# Jersey Flegg Cup

The Jersey Flegg Cup is a junior rugby league competition played in New South Wales, Australia, contested among teams made up of players aged 21 or under. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL), and is named for Eastern Suburbs foundation player and prominent administrator of the game, Harry "Jersey" Flegg.

## History

The Jersey Flegg Cup began in 1961 as an under-19 age group competition and was originally played over 9–12 weeks early in the season, alongside the S. G. Ball Cup and Harold Matthews Cup during the NSWRL's junior representative season. In 1998, with the advent of the National Rugby League (NRL), the competition switched to the current under-20 age limit and was played over a full season, running alongside the senior NRL competition and culminating with the Grand Final held on the same day as the NRL Grand Final.
The competition ceased at the end of the 2007 season to make way for the NRL-administered under-20 competition, the National Youth Competition (NYC), which commenced in 2008.
In 2016, the NRL announced that the National Youth Competition would be discontinued after the 2017 season, in favour of state-based under-20 competitions, administered by the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) and New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL).
On 1 February 2018, the NSWRL officially announced the reintroduction of the Jersey Flegg Cup for the 2018 season after a 10-year absence.

## Jersey Flegg Cup teams

The Jersey Flegg Cup consists of 10 teams, 11 from New South Wales, 1 each from Auckland, Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Fiji . In 2019, the Canberra Raiders and South Sydney Rabbitohs returned to the competition after using their New South Wales Cup affiliates in 2018, while the Victoria Thunderbolts joined after spending the last four seasons in QRL-based competitions. Most of the clubs being colts grade teams to the reserve grade teams of the New South Wales Cup and the senior grade teams of the NRL.

### Current teams

Jersey Flegg Cup :
| Rugby League Club | City/Town | State/Territory | Home Venue/s | Est. | Title/s | Recent | NRL affiliate |
| Canberra Raiders | Canberra | Australian Capital Territory | GIO Stadium | 1982 | 2 | 1993 | Raiders |
| Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | Belmore | New South Wales | Belmore Sports Ground | 1934 | 10 | 2023 | Bulldogs |
| Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | Woolooware | New South Wales | PointsBet Stadium | 1967 | 1 | 2018 | Sharks |
| Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | Brookvale | New South Wales | Brookvale Oval | 1947 | 3 | 1987 | Sea Eagles |
| Melbourne Storm | Melbourne | Victoria | AAMI Park | 2015 | 0 | - | Storm |
| Newcastle Knights | Newcastle | New South Wales | McDonald Jones Stadium | 1988 | 2 | 1992 | Knights |
| New Zealand Warriors | Auckland | Auckland | Mt Smart Stadium | 1995 | 0 | - | Warriors |
| North Sydney Bears | North Sydney | New South Wales | North Sydney Oval | 1908 | 1 | 1998 | None |
| Parramatta Eels | Wentworthville | New South Wales | Ringrose Park | 1947 | 3 | 1990 | Eels |
| Penrith Panthers | Penrith | New South Wales | BlueBet Stadium | 1967 | 5 | 2022 | Panthers |
| South Sydney Rabbitohs | Redfern | New South Wales | Redfern Oval | 1908 | 9 | 2019 | Rabbitohs |
| St George Illawarra Dragons | Sydney, Wollongong | New South Wales | WIN Stadium | 1998* | 1^ | 2005 | Dragons |
| Sydney Roosters | Sydney | New South Wales | Allianz Stadium | 1908 | 3 | 2004 | Roosters |
| Wests Tigers | Campbelltown | New South Wales | Campbelltown Stadium | 1999* | 0^ | - | Tigers |
| * denotes that the club was formed as a joint-venture of former existing clubs. ||||||||
| ^ denotes that previous clubs making up the joint venture had won premierships prior to merging, which are not included in this tally. ||||||||
| Alternate Home Venue/s for Canberra Raiders; Raiders Belconnen, Belmore Sports Ground, McDonalds Park. ||||||||
| Alternate Home Venue/s for Manly Sea Eagles; HE Laybutt Field. ||||||||
| Alternate Home Venue/s for Melbourne Storm; Seabrook Reserve, Gosch's Paddock, Comely Banks Recreation Reserve. ||||||||
| Alternate Home Venue/s for Newcastle Knights; Newcastle Knights Centre of Excellence. ||||||||
| Alternate Home Venue/s for South Sydney Rabbitohs; Accor Stadium. ||||||||
| Alternate Home Venue/s for Sydney Roosters; Wentworth Park. ||||||||

## Season structure
### Regular season

The Jersey Flegg Cup follows the same regular season format as the NSW Cup, with games usually played as curtain-raisers to the senior fixtures. Beginning in early March, a round of regular season games is then played almost every weekend for twenty-one weeks, ending in late August. Unlike the NSW Cup, the Jersey Flegg Cup features three full rounds where every team receives a bye. These rounds are scheduled in to accommodate university exam periods.
Teams receive two competition points for a win, and one point for a draw. The bye also receives two points; a loss, no points. Teams on the ladder are ranked by competition points, then match points differential (for and against) and points percentage are used to separate teams with equal competition points. At the end of the regular season, the club which is ranked highest on the ladder is declared minor premiers.

