# Group 16 Rugby League

Group 16 is a rugby league competition on the south coast of New South Wales, run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League. The Group 16 district covers the area from Batemans Bay down the Sapphire Coast to Eden, and inland across the Southern Tablelands to the Snowy Mountains towns of Cooma and Jindabyne.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia the commencement of Group 16 2020 season was postponed and subsequently cancelled.
The competition is held across four grades, First Grade, Reserve Grade, Ladies League Tag and Under 18s.
The competition also has a junior league with clubs aligned with their respective teams of the senior competition.

## Teams

| Club | Est. | Home Ground | Premierships | Premierships | Premiership Years |
| Club | Est. | Home Ground | Sub Group | Group | Premiership Years |
| Batemans Bay Tigers | 1897 | Mackay Park | 3 | 1 | 1940 (Bodalla); 1948, 1953 (Northern); 1967 |
| Bega Roosters | 1960 | Bega Recreation Ground | 0 | 12 | 1966, 1971, 1972, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990, 2000, 2001, 2014, 2022 |
| Bombala Blue Heelers | 1932 | Bombala Showground & Delegate Showground | 9 | 6 | 1932, 1933, 1934, 1935, 1936 (Southern Monaro); 1950, 1966, 1967, 1968 (Group 19); 1976, 1977, 1979, 1983, 1991, 2018 |
| Cooma Stallions | 1971 | Cooma Showground | 0 | 3 | 1984, 1994, 2017 |
| Eden Tigers | 1940 | George Brown Memorial Oval | 3 | 14 | 1947, 1949, 1954 (Imlay); 1959, 1963, 1978, 1981, 1982, 1992, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 |
| Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs | 1975 | Pambula Sporting Complex | 1 | 3 | 1980, 1993, 2023 (1927 Far South sub-group as Pambula-Merimbula) |
| Moruya Sharks | 1925 | Ack Weyman Oval | 0 | 5 | 1989, 1998, 2013, 2015, 2016 |
| Narooma Devils | 1929 | Bill Smythe Memorial Oval | 3 | 6 | 1951, 1952, 1955 (Northern); 1999, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2009, 2012 |
| Tathra Sea Eagles | 1926 | Lawrence Park | 3 | 1 | 1951, 1952, 1953 (Imlay); 2019 |

### Former clubs

Former clubs that once played in the area include:
* Alpine Wanderers
* Bodalla
* Candelo-Bemboka Panthers
* Cobargo-Bermagui Eels
* Delegate Tigers
* Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs
* Snowy River Bears
* Tuross Lakers

## Map

| Local Area | in New South Wales |
| 45km 30miles Batemans Bay Tathra Narooma Moruya Merimbula Eden Cooma Candelo Bombala Bega  Locations of the current Group 16 clubs. | 800km 500miles Bega Canberra Sydney  Relation to state & national capitals |

