Group 3 Rugby League

Group 3 Rugby League

Sport	Rugby league
Formerly known as	Group 18 Rugby League, Manning River Rugby League
Instituted	1946 (as Group 18)
Inaugural season	1966 (as Group 3)
Number of teams	8
Country	Australia
Premiers	Port Macquarie Sharks (2024)
Most titles	Forster Tuncurry Hawks Wingham District Tigers (9 titles)
Website	Group 3 on facebook
Related competition	Hastings League

Group 3 is a rugby league competition on the north coast of New South Wales, run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League. The Group 3 area runs from Kempsey in the north to Forster in the south.

History

The league began in 1946, with Taree Old Bar winning the first ever premiership. At the time, this league was known as Group 18. In 1966, the boundaries were re-drawn to include three new clubs (Camden Haven, Port Macquarie, and Wauchope) and the group's name was changed to Group 3. ^[1]

In 1995, Port Macquarie and Wauchope joined Group 2 in another re-zoning, with teams from Group 3 Saturday League joining the competition. In 2003, Port City RLFC joined the competition on loan from Group 2. In 2004, Wauchope re-joined the league after departing at the end of the 1994 season. ^[1]

The current First Grade premiers are the Old Bar Beach Pirates.

The 2020 Group 3 competition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. ^[2] Junior competitions were postponed, eventually commencing in July. The highest age group competition winners were Wingham Tigers (Under 18 boys) and Port Macquarie Sharks (Under 17 Ladies League Tag). ^{[3] [4]}

Teams

The following clubs field teams in the Group 3 First Grade competition.

Club	City/Town	Founded	Home Ground	No. of Titles	Premierships
Forster Tuncurry Hawks	Forster/Tuncurry	1946	Harry Elliot Oval	9	1947, 1968, 1970, 1986, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2004, 2011
Macleay Valley Mustangs	Kempsey	1995	Verge Street Oval	2	2014, 2019
Old Bar Beach Pirates	Old Bar	1995	Old Bar Reserve	3	1996, 1999, 2023
Port City Breakers	Port Macquarie	2002	Regional Stadium	5	2008, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2022
Port Macquarie Sharks	Port Macquarie	1940	Regional Stadium	7	1976, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2015, 2018
Taree City Bulls	Taree	1998	Jack Neal Oval	3	2000, 2001, 2007
Wauchope Blues	Wauchope	1920	Lank Bain Oval	8	1967, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1984, 2009, 2012, 2013
Wingham Tigers	Wingham	1900s	Wingham Sporting Complex	9	1950, 1952, 1953, 1961, 1962, 1989, 1997, 2002, 2003

Former Teams

• Camden Haven Eagles (Withdrew from Senior Football)
• Cape Hawke (became Forster-Tuncurry)
• Cundletown (Folded)
• Forster Dragons (Folded)
• Gloucester Magpies (Withdrew from first grade in 2002)
• Halliday Point Makos (Folded 2009)
• Taree Rhinos (Folded)
• Taree Browns Creek (Folded)
• Taree Old Bar (Folded 1994)
• Taree United (Folded 1994)

Map

Local Area	in New South Wales
30km 19miles Wingham Wauchope Taree Port Macquarie Old Bar Beach Macleay Valley Forster     Locations of the current Group 3 clubs.	480km 298miles Port Macquarie Canberra Sydney     Relation to state & national capitals

Premierships

First Grade

Separate teams in 1946, Forster and Tuncurry combined as Cape Hawke in 1947, then played as Foster-Tuncurry from 1953.

Season	Grand Final Information				Minor Premiers
	Premiers	Score	Runners-up	Report
1946	Taree Old Bar	9–5	Forster	[5] [6]	Forster
1947	Cape Hawke	10–4	Taree Old Bar	[7]	Cape Hawke
1948	Taree Browns Creek	8–7	Cape Hawke	[8] [9]
1949	Taree Browns Creek	18–2	Cape Hawke	[10]	Taree Browns Creek
1950	Wingham District	7–3	Taree Browns Creek	[11]	Wingham District
1951	Taree Browns Creek	5–4	Taree Old Bar	[12]	Taree Browns Creek
1952	Wingham District	14–5	Taree Browns Creek	[13]	Wingham District
1953	Wingham District	10–0	Taree Old Bar	[14]	Wingham District
1954	Gloucester	10–2	Taree Browns Creek	[15]	Gloucester
1955	Taree Browns Creek	10–0	Wingham District
1956	Taree Browns Creek	8–2	Wingham District
1957	Gloucester	17–10	Wingham District
1958	Gloucester	7–4	Taree Old Bar
1959	Gloucester	37–0	Cundletown
1960	Gloucester	7–4	Wingham District
1961	Wingham District	9–5	Taree United
1962	Wingham District	15–12	Gloucester
1963	Gloucester	10–7	Wingham District
1964	Gloucester	6–5	Wingham District
1965	Gloucester	15–2	Taree Old Bar

