It will be a special year for Riverina's Group 9 Rugby League competition, which will kick off its centenary celebrations on Saturday.
It is fitting the first game of the season will be at Group 9's premier ground, with the highly fancied Wagga Kangaroos hosting reigning premiers Gundagai Tigers at McDonald's Park.
“It is a great location for our first home game,” Group 9 Chairman Andrew Hinchcliffe said.
“The Kangaroos have recruited well, and many people expect them to go well this season, and they take on the reigning premiers, and I couldn’t think of a better way to kick things off.”
Also on Saturday, Junee Diesels return to the first-grade competition when travelling to Temora to take on the Dragons.
On Sunday, a new-look Albury Thunder hosts one of the competition favourites, Tumut Blues.
“In general, it’s just an excellent Round One of games, and we will be streaming that game in Albury,” Hinchcliffe said.
“Obviously, Tumut has been strong for several years, and they play an Albury side looking to recement themselves as a competition heavyweight under a new coach (Justin Carney).
“Then, on the Northern side of the Group, Junee is back in the competition, and they play against a more matured Temora squad, which should be a good first-up test for them.”
On-field action will be the focus for the opening two rounds of the 2023 season.
However, Riverina Rugby League supporters will enjoy a bye on the weekend of April 29-30 as McDonald's Park plays host to the Round Nine NRL match between the Canberra Raiders and Dolphins, while the competition breaks to celebrate its centenary on Friday, April 28 at The Range Function Centre in Wagga Wagga.
A century of Riverina Rugby League history will be on show at the luncheon, attended by notable players who have graduated from the local competition to the national and international Rugby League stage.
Guests will include Greg Brentnall, Steve and Peter Mortimer, Cliff Lyons, Don Furner, Ricky Stuart, Katrina Fanning, Darrin Borthwick, Paul Field, and many other local legends, media personalities, and administrators.
“It’s going to be an amazing weekend,” Hinchcliffe said.
“It’s good to start the weekend off on a Friday with the luncheon, which leads into the NRL game, and just a big celebration of Group 9 Rugby League.
“There will be some really good representation from Raiders, which is important for us, as we are looking to build up that relationship moving into the future.”
Tickets for the Group 9 centenary luncheon are still available, but bookings will close on Friday, April 14.
Readers can click here to buy tickets, and for more information, contact Peter McAlister at 0419 607 439.
How Group 9 started
On Friday, April 26, 1923, at the Grand Hotel in Harden, delegates from several towns throughout the Riverina and South East met to discuss the formation of a Rugby League competition.
The meeting went well into the morning, but upon its completion, the towns of Gundagai, Harden, Murrumburrah, Junee, Temora, West Wyalong, Young, Cootamundra, Tumut, Barmedman, Wagga, Wambanumba, Griffith, Leeton, Ariah Park, Monteagle, and Binalong had agreed to form the Group 9 Rugby League competition.
The Group 9 competition over the years has seen clubs come and go, with Grenfell, Boorowa, Cowra, Yass, Bendick Murrell, Tallimba, Tullibigeal, Mallee Plains, Ungarie, Gibsonvale, Wyangala Dam, and Narrandera competing at various stages.
There were road bumps along the way, with the Murrumbidgee Rugby League breakaway competition leading to four years of reshuffled boundaries between 1967-1970.
In the early 1990s, Group 9 absorbed the now-defunct Group 13 competition, creating a robust Riverina Rugby League competition.
In 99 years of Group 9 action, the Wagga Kangaroos have been the most successful team, having won 12 titles, and following them are perennially strong clubs such as Tumut (8), Young (8), and Gundagai (7).
In 2023, eight teams will participate in the first-grade competition, and ten clubs will be involved in the lower grades, and it is sure to be an exciting year both on and off the paddock.
Group 9 first grade Round One draw - April 15: Wagga Kangaroos v Gundagai Tigers at McDonald's Park; Temora Dragons v Junee Diesels at Nixon Park; April 16: Albury Thunder v Tumut Blues at Greenfield Park; Young Cherrypickers, Southcity Bulls (bye).
Tickets for the Group 9 centenary luncheon are still available, but bookings will close on Friday, April 14. Readers can click here to buy tickets, and for more information, contact Peter McAlister at 0419 607 439.