## Premiers
### First Grade Premiers

| Season | Grand Final information | Grand Final information | Grand Final information | Minor Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | Minor Premiers |
| 1956 | Bega Rovers | 8–2 | Cobargo-Bermagui Eels | |
| 1957 | Bemboka | 5–0 | Candelo | Bemboka |
| 1958 | Bemboka | 27–0 | Eden Tigers | Bemboka |
| 1959 | Eden Tigers | 3–2 | Bemboka | Eden Tigers |
| 1960 | Bemboka | 10–3 | Eden Tigers | Eden Tigers |
| 1961 | Bemboka | 10–3 | Tathra Sea Eagles | Tathra Sea Eagles |
| 1962 | Bemboka | 3–0 | Tathra Sea Eagles | Bemboka |
| 1963 | Eden Tigers | 14–5 | Tathra Sea Eagles | Tathra Sea Eagles |
| 1964 | Bodalla | 4–2 | Bemboka | Bodalla |
| 1965 | Candelo | 17–9 | Bemboka | Tathra Sea Eagles |
| 1966 | Bega Roosters | 9–7 | Moruya Sharks | Moruya Sharks |
| 1967 | Batemans Bay Tigers | 7–0 | Bega Roosters | Batemans Bay Tigers |
| 1968 | Pambula | 13–8 | Batemans Bay Tigers | Bega Roosters |
| 1969 | Candelo-Bemboka Panthers | 16–4 | Moruya Sharks | Candelo-Bemboka Panthers |
| 1970 | Candelo-Bemboka Panthers | 15–8 | Bega Roosters | Bega Roosters |
| 1971 | Bega Roosters | 11–7 | Eden Tigers | Eden Tigers |
| 1972 | Bega Roosters | 12–7 | Tathra Sea Eagles | Tathra Sea Eagles |
| 1973 | Candelo-Bemboka Panthers | 13–3 | Bombala Blue Heelers | Candelo-Bemboka Panthers |
| 1974 | Candelo-Bemboka Panthers | 26–10 | Bombala Blue Heelers | Bombala Blue Heelers |
| 1975 | Candelo-Bemboka Panthers | 13–10 | Bombala Blue Heelers | Candelo-Bemboka Panthers |
| 1976 | Bombala Blue Heelers | 12–4 | Delegate | Bombala Blue Heelers |
| 1977 | Bombala Blue Heelers | 9–8 | Eden Tigers | Bega Roosters |
| 1978 | Eden Tigers | 24–3 | Cooma Stallions | Cooma Stallions |
| 1979 | Bombala Blue Heelers | 14–2 | Bega Roosters | Snowy River Bears |
| 1980 | Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs | 19–7 | Snowy River Bears | Snowy River Bears |
| 1981 | Eden Tigers | 8–6 | Bega Roosters | Bombala Blue Heelers |
| 1982 | Eden Tigers | 7–4 | Snowy River Bears | Snowy River Bears |
| 1983 | Bombala-Delegate | 15–7 | Bega Roosters | Bombala-Delegate |
| 1984 | Cooma Stallions | 12–9 | Bombala-Delegate | Bombala-Delegate |
| 1985 | Bega Roosters | 14–8 | Narooma Devils | Bega Roosters |
| 1986 | Bega Roosters | 9–8 | Bombala-Delegate | Bega Roosters |
| 1987 | Bega Roosters | 20–6 | Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs | Bega Roosters |
| 1988 | Bega Roosters | 28–6 | Cooma Stallions | Bega Roosters |
| 1989 | Moruya Sharks | 38–10 | Cooma Stallions | Moruya Sharks |
| 1990 | Bega Roosters | 14–6 | Snowy River Bears | Narooma Devils |
| 1991 | Bombala Blue Heelers | 28–22 | Bega Roosters | Bombala Blue Heelers |
| 1992 | Eden Tigers | 16–14 | Cooma Stallions | Eden Tigers |
| 1993 | Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs | 13–4 | Eden Tigers | Eden Tigers |
| 1994 | Cooma Stallions | 14–8 | Bega Roosters | Bega Roosters |
| 1995 | Eden Tigers | 28–2 | Cooma Stallions | Cooma Stallions |
| 1996 | Snowy River Bears | 18–0 | Eden Tigers | Eden Tigers |
| 1997 | Eden Tigers | 23–8 | Moruya Sharks | Eden Tigers |
| 1998 | Moruya Sharks | 36–14 | Eden Tigers | Moruya Sharks |
| 1999 | Narooma Devils | 12–11 | Bombala Blue Heelers | Narooma Devils |
| 2000 | Bega Roosters | 19–18 | Bombala Blue Heelers | Bega Roosters |
| 2001 | Bega Roosters | 12–8 | Tathra Sea Eagles | Bega Roosters |
| 2002 | Eden Tigers | 21–6 | Tathra Sea Eagles | Eden Tigers |
| 2003 | Narooma Devils | 40–2 | Eden Tigers | Narooma Devils |
| 2004 | Narooma Devils | 42–24 | Moruya Sharks | Narooma Devils |
| 2005 | Narooma Devils | 18–14 | Cooma Stallions | Eden Tigers |
| 2006 | Eden Tigers | 28–8 | Cooma Stallions | Cooma Stallions |
| 2007 | Eden Tigers | 30–22 | Bombala Blue Heelers | Eden Tigers |
| 2008 | Eden Tigers | 32–8 | Bega Roosters | Eden Tigers |
| 2009 | Narooma Devils | 56–32 | Cooma Stallions | Narooma Devils |
| 2010 | Eden Tigers | 18–10 | Bega Roosters | Cooma Stallions |
| 2011 | Eden Tigers | 18–4 | Bega Roosters | Eden Tigers |
| 2012 | Narooma Devils | 20–14 | Moruya Sharks | Moruya Sharks |
| 2013 | Moruya Sharks | 14–10 | Bega Roosters | Moruya Sharks |
| 2014 | Bega Roosters | 28–8 | Narooma Devils | Moruya Sharks |
| 2015 | Moruya Sharks | 50–12 | Bega Roosters | Moruya Sharks |
| 2016 | Moruya Sharks | 24–14 | Bega Roosters | Moruya Sharks |
| 2017 | Cooma Stallions | 38–18 | Bombala Blue Heelers | Cooma Stallions |
| 2018 | Bombala Blue Heelers | 14–12 | Bega Roosters | Bega Roosters |
| 2019 | Tathra Sea Eagles | 24–18 | Bega Roosters | Bega Roosters |
| 2020 season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic |||||
| 2021 | 2021 Finals Series and Grand Final cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | 2021 Finals Series and Grand Final cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | 2021 Finals Series and Grand Final cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs |
| 2022 | Bega Roosters | 24–14 | Tathra Sea Eagles | Bombala Blue Heelers |
| 2023 | Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs | 38-18 | Tathra Sea Eagles | Eden Tigers |

