NRL State Championship

Australian second-tier rugby league title

NRL State Championship

Sport| Rugby league
Instituted| 2014
Countries|  Australia
New Zealand
Papua New Guinea
Premiers|  Norths Devils (2024)
Website| www.NRL.com
Broadcast partner|

* Nine Network (Australia)
* Fox League (Australia)
* Sky Sport (New Zealand)
* ABC Grandstand (Australia)

Related competition| NSW Cup
Queensland Cup
National Rugby League

The NRL State Championship is a rugby league match contested by the premiers of the two elite second-tier competitions in Australia, the New South Wales Cup and the Queensland Cup. The match has been played as a curtain-raiser to the NRL Grand Final at Stadium Australia since it was introduced by the National Rugby League (NRL) in 2014. The match acts as Super Bowl-type to determine the National Reserve Grade Champions.

## History

[edit]

The origins of the NRL State Championship can be traced back to an idea from the Queensland media during the 1984 Brisbane Rugby League season when two club sides had agreed to play a one-off match.[citation needed] This was when the competitions of the Sydney Rugby League premiership and the Brisbane Rugby League premiership operated independently of each other with the only exception being State of Origin time, when players crossed paths. While the New South Wales media's general consensus was always that Sydney-based NSWRL was the premier and stronger of the two major rugby league competition, all seemed to be set for the one-off match before the NSWRL hierarchy stepped in and put a stop to the proposed match.[citation needed]

The 1984 Brisbane Rugby League Wynnum-Manly Seagulls team was unquestionably Queensland's best, the team defeated a Southern Suburbs Districts Magpies side coached by Wayne Bennett and boasting names such as Gary Belcher, Mal Meninga, Peter Jackson, Bob Lindner in the 1984 Brisbane Rugby League Grand Final by a record 42–8 scoreline. Many supporters north of the border believe they were also better than the 1984 Sydney Rugby League champion team the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. The Brisbane media were so confident about the strength of this super Wynnum side that they suggested a challenge match between the Seagulls and the Sydney Premiers Canterbury Bankstown.[citation needed]

It was an idea liked by the QRL, but if the suggestion is that the NSWRL were the roadblock, Canterbury prop Peter Tunks said the Bulldogs players and officials were just as keen to make the game happen as their northern rivals. "There was talk in the media about it and we were keen to play it because they obviously had a pretty good side with Wally, Gene Miles, Greg Dowling but we loved playing anybody back in those days", Tunks said. "We knew that it was a decent comp in Brisbane but we obviously didn't think it was as strong as the Sydney comp because this was the be-all and end-all. At Canterbury, we really loved a challenge and we would have loved the opportunity of going up against a team full of great players like they had. It's like anything, to be the best you have to beat the best and that was our attitude but unfortunately it didn't come off. I don't know where we were supposed to play but it would have been good fun."[1][2]

The NRL State Championship is marketed as "The best New South Wales club versus the best Queensland club". However, in both the New South Wales and Queensland Cups there are or were clubs based outside their respective states:

* New Zealand Warriors based in Auckland, Auckland Region, New Zealand (NSW Cup)
* Papua New Guinea Hunters based in Port Moresby, Central Province, Papua New Guinea (QLD Cup)
* Tweed Heads Seagulls based in Tweed Heads, New South Wales, Australia (QLD Cup)

In 2014 the Northern Queensland Pride representing the Queensland Cup defeated the Penrith Panthers representing the New South Wales Cup in the first NRL State Championship Grand Final. The match has been played every subsequent year, with the exception of 2020 when it was not held on account of both competitions being cancelled due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, and in 2021 with the remainder of the New South Wales Cup being cancelled also due to the COVID-19 lockdown in Sydney.

## Results

[edit]

The NRL State Championship match is a curtain-raiser to the final match on NRL Grand Final day, with the winner crowned the NRL State Champions. Between 2014 and 2017 the match was played after the now-defunct NRL Youth Grand Final and before the NRL Grand Final.[3][4] In 2018 the match was played after the NRL Women's Grand Final and before the NRL Men's Grand Final. Since 2019 it has been played before the NRL Women's Grand Final and the NRL Men's Grand Final.
In 2020 the NRL State Championship match was not played due to the cancellation of the state premierships after Round 1 caused by the Coronavirus pandemic, and wasn't played in 2021 due the COVID-19 lockdown in Sydney.
The NRL State Championship match made its return in 2022.

## NRL State Championship winners

[edit]

NRL
Season  | NRL State Championship  | Player of the Match

|
|

Premiers  | Score  | Runners-up  | Venue
2014 |  Northern Pride | 32–28  |  Penrith Panthers | Stadium Australia |  Javid Bowen
2015 |  Ipswich Jets | 26–12  |  Newcastle Knights | Stadium Australia | Matt Parcell
2016 |  Illawarra Cutters | 54–12  |  Burleigh Bears | Stadium Australia |  Drew Hutchison
2017 |  Penrith Panthers | 42–18  |  PNG Hunters | Stadium Australia |  Kaide Ellis
2018 |  Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs | 42–18  |  Redcliffe Dolphins | Stadium Australia |  Josh Cleeland
2019 |  Newtown Jets | 20–16  |  Burleigh Bears | Stadium Australia | Toby Rudolf
2020  | Match was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in Australia.[5]
2021  | Match was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown in New South Wales.
2022 |  Penrith Panthers | 44–10  |  Norths Devils | Stadium Australia |  J'maine Hopgood
2023 |  South Sydney Rabbitohs | 42–22  |  Brisbane Tigers | Stadium Australia |  Tyrone Munro
2024 |  Norths Devils | 20–18  |  Newtown Jets | Stadium Australia |  Oryn Keeley

### State Championship Teams

[edit]

