff Cobras | St John Oval | Wyong |
| 2010 | Wangi Wangi | 38–18 | West Wallsend Magpies | Harker Oval | Wangi Wangi |
| 2011 | Windale Eagles | 20–16 | Mallabula Panthers | Lakeside Ground | Windale Eagles |
| 2012 | Wallsend-Maryland Tigers | 44–16 | Windale Eagles | Cahill Oval | Windale Eagles |
| 2013 | Wallsend-Maryland Tigers | 35–16 | Belmont South Rabbitohs | Harker Oval | Wallsend-Maryland Tigers |
| 2014 | Cardiff Cobras | 16–14 | Windale Eagles | Kurri Kurri Sportsground | Belmont South Rabbitohs |
| 2015 | Belmont South Rabbitohs | 34–10 | Tea Gardens Hawks | Lakeside Ground | Belmont South Rabbitohs |
| 2016 | Windale Eagles | 18–10 | Shortland Devils | Harker Oval | Windale Eagles |
| 2017 | Fingal Bay Bomboras | 31–26 | Shortland Devils | No1 Sportsground | Dora Creek Swampies |
| 2018 | Shortland Devils | 36–4 | Stockton Sharks | No1 Sportsground | Stockton Sharks |
| 2019 | Dora Creek Swampies | 44–4 | Belmont South Rabbitohs | Waratah Oval | Dora Creek Swampies |
| 2020 | Thornton Beresfield Bears | 22–18 | Dora Creek Swampies | St John Oval | Dora Creek Swampies |
| 2021 | Dora Creek Swampies | | | | Dora Creek Swampies |

### Women's Tackle Premiers

| Season | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Minor Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | Venue | Minor Premiers |
| 2019 | Berkeley Vale Panthers | 32–4 | Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs | Waratah Oval | Berkeley Vale Panthers |
| 2020 | Berkeley Vale Panthers | 24–14 | Aberglasslyn Ants | Lakeside Sporting Complex | Berkeley Vale Panthers |

### Ladies League Tag Division One

| Season | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | League Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | Venue | League Premiers |
| 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

| Season | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | League Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | League Premiers |
| 2007 | Windale Eagles | 20 – 16 | Morisset Bulls | Windale Eagles |
| 2008 | | | | |
| 2009 | Tea Gardens | 26 – 24 | Wangi Wangi | Central Wyong |
| 2010 | Mallabula | 16 – 12 | Raymond Terrace | Woodberry |
| 2011 | Tea Gardens | 30 – 28 | Raymond Terrace | Raymond Terrace |
| 2012 | Stockton | 44 – 18 | Raymond Terrace | Raymond Terrace |
| 2013 | Shortland | 22 – 14 | Morisset Bulls | Morisset Bulls |
| 2014 | Cessnock Cutters | 34 – 26 | Tea Gardens | University |
| 2015 | Mallabula | 16 – 6 | Waratah Mayfield | Lambton Kingfishers |
| 2016 | Fingal Bay | 28 – 24 | West Wallsend | West Wallsend |
| 2017 | Dudley | 14 – 10 | Kotara | Kotara |
| 2018 | Woodberry | 46 – 10 | University | Woodberry |
| 2019 | West Wallsend | 18 – 16 | University | Morpeth Bulls |
| 2020 | Waratah Mayfield | 8–4 | Aberglasslyn | Waratah Mayfield |

### C Grade Premiers

| Season | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | League Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | League Premiers |
| 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 | Raymond Terrace | 18 – 12 | Waratah Mayfield | Waratah Mayfield |
| 2015 | Paterson River | 24 – 4 | Morisset Bulls | Paterson River |
| 2016 | 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 | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | League Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | League Premiers |
| 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 | Karuah | 24 – 20 | Hinton | Hinton |
| 2017 | Glendale | 44 – 30 | Cardiff Cobras | Glendale |

### Northern Conference

| Season | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | League Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | League Premiers |
| 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 | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | League Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | League Premiers |
| 2018 | Abermain-Weston Hawks | 18 – 6 | Cardiff Cobras | Kotara Bears |
| 2019 | Hamilton | 26 – 14 | Kotara | Swansea |

## Ladies League Tag Division Two

| Season | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | League Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | League Premiers |
| 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 | Grand Finals | Grand Finals | League Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | League Premiers |
| 2019 | Stroud | 12 – 4 | Dungog | Stroud |