## Juniors
### Batemans Bay Tigers

* Ben Cross
* Matthew Cross

### Bega Roosters

* Dale Finucane
* Kezie Apps
* Deon Apps

### Bombala Blue Heelers

* Ky Rodwell

### Cooma Stallions

* Brett White
* Sam Williams
* Jack Williams
* Zac Saddler

### Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs

* Euan Aitken
* Wayne Collins
* Tony Paton
* Pat Coman
* Scott Gammell
* Ben Duckworth
* Tommy Hughes

### Moruya Sharks

* Michael Weyman
* Tim Weyman
* Jarrad Kennedy
* Rhys Kennedy

### Narooma Devils

* Chris Houston
* Michael Lett
* Teig Wilton

### Tathra Sea Eagles

* Adam Elliott

### Eden Tigers

* Corey Stewart
* Brett Kelly
* Peter Kelly

## Sub-Group Competitions

From the mid-1920s to the mid-1950s Rugby League was played in what became known as sub-group competitions.

### Far South Coast / Northern Sub-Group

This competition began as the Far South Coast Rugby League in 1925, with Wyndham Oaks, Bega Waratahs, Bega Federals, Candelo, Pambula Buccaneers and Eden as the competing teams. In 1937 the first grade competition was not held, with teams playing challenge cup matches instead, although a reserve grade competition was held. Following the 1940 Grand Final, competition was suspended due to World War Two.
Competition resumed in 1946.
| Season | Grand Final information | Grand Final information | Grand Final information | Grand Final information | Minor Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | Report | Minor Premiers |
| 1925 | Wyndham | No Finals | | | |
| 1926 | Bega Federals | No Finals | | | |
| 1927 | Pambula-Merimbula | 4–2 | Quaama | | Pambula |
| 1928 | Quaama | 9–3 | Bega | | Quaama |
| 1929 | Candelo | 5–3 | Pambula | | |
| 1930 | Candelo | 7–5 | Cobargo | | Candelo |
| 1931 | Bega | 18–0 | Candelo | | Bega |
| 1932 | Candelo | 14–4 | Merimbula | | |
| 1933 | Candelo | 3–3 | Bega Rovers | | Candelo |
| 1934 | Bega Rovers | 13–2 | Candelo | | Bega |
| 1935 | Bega Rovers | 5–5 | Candelo | | Bega |
| 1936 | Bega Rovers | 21–4 | Cobargo | | |
| 1938 | Cobargo | 9–5 | Bermagui | | Cobargo |
| 1940 | Batemans Bay | 18–5 | Cobargo | | Batemans Bay |
| 1946 | Cobargo | 17–8 | Dry River | | Dry River |
| 1947 | Bega Rovers | 14–10 | Cobargo | | Bega Rovers |
| 1948 | Batemans Bay | 20–4 | Cobargo | | Batemans Bay |
| 1949 | Dry River-Cobargo | 23–7 | Batemans Bay | | |
| 1950 | Cobargo-Dry River | 5–4 | Batemans Bay | | |
| 1951 | Narooma | 9–6 | Bega Rovers | | |
| 1952 | Narooma | 19–0 | Bega Rovers | | Narooma |
| 1953 | Batemans Bay | 2–0 | Bega Rovers | | Batemans Bay |
| 1954 | Bega Rovers | 13–6 | Batemans Bay | | Bega Rovers |
| 1955 | Narooma | 10–0 | Batemans Bay | | |
| 1956 | Cobargo-Bermagui Eels | – | | | |

