NRL South Australia

Last updated

NRL South Australia
South Australia Rugby League Logo.jpg
Formerly namedSouth Australian Rugby League
Responsibility South Australia
Headquarters Hindmarsh Stadium, Holden Street, Hindmarsh, South Australia [1]
Key people Stuart Davis (Chair)
Website http://www.nrlsa.com.au/
Flag of South Australia.svg

NRL South Australia (abbreviated as NRLSA, formerly the South Australian Rugby League) is a not-for-profit organisation responsible for administering the game of rugby league in the state of South Australia. It was formed on 28 July 1976 [2] and is an affiliated state of the Australian Rugby League Commission.

Contents

History

In the 1940s the Port Adelaide rugby union club split itself into four rugby league clubs, which formed the basis of the first organised rugby league competition in the state, run under the banner of the Amateur South Australian Rugby League. [2] The first South Australian representative team was formed in the early 1950s and traveled to play the South Sydney Rabbitohs in Sydney, NSW where they lost 45–10. [2]

The first iteration of the South Australian Rugby League was created in the 1950s when Australian soldiers formed a small four team competition based out of the Woomera Test Range. This body ceased to exist when the soldiers were transferred to the Northern Territory. [2]

The current SARL was incorporated on 28 July 1976 and originally featured teams from Northern Districts, South Adelaide, Port Adelaide, Glenelg, Norwood and West Lakes. [2]

Today the competition features eight senior clubs and seven junior clubs, competitions are run from Under 7's through to First Grade.

Representative football

Representative teams are selected each year to compete in the Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League (ASSRL) National Championships at both 15 and 18 years of age respectively, competing against Western Australia, Victoria, Northern Territory and New South Wales Combined Independent Schools (NSW CIS) at both age levels. Players who compete representing South Australia each year are eligible to be selected into both the Australian Merit Squad and the Australian Affiliated States Merit Squad at the 15 Years championships, and the Australian Schoolboys as well as the Australian Affiliated States team at the 18 Years championships.

A South Australian representative side has played a number of games against international touring sides, including very interestingly Australian team. [3]

GameDateResultVenueCity/TownAttendanceNotes
124 May 1914 Great Britain colours.svg Great Britain def. South Queensland colours.svg South Australia 101–0 Hawthorn Oval Adelaide 2,500 1914 Great Britain Lions tour
211 August 1948 Australian colours.svg Australia def. South Queensland colours.svg South Australia 96–5 Hawthorn Oval Adelaide 4,000 1948–49 Kangaroo Tour
318 May 1955 France colours.svg France def. South Queensland colours.svg South Australia 48–101,074 1955 French Tour

NRL SA Metro

The NRL SA Metro is the top-level men's competition in South Australia. [4]

Current Clubs

Club ColoursClub NameClub MonikerDistrict
Senior
St. George colours.svg Adelaide PlainsBrothers Adelaide
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Central DistrictsRoosters Elizabeth
Parramatta colours.svg EasternEels Unley
Western Suburbs colours.svg MECBlack Swans Murray Bridge
Canterbury colours.svg South AdelaideBulldogs Mitchell Park
Brisbane colours.svg Western DistrictWarriors Henley Beach
Junior Only
Wests Tigers colours.svg Adelaide HillsTigers Mount Barker

Former Clubs

Club ColoursClub NameClub MonikerDistrict
Parramatta colours.svg Eels YellowEels Adelaide
Canberra colours.svg Henley BeachRaiders Henley Beach
Wests Tigers colours.svg Mitchell ParkTigers Adelaide
St. George colours.svg Northern DistrictsDragons North Adelaide
Western Suburbs colours.svg Port AdelaideCougars Port Adelaide
Newcastle colours.svg River CityKnights Adelaide
Gold Coast Titans colours.svg TECTitans Adelaide

