The Group 15 Rugby League, now known as Barwon Darling Rugby League Cup is a rugby league competition in Far North West NSW.
The competition has six teams from across Western NSW, with another currently in recess.
History Group 15 was a rugby league competition based in the northeastern quarter of the Western Division, New South Wales, Australia. The last premiership was held in 1992 with Lightning Ridge beating Bourke.
Group 15 clubs currently play in the revamped Barwon Darling Rugby League Cup, which is essentially a reformed Group 15 Premiership, run by the Country Rugby League as part of Region 4 (Western Rams).
Barwon Darling Rugby League Cup The Barwon Darling Rugby League is the new competition held in the area following the demise of Group 15. Five former Group 15 clubs are involved, plus the more recently formed Newtown Wanderers club, with towns such as Bourke, Brewarrina, Goodooga, Lightning Ridge and Walgett (Dragons and Wanderers) entering teams. Collarenebri has also fielded sides in the past, but are currently in recess. The competition is the a key social event in most of the communities involved, as they are small rural townships.
The competition has been dominated by the Walgett Dragons and Bourke Warriors in recent years, with many premierships going to either one of the sides, with Brewarrina being the other consistently competitive side. Goodooga broke a 34 year title drought in 2022 defeating Bourke 27-26 to claim the title, before going back-to-back the following year.
Teams Barwon Darling Rugby League Cup Teams TeamMonikerTownGroundFirst Grade Clubs BrewarrinaGolden GoogarsBrewarrina, New South WalesGeoff New Oval CollarenebriBulldogsCollarenebri, New South WalesCollarenebri Sportsground Goodooga MagpiesGoodooga, New South WalesMagpie Oval WalgettDragonsWalgett, New South WalesRicky Walford OvalLower Grade Clubs Lightning RidgeRedbacksLightning Ridge, New South WalesSpider Brown Oval
In Recess TeamMonikerTownGroundFirst Grade Clubs BourkeWarriorsBourke, New South WalesDavidson Oval Lightning RidgeRedbacksLightning Ridge, New South WalesSpider Brown Oval
Former Group 15 teams included Barwon United (folded) Bourke Warriors Brewarrina Googars Canbelego Cobar Roosters (Now in Castlereagh League) Collarenebri Bulldogs Enngonia Outlaws Goodooga Magpies Lightning Ridge Redbacks Mungindi Grasshoppers Newtown Wanderers Nyngan Tigers (Now in Group 11/Peter McDonald Premiership) Walgett Dragons Warren Bulldogs (Now in Castlereagh League)
Grand Finals
Barwon Darling Rugby League +Barwon Darling RL PremiersYear PremiersScoreRunners-upWinning Coach2000s–2011 Unknown2012 Bourke22–18 Walgett2013 Walgett50–10 Bourke2014 Walgett10–6 Bourke2015 Bourke48–24 Walgett2016 Walgett40–24 Cobar2017 Brewarrina42–18 Walgett2018 Bourke62–34 Walgett2019 Walgett38–18 Bourke2020No premiers due to COVID-19 pandemic20212022 Goodooga27–26 BourkeRobert Hooper2022 Goodooga30–22 Bourke
Group 15 Rugby League Year Premiers Score Runners-up Winning Coach 1949 Cobar8–5 Bourke 1950 1951 Cobar16–2 Warren 1952 1953 Trangie9–2 Warren 1954 1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 Brewarrina16–14 Nyngan 1963 1964 Brewarrina14–13 Nyngan 1965 1966 1967 Bourke10–7 Brewarrina J. Mumbler 1968 Cobar5–4 Brewarrina Brad Wynd 1969 Brewarrina27–14 Bourke 1970 Bourke 1971 Cobar33–6 Bourke Brian Lawrence 1972 Cobar23–2 Walgett Brian Lawrence 1973 Walgett27–21 Brewarrina 1974 Bourke16–6 Goodooga B. Hollman 1975 Walgett16–11 Brewarrina Ken Morgan 1976 Bourke68–13 Walgett 1977Cobar 8-5. Walgett Mick Bannister 1978 Cobar21–0 Goodooga Peter Fox 1979 Nyngan28–12 Goodooga 1980 Goodooga16–12 Nyngan Ron Mason 1981 Bourke24–17 Cobar F. Harvey 1982 Bourke19–12 Nyngan Alan Hamilton 1983 Nyngan24–22 Bourke G. Moore 1984 Bourke56–0 Nyngan 1984 Goodooga26–6 Mungindi 1985 Goodooga28–24 Brewarrina 1986 Brewarrina38–24 Goodooga 1987 Bourke40–20 Walgett Keith Harvey 1988 Goodooga44–32 Bourke John Stanton 1989 Bourke32–29 Walgett Tony Darigo 1990 Bourke31–26 Walgett Stephen Howlett 1991 Walgett20–17 Lightning Ridge Richie Simpson 1992 Lightning Ridge38–6 Bourke Ron Ferguson
Sources Years Item Via 1967–69, 1971–96 Country Rugby League Annual Report State Library of NSW 1982 to 2001 Rugby League Week Bound copies at State Library of NSW 2002 to 2014 Rugby League Week eResources at State Library of NSW2012 to 2022Western Rams YouTube ChannelYouTube Videos2022 to 2023Battlers For Bush FootyWebsite
References