Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League

Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League
SportRugby league
Formerly known asGroup 1 Rugby League / Group 18 Rugby League
Instituted2005
Inaugural season2005
Number of teams13
Country Australia
Premiers Casino Cougars (2026)
Most titles Ballina Seagulls (7 titles)
WebsiteNRRRL Facebook
Broadcast partnerBarTV

The Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League (NRRRL) is a rugby league competition run in the far north of New South Wales, Australia. It is run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League. The league formed in 2005 as an extended Group 1 Rugby League competition, featuring teams from Group 18 Rugby League. Prior to this, teams from Group 18 played in a competition with teams from the Gold Coast region of Queensland; these clubs have since gone on to form the Gold Coast Rugby League competition. Both Group 1 and Group 18 continue to run junior competitions from Under 5s to Under 16s.

The competitions run by NRRRL include: First grade, Reserve grade, Under-18's and Ladies League Tag.

Due to sponsorship reasons, in 2007 and 2008 the competition was known as the Retravision Northern League. As a result of the Coronavirus pandemic, the 2020 competition was suspended until August, with four clubs withdrawing. When it resumed, the competition was split in two due to Queensland border restrictions. The former Group 18 teams contested the Green competition, with the former Group 1 teams contesting the Gold competition.

Teams

There are fourteen member clubs of the Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League as 2023.

The following clubs in NRRRL fielded teams in the 2024 Senior Mens and Ladies League Tag competitions:

Current clubs

ClubCity/Town Formed Group Home GroundPremiershipsPremiership Years
Ballina SeagullsBallina 1920 Group 1 Kingsford Smith Park72013–15, 2017, 2019–20, 2024
Bilambil JetsBilambil 1923 Group 18 Bilambil East Sports Field12022
Byron Bay Red DevilsByron Bay 1974 Group 18 Red Devil Park12008
Casino CougarsCasino Group 1 Queen Elizabeth Park12026
Cudgen HornetsCudgen 1950 Group 18 Ned Byrne Oval22006, 2023
Evans Head BombersEvans Head 1999 Group 1 Stan Payne Oval0None
Kyogle TurkeysKyogle 1960 Group 1 New Park0None
Lismore Marist Brothers RamsLismore 1912 Group 1 Oakes Oval12025
Lower Clarence MagpiesYamba 1915 Group 1 Yamba Sporting Complex12009
Mullumbimby GiantsMullumbimby 1909 Group 18 Mullumbimby RLFC12007
Murwillumbah MustangsMurwillumbah 1989 Group 18 Murwillumbah Colts JRL22012, 2016
Northern United DirawongsLismore 2009 N/A Clifford Park0None
Tweed Coast RaidersCabarita Beach 1980 Group 18 Les Burger Field22018, 2020
Tweed Heads Seagulls Tweed Heads 1909 Group 18 Piggabeen Sports Complex 1 2005

Former clubs

Juniors

The following clubs fielded teams in 2018 Group 1 junior competitions: Ballina Seagulls, Casino Cougars, Clarence Coast Magpies, Grafton Ghosts, Kyogle Tukeys, Lismore Marist Brothers Rams, South Grafton Rebels

The following clubs fielded teams in 2019 Group 18 junior competitions: Bilambil Terranora Jets, Byron Bay Lennox Head Red Devils/Dolphins, Cudgen Headland Hornets, Mullumbimby Giants, Murwillimbah Colts, South Tweed Koala Bears/Ospreys, Tugun Seahawks, Tweed Coast Raiders, Tweed Heads Seagulls

First Grade Premierships

Season Grand Final Information Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up Reports
2005 Tweed Heads Seagulls 44–18 Murwillumbah Mustangs MDN Tweed Heads Seagulls
2006 Cudgen Hornets 19–16 Murwillumbah Mustangs Murwillumbah Mustangs
2007 Mullumbimby Giants 34–30 Ballina Seagulls Star Mullumbimby Giants
2008 Byron Bay Red Devils 25–24 Grafton Ghosts FNC Grafton Ghosts
2009 Lower Clarence Magpies 21–20 Northern United ABC Lower Clarence Magpies
2010 Grafton Ghosts 14–6 Ballina Seagulls FNC Grafton Ghosts
2011 Grafton Ghosts 10–6 Murwillumbah Mustangs FNC Murwillumbah Mustangs
2012 Murwillumbah Mustangs 27–26 Grafton Ghosts MDN Murwillumbah Mustangs
2013 Ballina Seagulls 30–24 Murwillumbah Mustangs Star Murwillumbah Mustangs
2014 Ballina Seagulls 17–6 Byron Bay Red Devils Star Ballina Seagulls
2015 Ballina Seagulls 34–6 Murwillumbah Mustangs Star Murwillumbah Mustangs
2016 Murwillumbah Mustangs 16–14 Cudgen Hornets ABC Murwillumbah Mustangs
2017 Ballina Seagulls 36–28 Cudgen Hornets Star Ballina Seagulls
2018 Tweed Coast Raiders 24–4 Ballina Seagulls TDN Tweed Coast Raiders
2019 Ballina Seagulls 38–18 Murwillumbah Mustangs NBN Star Ballina Seagulls
2020 (Green) Tweed Coast Raiders 24–18 Murwillumbah Mustangs NBN Tweed Coast Raiders
2020 (Gold) Ballina Seagulls 30–16 Lismore Marist Brothers NBN Ballina Seagulls
2021 season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Bilambil Jets 30–18 Evans Head Bombers Murwillumbah Mustangs
2023 Cudgen Hornets 18–4 Ballina Seagulls Ballina Seagulls
2024 Ballina Seagulls 16–10 Bilambil Jets BFBF Ballina Seagulls
2025 Lismore Marist Brothers 20–12 Murwillumbah Mustangs BFBF Cudgen Hornets
2026 Casino Cougars 26–14 Murwillumbah Mustangs BFBFRVKN Murwillumbah Mustangs


