Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League Last updated September 17, 2025
Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League Sport Rugby league Formerly known as Maitland & Coalfields Rugby League & Lower Hunter Rugby League Instituted 2006 Inaugural season 2007 Number of teams 45 Country Australia Grand Final Winners Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs (2025) Broadcast partner Bar TV Sports (Australia)
Newcastle & Hunter Community Rugby League is the governing body of second tier rugby league in the Newcastle and Hunter Region and the 4th tier of Rugby League in Australia.
It is now the largest senior Rugby League competition in the world. Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League competitions consist of five senior men's divisions, A Grade, B Grade, C Grade, D Grade Northern Conference & D Grade Southern Conference. The league also has three Ladies League Tag divisions. Currently there are over 45 men's teams from 37 clubs and 21 Ladies League Tag teams.
History Formed in 2006 after a merger between the Maitland & Coalfields Rugby League and Lower Hunter Rugby League competitions.
The inaugural season of Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League commenced in 2007 after the amalgamation of the Lower Hunter Rugby League and the Maitland & Coalfields Rugby League. 24 teams from 23 clubs entered 3 grades in the first season.
[ 1] A-Grade Club Nickname Founded LGA Home Ground Location CardiffCobras 1934 Lake Macquarie Cardiff Oval Cardiff Dora CreekSwampies 1969 Lake Macquarie Neville Thompson Oval Dora Creek DudleyMagpies 1981 Lake Macquarie John Balcomb Oval Dudley Lakes United Seagulls 1947 Lake Macquarie Cahill Oval Belmont Maitland Pickers 1955 Maitland Maitland Sportsground Maitland Raymond TerraceMagpies 2017 Port Stephens Lakeside Sporting Complex Raymond Terrace Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 1927 Newcastle Waratah Oval Waratah West WallsendMagpies 1971 Lake Macquarie Les Wakeman Oval West Wallsend
B-Grade Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location HintonHornets 1913 Maitland Stuart Park Hinton KotaraBears 1967 Newcastle Hudson Park Adamstown Heights MallabulaPanthers 2010 Port Stephens Mallabulla Sporting Complex Mallabulla MorpethBulls 1911 Maitland Morpeth Oval Morpeth ShortlandDevils 1968 Newcastle Tuxford Park Shortland Thornton-BeresfieldBears 2019 Maitland Somerset Park Sporting Fields Thornton University of NewcastleSeahorses 1970 Newcastle Bernie Curran Oval Callaghan WindaleEagles 1962 Lake Macquarie Mick Bird Field Windale
C-Grade Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location DudleyMagpies 1981 Lake Macquarie John Balcomb Oval Dudley DungogWarriors Dungog Bennett Park Dungog East MaitlandGriffens 1911 Maitland King Edward Park East Maitland Fingal BayBomboras 1998 Port Stephens Fingal Bay Oval Fingal Bay KaruahRoos Port Stephens Lionel Morten Oval Karuah Maitland UnitedHitmen 1988 Maitland Coronation Oval Telarah Singleton UnitedGreyhounds 1947 Singleton Pirtek Park Dunolly StocktonSharks Newcastle Lynn Oval Stockton Wallsend MarylandTigers 1967 Newcastle Grange Oval Maryland WoodberryWarriors 1974 Maitland Fred Harvey Oval Woodberry
