Tarsha Gale Cup

Last updated

Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup
Current season or competition:
Rugby football current event.svg 2023 New South Wales Rugby League
Tarsha Gale Cup Logo.png
Sport Rugby league
Instituted2017
Inaugural season2017
Number of teams13
CountryFlag of Australia (converted).svg  Australia
Premiers Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers (2024)
Most titles Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy
Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers (2 titles)
Website Tarsha Gale Cup
Related competition NRL Women's Premiership
NSWRL Women's Premiership

The Tarsha Gale Cup is an elite under-19s Women's rugby league competition in New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory, Australia. The competition was named after former captain of Australia and current NRLW commentator, Tarsha Gale, in honour of her impact on Women's rugby league as a pioneer of the sport.

Contents

In 2017, the New South Wales Rugby League announced the creation of a nine-a-side under-18s women's league, named the Tarsha Gale Nines after the former Australian Jillaroos and New South Wales captain of the 1990s. [1] [2] [3]

The tournament changed to eleven-a-side in the 2019. [4]

Since 2020, the tournament has been played as a full 13-a-side game. [5] [6]

In the 2021 season, the age group changed from under under-18s to under-19s. The equivalent competition for males, the S.G. Ball Cup, was also changed from under-18s to under-19s at this time.

The Tarsha Gale Cup is the main bridge between juniors and the NSWRL Women's Premiership in the state of New South Wales.

History

Clubs

The Tarsha Gale Cup operates on a single table system, with no divisions, conferences nor promotion and relegation from other leagues. In 2018, the St. George Dragons and the Newcastle Knights entered teams into the competition for the first time.

Current clubs

ClubEstablishedCityStadium
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 1981 Canberra, ACT Raiders Club, Belconnen
Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 1934 Belmore, NSW Belmore Sports Ground
Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 1967 Woolooware, NSW PointsBet Stadium
Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 1946 Brookvale, NSW 4 Pines Park
Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers 1981 Wollongong, NSW Collegians Sporting Complex, Figtree
Sid Parrish Park, Figtree
Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights 1987 Newcastle, NSW Maitland Sports Ground
Cessnock Sports Ground
Kurri Kurri Sports Ground
North Sydney colours.svg North Sydney Bears 1908 North Sydney, NSW North Sydney Oval
Parramatta colours.svg Parramatta Eels 1947 Cabramatta, NSW New Era Stadium
Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 1967 Penrith, NSW BlueBet Stadium,
Windsor Sporting Complex
South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs 1908 Redfern, NSW Ironmark High Performance Centre
St. George colours.svg St George Dragons 1921 Kogarah, NSW Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Mascot Oval
Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters
Indigenous Academy 		1908 Marrickville Henson Park
Mascot Oval
Morry Breen Oval, Kanwal
Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers 1999* Concord, NSW Leichhardt Oval
Kirkham Oval, Camden
Wests Tigers Centre of Excellence

Venues

Players

Season structure

Pre-season

Prior to the commencement of the home-and-away season teams are paired off to play an exhibition trial match. In 2017 these matches took place during varying weeks of January.

Premiership season

Grand final

The two highest-place teams at the conclusion of the home-and-away season will qualify for the grand final. The winner of this match is determined the competition's premier.

Results by year

YearAgePremiersScoreRunners-upMinor PremiersWooden SpoonNotes
2017U18s Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 26 – 18 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers [7]
2018U18s Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 36 – 22 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs [8]
2019U18s Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers 24 – 12 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs [9]
2020 U18sSeason began in February but was cancelled in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. No premiership was awarded.
2021 U19s St. George colours.svg St George Dragons 30 – 4 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs [10]
2022U19s Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy 12 – 10 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy South Sydney colours.svg South Sydney Rabbitohs [11]
2023U19s Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Sydney Roosters Indigenous Academy 26 - 24 Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Wests Tigers colours.svg Wests Tigers [12]
2024U19s Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers 24 – 12 Newcastle colours.svg Newcastle Knights Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers St. George colours.svg St George Dragons [13] [14]

Premiership tally

No.ClubSeasons
1 Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Indigenous Academy 2 (2022, 2023)
1 Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers 2 (2019, 2024)
3 St. George colours.svg St George Dragons 1 (2021)
3 Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 1 (2018)
3 Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers 1 (2017)

Bold means the team still currently plays in the competition.

Awards

The following major individual awards and accolades are presented each season

Player of the Series

YearPlayerClubRef
2018 Madison Higgins-Ashby Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks [15]
2019 Maddison Weatherall Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers [16]
2020Not Awarded
2021Fatafehi Hanisi St. George colours.svg St George Dragons [17]
2022Otesa Pule Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Indigenous Academy Sydney Roosters [18]
2023Alexis Tauaneai Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs [19]
2024Kasey Reh Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers [20]

Grand Final Player of the Match

YearPlayerClubRef
2017Ashlee Harrison Penrith Panthers square flag icon with 2020 colours.svg Penrith Panthers [21]
2018 Madison Higgins-Ashby Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks [15]
2019 Teagan Berry Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers
2020Not Awarded
2021Rayven-Jodeci Boyce St. George colours.svg St George Dragons [17]
2022Otesa Pule Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Indigenous Academy Sydney Roosters [18]
2023Tavarna Papalii Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs
2024Indie Bostock Illawarra colours.svg Illawarra Steelers [20]