Ladies League Tag

Season Grand Final Information Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up Reports
2017 Byron Bay Red Devils 12–8 Lismore Marist Brothers
2018 Lismore Marist Brothers 22–4 Byron Bay Red Devils Lismore Marist Brothers
2019 Tweed Coast Raiders 12–10 Lismore Marist Brothers
2020 (Green) Tweed Coast Raiders 4–2 Cudgen Hornets Cudgen Hornets
2020 (Gold) Lismore Marist Brothers 18–0 Ballina Seagulls Lismore Marist Brothers
2021 season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 Cudgen Hornets 14–10 Lismore Marist Brothers Cudgen Hornets

Juniors

Both Group 1 and Group 18 run independent junior competitions as was before the merger to form the NRRRL in seniors.

See also

Sources

YearsAcronymItemAvailable
Online		Via
1967–69, 1971–96 - Country Rugby League Annual Report No State Library of NSW
2003 to 2014 RLW Rugby League Week Yes eResources at State Library of NSW
2007 to 2019 Star The Northern Star Yes Northern Star website
2005 to 2019 - Various Newspaper Websites Yes As referenced

References

  1. ↑ Miller, Adrian. "Local league enters new era". The Daily Telegraph.
  2. ↑ "PlaySport.com: Find, Organise and Play Sport Like Never Before". playsport.com. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  3. ↑ "Murwillumbah Leagues Club". Murwillumbah Leagues Club. Retrieved 7 August 2023.
  4. ↑ Final Triumph
  5. ↑ Tweed (12 September 2005). "Mustangs host Tweedshowdown | Tweed Daily News". Mydailynews.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  6. ↑ Lismore (19 August 2006). "Bros have the experience". Daily Telegraph. Northern Star. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  7. ↑ Lismore (28 July 2009). "Drought's drug ban". Northern Star. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  8. ↑ Northern Rivers (29 August 2007). "Stirring Seagulls win one man down | Lismore Echo". Echonews.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  9. ↑ "Byron Bay wins rugby league grand final | Far North Coaster Magazine". Farnorthcoaster.com.au. 14 September 2008. Archived from the original on 5 August 2018. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  10. ↑ "Grafton Ghosts, Byron Bay battle it out to host NRRRL grand final | Far North Coaster Magazine". Farnorthcoaster.com.au. 27 August 2008. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  11. ↑ "Lower Clarence celebrate the 2009 NRRRL Grand Final at the Maclean showground - ABC (none) - Australian Broadcasting Corporation". www.abc.net.au.
  12. ↑ "Minor premiers meet defending premiers | Far North Coaster Magazine". Farnorthcoaster.com.au. 21 August 2009. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  13. ↑ "2010 NRRRL Grand Final Results".
  14. ↑ "Ballina and Grafton Ghosts to meet in NRRRL grand final".
  15. ↑ "NRRRL Grand Final Results".
  16. 1 2 "Mustangs backed to beat Ghosts | Tweed Daily News". Mydailynews.com.au. 1 September 2012. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  17. ↑ gmartin (3 September 2012). "Mustangs are grand final champs | Tweed Daily News". Mydailynews.com.au. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  18. ↑ mcraig (5 September 2013). "Ballina Seagulls set to break 20-year Premiership drought". Northern Star. Retrieved 5 August 2018.
  19. ↑ Craig, Mitchell (17 September 2014). "Brothers key to Ballina's grand final win over Red Devils". Northern Star. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  20. ↑ Craig, Mitchell. "NRRRL's 2015 highlights and our pick for team of the year". Northern Star. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  21. ↑ "Emotions overflow as Murwillumbah Mustangs honour fallen team mate". ABC News. 19 September 2016. Retrieved 22 November 2018.
  22. ↑ Craig, Mitchell (11 September 2017). "Hard-fought win for Seagulls in NRRRL grand final". Northern Star. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  23. ↑ Vivian, Steve (9 September 2018). "Raiders conquer Ballina in historic NRRRL grand final win". Tweed Daily News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  24. ↑ "Fairytale Season Ends In Grand Final Win For Ballina". NBN News. 8 September 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  25. ↑ "Seagulls win another NRRRL grand final". 8 September 2019. Retrieved 30 May 2020.
  26. ↑ "TWEED COAST RAIDERS TAKE HOME PREMIERSHIP IN NRRRL GREEN COMP". 11 October 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  27. ↑ "BALLINA SEAGULLS WIN NRRRL GRAND FINAL AGAINST MARIST BROTHERS". 18 October 2020. Retrieved 12 November 2020.
  28. ↑ Smith, Tallon (10 September 2024). "Seagulls the toast of the Northern Rivers after Ballina claims seventh title in 12 years". Battlers For Bush Footy. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  29. ↑ Smith, Tallon (16 September 2025). "NRRRL: Lismore Marist Brothers Rams secure first title in 22 years with win over Mustangs". Battlers For Bush Footy. Retrieved 30 December 2025.
  30. ↑ Smith, Tallon (18 September 2026). "Grand Final Watch: Harden hoping for Clayton Cup consideration after completing perfect season". Battlers For Bush Footy. Retrieved 1 October 2026.
  31. ↑ Freymark, Susanna (13 September 2026). "36 years waiting for this moment – Casino Cougars celebrate final win". Richmond Valley and Kyogle news. Retrieved 15 September 2026.