D-Grade Northern Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location Clarence TownCobras 1975 Dungog Clarence Town Park Clarence Town GloucesterMagpies Mid Coast Bert Gallagher Oval Gloucster MallabulaPanthers 2010 Port Stephens Mallabulla Sporting Complex Mallabulla MorpethBulls 1911 Maitland Morpeth Oval Morpeth Paterson RiverThe Rivers Maitland Paterson Showground Paterson Raymond TerraceMagpies 2017 Port Stephens Lakeside Sporting Complex Raymond Terrace StroudRaiders Mid Coast Stroud Showground Stroud Tea GardensHawks Tea Gardens Myall Park Hawks Nest Thornton-BeresfieldBears 2019 Maitland Somerset Park Sporting Fields Thornton Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 1927 Newcastle Waratah Oval Waratah D-Grade Southern Abermain-WestonHawks 1913 Cessnock Howe Park Abermain CardiffCobras 1934 Lake Macquarie Cardiff Oval Cardiff GlendaleGorillas 1967 Lake Macquarie Bill Bower Oval Glendale KearsleyCrushers 2017 Cessnock Jeffrey Park Kearsley MorissetBulls Lake Macquarie Gibson Field Morisset Swansea-Caves BeachSwans 1967 Lake Macquarie Parbury Park Swansea Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 1927 Newcastle Waratah Oval Waratah West MaitlandKangaroos 1967 Maitland Coronation Oval Telarah West WallsendMagpies 1971 Lake Macquarie Les Wakeman Oval West Wallsend
Ladies League Tag LLT A-Grade Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location Central NewcastleButcher Girls Lake Macquarie Cessnock Goannas Cessnock Raymond TerraceMagpies Port Stephens University of NewcastleShehorses Newcastle Wallsend MarylandTigers Newcastle Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs Newcastle
LLT B-Grade Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location AberglasslynAnts Cessnock DungogWarriors Dungog KotaraBears Newcastle Nelson Bay Bandits Port Stephens ShortlandDevils Newcastle Singleton UnitedGreyhounds Singleton StroudRaiders Mid Coast Thornton-BeresfieldBears Maitland University of NewcastleShehorses Newcastle Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs Newcastle
LLT C-Grade Club Nickname Founded LGA Ground Location AberglasslynAnts Cessnock Clarence TownCobras Dungog GlendaleGorillas Lake Macquarie Nelson Bay Bandits Port Stephens Raymond TerraceMagpies Port Stephens StocktonSharks Newcastle Swansea-Caves BeachSwans Lake Macquarie Tea GardensHawks Mid Coast Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs Newcastle
Club First Season Last Season Home Ground Region Aberglasslyn AntsCessnock Awabakal UnitedLake Macquarie Belmont North SharksLenaghan Oval Lake Macquarie Belmont North BroncosLenaghan Oval Lake Macquarie Belmont South Rabbitohs2011 Leneghan Oval Lake Macquarie Bolton Point Wolves 1997 Lake Macquarie Booragul Bears1996 Tulkaba Park Lake Macquarie Budgewoi BulldogsCentral Coast Bulahdelah Woodchoppers Mid North Coast Carrington PiratesConnelly Oval Newcastle Cessnock Cutters2014 Cessnock Elermore Vale Miners 1995 1998 Newcastle Gateshead Zebras1972 2013 Alan Davis Oval Lake Macquarie Hamilton Ducks2019 2024 Waratah Park Newcastle Hamilton Pumas Learmonth Park Newcastle Kurri Kurri Bulldogs Cessnock Lakeside Hawks Lakeside Sports Complex Port Stephens Lambton Kingfishers1998 2016 Ford Oval Newcastle Merewether Storm1998 1998 Empire Park Newcastle Mt Hutton Mountain LionsLake Macquarie Northern Lakes Warriors1976 Central Coast North Newcastle Blue Bags1989 2018 Passmore Oval Newcastle Ourimbah-Wyoming Magpies2022 Bill Sohier Park Central Coast South Newcastle Lions Newcastle Tall Timbers Timber Cutters2019 Bill Sohier Park Central Coast Wangi Wangi Warriors2022 Wangi Oval Lake Macquarie Warners Bay-Mt Hutton 1997 1997 Mt Hutton Oval Lake Macquarie Williamtown/ Hexham JetsHexham Oval Port Stephens/ Newcastle West Maitland WallaroosCoronation Oval Maitland Westlakes Wolves 1998 2002 Tulkaba Park Lake Macquarie
