The Western Premiership (also known as the Peter McDonald Premiership due to the name of its First Grade competition) is a New South Wales, Australia rugby league competition. The competition commenced in 2022 and incorporates the former Group 10 and Group 11 competitions.
The competition is named in honour of the late Peter 'Ace' McDonald, a long-time Cowra Magpies, Group 10, Western Division and Country Rugby League administrator, and is played in four grades, these being First-Grade, Reserve-Grade, Under 18s and Ladies League Tag.
History The competition is the result of a merger between the historic Group 10 and Group 11 Rugby League competitions.
The competition was founded in 2022 after a series of strategic meetings with Group 10 and 11 clubs conducted by the NSWRL.
The competition initially only had First Grade and Under 18s, with respective reserves and women's tag competitions remaining under the control of Group 10 and Group 11. However, the competition will feature all four grades from 2023, as clubs wanted a full consistent matchday.
Initially, the competition also had two conferences, and implemented a first past the post system to award the historic Group 10 and 11 titles to the clubs who finished first on the ladder the respective historic competitions, however the conference system was scrapped in favour of a single league system from 2024 onwards.
Initially, the First Grade premiers progressed to the two week state NSWRL Presidents Cup finals against the Northern (Newcastle), Southern (Illawarra) and Ron Massey Cup (Sydney) conferences to crown the state semi-professional club champions, however this was scrapped after the 2023 season.
Clubs 12 clubs compete in the Peter McDonald Premiership. All clubs field all grades.
Current clubs
ClubMonikerGroupHome groundPremiershipsPremiership YearsFirst Grade BathurstPanthersGroup 10 Carrington Park, Bathurst0 None Bathurst St Patrick'sSt Pat'sGroup 10 Jack Arrow Sporting Complex, Bathurst0 None Dubbo CYMSFishiesGroup 11Apex Oval, Dubbo22023, 2025 Dubbo MacquarieRaidersGroup 11Apex Oval, Dubbo0None ForbesMagpiesGroup 11Spooner Park, Forbes22022, 2026 Lithgow Workmen's ClubWolvesGroup 10 Tony Luchetti Showground, Lithgow0 None MudgeeDragonsGroup 10 Glen Willow Oval, Mudgee12024 NynganTigersGroup 11Larkin Oval, Nyngan0None Orange CYMSCYMSGroup 10 Wade Park, Orange0 None OrangeHawksGroup 10 Wade Park, Orange0 None ParkesSpacemenGroup 11Pioneer Oval, Parkes0None WellingtonCowboysGroup 11Kennard Park, Wellington0None
Former clubs TownTeamHome groundConferencePremiershipsPremiership Years Blayney Bears King George Oval Group 10 0 None CowraMagpies Sid Kallas Oval Group 10 0 None
Grand Finals
Peter McDonald Premiership (First Grade) Year Premiers Score Runner-up Venue Scott Weir Medal Minor Premiers 2022 Forbes28-16 Dubbo CYMSApex Oval, DubboMitch Andrews (Forbes) Mudgee (Group 10) / Dubbo CYMS (Group 11)2023 Dubbo CYMS25-12 MudgeeApex Oval, DubboJarryn Powyer (Dubbo CYMS) Mudgee (Group 10) / Dubbo CYMS (Group 11)2024 Mudgee46-16 ParkesGlen Willow Oval, MudgeeClay Priest (Mudgee) Mudgee2025 Dubbo CYMS23-22 ForbesApex Oval, DubboJeremy Thurston (Dubbo CYMS) Dubbo CYMS2026 Forbes36-16 Dubbo CYMSSpooner Oval, Forbes Mitch Andrews (Forbes) Mudgee Western Premiership - R eserve Grade Year Premiers Score Runner-upVenueMinor Premiers2022 Bathurst Panthers29-24 Dubbo CYMSApex Oval, Dubbo Bathurst Panthers (Group 10) / Dubbo CYMS (Group 11)2023 Dubbo CYMS32-22 CowraApex Oval, Dubbo Cowra (Group 10) / Dubbo CYMS (Group 11)2024 Dubbo CYMS18-10 MudgeeGlen Willow Oval, Mudgee Dubbo CYMS2025 Nyngan16-8 Dubbo MacquarieApex Oval, Dubbo Dubbo CYMS2026 Forbes18-6 MudgeeSpooner Oval, Forbes Dubbo Macquarie
