Country Rugby League

Country Rugby League
Founded 1934
Responsibility Non-metropolitan New South Wales
Key people Jock Colley[1] (Chair)
Terry Quinn[1] (Chief Executive)
Website crlnsw.com.au
As of 1 December 2009

The Country Rugby League of New South Wales[2] (CRL[3]), formed in 1934, is the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in areas of New South Wales outside the Sydney metropolitan area. In spite of its name, CRL also governs rugby league in the Australian Capital Territory. Apart from selecting a Country Origin side to play in the annual City vs Country Origin game, the CRL administers a large number of senior and junior competitions across the state.

Contents

Regions

The CRL administers the following senior competitions:

Disbanded Groups

Competitions

2011 Tier 1 (Divisional) Championships

  RD1 Semi-finals Grand Final
                           
  1  Canberra 22  
8  Newcastle 24  
     Newcastle 36  
     Northern Rivers 10  
4     
  5       
       Newcastle 28
     Illawarra 24
  3       
6       
     Illawarra 40
     Central Hunter Power 22  
2     
  7       

2011 Tier 2 (Group) Championships

  RD1 RD2 Semi-finals Grand Final
                                     
1  Group 2  
16      
     Group 2 18  
 
     Group 3 36  
8  
9  Group 3  
     Group 3 30  
     New England 36  
5  Group 4  
12    
     Group 4 24
 
     New England 36  
4  
13  New England  
     New England 30
     Group 11 38
6  Group 6 18  
11  Group 11 34  
     Group 11 40
 
     Group 20 Razorback 18  
3  South Coast Bulls 10
14  Group 20 Razorback 20  
     Group 11 22
     Group 9 10  
7  Group 14 18  
10  Group 10 50  
     Group 10 22
 
     Group 9 40  
2  Group 9 14
15  Group 16 58  

History

Newcastle was the first city outside Sydney to start a league competition, being involved in the Sydney Premiership in 1908-09 and then starting their own competition 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 in NSW, including various 'joint ventures' such as the NSWRL Jim Beam Cup 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':[4]

  1. Clive Churchill (Central Newcastle)
  2. Brian Carlson (North Newcastle)
  3. Eddie Lumsden (Kurri Kurri)
  4. Michael Cronin (Gerringong)
  5. Graeme Langlands (Wollongong)
  6. Bob Fulton (Wests Wollongong)
  7. Andrew Johns (Cessnock)
  8. Steve Roach (West Wollongong)
  9. Ian Walsh (Condobolin)
  10. Glenn Lazarus (Queanbeyan United)
  11. Herb Narvo (North Newcastle)
  12. Bradley Clyde (Belconnen United)
  13. Wally Prigg (West Newcastle)

References

External links