### Finals series

The eight highest placed teams at the end of the regular season compete in the finals series. The Jersey Flegg follows the same finals format as the NRL and the NSW Cup. The system consists of a number of games between the top eight teams over four weeks in September, until only two teams remain.
These two teams then contest the Grand Final, which is played in late September at a suburban Sydney stadium (for example, Leichhardt Oval), as a curtain-raiser to the NSW Cup Grand Final.

## Premiership winners

| Year | Age | Premiers | Score | Runner-up | Minor Premiers | Wooden Spooners | Reference |
| 1961 | U17 | Manly Sea Eagles | 23–5 | Wests Magpies | Knock Out Competition | Knock Out Competition | |
| 1962 | U17 | Souths Rabbitohs | 14–9 | Parramatta Eels | Knock Out Competition | Knock Out Competition | |
| 1963 | U17 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 10–0 | Newtown Jets | Knock Out Competition | Knock Out Competition | |
| 1964 | U17 | Souths Rabbitohs | 10–4 | St George Dragons | Knock Out Competition | Knock Out Competition | |
| 1965 | U17 | Wests Magpies | 12–4 | Balmain Tigers | Knock Out Competition | Knock Out Competition | |
| 1966 | U17 | Souths Rabbitohs | 10–4 | Balmain Tigers | Balmain Tigers | Norths Bears | |
| 1967 | U17 | Souths Rabbitohs | 8–2 | St George Dragons | St George Dragons | Norths Bears | |
| 1968 | U17 | Souths Rabbitohs | 13–7 | Parramatta Eels | St George Dragons | Norths Bears | |
| 1969 | U18 | Souths Rabbitohs | 6–0 | Canterbury Bulldogs | Souths Rabbitohs | Norths Bears | |
| 1970 | U18 | Parramatta Eels | 7–6 | Souths Rabbitohs | Souths Rabbitohs | Easts Roosters | |
| 1971 | U18 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 11–8 | Souths Rabbitohs | Canterbury Bulldogs | Norths Bears | |
| 1972 | U18 | Souths Rabbitohs | 15–5 | Wests Magpies | Souths Rabbitohs | Norths Bears | |
| 1973 | U18 | Balmain Tigers | 10–7 | Penrith Panthers | Parramatta Eels | Canterbury Bulldogs | |
| 1974 | U18 | Manly Sea Eagles | 8–7 | Parramatta Eels | | | |
| 1975 | U18 | St George Dragons | 14–10 | Wests Magpies | | | |
| 1976 | U17 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 18–10 | Parramatta Eels | | | |
| 1977 | U17 | Penrith Panthers | | | | | |
| 1978 | U18 | Souths Rabbitohs | 12–10 | Balmain Tigers | 12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams. Semi-Finals were Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place, and Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place. | 12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams. Semi-Finals were Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place, and Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place. | |
| 1979 | U18 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 22–12 | Souths Rabbitohs | 12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams. Semi-Finals were Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place, and Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place. | 12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams. Semi-Finals were Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place, and Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place. | |
| 1980 | U18 | Balmain Tigers | 26–7 | Newtown Jets | 12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams. Semi-Finals were Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place, and Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place. | 12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams. Semi-Finals were Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place, and Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place. | |
| 1981 | U18 | Wests Magpies | 12–7 | Souths Rabbitohs | 12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams. Semi-Finals were Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place, and Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place. | 12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams. Semi-Finals were Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place, and Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place. | |
| 1982 | U18 | Balmain Tigers | 12–10 | Cronulla Sharks | Wests Magpies | Easts Roosters | |