### Pambula / Imlay

A competition centred around Pambula was held in 1933. Four teams contested the 1936 season: Pambula, Eden, Wolumla and Burragate.
The 1947 Imlay Rugby League competition included Bemboka, Candelo, Eden, Pambula, Tathra, Wolumla and Wyndham. The Bega Rovers and Bega Wests switched from the Northern Sub-Group to the Imlay League in 1955.
| Season | Grand Final information | Grand Final information | Grand Final information | Grand Final information | Minor Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | Report | Minor Premiers |
| 1933 | Wyndham | 12–2 | Pambula | | Pambula |
| 1934 | Wolumla | 7–7 | Pambula | | |
| 1936 | Pambula | 7–6 | Eden | | |
| 1937 | Pambula Old Boys | 7–0 | Wyndham | | |
| 1938 | Merimbula | 9–6 | Pambula | | |
| 1940 | Wolumla | – | Merimbula | | |
| 1947 | Eden | 7–4 | Bemboka | | |
| 1948 | Candelo | 5–4 | Bemboka | | Candelo |
| 1949 | Eden | 6–4 | Bemboka | | Bemboka |
| 1950 | Bemboka | 6–4 | Wolumla | | Wolumla |
| 1951 | Tathra | 11–4 | Eden | | Eden |
| 1952 | Tathra | 6–3 | Eden | | Eden |
| 1953 | Tathra | 4–2 | Eden | | Tathra |
| 1954 | Eden | 14–4 | Tathra | | Tathra |
| 1955 | Bemboka | 10–2 | Tathra | | |
| 1956 | Bega Rovers | 12–7 | Bega Wests | | Bega Rovers |

### Southern Monaro

The four towns of Bibbenluke, Bombala, Cathcart and Delegate regularly played Rugby Union matches in the early decades of the 20th century. The clubs trialed league rules in 1928 but returned to Union in 1929. In 1932, however, Southern Monaro Rugby League was established as a sub-group of Group 16. In 1935, the three first grade teams became two by the end of the season. Bombala fielded two teams (Blues and Blacks), and Nimmitabel joined to make a five team 1936 competition. From 1937, the clubs reverted to challenge cup matches.
| Season | Grand Final information | Grand Final information | Grand Final information | Grand Final information | Minor Premiers |
| Season | Premiers | Score | Runners-up | Report | Minor Premiers |
| 1932 | Bombala | 9–3 | Bibbenluke | | Bombala |
| 1933 | Bombala | 6–2 | Bibbenluke | | |
| 1934 | Bombala | 3–0 | Bibbenluke | | Bibbenluke |
| 1935 | Bombala | 9–7 | Bibbenluke | | |
| 1936 | Bombala Blacks | 9–2 | Bibbenluke | | |

## Group 19 Rugby League (1950–1970)

A senior Rugby League competition under the enumeration Group 19 ran from the post-war years until 1970. Participating teams included Bibbenluke, Bombala, Delegate, Jindabyne and (usually) Adaminaby. In most seasons two or three Cooma teams participated – the Cooma Rovers and St Patricks, Cooma Blues or Cooma Citizens. Employees engaged in the Snowy River Scheme fielded teams for short periods – Public Service, Snowy and the intriguingly named Utah-Island Bend.
In 1971 the northern Group 19 clubs – Cooma Rovers, Adaminaby, Jindabyne, Cooma Citizens and Nimmitabel agreed to combine playing resources and field a team in the Group 16 competition, as the Alpine Wanderers. The three teams from southern Monaro also joined the combined competition, although they remained separate clubs.
The enumeration Group 19 was later redeployed to the northern tablelands of New South Wales, with teams from Armidale, Glen Innes, Guyra, Narwan, Uralla and Walcha competing under that banner in the 1980s.

## Sources

| Years | Item | Via |
| 1919 to 1954 | Bombala Times | Trove |
| 1928 to 1935 | Southern Record and Advertiser | Trove |
| 1950 to 1970 | Cooma-Monaro Express | Microfilm at State Library of NSW |
| 1946 to 1991 | Bega District News | Microfilm at State Library of NSW |
| 1967–69, 1971–96 | Country Rugby League Annual Report | State Library of NSW |
| 1970–74, 1976–2001 | Rugby League Week | Bound copies at State Library of NSW |
| 2002 to 2014 | Rugby League Week | eResources at State Library of NSW |
| 2010 to 2019 | Various Newspaper Websites | As referenced |
| 2015 to 2019 | Group Rugby League past seasons | SportingPulse / SportsTG websites No longer available |

## Juniors
### Group 16 Minor League Clubs

* Batemans Bay Tigers
* Bega Roosters
* Bombala Blue Heelers
* Cooma Stallions
* Eden Tigers
* Merimbula-Pambula Bulldogs
* Moruya-Tuross Sharks
* Narooma Devils
* Tathra Sea Eagles