Top scorers

Tries

YearExcluding FinalsIncluding Finals
PlayerClubMatchesTriesPlayerClubMatchesTries
2017Tayla Preston Cronulla colours.svg Sharks 812Tayla Preston Cronulla colours.svg Sharks 1116
Page McGregor Canterbury colours.svg Bulldogs 412Lilly-Rose Bennett Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 716
2018 Maddison Weatherall Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 919 Faith Nathan Cronulla colours.svg Sharks 726
2019 Maddison Weatherall Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 813 Maddison Weatherall Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 1217
Mareva Swann St. George colours.svg Dragons 913
2020 Teagan Berry Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 411No Finals Series
Bienne Terita St. George colours.svg Dragons 511
2021 Teagan Berry Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 811 Teagan Berry Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 911
2022Otesa Pule Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Roosters 712Otesa Pule Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Roosters 913
2023Mia-Rose Walsh Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 89Mia-Rose Walsh Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 1010
Litia Fusi Canterbury colours.svg Bulldogs 89
2024Indie Bostock Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 713Indie Bostock Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 915

Notes:

Points

YearExcluding FinalsIncluding Finals
PlayerClubMTGFGPointsPlayerClubMTGFGPoints
2017Page McGregor Canterbury colours.svg Bulldogs 41216080Page McGregor Canterbury colours.svg Bulldogs 51416088
2018 Quincy Dodd Cronulla colours.svg Sharks 812550158 Quincy Dodd Cronulla colours.svg Sharks 1013630178
2019Sereana Naitokatoka St. George colours.svg Dragons 8529078Sereana Naitokatoka St. George colours.svg Dragons 10637098
2020 Bienne Terita St. George colours.svg Dragons 5113050No Finals Series
2021Ruby Smith Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Roosters 8316044Ruby Smith Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Roosters 11319050
Teagan Berry Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 8110044
2022Alysha Bell Parramatta colours.svg Eels 6224056Alysha Bell Parramatta colours.svg Eels 7225058
2023Ally Bullman Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Roosters 8718064Ally Bullman Eastern Suburbs colours.svg Roosters 10718064
2024Lara Cosgrove Canberra colours.svg Raiders 7620064Chelsea Savill Illawarra colours.svg Steelers 10331074

Media coverage

Television

TBA

Online

Selected games each week via NSWRL TV.

Corporate relations

Sponsorship

Westpac is the league's current naming rights partner.

Merchandising

Official match day attire together with other club merchandise is sold through the NRL's stores and website as well through the clubs and through some retailers.

See also

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References

  1. ↑ "New comp a 'gamechanger' for women". 24 August 2016.
  2. ↑ Media, NRL Digital (24 August 2016). "NSWRL Announces Tarsha Gale Nines".
  3. ↑ "NSWRL targets elite women's competition".
  4. ↑ "Tarsha Gale Cup GRAND FINAL Newcastle KNIGHTS v Illawarra Steelers". Our Footy Team Archives. 5 May 2019. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  5. ↑ "Teams: : NSWRL U18 Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup - 2020 Round 1". League Unlimited. 4 February 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  6. ↑ "Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup - Raiders v Eels". NSWRL. 8 February 2020. Retrieved 8 May 2024.
  7. ↑ Shamon, John (6 May 2017). "TG Cup Panthers make history". Penrith Panthers. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  8. ↑ Buxton, Matt (5 May 2018). "Sharks Hold off Knights to win Harvey Norman Tarsha Gale Cup". NSWRL. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  9. ↑ Honeysett, Stuart (4 May 2019). "Illawarra win the Tarsha Gale Cup". NSWRL. Retrieved 11 February 2022.
  10. ↑ "Dragons too strong for Roosters in Tarsha Cup GF". NSWRL. 1 May 2021. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  11. ↑ Honeysett, Stuart (30 April 2022). "Pule brilliance helps Roosters to Tarsha Gale Cup Grand Final glory". NSWRL. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  12. ↑ "Roosters make history with back-to-back Tarsha Gale Cups". NSWRL. 29 April 2023. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  13. ↑ Beatton, Joel (27 April 2024). "Tarsha Gale Cup: Perfect Steelers march to Grand Final glory". Dragons.com.au. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  14. ↑ "Reh steers Steelers to Tarsha Gale Cup Grand Final glory". NSWRL. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  15. 1 2 Konstantopoulos, Mary (10 May 2018). "Mary's Wonder Women: The Sharks are Tarsha Gale premiers". The Roar. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
  16. ↑ "Harvey Norman NSW Women's Under-18s Origin Team Named". NSWRL. 11 June 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  17. 1 2 "Dragons too strong for Roosters in Tarsha Cup GF". NSWRL. 1 May 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2024.
  18. 1 2 Honeysett, Stuart (30 April 2022). "Pule brilliance helps Roosters to Tarsha Gale Cup Grand Final glory". NSWRL. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  19. ↑ "Tauaneai Awarded 2023 NSWRL Tarsha Gale Player of the Year". Bulldogs.com.au. 30 April 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
  20. 1 2 "Reh steers Steelers to Tarsha Gale Cup Grand Final glory". NSWRL. 27 April 2024. Retrieved 27 April 2024.
  21. ↑ Teuma, Sean (6 May 2017). "Panthers claw their way to inaugural Tarsha Gale Cup Premiership". League Unlimited. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
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