Group 3

Season	Grand Final Information				Minor Premiers
	Premiers	Score	Runners-up	Report
1966	Gloucester	29–2	Wingham District		Gloucester
1967	Wauchope	10–9	Forster Tuncurry		Wauchope
1968	Forster Tuncurry	21–0	Taree United		Forster Tuncurry
1969	Wauchope	14–4	Forster Tuncurry		Wauchope
1970	Forster Tuncurry	14–4	Port Macquarie		Forster Tuncurry
1971	Taree United	44–8	Taree Old Bar		Taree United
1972	Wauchope	24–7	Wingham District		Wauchope
1973	Taree United	8–3	Taree Old Bar		Taree United
1974	Taree United	18–15	Forster Tuncurry		Forster Tuncurry
1975	Wauchope	18–8	Taree United		Port Macquarie
1976	Port Macquarie	24–10	Wingham District		Port Macquarie
1977	Taree United	12–9	Forster Tuncurry		Taree United
1978	Taree Old Bar	24–20	Taree United		Wingham District
1979	Taree Old Bar	24–10	Port Macquarie		Port Macquarie
1980	Taree Old Bar	12–6	Port Macquarie		Taree Old Bar
1981	Taree Old Bar	19–4	Wingham District		Taree Old Bar
1982	Taree Old Bar	10–7	Wingham District		Taree Old Bar
1983	Taree United	14–6	Wauchope		Wauchope
1984	Wauchope	18–12	Taree Old Bar		Taree Old Bar
1985	Taree United	22–10	Wauchope		Wauchope
1986	Forster Tuncurry	18–6	Wingham District		Forster Tuncurry
1987	Taree Old Bar	9–2	Port Macquarie		Port Macquarie
1988	Taree Old Bar	50–8	Camden Haven		Taree Old Bar
1989	Wingham District	28–8	Port Macquarie		Port Macquarie
1990	Port Macquarie	10–2	Wauchope		Wauchope
1991	Port Macquarie	24–7	Forster Tuncurry		Port Macquarie
1992	Port Macquarie	20–14	Wingham District		Port Macquarie
1993	Port Macquarie	30–14	Wauchope		Wauchope
1994	Forster Tuncurry	20–4	Wauchope		Forster Tuncurry
1995	Forster Tuncurry	44–6	South Taree		Forster Tuncurry
1996	Old Bar	24–2	Wingham District		Wingham District
1997	Wingham District	26–16	Forster Tuncurry		Camden Haven
1998	Forster Tuncurry	24–14	Old Bar		Forster Tuncurry
1999	Old Bar	26–6	Wingham District		Old Bar
2000	Taree City	40–20	Old Bar		Old Bar
2001	Taree City	52–9	Forster Dragons		Taree City
2002	Wingham District	30–26	Taree City		Taree City
2003	Wingham District	30–20	Forster Tuncurry		Wingham District
2004	Forster Tuncurry	50–6	Wingham District		Forster Tuncurry
2005	Camden Haven	31–22	Taree City		Taree City
2006	Camden Haven	26–10	Wauchope		Camden Haven
2007	Taree City	28–20	Port City		Taree City
2008	Port City	40–16	Forster Tuncurry		Port City
2009	Wauchope	32–10	Port City		Wauchope
2010	Port City	30–6	Forster Tuncurry		Port City
2011	Forster Tuncurry	30–16	Port City		Port City
2012	Wauchope	24–20	Port City	[16]	Wauchope
2013	Wauchope	49–18	Old Bar	[17]	Wauchope
2014	Macleay Valley	25–24	Wauchope	[18]	Wauchope
2015	Port Macquarie	20–8	Port City	[19]	Port Macquarie
2016	Port City	26–6	Port Macquarie	[20]	Port Macquarie
2017	Port City	28–20	Macleay Valley	[21]	Port City
2018	Port Macquarie	18–10	Port City	[22]	Port City
2019	Macleay Valley	34–24	Wauchope	[23]	Macleay Valley
2020	Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
2021
2022	Port City	20–12	Old Bar		Port City
2023	Old Bar	22–10	Port Macquarie	[24]	Old Bar
2024	Port Macquarie	16–10	Macleay Valley		Port Macquarie
2025	Old Bar	24–10	Port Macquarie	[25]	Port Macquarie

Source: Group 3 History Grand Final scores compiled from results published in the Rugby League Week.