| 1983 | U18 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 26–6 | Balmain Tigers | Balmain Tigers | Newtown Jets | |
| 1984 | U18 | Balmain Tigers | 10–0 | Penrith Panthers | Balmain Tigers | Easts Roosters | |
| 1985 | U19 | Parramatta Eels | 10–7 | Manly Sea Eagles | Balmain Tigers | Newtown-Campbelltown Jets | |
| 1986 | U19 | Penrith Panthers | 48–6 | Illawarra Steelers | Penrith Panthers | St George Dragons | |
| 1987 | U19 | Manly Sea Eagles | 20–0 | Balmain Tigers | Souths Rabbitohs | Wests Magpies (White) | |
| 1988 | U19 | Balmain Tigers | 19–10 | Newcastle Knights | | | |
| 1989 | U19 | Canberra Raiders | 26–8 | Balmain Tigers | Canberra Raiders | St George Dragons | |
| 1990 | U19 | Parramatta Eels | 22–8 | Cronulla Sharks | Parramatta Eels | St George Dragons | |
| 1991 | U19 | Newcastle Knights | 28–12 | Canberra Raiders | Newcastle Knights | Easts Roosters | |
| 1992 | U19 | Newcastle Knights | 26–12 | Wests Magpies | Newcastle Knights | Canterbury Bulldogs | |
| 1993 | U19 | Canberra Raiders | 28–6 | St George Dragons | | | |
| 1994 | U19 | Balmain Tigers | 34–26 | St George Dragons | | | |
| 1995 | U19 | Sydney City Roosters | 29–16 | Manly Sea Eagles | | | |
| 1996 | U19 | St George Dragons | 22–10 | Manly Sea Eagles | St George Dragons | Sydney Tigers | |
| 1997 | U20 | Balmain Tigers | | Sydney City Roosters | | | |
| 1998 | U19 | Norths Bears | 28–12 | Parramatta Eels | Norths Bears | Canberra Raiders | |
| 1999 | U20 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 18–12 | Newcastle Knights | St George Dragons | Wests Magpies | |
| 2000 | U20 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 22–8 | Wests Magpies | Canterbury Bulldogs | Souths Rabbitohs | |
| 2001 | U20 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 12–10 | Cronulla Sharks | Canterbury Bulldogs | Souths Rabbitohs | a |
| 2002 | U20 | Sydney Roosters | 23–22 | St George Illawarra Dragons | St George Illawarra Dragons | Balmain Tigers | |
| 2003 | U19 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 32–22 | Cronulla Sharks | Cronulla Sharks | Central Coast Rip | |
| 2004 | U20 | Sydney Roosters | 14–13 | Cronulla Sharks | Sydney Roosters | Central Coast Rip | |
| 2005 | U20 | St George Illawarra Dragons | 30–20 | Parramatta Eels | St George Illawarra Dragons | Central Coast | |
| 2006 | U20 | Penrith Panthers | 22–20 | Newcastle Knights | Newcastle Knights | Central Coast | |
| 2007 | U20 | Penrith Panthers | 19–14 | Parramatta Eels | Penrith Panthers | Central Coast Storm | |
| 2018 | U20 | Cronulla Sharks | 22–12 | Penrith Panthers | Newcastle Knights | Wests Tigers | |
| 2019 | U20 | Souths Rabbitohs | 16–14 | Canberra Raiders | Cronulla Sharks | Manly Sea Eagles | |
| 2020 | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| 2021 | U21 | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | Season was suspended and then cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. |
| 2022 | U21 | Penrith Panthers | 19–18 | Newcastle Knights | Sydney Roosters | Souths Rabbitohs | |
| 2023 | U21 | Canterbury Bulldogs | 22–20 | Sydney Roosters | Sydney Roosters | Wests Tigers |
* NOTE = Not held between 2008 and 2017

## Premiership tally

| No. | Club | Seasons |
| 1 | Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 10 (1963, 1971, 1976, 1979, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2023) |
| 2 | South Sydney Rabbitohs | 9 (1962, 1964, 1966, 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1978, 2019) |
| 3 | Balmain Tigers | 8 (1973, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1994, 1997) |
| 4 | Penrith Panthers | 5 (1977, 1986, 2006, 2007, 2022) |
| 5 | Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles | 3 (1961, 1974, 1987) |
| 5 | Parramatta Eels | 3 (1970, 1985, 1990) |
| 5 | Sydney Roosters | 3 (1995, 2002, 2004) |
| 8 | St George Dragons | 2 (1975, 1996) |
| 8 | Canberra Raiders | 2 (1989, 1993) |
| 8 | Newcastle Knights | 2 (1991, 1992) |
| 11 | Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks | 1 (2018) |
| 11 | St George Illawarra Dragons | 1 (2005) |
| 11 | North Sydney Bears | 1 (1998) |
| 11 | Western Suburbs Magpies | 1 (1965) |