Wikipedia

Group 3 Rugby League

Group 3 is a rugby league competition on the north coast of New South Wales, run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League. The Group 3 area runs from Kempsey in the north to Forster in the south.

Group 3 Rugby League
SportRugby league
Formerly known asGroup 18 Rugby League, Manning River Rugby League
Instituted1946 (as Group 18)
Inaugural season1966 (as Group 3)
Number of teams8
Country Australia
Premiers Port Macquarie Sharks (2024)
Most titles Forster Tuncurry Hawks
Wingham District Tigers (9 titles)
WebsiteGroup 3 on facebook
Related competitionHastings League

History

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The league began in 1946, with Taree Old Bar winning the first ever premiership. At the time, this league was known as Group 18. In 1966, the boundaries were re-drawn to include three new clubs (Camden Haven, Port Macquarie, and Wauchope) and the group's name was changed to Group 3.[1]

In 1995, Port Macquarie and Wauchope joined Group 2 in another re-zoning, with teams from Group 3 Saturday League joining the competition. In 2003, Port City RLFC joined the competition on loan from Group 2. In 2004, Wauchope re-joined the league after departing at the end of the 1994 season.[1]

The current First Grade premiers are the Old Bar Beach Pirates.

The 2020 Group 3 competition was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia.[2] Junior competitions were postponed, eventually commencing in July. The highest age group competition winners were Wingham Tigers (Under 18 boys) and Port Macquarie Sharks (Under 17 Ladies League Tag).[3][4]

Teams

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The following clubs field teams in the Group 3 First Grade competition.

Club City/Town Founded Home Ground No. of Titles Premierships
  Forster Tuncurry Hawks Forster/Tuncurry 1946 Harry Elliot Oval 9 1947, 1968, 1970, 1986, 1994, 1995, 1998, 2004, 2011
  Macleay Valley Mustangs Kempsey 1995 Verge Street Oval 2 2014, 2019
  Old Bar Beach Pirates Old Bar 1995 Old Bar Reserve 3 1996, 1999, 2023
  Port City Breakers Port Macquarie 2002 Regional Stadium 5 2008, 2010, 2016, 2017, 2022
  Port Macquarie Sharks Port Macquarie 1940 Regional Stadium 7 1976, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2015, 2018
  Taree City Bulls Taree 1998 Jack Neal Oval 3 2000, 2001, 2007
  Wauchope Blues Wauchope 1920 Lank Bain Oval 8 1967, 1969, 1972, 1975, 1984, 2009, 2012, 2013
  Wingham Tigers Wingham 1900s Wingham Sporting Complex 9 1950, 1952, 1953, 1961, 1962, 1989, 1997, 2002, 2003

Former Teams

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  •   Camden Haven Eagles (Withdrew from Senior Football)
  •   Cape Hawke (became Forster-Tuncurry)
  •   Cundletown (Folded)
  •   Forster Dragons (Folded)
  •   Gloucester Magpies (Withdrew from first grade in 2002)
  •   Halliday Point Makos (Folded 2009)
  •   Taree Rhinos (Folded)
  •   Taree Browns Creek (Folded)
  •   Taree Old Bar (Folded 1994)
  •   Taree United (Folded 1994)

Map

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Local Area in New South Wales
 
 
45km
30miles
 
 
Wingham
 
Wauchope
 
Taree
 
Port Macquarie
 
Old Bar Beach
 
Macleay Valley
 
Forster
Locations of the current Group 3 clubs.
 
 
800km
500miles
 
 
Port Macquarie
 
Canberra
 
Sydney
Relation to state & national capitals

Premierships

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First Grade

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Separate teams in 1946, Forster and Tuncurry combined as Cape Hawke in 1947, then played as Foster-Tuncurry from 1953.

Season Grand Final Information Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up Report
1946   Taree Old Bar 9–5   Forster [5][6]   Forster
1947   Cape Hawke 10–4   Taree Old Bar [7]   Cape Hawke
1948   Taree Browns Creek 8–7   Cape Hawke [8][9]
1949   Taree Browns Creek 18–2   Cape Hawke [10]   Taree Browns Creek
1950   Wingham District 7–3   Taree Browns Creek [11]   Wingham District
1951   Taree Browns Creek 5–4   Taree Old Bar [12]   Taree Browns Creek
1952   Wingham District 14–5   Taree Browns Creek [13]   Wingham District
1953   Wingham District 10–0   Taree Old Bar [14]   Wingham District
1954   Gloucester 10–2   Taree Browns Creek [15]   Gloucester
1955   Taree Browns Creek 10–0   Wingham District
1956   Taree Browns Creek 8–2   Wingham District
1957   Gloucester 17–10   Wingham District
1958   Gloucester 7–4   Taree Old Bar
1959   Gloucester 37–0   Cundletown
1960   Gloucester 7–4   Wingham District
1961   Wingham District 9–5   Taree United
1962   Wingham District 15–12   Gloucester
1963   Gloucester 10–7   Wingham District
1964   Gloucester 6–5   Wingham District
1965   Gloucester 15–2   Taree Old Bar

