Illawarra Rugby League
Illawarra Division Rugby League | |
---|---|
Sport | Rugby league |
Instituted | 1911 |
Inaugural season | 1911 |
Number of teams | 7 |
Premiers | Dapto (2016) |
Website | Illawarra Carlton League |
The Illawarra Rugby League is a rugby league competition in Wollongong, NSW. It is one of the oldest rugby league competitions in Australia, founded in 1911 with five clubs (Dapto, Helensburgh, Mount Keira, Unanderra and Wollongong).. Due to sponsorship rights, the Senior competition (First Grade, Second Grade and Under 19s) is named the Illawarra Coal Rugby League. The Under 13 to Under 17 competitions are merged with the South Coast Group 7 Junior Rugby League, with the Under 6 to Under 12 competitions being run solely by the Illawarra Division. The area provides a nursery of juniors for the St George Illawarra Dragons. The season is contested by nine teams and concludes with a finals series involving the top four teams.
History
Only the Northern parts of the Illawarra have traditionally been included in this competition, with teams further south playing in Group 7. However, Shellharbour's decision in 2009 to field a team in the NSW Cup was coupled with a decision to play in the Illawarra Rugby League as well, blurring the boundary between the two competitions. Other Group 7 clubs are fielding teams in the lower leagues of Illawarra competitions and there's a possibility the two competitions may merge.
The Illawarra Division is one of the strongest, along with Newcastle, local competition in New South Wales. The league features many former and current NRL players and also Toyota Cup players. The Illawarra Division Senior representative team are two-time National Country champions and have won the Country Rugby League championships consistently. The Division also supplies players to the NSWRL Harold Matthews and SG Ball Cup competitions.
2011: The Centenary
On 21 July 2011, whilst celebrating their centenary, Illawarra Rugby League announced their "Team of the Century".[1][2] Immortals Graeme Langlands and Bob Fulton featured at fullback and five-eighth respectively, as well as Harry Wells at centre. The entire team follows:
Teams
Firsts and Reserves
In 2013, Eight clubs fielded teams in the First and Second Grade:
Berkeley Eagles Berkeley, NSW Ground: Berkeley Sports Ground First season: 1955 |
Collegians North Wollongong, NSW Ground: University Oval First season: 1933 |
Corrimal Cougars Corrimal, NSW Ground: Robert Ziems Park First season: 1912 |
Dapto Canaries Dapto, NSW Ground: Dapto Showground First season: 1911 |
Helensburgh Tigers Helensburgh, NSW Ground: Rex Jackson Oval First season: 1911 |
Thirroul Butchers Thirroul, NSW Ground: Thomas Gibson Oval First season: 1913 |
Western Suburbs Red Devils Unanderra, NSW Ground: Sid Parrish Park First season:1949 |
Former clubs
- Mount Keira Tri Colours^
- Port Kembla Blacks
- Unanderra^
- Wollongong (Glebe, Buccaneers, Lighthouse Keepers, Bulls)
- University of Wollongong Titans(Books)
- West Wollongong
^merged to form Western Suburbs Red Devils(1949)
First Grade Premiers
Season | Grand Final Information | Minor Premiers | ||
---|---|---|---|---|
Premiers | Score | Runners-Up | ||
1911 | Wollongong | 5-5 | Mt. Keira | Wollongong |
1912 | Unanderra | |||
1913 | Wollongong | 10-5 | Mt. Keira | Wollongong |
1914 | Unanderra | 5-3 | Wollongong | |
1915–1918 - No competition due to World War I | ||||
1919 | Unanderra | 8-5 | Wollongong | |
1920 | Wollongong | Wollongong | ||
1921 | Wollongong | |||
1922 | Port Kembla | 5-3 | Wollongong | |
1923 | Port Kembla | 3-0 | Wollongong | |
1924 | Port Kembla | 22-13 | Wollongong(Glebe) | |
1925 | Gerringong | |||
1926 | Wollongong(Glebe) | |||
1927 | Port Kembla | 2-0 | Wollongong(Glebe) | |
1928 | Port Kembla | Port Kembla | ||
1929 | Wollongong | Forfeit | Port Kembla | |
1930 | Wollongong | 13-6 | Port Kembla | |
1931 | Wollongong | 31-14 | Thirroul | |
1932 | Wollongong | |||
1933 | ||||
1934 | Port Kembla | 8-6 | West Wollongong | West Wollongong |
1935 | Port Kembla | |||
1936 | Mount Kembla | |||
1937 | Port Kembla | |||
1938 | Port Kembla | |||
1939 | Mount Kembla | 8-2 | Corrimal | Corrimal |
1940 | Thirroul | 4-3 | Corrimal | Thirroul |