Rugby League Team  | City/Town  | Suburb/Suburbs  | District/Region/State/Territory  | Nation

|
|
|
|

Penrith Panthers | Sydney | Penrith | New South Wales | Australia
Northern Pride | Cairns | Barlow Park | Queensland | Australia
Ipswich Jets | Ipswich | North Ipswich | Queensland | Australia
Illawarra Cutters | Wollongong | Wollongong | New South Wales | Australia
Canterbury Bulldogs | Sydney | Belmore | New South Wales | Australia
Newtown Jets | Sydney | Marrickville | New South Wales | Australia
Burleigh Bears | Gold Coast | Miami | Queensland | Australia
Newcastle Knights | Newcastle | New Lambton | New South Wales | Australia
PNG Hunters | Port Moresby | Port Moresby | National Capital District | Papua New Guinea
Redcliffe Dolphins | Moreton Bay | Redcliffe | Queensland | Australia
Norths Devils | Brisbane | Nundah | Queensland | Australia
Brisbane Tigers | Brisbane | Coorparoo | Queensland | Australia
South Sydney Rabbitohs | Sydney | Redfern | New South Wales | Australia

### State Championship Team Performance/s

[edit]

Rugby League Team  | Games Pld  | Games Won  | Games Lost  | Years Pld  | Years Won  | Years Lost

|
|
|
|
|
|

Penrith Panthers | 3  | 2  | 1  | 2014, 2017, 2022  | 2017, 2022  | 2014
South Sydney Rabbitohs | 1  | 1  | 0  | 2023  | 2023
Canterbury Bulldogs | 1  | 1  | 0  | 2018  | 2018  |
Illawarra Cutters | 1  | 1  | 0  | 2016  | 2016  |
Ipswich Jets | 1  | 1  | 0  | 2015  | 2015  |
Northern Pride | 1  | 1  | 0  | 2014  | 2014  |
Norths Devils | 2  | 1  | 1  | 2022, 2024  | 2024  | 2022
Newtown Jets | 2  | 1  | 1  | 2019, 2024  | 2019  | 2024
Newcastle Knights | 1  | 0  | 1  | 2015  |  | 2015
PNG Hunters | 1  | 0  | 1  | 2017  |  | 2017
Redcliffe Dolphins | 1  | 0  | 1  | 2018  |  | 2018
Brisbane Tigers | 1  | 0  | 1  | 2023  |  | 2023
Burleigh Bears | 2  | 0  | 2  | 2016, 2019  |  | 2016, 2019

## Media coverage

[edit]

Live television coverage for the NRL State Championship is broadcast by Australia's Fox Sports and Nine (which includes Nine's regional affiliates NBN, WIN and IMP until 2015 and mid 2016)[6] while live radio coverage is broadcast by Australia's ABC Grandstand around Australia via both the ABC Radio Mobile App (Digital Radio Stadion) and their network of FM and AM Local Radio Stations.[7]

## See also

[edit]

* Sports portal

* New South Wales Cup
* Queensland Cup

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "The greatest game never played". NRL - The official site of the National Rugby League. October 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
2. ^ "Our Colourful History". WynnumSeagulls.com.au. 11 June 2016. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
3. ^ "State Championship preview: Panthers v Pride". NRL - The official site of the National Rugby League. October 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
4. ^ "The greatest game never played". NRL - The official site of the National Rugby League. October 2014. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
5. ^ "NSWRL cancels nine competitions for 2020 season". New South Wales Rugby League. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
6. ^ "State Championship preview: Panthers v Pride". NRL.com. Retrieved 7 October 2014.
7. ^ "Rugby League". ABC News Sport. Retrieved 4 May 2017.

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Queensland Cup

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* Aspley Broncos
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National Federation|

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National teams|

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Rugby league in New South Wales

Federations|

* New South Wales Rugby League (Women's)
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Representative competitions|

* State of Origin series
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Representative teams|

* New South Wales Blues
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NRL clubs|

* Canberra Raiders
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NSWRL Junior Representatives|

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Metropolitan Competitions|

* NSW Cup
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* Groups: (1, 5, 13, 18, 19 (Southern Tablelands), 19 (Canberra))
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Rugby league in Queensland

Federation|

* Queensland Rugby League

Representative Teams|

* Queensland Maroons
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NRL clubs|

* Current clubs: Brisbane Broncos
* Dolphins
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* Former Clubs: Gold Coast Giants/Seagulls/Chargers (1988-1998)
* South Queensland Crushers (1995-1997)

NRLW clubs|

* Current clubs: Brisbane Broncos
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Major Competitions|

* State-wide leagues: Queensland Cup
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Former Top-Flight Competition: Brisbane Rugby League premiership

* Other leagues: Masters
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Northern Division|

* Foley Shield
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Central Division|

* 47th Battalion Shield
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South-East Division|

* Bulimba Cup (defunct)
* Brisbane A-Grade
* Brisbane Second Division
* Women
* Ipswich
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* FOGS Colts (Brisbane U20's)

Defunct Leagues|

* Gladstone
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Queensland Cup clubs|

* Brisbane Tigers
* Burleigh Bears
* Central Queensland Capras
* Ipswich Jets
* Northern Pride
* Mackay Cutters
* Norths Devils
* PNG Hunters
* Redcliffe Dolphins
* Souths Logan Magpies
* Sunshine Coast Falcons
* Townsville Blackhawks
* Tweed Heads Seagulls
* Western Clydesdales
* Wynnum Manly Seagulls

Queensland Cup seasons|

* 1982
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* 2017
* 2018
* 2019
* 2020
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* 2023

Representative Competitions|

* State of Origin series
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Clubs|

* List of rugby league clubs in Queensland by competition

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