Group 3

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Season Grand Final Information Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up Report
1966   Gloucester 29–2   Wingham District   Gloucester
1967   Wauchope 10–9   Forster Tuncurry   Wauchope
1968   Forster Tuncurry 21–0   Taree United   Forster Tuncurry
1969   Wauchope 14–4   Forster Tuncurry   Wauchope
1970   Forster Tuncurry 14–4   Port Macquarie   Forster Tuncurry
1971   Taree United 44–8   Taree Old Bar   Taree United
1972   Wauchope 24–7   Wingham District   Wauchope
1973   Taree United 8–3   Taree Old Bar   Taree United
1974   Taree United 18–15   Forster Tuncurry   Forster Tuncurry
1975   Wauchope 18–8   Taree United   Port Macquarie
1976   Port Macquarie 24–10   Wingham District   Port Macquarie
1977   Taree United 12–9   Forster Tuncurry   Taree United
1978   Taree Old Bar 24–20   Taree United   Wingham District
1979   Taree Old Bar 24–10   Port Macquarie   Port Macquarie
1980   Taree Old Bar 12–6   Port Macquarie   Taree Old Bar
1981   Taree Old Bar 19–4   Wingham District   Taree Old Bar
1982   Taree Old Bar 10–7   Wingham District   Taree Old Bar
1983   Taree United 14–6   Wauchope   Wauchope
1984   Wauchope 18–12   Taree Old Bar   Taree Old Bar
1985   Taree United 22–10   Wauchope   Wauchope
1986   Forster Tuncurry 18–6   Wingham District   Forster Tuncurry
1987   Taree Old Bar 9–2   Port Macquarie   Port Macquarie
1988   Taree Old Bar 50–8   Camden Haven   Taree Old Bar
1989   Wingham District 28–8   Port Macquarie   Port Macquarie
1990   Port Macquarie 10–2   Wauchope   Wauchope
1991   Port Macquarie 24–7   Forster Tuncurry   Port Macquarie
1992   Port Macquarie 20–14   Wingham District   Port Macquarie
1993   Port Macquarie 30–14   Wauchope   Wauchope
1994   Forster Tuncurry 20–4   Wauchope   Forster Tuncurry
1995   Forster Tuncurry 44–6   South Taree   Forster Tuncurry
1996   Old Bar 24–2   Wingham District   Wingham District
1997   Wingham District 26–16   Forster Tuncurry   Camden Haven
1998   Forster Tuncurry 24–14   Old Bar   Forster Tuncurry
1999   Old Bar 26–6   Wingham District   Old Bar
2000   Taree City 40–20   Old Bar   Old Bar
2001   Taree City 52–9   Forster Dragons   Taree City
2002   Wingham District 30–26   Taree City   Taree City
2003   Wingham District 30–20   Forster Tuncurry   Wingham District
2004   Forster Tuncurry 50–6   Wingham District   Forster Tuncurry
2005   Camden Haven 31–22   Taree City   Taree City
2006   Camden Haven 26–10   Wauchope   Camden Haven
2007   Taree City 28–20   Port City   Taree City
2008   Port City 40–16   Forster Tuncurry   Port City
2009   Wauchope 32–10   Port City   Wauchope
2010   Port City 30–6   Forster Tuncurry   Port City
2011   Forster Tuncurry 30–16   Port City   Port City
2012   Wauchope 24–20   Port City [16]   Wauchope
2013   Wauchope 49–18   Old Bar [17]   Wauchope
2014   Macleay Valley 25–24   Wauchope [18]   Wauchope
2015   Port Macquarie 20–8   Port City [19]   Port Macquarie
2016   Port City 26–6   Port Macquarie [20]   Port Macquarie
2017   Port City 28–20   Macleay Valley [21]   Port City
2018   Port Macquarie 18–10   Port City [22]   Port City
2019   Macleay Valley 34–24   Wauchope [23]   Macleay Valley
2020 Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia
2021
2022   Port City 20–12   Old Bar   Port City
2023   Old Bar 22–10   Port Macquarie [24]   Old Bar
2024   Port Macquarie 16-10   Macleay Valley   Port Macquarie

Source: Group 3 History Grand Final scores compiled from results published in the Rugby League Week.