Honours A Grade Season Minor Premiers Premiers Score Runners-up 2025 Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 24 - 8 Dudley Magpies 2024 Raymond Terrace Magpies Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 33-28 Raymond Terrace Magpies 2023 - Dora Creek Swampies 20-14 Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 2022 - Dora Creek Swampies - Woodberry Warriors 2021 Dora Creek Swampies Dora Creek Swampies - - 2020 Dora Creek Swampies Thornton Beresfield Bears 22–18 Dora Creek Swampies 2019 Dora Creek Swampies Dora Creek Swampies 44–4 Belmont South Rabbitohs 2018 Stockton Sharks Shortland Devils 36–4 Stockton Sharks 2017 Dora Creek Swampies Fingal Bay Bomboras 31–26 Shortland Devils 2016 Windale Eagles Windale Eagles 18–10 Shortland Devils 2015 Belmont South Rabbitohs Belmont South Rabbitohs 34–10 Tea Gardens Hawks 2014 Belmont South Rabbitohs Cardiff Cobras 16–14 Windale Eagles 2013 Wallsend-Maryland Tigers Wallsend-Maryland Tigers 35–16 Belmont South Rabbitohs 2012 Windale Eagles Wallsend-Maryland Tigers 44–16 Windale Eagles 2011 Windale Eagles Windale Eagles 20–16 Mallabula Panthers 2010 Wangi Wangi Warriors Wangi Wangi Warriors 38–18 West Wallsend Magpies 2009 Wyong Roos Wyong Roos 42–22 Cardiff Cobras 2008 - - - - 2007 Cardiff Cobras Cardiff Cobras -
B Grade Season Minor Premiers Premiers Score Runners-up 2025 Morpeth Bulls University Seahorses 26 - 0 Shortland Devils 2024 Fingal Bay Bomboras East Maitland Griffins 14 - 12 Kotara Bears 2020 Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 8 – 4 Aberglasslyn Ants 2019 Morpeth Bulls West Wallsend Magpies 18 – 16 University Seahorses 2018 Woodberry Warriors Woodberry Warriors 46 – 10 University Seahorses 2017 Kotara Bears Dudley Magpies 14 – 10 Kotara Bears 2016 West Wallsend Magpies Fingal Bay Bomboras 28 – 24 West Wallsend Magpies 2015 Lambton Kingfishers Mallabula Panthers 16 – 6 Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 2014 University Seahorses Cessnock Cutters 34 – 26 Tea Gardens Hawks 2013 Morisset Bulls Shortland Devils 22 – 14 Morisset Bulls Morisset Bulls 2012 Raymond Terrace Magpies Stockton Sharks 44 – 18 Raymond Terrace Magpies 2011 Raymond Terrace Magpies Tea Gardens Hawks 30 – 28 Raymond Terrace Magpies 2010 Woodberry Warriors Mallabula Panthers 16 – 12 Raymond Terrace Magpies 2009 Central Wyong Tea Gardens Hawks 26 – 24 Wangi Wangi 2008 - - - - 2007 Windale Eagles Windale Eagles 20 – 16 Morisset Bulls Morisset Bulls
C Grade Season Minor Premiers Premiers Score Runners-up 2025 Maitland United Karuah Roos 34 - 28 Stockton Sharks 2024 Stockton Sharks Hinton Hornets 32 - 24 Dungog Warriors 2020 Budgewoi Bulldogs Budgewoi Bulldogs 22 – 12 Hamilton Ducks 2019 Aberglasslyn Ants Tall Timbers Timber Cutters 30 – 12 Aberglasslyn Ants 2018 East Maitland Griffins Windale Eagles 24 – 16 East Maitland Griffins 2017 Abermain-Weston Hawks Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 42 – 28 Abermain-Weston Hawks 2016 Carrington Pirates Carrington Pirates 24 – 18 Dungog Warriors 2015 Paterson River Paterson River 24 – 4 Morisset Bulls 2014 Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs Raymond Terrace Magpies 18 – 12 Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 2013 Gateshead Zebras Gateshead Zebras 28 – 24 Stroud Raiders 2012 Fingal Bay Bomboras Dudley Magpies 17 – 16 Fingal Bay Bomboras 2011 Swansea Caves Beach Swans Swansea Caves Beach Swans 24 – 18 Paterson River 2010 Dungog Warriors Dungog Warriors 28 – 20 Dora Creek Swampies 2009 Thornton-Beresfield Bears Thornton-Beresfield Bears 32 – 16 Hinton Hornets
