Tooheys Newcastle Rugby League
After competing in the first two NSWRL Premiership in 1908 and 1909, the Newcastle Rugby League broke away to form the local competition in 1910.
The four original teams were Central Newcastle, Northern Suburbs, South Newcastle and Western Suburbs. The inaugural grand final was played in front of 2,500 spectators at Hamilton League Ground, with Central Newcastle overcoming South Newcastle 13-4.
Click here to visit the Tooheys Newcastle Rugby League website
Today, the Tooheys Newcastle Rugby League continues to provide a platform for the best emerging talent in the Hunter - and in 2018 its senior competition will realign with the NSWRL. The affiliation includes the first grade competition, the Business Plaza Cup, while the Tooheys Newcastle Rugby League also fields a representative side, the Newcastle Rebels, while also providing players to the Newcastle Knights in the Intrust Super Premiership NSW and NRL Telstra Premiership.
Western Suburbs remain the competition’s most decorated club, with 22 premierships in the league’s 108-year history, while defending champions Macquarie Scorpions won their maiden title in 2017.
Founded: 1910
Clubs: 8
Feeds Into: Intrust Super Premiership NSW
Most Successful Club: Western Suburbs Rosellas (22 premierships)
Current Premiers: Macquarie Scorpions
Hashtag: #NewcastleRL
| Year | Premiers | Runners-Up |
|---|---|---|
| 1910 | Central Newcastle | South Newcastle |
| 1911 | Northern Suburbs | Central Newcastle |
| 1912 | Western Suburbs | Eastern Suburbs |
| 1913 | Eastern Suburbs | Western Suburbs |
| 1914 | Northern Suburbs | Central Newcastle |
| 1915 | Western Suburbs | Northern Suburbs |
| 1916 | Western Suburbs | Northern Suburbs |
| 1917 | No Competition | |
| 1918 | ||
| 1919 | South Newcastle | Western Suburbs |
| 1920 | Northern Suburbs | South Newcastle |
| 1921 | Central Newcastle | Western Suburbs |
| 1922 | Western Suburbs | Central Newcastle |
| 1923 | Eastern Suburbs | Northern Suburbs |
| 1924 | Eastern Suburbs | Northern Suburbs |
| 1925 | Northern Suburbs | Eastern Suburbs |
| 1926 | Northern Suburbs | South Newcastle |
| 1927 | South Newcastle | Northern Suburbs |
| 1928 | Central Newcastle | Northern Suburbs |
| 1929 | Northern Suburbs | Waratah-Mayfield |
| 1930 | Central Newcastle | South Newcastle |
| 1931 | Kurri Kurri | Northern Suburbs |
| 1932 | Eastern Suburbs | Cessnock |
| 1933 | Maitland United | Waratah-Mayfield |
| 1934 | Maitland United | Waratah-Mayfield |
| 1935 | Northern Suburbs | Central Newcastle |
| 1936 | Waratah-Mayfield | Cessnock |
| 1937 | Central Newcastle | Cessnock |
| 1938 | Northern Suburbs | Waratah-Mayfield |
| 1939 | Central Newcastle | Western Suburbs |
| 1940 | Kurri Kurri | Cessnock |
| 1941 | Cessnock | South Newcastle |
| 1942 | Waratah-Mayfield | South Newcastle |
| 1943 | South Newcastle | Waratah-Mayfield |
| 1944 | Waratah-Mayfield | Western Suburbs |
| 1945 | Kurri Kurri | South Newcastle |
| 1946 | South Newcastle | Western Suburbs |
| 1947 | Lakes United | Northern Suburbs |
| 1948 | Northern Suburbs | Kurri Kurri |
| 1949 | Central Newcastle | Kurri Kurri |
| 1950 | Cessnock | Central Newcastle |
| 1951 | Northern Suburbs | Maitland |
| 1952 | Waratah-Mayfield | Lakes United |
| 1953 | Northern Suburbs | Cessnock |
| 1954 | Cessnock | Maitland |
| 1955 | Cessnock | Maitland |
| 1956 | Maitland | Cessnock |
| 1957 | Maitland | Kurri Kurri |
| 1958 | Maitland | Cessnock |
| 1959 | Northern Suburbs | Maitland |
| 1960 | Cessnock | Maitland |
| 1961 | Western Suburbs | Waratah-Mayfield |
| 1962 | Northern Suburbs | South Newcastle |
| 1963 | South Newcastle | Central Newcastle |
| 1964 | South Newcastle | Western Suburbs |
| 1965 | Maitland | South Newcastle |
| 1966 | Western Suburbs | Cessnock |
| 1967 | Northern Suburbs | Western Suburbs |
| 1968 | South Newcastle | Lakes United |
| 1969 | Maitland | Lakes United |
| 1970 | Western Suburbs | Maitland |
| 1971 | Maitland | Lakes United |
| 1972 | Cessnock | Maitland |
| 1973 | Maitland | Western Suburbs |
| 1974 | Lakes United | Western Suburbs |
| 1975 | Lakes United | Western Suburbs |
| 1976 | South Newcastle | Western Suburbs |
| 1977 | Cessnock | Maitland |
| 1978 | Western Suburbs | South Newcastle |
| 1979 | Northern Suburbs | Cessnock |
| 1980 | Western Suburbs | Cessnock |
| 1981 | Western Suburbs | Cessnock |
| 1982 | Western Suburbs | Kurri Kurri |
| 1983 | Maitland | Cessnock |
| 1984 | Western Suburbs | Lakes United |
| 1985 | Lakes United | Cessnock |
| 1986 | Lakes United | South Newcastle |
| 1987 | Lakes United | South Newcastle |
| 1988 | South Newcastle | Lakes United |
| 1989 | South Newcastle | Western Suburbs |
| 1990 | Waratah-Mayfield | Lakes United |
| 1991 | Toronto Workers | Western Suburbs |
| 1992 | Western Suburbs | Lakes United |
| 1993 | Kurri Kurri | Western Suburbs |
| 1994 | Kurri Kurri | Toronto Workers |
| 1995 | Kurri Kurri | Western Suburbs |
| 1996 | Lakes United | Western Suburbs |
| 1997 | Western Suburbs | Lakes United |
| 1998 | Western Suburbs | South Newcastle |
| 1999 | Western Suburbs | Cessnock |
| 2000 | Waratah-Mayfield | Lakes United |
| 2001 | Lakes United | Western Suburbs |
| 2002 | Western Suburbs | Lakes United |
| 2003 | Cessnock | Raymond Terrace |
| 2004 | Western Suburbs | Northern Blues |
| 2005 | Northern Blues | Western Suburbs |
| 2006 | Lakes United | Nelson Bay |
| 2007 | Lakes United | Wyong |
| 2008 | Western Suburbs | Cessnock |
| 2009 | Wyong | Cessnock |
| 2010 | Maitland | Cessnock |
| 2011 | Maitland | Western Suburbs |
| 2012 | Western Suburbs | Cessnock |
| 2013 | Western Suburbs | Kurri Kurri |
| 2014 | Western Suburbs | Cessnock |
| 2015 | Lakes United | Macquarie |
| 2016 | South Newcastle | Macquarie |
| 2017 | Macquarie | Western Suburbs |
2018 Clubs
New South Wales Rugby League respects and honours the Traditional Custodians of the land and pay our respects to their Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on the lands we meet, gather and play on.