Leaderboard

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Bold indicates active club (Correct as of 28 September 2020)

Club Premierships Runners-up Minor Premierships
  Wingham District 9 16 3
  Forster Tuncurry 9 12 8
  Gloucester 9 1 ?
  Wauchope District 8 8 11
  Taree Old Bar 8 8 5
  Port Macquarie Sharks 8 6 10
  Taree United 6 4 3
  Port City 5 6 4
  Taree Browns Creek 5 3 ?
  Taree City 3 3 4
  Old Bar Beach 3 3 3
  Camden Haven 2 1 2
  Macleay Valley Mustangs 2 1 1
  Cundletown 0 1 0
  Forster Dragons 0 1 0
  South Taree 0 1 0

Juniors

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Junior Clubs

  •   Camden Haven Eagles (No Seniors)
  •   Forster Tuncurry Hawks
  •   Gloucester Magpies (Seniors play in Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League)
  •   Lake Cathie Raiders (Seniors play in Hastings League)
  •   Old Bar Beach Pirates
  •   Port City Breakers
  •   Port Macquarie Sharks
  •   Taree Red Rovers (feeder club to Taree City)
  •   Taree Panthers (feeder club to Taree City)
  •   Wauchope Blues
  •   Wingham Tigers

Forster Tuncurry Hawks

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Macleay Valley Mustangs

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Old Bar Beach Pirates

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Port City Breakers

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Port Macquarie Sharks

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Taree City Bulls

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Wauchope Blues

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Wingham Tigers

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Group 3 History
  2. ^ Coffey, Lara (25 April 2020). "Group 3 Rugby League Season Cancelled". NBN TV. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  3. ^ Spencer, Mark (28 September 2020). "Wingham Rugby League Under 18's grand final win". Wingham Chronicle. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  4. ^ Jobber, Paul (28 September 2020). "Port Macquarie Sharks under-17s and Wauchope Blues under-13s claim 2020 league tag premierships". Port News. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  5. ^ "Football". The Northern Champion. Taree: National Library of Australia. 25 September 1946. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Football". Manning River Times. Taree: National Library of Australia. 28 September 1946. p. 4. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  7. ^ "Football". The Northern Champion. Taree: National Library of Australia. 20 August 1947. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  8. ^ "Football". The Northern Champion. Taree: National Library of Australia. 8 September 1948. p. 3. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  9. ^ "Football". Manning River Times. Taree: National Library of Australia. 8 September 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  10. ^ "M.R. Rugby Football League". Manning River Times. Taree: National Library of Australia. 5 October 1949. p. 4. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  11. ^ "Wingham 1950 Football Premiers". The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer. Wingham: National Library of Australia. 29 August 1950. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  12. ^ "Round-up of District Sport". Manning River Times. Taree: National Library of Australia. 22 August 1951. p. 3. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  13. ^ "Football". The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer. Wingham: National Library of Australia. 23 September 1952. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  14. ^ "Wingham Is Top Town In Football". The Wingham Chronicle and Manning River Observer. Wingham: National Library of Australia. 1 September 1953. p. 2. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  15. ^ "Dual Premiership To Gloucester "Skipper" Tuile & Greg Parrish". Manning River Times. Taree: National Library of Australia. 6 September 1954. p. 8. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
  16. ^ Daniels, Pete (26 August 2012). "RSL Blues win Group 3 grand final". Wauchope Gazette. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  17. ^ "Blues defeat Pirates in Group 3 grand final". Wauchope Gazette. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  18. ^ McLennan, Matthew (15 September 2014). "Macleay Valley Mustangs win classic Group 3 grand final". Port News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  19. ^ McLennan, Matthew (29 August 2015). "Port Macquarie Sharks take out Group 3 grand final 20–8 against Port City Breakers". Port News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  20. ^ Rene, Louise (19 September 2016). "PORT CITY CLAIMS GROUP 3 PREMIERSHIP". NBN News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  21. ^ Jobber, Paul (27 August 2017). "Group 3 rugby league first grade grand final 2017: Port City Breakers vs Macleay Valley Mustangs". Port News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  22. ^ Jobber, Paul (26 August 2018). "Port Sharks win 2018 Group 3 first grade grand final over Port City Breakers". Port News. Retrieved 22 April 2019.
  23. ^ McGregor, Callum (25 August 2019). "Group 3 rugby league grand final 2019: How it happened". Manning River Times. Retrieved 28 September 2020.
  24. ^ Smith, Tallon (22 September 2023). "Grand Final Watch: Dubbo CYMS take Peter McDonald Premiership title, plus a recap of Groups 2, 3 & 7, GTS and the NHRL". Battlers For Bush Footy. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
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  • Group 3 on Country Rugby League's official site
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