Western Premiership - League Tag YearPremiersScoreRunner-upVenueMinor Premiers2022 Bathurst St Patrick's28-0 Dubbo CYMSApex Oval, Dubbo Bathurst St Patrick's (Group 10) / Dubbo CYMS (Group 11)2023 Bathurst St Patrick's32-8 Dubbo MacquarieApex Oval, Dubbo Bathurst St Patrick's (Group 10) / Dubbo CYMS (Group 11)2024 Dubbo Macquarie18-6 Bathurst St Patrick'sGlen Willow Oval, Mudgee Dubbo Macqurarie2025 Dubbo Macquarie14-12 Dubbo CYMSApex Oval, Dubbo Bathurst St Patrick's2026 Orange CYMS18-10 ForbesSpooner Oval, Forbes Orange CYMS
Tom Nelson Under 18s Premiership YearPremiersScoreRunner-upVenueMinor Premiers2022 Nyngan26-12 Bathurst St Patrick'sApex Oval, Dubbo2023 Orange Hawks42-14 LithgowApex Oval, Dubbo Orange Hawks (Group 10) / Dubbo CYMS2024 Orange Hawks22-8 Dubbo CYMSGlen Willow Oval, Mudgee Orange Hawks2025 Dubbo CYMS34-8 Bathurst PanthersApex Oval, Dubbo Dubbo CYMS2026 Bathurst Panthers18-16 ForbesSpooners Oval, Forbes Bathurst Panthers
Western Women's Rugby League The Western Women's Rugby League (WWRL) is a post-season women's tackle competition contested in the Central West. It features teams from the Peter McDonald Premiership, and their affiliates (in the case of Orange and Panorama), as well as representative sides from other Western Division competitions such as the Castlereagh League and Woodbridge Cup.
Clubs CurrentTownTeamHome groundTitlesPremiership YearsNo Castlereagh Cougars Coonamble Sports GroundNo Lachlan DistrictLachlanPioneer Oval, ParkesYes Mudgee Dragons Glen Willow Sports StadiumNo Orange Vipers Pride Park, Waratah Sports Ground12020No Panorama Platypi Jack Arrow Sporting Complex5 2022 (summer), 2022 (spring), 2023, 2024, 2025No Wiradjuri Goannas Kennard Park, WellingtonNo Woodbridge Cup Henry Lawson Oval, GrenfellYes Orange CymsWade Park, Orange 12026Yes ForbesMagpies Spooners Oval, ForbesYes Dubbo CymsApex Oval, Dubbo
PMP Graduates Nyghan Fletcher Hunt (2024- Newcastle Knights)
Other Notabale players Bathurst Panther Grant Garvey (2016 Sydney Roosters)
Bathurst St Pat's
Dubbo CYMS
Dubbo Macquarie Justin Carney (2008-10 Canberra Raiders) (2011-12 Sydney Roosters)
Forbes Pio Seci (2022 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Lithgow Kadiyae Ioka (2023 Cook Islands)
Mudgee Clay Priest (2016-17 Canberra Raiders) (2018Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs) Jack Littlejohn (2014 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles) (2016-17 Wests Tigers) Zac Saddler (2021 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles) Anthony Cherrington (2008-12 Sydney Roosters) (2017 South Sydney Rabbitohs)
Nyghan Vincent Leuluai (2016 Sydney Roosters) (2017Melbourne Storm) Constantine Mika (2009-11 Newcastle Knights)
Orange CYMS Jack Buchanan (2013-16 Wests Tigers) Daniel Mortimer (2009-11 Parramatta Eels) (2012-14Sydney Roosters) (2014-16 Gold Coast Titans) (2017Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks) Orange Hawks
Parkes Spacemen Jack Buchanan (2013-16 Wests Tigers) Tikiko Noke (2015 Fiji)
Wellington Blake Ferguson (2009-10 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks) (2011-13 Canberra Raiders) (2015-18 Sydney Roosters) (2019-21 Parramatta Eels) References