Premiership history

Adelaide Rugby League History
  • The 2005 Grand Final was contested between Eels and Central Districts at Hanson Reserve, Adelaide on 21 August 2005. The Eels won 22–18.
  • In 2006 the SARL celebrated its 30th anniversary with the Tigers Rugby League Club securing both the Reserve and First Grade premierships, as well as coming runners-up in the Under 18 competition, losing to the Aberfoyle Dragons Under 18 outfit.
  • In 2009 the Aberfoyle Dragons beat the Tigers Rugby League club in a dirty match, winning 34–6 with a man down due to a fight near half time. This was also the first time a team had won the premiership two times in a row.
  • In 2009 the competition saw the return of reserve grade in a modified version called "Senior 11's." All clubs had 11 aside, 5 metre line and scorer defends at the restart. It brought many ex players back to clubs and has promoted many debutants an avenue to play the game. The Roosters adapted to the modified rules and pace of the game and went undefeated in the 2009 season to see the Cougars in the grand final under lights at Hindmarsh. Although it started out a grind, the Roosters took control, leaving the Cougars behind 54–20. In the A-grade grand final the Eels beat South Adelaide in a close match with the final try being scored in the last forty seconds of the match.
  • During the 2010 season the Tier A High Schools competition is held with U-15's & U-18's playing in round robin matches stretching approximately 12 weeks. Gawler High School took the U-18's grand final against the champions for the last seven years in Aberfoyle Park. The Gawler region has been a feeder to the local club the Roosters. In the Senior 11's the Eels went undefeated all year to take out the premiership and the A-grade Eels went on to be both Minor and overall Premiers.
  • The 2012 Sports Centre Cup Division 1 Grand Final was won by Central Districts Roosters in an epic battle against Northern Districts Dragons at Hindmarsh Stadium. In the same year, Cougars won the Sports Centre Cup Division 2 Grand Final against Eels.
  • The 2013 Sports Centre Division 1 Grand Final was again won by Central Districts Roosters in a replay of the 2012 grand final with Northern District Dragons at Victoria Park.
  • Central Districts Roosters played Henley Beach Raiders in the 2014 Grand Final. With the Roosters reduced to 12 players before halftime, a late surge from the defending premiers saw the match extend into overtime with the Roosters sealing the win.
  • The 2016 premiership saw the Central Districts Roosters once again triumph over the Henley Beach Raiders at Hanson Reserve.

NRL SAW

The NRL SAW is the top-level women's competition in South Australia. [5]

ColoursClubsMonikerDistrict
Parramatta colours.svg EasternEels Adelaide
Canterbury colours.svg South AdelaideBulldogs Glenelg
Brisbane colours.svg Western DistrictWarriors Henley Beach

Limestone Coast Rugby League

The Limestone Coast Rugby League is a competition co-administered by NRL SA and NRL Victoria. [6]

Clubs

ClubMonikerHome GroundDistrict
Newcastle colours.svg Blue LakeKnightsApollo Soccer Grounds Mount Gambier, South Australia
Bullscolours.svg GunditjmaraBullsDeakin University Warrnambool, Victoria
Auckland colours.svg NaracoorteJetsNaracoorte United Soccer Ground Naracoorte, South Australia
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg StawellMountiesNorth Park Stawell, Victoria
Canberra colours.svg WarrnamboolRaidersFriendly Societies Park Warrnambool, Victoria

Former Clubs

ColoursClubDistrict
Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg HorshamPanthers Horsham, Victoria
Parramatta colours.svg North WarrnamboolWarriors Warrnambool, Victoria

Former Competitions

Spencer Gulf Rugby League

NRL SA has previously run competitions in the Spencer Gulf region, but the future of these competitions remains unclear as of 2022.

The Olympic Dam Barbarians based in Roxby Downs have played in various formats including intra club and in the Spencer Gulf competition. There have also been efforts to establish the presence of the game in areas including Coober Pedy, however there remains little competitive Rugby League in Northern SA.

Former Spencer Gulf Rugby League Clubs

ColoursClubDistrict
Newcastle colours.svg Olympic DamBarbarians Roxby Downs
Auckland colours.svg Port AugustaGoannas Port Augusta
Norths Devils colours.svg Port PirieDevils/Pirates Port Pirie
Illawarra colours.svg WhyallaSteelers Whyalla

Notable SARL juniors competed in the NRL

The following South Australian junior players have played in the National Rugby League.

Northern Districts Dragons

South Adelaide Bulldogs

Central Districts Roosters

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "Contact Us". South Australian Rugby League. Retrieved 2 December 2009.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "About SARL - History and current information on the South Australian Rugby League". Archived from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 12 May 2014.
  3. ↑ South Australia Firsts at Rugby League Project
  4. ↑ "Competition: NRLSA Metro Draw". www.playrugbyleague.com. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  5. ↑ "Competition: NRLSAW Draw". www.playrugbyleague.com. Retrieved 25 July 2022.
  6. ↑ https://www.facebook.com/mtgambierrl [ user-generated source ]
  7. ↑ "Joel Reddy". South Sydney Rabbitohs. 15 April 2015. Archived from the original on 11 April 2015. Retrieved 15 April 2015.
  8. ↑ Greenwood, Rob (10 February 2015). "Manly Sea Eagles prop Brenton Lawrence returns to Adelaide's Northern Suburbs". Messenger. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
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