Volunteer Recognition /

2023 NSWRL Community Awards

Each year NSWRL endeavours to acknowledge and reward our amazing grassroots volunteers and clubs with a range of awards across all facets of the game as part of the prestigious NSWRL Community Awards.

From awards for coaches and referees to clubs and individual volunteers, you can nominate both individuals and clubs for recognition of their hard work and commendable commitment to the game.

Nominations for the 2023 NSWRL Community Awards – the highest accolade for our 26,000 plus volunteers across the state - opened Thursday 11 May and will close on Thursday 1 June.

Incomplete nominations will not be accepted. All nominations will be considered and reviewed by a NSWRL selection panel.

All finalists of the NSWRL Community Awards will be nominated for the equivalent 2023 NRL Community Awards, presented by Westpac.

Click the links on the categories below to vote.

Award Categories and Nomination Criteria

NSWRL Gordon Lowrie Volunteer of the Year - proudly supported by Ignite HQ

A NSWRL Volunteer of the Year Awards nominee will have provided excellent service to the game of Rugby League and will have made a measurable contribution to their community.

The nominee should demonstrate inclusivity, positivity, discipline and respect throughout their participation in their community through Rugby League.

Nominees should be volunteers and should not have received a honorarium of more than $4000 for their service to Rugby League in the past season.

The award is chosen from the NSWRL Regional Volunteer of the Year winners.

NSWRL Regional Volunteer of the Year - proudly supported by Ignite HQ

A Regional Volunteer of the Year will be named for each of the 11 regions in NSW including: East Coast Region, Northern Region, Newcastle and Maitland Region, Broken Bay Region, Central Sydney Region, Macarthur Region, Western Sydney Region, Southern Sydney Region, South Coast Region, Western NSW Region and Bidgee Region.

Winners of the Regional Volunteer awards will be awarded two tickets to the Brad Fittler Medal in Sydney in September.

All regional winners will also be a finalist for the NSWRL Volunteer of the Year Award to be announced on the night of the Brad Fittler Medal.

NSWRL Indigenous Volunteer of the Year - proudly supported by KARI Foundation

The NSWRL Indigenous Volunteer of the Year Award recognises a valuable contribution that a volunteer has made to Indigenous Rugby League.

NSWRL Inclusive Volunteer of the Year Award - proudly sponsored by What Ability

The NSWRL inclusive Volunteer of the Year Award recognises a valuable contribution that volunteers make to the game of Rugby League through Wheelchair Rugby League, Physical Disability Rugby League and Intellectual Disability Rugby League; as well as through Cultural, and LGBTIQ communities.

NSWRL Community Club of the Year Award - proudly supported by Steeden

The NSWRL Grassroots Club of the Year Award is awarded to a Community Rugby League Club that has fostered participation and enjoyment for participants at all levels, has become an integral part of their community and has shown innovation in administration.

The winner of this award will receive a voucher to purchase equipment for their Club.

NSWRL Community Coach of the Year (Male and Female)

NSWRL Community Coach of the Year Female - proudly supported by Harvey Norman

NSWRL Community Coach of the Year Male – proudly supported by Ignite HQ

The NSWRL Community Coach of the Year Award gives parents and clubs and opportunity to recognise their outstanding coaches and their contribution to their players and the game of Rugby League. Nomination criteria includes the following:

• Coach must be registered
• Coach must hold the appropriate accreditation for their teams age group
• Coach must be assigned to their team
• Coach must have a current WWCC
• Coach must have had no Code of Conduct breaches in the past two years

The Male Coach of the Year and Female Coach of the Year will receive the prize of two tickets to the 2023 State of Origin in Sydney.

NSWRL Dennis Braybrook Community Official Award - proudly supported by MST

Selected by the NSWRL Referees Association.