1941 | Port Kembla | 24-7 | Corrimal | |
1942 | Port Kembla | 17-9 | Collegians(CBC) | Port Kembla |
1943 | Port Kembla | |||
1944 | Port Kembla | 10-8 | Thirroul | |
1945 | Wollongong | 5-2 | Port Kembla | |
1946 | Port Kembla | |||
1947 | Wollongong | |||
1948 | Corrimal | 22-7 | Port Kembla | |
1949 | Port Kembla | 20-9 | Wollongong | Wollongong |
1950 | Wollongong | Port Kembla | ||
1951 | Wollongong | 15-11 | Corrimal | Corrimal |
1952 | Northern Suburbs | |||
1953 | Port Kembla | 10-7 | Northern Suburbs | Port Kembla |
1954 | Thirroul | 20-7 | Port Kembla | Thirroul |
1955 | Port Kembla | Port Kembla | ||
1956 | Port Kembla | |||
1957 | Wests | 22-6 | Wollongong | |
1958 | Port Kembla | 10-8 | Wests | |
1959 | Wests | 12-6 | Northern Suburbs | |
1960 | Northern Suburbs | |||
1961 | Northern Suburbs | 10-2 | Wollongong | |
1962 | Port Kembla | |||
1963 | Port Kembla | |||
1964 | Wollongong | Wollongong | ||
1965 | Port Kembla | 6-4 | Wollongong | Collegians |
1966 | Dapto | 13-6 | Collegians | Collegians |
1967 | Collegians | 12-4 | Port Kembla | Collegians |
1968 | Dapto | |||
1969 | Wests | 11-2 | Port Kembla | Port Kembla |
1970 | Wests | Dapto | Thirroul | |
1971 | Wests | 18-11 | Thirroul | |
1972 | Wests | 23-9 | Thirroul | |
1973 | Thirroul | 8-6 | Wests | |
1974 | Corrimal | 22-8 | Wollongong | |
1975 | Dapto | 15-2 | Thirroul | |
1976 | Dapto | 22-6 | Corrimal | |
1977 | Dapto | 18-5 | Port Kembla | Wests |
1978 | Wests | 17-13 | Port Kembla | Wests |
1979 | Dapto | Wests | ||
1980 | Wests | 6-0 | Port Kembla | |
1981 | Wests | 22-0 | Corrimal | |
1982 | Dapto | 15-12 | Corrimal | Corrimal |
1983 | Dapto | 23-10 | Wests | Wests |
1984 | Wests | |||
1985 | Dapto | 40-4 | Collegians | |
1986 | Helensburgh | |||
1987 | Collegians | |||
1988 | Helensburgh | |||
1989 | Wests | 13-12 | Corrimal | Corrimal |
1990 | Dapto | 28-2 | Collegians | |
1991 | Wests | 14-12 | Dapto | Wests |
1992 | Dapto | Wollongong University Books | ||
1993 | Helensburgh | 22-8 | Wests | Helensburgh |
1994 | Dapto | |||
1995 | Thirroul | 23-22 | Wests | Thirroul |
1996 | Collegians | 11-2 | Thirroul | Collegians |
1997 | Collegians | Dapto | ||
1998 | Collegians | |||
1999 | Thirroul | 40-12 | Collegians | |
2000 | Dapto | 30-14 | Thirroul | |
2001 | Dapto | 18-12 | Thirroul | Collegians |
2002 | Dapto | 20-16 | Collegians | Collegians |
2003 | Thirroul | Thirroul | ||
2004 | Collegians | |||
2005 | Collegians | 16-14 | Wests | |
2006 | Dapto | 34-14 | Thirroul | Dapto |
2007 | Collegians | 20-18 | Dapto | |
2008 | Thirroul | 16-12 | Collegians | Thirroul |
2009 | Wests | 14-4 | Thirroul | Wests |
2010 | Wests | 24-0 | Thirroul | Wests |
2011 | Wests | 34-24 | Helensburgh | Wests |
2012 | Thirroul | 20-16 | Wests | Wests |
2013 | Collegians | 29-28 | Helensburgh | Collegians |
2014 | Thirroul | 18-16 | Helensburgh | Thirroul |
2015 | Helensburgh | 16-10 | Wests | Helensburgh |
2016 | Dapto | 28-16 | Wests | Dapto |
Thirds(Shield)
The Illawarra District Rugby League runs a "Third Grade" competition known as the Illawarra Coal Shield - featuring Predominately Second Division(Village Clubs)mixed with Third Grade teams from the Illawarra:
Recent Shield Premiers
- 2016 - Avondale
- 2015 - Northern Suburbs
- 2014 - Corrimal Cougars
- 2013 - Corrimal Cougars
- 2012 - Corrimal Cougars
- 2011 - Helensburgh
- 2010 - Port Kembla Blacks
- 2009 - University Titans
- 2008 - Windang Sharks
- 2007 -
- 2006 -
- 2005 - Mt Kembla
- 2004 - Berkeley Eagles
- 2003 -
Club | Status | Homeground |
---|---|---|
Avondale | Village | Reed Park, Dapto |
Corrimal Cougars | Third Grade | Ziems Park, Corrimal |
Mount Kembla | Village | Mt. Kembla Oval, Mount Kembla |
Northern Suburbs | Village | Jim Allen Oval, Wombarra |
North Wollongong Surf | Village | University Oval, Wollongong |
Wests | Third Grade | Parrish Park, Figtree |
Windang | Village | Boronia Oval, Windang |
See also
References
- ↑ "Illawarra Team of the Century". NineMSN. 21 July 2011. Retrieved 22 July 2011.
- ↑ "Illawarra rugby league name 'team of the century'". ABC News. 21 July 2011.
External links
- First grade ladder - from Sporting Pulse site
- Illawarra RL on Country Rugby League's official site