D Grade Northern Conference D Grade Southern Conference Season Minor Premiers Premiers Score Runners-up Minor Premiers Premiers Score Runners-up 2025 Stroud Raiders Clarence Town Cobras 30 - 22 Mallabula Panthers Swansea - Caves Beach Swans Kearsley Crushers 30 - 14 West Wallsend Magpies 2024 Paterson River Paterson River 28 - 26 Karuah Roos Wallsend Maryland Tigers Wallsend Maryland Tigers 54 - 31 Cardiff Cobras 2020 Kotara Bears Kearsley Crushers 18 – 12 Kotara Bears - - - - 2019 Clarence Town Cobras Dungog Warriors 22 – 16 Stroud Raiders Swansea Hamilton Ducks 26 – 14 Kotara Bears 2018 Gloucester Magpies Paterson River 42 – 16 Gloucester Magpies Kotara Bears Abermain-Weston Hawks 18 – 6 Cardiff Cobras D Grade was split into Northern & Southern Conferences in 2018 2017 Glendale Gorillas Glendale Gorillas 44 – 30 Cardiff Cobras 2016 Hinton Hornets Karuah Roos 24 – 20 Hinton Hornets 2015 Kotara Bears Clarence Town Cobras 30 – 20 Kotara Bears 2014 Williamtown Jets Williamtown Jets 25 – 18 Karuah Roos 2013 Carrington Pirates Carrington Pirates 22 – 18 Thornton Beresfield Bears 2012 Abermain-Weston Hawks Abermain-Weston Hawks 34 – 26 Hinton Hornets 2011 Gloucester Magpies Gloucester Magpies 38 – 24 Morisset Bulls 2010 Stroud Raiders Stroud Raiders 32 – 18 Clarence Town Cobras 2009 Fingal Bay Bomboras Gateshead Zebras 19 – 18 Fingal Bay Bomboras
Ladies League Tag A Grade Season Minor Premiers Premiers Score Runners-up 2025 Central Butcher Girls Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 16 - 12 Central Butcher Girls 2024 Central Butcher Girls Central Butcher Girls 18-0 University She Horses 2020 Aberglasslyn Ants Aberglasslyn Ants 14–2 University She Horses 2019 Aberglasslyn Ants Aberglasslyn Ants 20–0 University She Horses 2018 Aberglasslyn Ants Aberglasslyn Ants 18–4 University She Horses 2017 Aberglasslyn Ants Aberglasslyn Ants 18–0 University She Horses 2016 Umina Bunnies Umina Bunnies 20–0 B Grade Season Minor Premiers Premiers Score Runners-up 2025 Singleton Greyhounds Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs 7 - 6 Aberglasslyn Ants 2024 Wallsend Maryland Tigers Wallsend Maryland Tigers 16–8 Cardiff Cobras 2017 - Cardiff Cobras 8–6 West Wallsend Magpies 2020 Shortland Devils Shortland Devils 10–6 Dungog Warriors 2019 Tea Gardens Hawks West Wallsend Magpies 32–0 Wangi Wangi Warriors 2018 Mallabula Panthers Mallabula Panthers 8–0 Swansea Caves Beach Swans C Grade Season Minor Premiers Premiers Score Runners-up 2025 Raymond Terrace Magpies Raymond Terrace Magpies 12 - 8 Swansea - Caves Beach Swans 2024 Dungog Warriors Dungog Warriors 10 – 8 Shortland Devils 2019 Stroud Raiders Stroud Raiders 12 – 4 Dungog Warriors
Season Minor Premiers Premiers Score Runners-up 2020 Berkeley Vale Panthers Berkeley Vale Panthers 24–14 Aberglasslyn Ants 2019 Berkeley Vale Panthers Berkeley Vale Panthers 32–4 Waratah Mayfield Cheetahs
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