NSWRL marks 114 years with record participation growth announcement

August 8, 2021

The NSW Rugby League has announced record growth for the sport across the state in 2021 as the organisation celebrates its 114th birthday today.

According to the NSWRL, the number of total participants rose more than 5%, male participants recorded their highest growth in six years while female participants broke 20,000 for the first time in history.

It is a significant achievement for the NSWRL, which was formed on 8th August 1907 with the first competition games being played the following year on 20th Apri, 1908.

NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden thanked all stakeholders for their ongoing support in what has been another challenging season for the code, with the NSW Government currently suspending community sport across Greater Sydney until 28th August following another COVID-19 outbreak.

Trodden advised “the fact that so many participants signed up to play rugby league this season is a reflection of its popularity and the important role it can play in helping the community to heal after the challenges we have all faced.

“It’s particularly pleasing to see an upturn in some of our key rugby league heartland areas, in both the Sydney metropolitan areas and Regional NSW, and I’m confident this trend will continue with all the hard work our participants, officials and volunteers put in every year.

“The NSWRL offers a number of formats to be inclusive of all participants, including traditional forms of tackle, non-tackle options in Monarch Blues Tag, and Try League for Culturally and Linguistically Diverse (CALD) communities.

“I’m also pleased to see our female participants surpass the 20,000 mark for the first time ever as this represents one of the fastest growth areas for rugby league.

“The NSWRL has had a proud history since it formed in 1907 and that tradition continues today and into the future.”

The participation figures were compiled after registrations cut off at the end of June and have been compared to the 2019 season, as that was not affected by the COVID-19 pandemic which disrupted community sport across Australia last year.

There have been plenty of success stories with the Sydney metropolitan areas recording significant growth in areas including Balmain, St George, Manly and North Sydney, while the results have been just as encouraging across Regional NSW, including Group 3 JRL, Group 9 JRL, Group 10 JRL, Group 18 JRL and Western Riverina.

NSWRL advises that number of total participants to date: 107,980 which is a 5.1% increase from 102,718 in 2019; male participants have risen to 85,170 which is a 1.7% increase from 83,803 in 2019 and also the highest growth since 2015; while female participants have climbed to record numbers of 22,810 which is a 20% increase from 18,915 in 2019.

NSWRL’s growth figures:

Balmain Junior Rugby League - 2053 participants from 1605 in 2019; Carlingford Cougars fielding an open aged team for first time in 15 years;
St George Junior Rugby League - 1675 participants from 1255 in 2019 which is their highest male participation in six years;
Manly Junior Rugby League - 2461 participants from 2080 in 2019;
North Sydney Junior Rugby league - 1670 participants from 1149 in 2019;
Parramatta Sunday JRL - 519 participants from 381 in 2019;
Penrith and District JRL - 8769 participants from 8517 in 2019;
Group 10 JRL - 2556 participants from 2201 in 2019
Group 11 JRL - 2814 participants from 2538 in 2019
Canberra Juniors - 4266 participants from 3720 in 2019
Central Coast Junior Rugby League - 4804 participants from 4214 in 2019;
Central Coast Seniors - 1185 participants from 890 in 2019;
Newcastle Junior Rugby League - 4339 participants from 4133 in 2019;
Maitland and District Junior Rugby League - 2319 participants from 2266 in 2019;
East Coast Region (Group 2, Group 3, Hastings League, Northern Rivers, Group 1 and Group 18) recording 10115 participants from 9680 in 2019.
Newcastle and Hunter Rugby League - 1992 participants from 1896 in 2019:
Western Riverina - 250 participants from 143 in 2019 with six teams taking part and each town hosting a triple header throughout the season, operating inaugural women’s tackle comp parallel to the League;
Canowindra Junior Rugby League - 137 participants from 90 in 2019 with the community celebrating their centenary this season.

1st August 2021 - NRL sidesteps Greater Brisbane lockdown with five games in two days at Suncorp Stadium

29th July 2021 - Ongoing Coronavirus challenges sees NRL delay plans for 17th team

22nd July 2021 - Australia and New Zealand withdraw from 2021 Rugby League World Cup over COVID concerns

12th July 2021 - NSW NRL clubs and Canberra Raiders to relocate to Queensland to counter NSW COVID-19 restrictions

24th June 2021 - 2021 NSW Community Sports Awards recognises contribution of volunteers

21st June 2021 - Cricket NSW and NSW Rugby League appoint Gemba to develop data strategies

17th June 2021 - Randwick Council provides update on new Heffron Centre community sporting complex

15th June 2021 - NSW Government announces $150 million Centre of Excellence Fund for community sport

11th June 2021 - NRL announces expansion of women’s competition to six teams

12th February 2021 - Hills Shire expands its rugby league facilities

18th August 2020 - NSW Chief Health Officer tightens Coronavirus rules for community sport

9th August 2020 - Three men hospitalised after ‘brutal’ stabbing at rugby league match in Western Sydney

22nd July 2020 - Australian Sports Foundation survey finds Coronavirus has taken $1.5 billion from community sport

23rd April 2020 - NSWRL announces plan for community league return on 18th July

23rd February 2020 - Canterbury Rugby League calls for alcohol-free rugby league fields

18th October 2019 - Unanimous vote backs rugby league in NSW being governed by one body

11th October 2019 - Fijian team to join NSWRL competition for 2020 season

7th August 2019 - NSWRL All Schools Carnival celebrates 75th Anniversary

4th July 2019 - Rugby league players considering class action over NRL’s approach to concussion

27th May 2019 - NSWRL claims rise in rugby league participation

6th February 2019 - Opening of NSWRL Centre of Excellence hailed as a ‘game-changer’

17th January 2019 - NSWRL steps in following collapse of Western Suburbs junior district

28th November 2018 - NSWRL named Organisation of the Year at NSW Sports Awards

22nd November 2018 - Children the stars in campaign to promote junior rugby league

20th September 2018 - NRL advises of rise in rugby league participation through 2018

22nd August 2017 - NSWRL to launch new junior competition formats

13th November 2014 - NRL’s Dave Smith praises rugby league at NSWRL Conference

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