Leaderboard

Bold indicates active club (Correct as of 28 September 2020)

Club	Premierships	Runners-up	Minor Premierships
Wingham District	9	16	3
Forster Tuncurry	9	12	8
Gloucester	9	1	?
Wauchope District	8	8	11
Taree Old Bar	8	8	5
Port Macquarie Sharks	8	6	10
Taree United	6	4	3
Port City	5	6	4
Taree Browns Creek	5	3	?
Taree City	3	3	4
Old Bar Beach	3	3	3
Camden Haven	2	1	2
Macleay Valley Mustangs	2	1	1
Cundletown	0	1	0
Forster Dragons	0	1	0
South Taree	0	1	0

Juniors

Junior Clubs

• Camden Haven Eagles (No Seniors)
• Forster Tuncurry Hawks
• Gloucester Magpies (Seniors play in Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League)
• Lake Cathie Raiders (Seniors play in Hastings League)
• Old Bar Beach Pirates
• Port City Breakers
• Port Macquarie Sharks
• Taree Red Rovers (feeder club to Taree City)
• Taree Panthers (feeder club to Taree City)
• Wauchope Blues
• Wingham Tigers

Forster Tuncurry Hawks

• Danny Buderus

Macleay Valley Mustangs

• Wayne Bartrim
• Aiden Tolman

Old Bar Beach Pirates

• Boyd Cordner
• Ben Harris

Port City Breakers

• Daniel Dumas

Port Macquarie Sharks

• Scott Dureau

Taree City Bulls

• Matt Adamson
• Phil Adamson
• Latrell Mitchell

Wauchope Blues

• Mark Laurie
• Robert Laurie
• Ian Schubert
• Rex Terp

Wingham Tigers

• Michael Sullivan
• Mitchell Barnett

See also

• Sports portal
• New South Wales portal

• Rugby League Competitions in Australia

References

1. Group 3 History
2. Coffey, Lara (25 April 2020). "Group 3 Rugby League Season Cancelled". NBN TV. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
3. Spencer, Mark (28 September 2020). "Wingham Rugby League Under 18's grand final win". Wingham Chronicle. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
4. Jobber, Paul (28 September 2020). "Port Macquarie Sharks under-17s and Wauchope Blues under-13s claim 2020 league tag premierships". Port News. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
5. "Football". The Northern Champion . Taree: National Library of Australia. 25 September 1946. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
6. "Football". Manning River Times . Taree: National Library of Australia. 28 September 1946. p. 4. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
7. "Football". The Northern Champion . Taree: National Library of Australia. 20 August 1947. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
8. "Football". The Northern Champion . Taree: National Library of Australia. 8 September 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
9. "Football". Manning River Times . Taree: National Library of Australia. 8 September 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
10. "M.R. Rugby Football League". Manning River Times . Taree: National Library of Australia. 5 October 1949. p. 4. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
11. "Wingham 1950 Football Premiers". The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer . Wingham: National Library of Australia. 29 August 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
12. "Round-up of District Sport". Manning River Times . Taree: National Library of Australia. 22 August 1951. p. 3. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
13. "Football". The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer . Wingham: National Library of Australia. 23 September 1952. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
14. "Wingham Is Top Town In Football". The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer . Wingham: National Library of Australia. 1 September 1953. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
15. "Dual Premiership To Gloucester "Skipper" Tuile & Greg Parrish". Manning River Times . Taree: National Library of Australia. 6 September 1954. p. 8. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
16. Daniels, Pete (26 August 2012). "RSL Blues win Group 3 grand final". Wauchope Gazette. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
17. "Blues defeat Pirates in Group 3 grand final". Wauchope Gazette. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
18. McLennan, Matthew (15 September 2014). "Macleay Valley Mustangs win classic Group 3 grand final". Port News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
19. McLennan, Matthew (29 August 2015). "Port Macquarie Sharks take out Group 3 grand final 20–8 against Port City Breakers". Port News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
20. Rene, Louise (19 September 2016). "PORT CITY CLAIMS GROUP 3 PREMIERSHIP". NBN News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
21. Jobber, Paul (27 August 2017). "Group 3 rugby league first grade grand final 2017: Port City Breakers vs Macleay Valley Mustangs". Port News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
22. Jobber, Paul (26 August 2018). "Port Sharks win 2018 Group 3 first grade grand final over Port City Breakers". Port News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
23. McGregor, Callum (25 August 2019). "Group 3 rugby league grand final 2019: How it happened". Manning River Times. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
24. Smith, Tallon (22 September 2023). "Grand Final Watch: Dubbo CYMS take Peter McDonald Premiership title, plus a recap of Groups 2, 3 & 7, GTS and the NHRL". Battlers For Bush Footy. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
25. Smith, Tallon (2 October 2025). "Group 3: Old Bar crowned premiers after win over Port Macquarie". Battlers For Bush Footy. Retrieved 29 December 2025.

External links

• Group 3 on Country Rugby League's official site