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.

Regions

The CRL administers the following senior competitions:

• Region 1 - Northern Thunderbolts
  • Northern Rivers Division (Group 1 and 18's merger)
  • Group 19 (New England)
• Region 2 - Oxley Pioneers
  • Group 2 (northern Mid North Coast)
  • Group 3 (southern Mid North Coast)
  • Group 4 (western New England)
• Region 3 - Bidgee Bulls
  • Group 9 (Wagga Wagga & Districts)
  • Group 17 (Riverina)
  • Group 20 (Riverina)
  • Canberra Division
• Region 4 - Western Rams
  • Group 10 (Central West)
  • Group 11 (Dubbo)
  • Group 14
  • Outback Rugby League
  • Cups: Castlereagh Cup, Woodbridge Cup
• Region 5 - Southern Stars
  • Group 6 (Southern Highlands & Macarthur)
  • Group 7 (South Coast)
  • Group 16 (Far South Coast)
  • Illawarra Division
• Region 6 - Central Hunter Power
  • Group 21 (Hunter)
  • Central Coast Division
• Region 7 - Newcastle Rebels
  • Newcastle Division

Disbanded Groups

• Group 1 Rugby League - merged with Group 18 to form Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League (still hold junior competitions)
• Group 5 Rugby League - now forms part of Group 19 in Region 1 (Northern Thunderbolts)
• Group 8 Rugby League - dissolved into ACTRL in 1982, now Canberra Rugby League
• Group 12 Rugby League - reformed as the Outback Rugby League in Region 4 (Western Rams)
• Group 13 Rugby League - now part of the Group 9 Rugby League in Region 3 (Bidgee Bulls)
• Group 15 Rugby League
• Group 18 Rugby League - merged with Group 1 to form Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League (still holds junior competitions)
• Sunraysia-Riverlands Rugby League (reformed briefly as a singular side in 1997 in Group 12, later reformed as the Sunraysia Rugby League).

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

1. ^ ^{a b} "Committees". Country Rugby League of New South Wales. http://www.crlnsw.com.au/index.php?id=51. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
2. ^ "COUNTRY RUGBY LEAGUE OF NEW SOUTH WALES INC CONSTITUTION – ADOPTED 27/11/99". Country Rugby League of New South Wales. 2008-02-08. http://www.crlnsw.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/Resourse_Centre/CRL_Constitution_08_Feb_2008.pdf. Retrieved 1 December 2009. ^{[dead link]}
3. ^ "Reference Centre > NRL History & Structure". National Rugby League. http://www.nrl.com/nrlhq/referencecentre/nrlhistorystructure/tabid/10433/default.aspx. Retrieved 1 December 2009. 
4. ^ abc.net.au (1 May 2008). "Three Immortals in best Country side". ABC News. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2008-05-01/three-immortals-in-best-country-side/2421234. Retrieved 19 November 2011. 

External links

• Official Country Rugby League site.
• Rugby League clubs in New South Wales