Wollongong, informally referred to as "The Gong", is a city located in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia. Wollongong lies on the narrow coastal strip between the Illawarra Escarpment and the Pacific Ocean, 68 kilometres south of central Sydney. Wollongong had an estimated urban population of 302,739 at June 2018, making it the third-largest city in New South Wales after Sydney and Newcastle, and the tenth-largest city in Australia. The city's current Lord Mayor is Gordon Bradbery AM who was elected in 2018.
Illawarra is a region in the Australian state of New South Wales. It is a coastal region situated immediately south of Sydney and north of the Shoalhaven or South Coast region. It encompasses the cities of Wollongong, Shellharbour and the town of Kiama.
The Illawarra Steelers are an Australian Rugby league football club based in the city of Wollongong, New South Wales. The club competed in Australia's top-level Rugby League competition from 1982, when they, along with the Canberra Raiders, were admitted into the then Sydney Rugby League premiership until 1998 when they formed a new joint venture team, the St George Illawarra Dragons with the St George Dragons in 1999, before selling its remaining share in the club to WIN Corporation in 2018. Over those seventeen seasons the club received three wooden spoons, made the play-offs twice and had a total of three of its players selected to play for the Australia national rugby league team.
Kyogle is a town in the Northern Rivers region of northern New South Wales, Australia. It falls within the local government area of Kyogle Council. At the 2016 census, Kyogle had a population of 2,751 people. It was founded in the 1830s as a lumber camp, and is located 758 kilometres (471 mi) north of Sydney, 32 kilometres (20 mi) north of Casino on the Summerland Way close to the Queensland border. It also lies on the banks of the Richmond River. It is the seat of its own shire. Kyogle is an Aboriginal Australian word meaning 'place of the Bush Turkey', a reference to the Australian brushturkey which is indigenous to the region.
St George Area is a region of Sydney, part of the southern suburbs of Sydney, in the state of New South Wales, Australia. The area includes all the suburbs in the local government area of Georges River Council and the part of Bayside Council which was Rockdale City prior to 2016. The eastern boundary of the district is Lady Robinson Beach on Botany Bay. The name "St George" derives from the cadastral Parish of St George, and the area was later covered by the St George County Council, the electricity supplier for the councils in this region.
Ben Hornby is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. An Australia international and New South Wales State of Origin representative back, he captained the St George Illawarra Dragons of the National Rugby League from 2009 until his retirement in 2012. Hornby played his entire career with the Dragons, leading them to the 2010 NRL Premiership and becoming their most capped player since the formation of the joint venture club in 1999.
Jason Ryles is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australia national representative forward, he played in the National Rugby League for the St. George Illawarra Dragons before going to the Super League and playing for French club Catalans Dragons. Ryles returned to Australia and played for the Sydney Roosters before finishing his career at the Melbourne Storm.
The NSW Cup is a rugby league competition for clubs in New South Wales previously known as the Intrust Super Premiership, NSWNew South Wales Cup, NSWRL Premier League, and Cantebury Cup NSW. It has a history dating back to the NSWRFL's origins in 1908, starting off as a reserve grade competition. It is now the premier open age competition in the state. The New South Wales Cup, along with the Queensland Cup, acts as a feeder competition to the National Rugby League premiership.
Craig Young is an Australian former representative rugby league footballer for the Australia national rugby league team, the New South Wales Blues and a stalwart player over 11 seasons from 1977 to 1988 with the St. George Dragons in the NSWRL premiership competition. He played as a prop-forward. His nickname was "Albert" after his middle name and/or the cartoon character Fat Albert.
The St. George Illawarra Dragons is an Australian professional rugby league football club, representing both the Illawarra and St. George regions of New South Wales. The club has competed in the National Rugby League since 1999 after a joint-venture was formed between the St. George Dragons and the Illawarra Steelers. They officially formed as the game's first joint-venture club on 23 September 1998 and remain the only cross-city team in the NRL. The team has its headquarters and leagues clubs in both Wollongong and the Sydney suburb of Kogarah, and train and play games regularly at WIN Stadium in Wollongong, as well as at Jubilee Oval in Kogarah. From 2006 to 2018 the club was jointly owned by the St. George Dragons 50%, Illawarra Steelers 25% and WIN Corporation 25%. In August 2018 WIN Corporation purchased the Illawarra Steelers remaining 25% stake.
Matt Cooper is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s and 2010s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australia international representative centre, he played his entire National Rugby League career for the St George Illawarra Dragons, with whom he won the 2010 NRL grand final.
Paul McGregor is an Australian professional rugby league coach who was until August 2020, the head coach of the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL, and a former professional rugby league footballer who played as a centre in the 1990s and 2000s.
Trent Merrin is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a lock, prop and second-row for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the National Rugby League and Australia at international level.
Jeremy Latimore is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a prop.
Illawarra Sports High School is a government-funded co-educational comprehensive and specialist secondary day school, with speciality in sports, located in Berkeley, a southern suburb of Wollongong, in the Illawarra region of New South Wales, Australia.
The Helensburgh Tigers are an Australian rugby league football team based in Helensburgh, a country town of the Illawarra region. The club are a part of Country Rugby League and has competed in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership since its inception in 1911.
Cameron McInnes is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who captains and plays as a hooker for the St. George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL.
Euan Aitken is a Scotland international rugby league footballer who plays as a centre for the New Zealand Warriors the NRL.
Shaylee Bent is an Australian rugby league footballer who plays as a second-rower for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the NRL Women's Premiership and the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NSWRL Women's Premiership.
Melanie Howard is an Australian rugby league footballer who plays for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL Women's Premiership and the Central Coast Roosters in the NSWRL Women's Premiership.
