Northern NSW academies, who had to battle the recent effects of Cyclone Alfred, will be represented in four of the five NSWRL Regional Representatives Grand Finals being played at one of the state’s elite sports facilities tomorrow (Saturday 29 March), GIO Stadium in Canberra.
Grand Final Day action kicks off at 10am with the last match scheduled for 4.45pm. A full schedule is below.
Northern Rivers Titans qualified for the deciders for the SLE Andrew Johns Cup (Under 16s Boys), and both the Men’s and Women’s Country Championships (Open Age).
Northern Tigers and the North Coast Bulldogs will face each other in the Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup (Regional Under 17s Girls) Grand Final, which is the first match on tomorrow’s program in Canberra.
The Titans Academy takes in the northern NSW area from the border south to Grafton; the Bulldogs Academy is Grafton to Forster; and the Tigers Academy is north to Tenterfield, west to Moree, and south to the Hunter Valley including Tamworth.
NSWRL Manager for the Greater Northern Zone Wayde Kelly said communities across the area were buoyed by the fact so many teams were in the finals considering the recent rain, wind and flood damage courtesy of Cyclone Alfred.
“We had several teams unable to train leading up to the finals as their grounds were completely under water,” Kelly said.
“They had to make alternative arrangements like organising sessions in the gym, but that also had its problems with many roads cut across northern NSW and players wanting to stay with their families and properties.
“It’s a true testament to the Titans, Tigers and Bulldogs of what can be achieved when everyone in the academy is pulling together to overcome any obstacles.
“This is the greatest representation of teams from the north that we’ve ever had for a Regional Reps Grand Final Day.”
Northern Rivers Titans won the Andrew Johns Cup in 2019 and 2022. Northern Tigers and North Coast Bulldogs are yet to win any of the Regional Representatives trophies.
New premiership teams will be engraved on three of the five trophies – Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup (Regional), SLE Andrew Johns Cup and SLE Laurie Daley Cup (Under 18s Boys) – as the 2024 champions did not make the 2025 grand finals.
Newcastle Rebels, coached by former NRL mentor Garth Brennan, are trying to make it three consecutive Men’s Country Championships, while the Western Rams are aiming for back-to-back titles in the Women’s Country Championships.
Player of the Match in both the SLE Andrew Johns Cup and SLE Laurie Daley Cup Grand Finals will win the prestigious Robert ‘Bert’ Lowrie Medal and John ‘Choc’ Anderson Medal respectively.
Lowrie and Anderson have long-standing associations with both Country Rugby League (CRL) and the NSWRL and were integral in getting the Under 16s and Under 18s Regional Junior Reps competitions off the ground in 2018.
2025 NSWRL REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES GRAND FINAL DAY
Westpac Lisa Fiaola Cup (Regional)
10am: Northern Tigers v North Coast Bulldogs
SLE Andrew Johns Cup
11.30am: Newcastle Maitland Region Knights v Northern Rivers Titans
SLE Laurie Daley Cup
1.15pm: Macarthur Wests Tigers v Illawarra South Coast Dragons
Men’s Country Championships
3pm: Newcastle Rebels v Northern Rivers Titans
Women’s Country Championships
4.45pm: Western Rams v Northern Rivers Titans
Click here for tickets to the 2025 NSWRL Regional Representatives Grand Final Day.
