Group 7 Rugby League

Group 7 Rugby League
Sport Rugby league
Formerly known as South Coast Rugby League
Instituted 1914
Inaugural season 1914 (as South Coast Rugby League), 1955 (as Group 7 Rugby League)
Number of teams 10
Country  Australia
Premiers Gerringong Lions (2013)
Most titles Gerringong Lions (17 titles)
Website southcoast.leaguenet.com.au

South Coast Group 7 Rugby League (or Group 7 Rugby League for simplicity) is the divisional boundary drawn from the Southern Illawarra and South Coast regions (from the town of Warilla south to Batemans Bay) of New South Wales, Australia and is governed by the NSWCRL. The main competition, (named South Coast Group 7 VB First Grade for sponsorship reasons), comprises eight (10) teams from across the region. In 2011 the competition won't feature a team from central Shoalhaven for the first time in a long time.[1] Group 7 Rugby League also administers Reserve Grade, Third Grade and Under-18's competitions, as well as looking over many junior competitions.

Teams

There are nine (10) teams competing in the 2013 South Coast Group 7 VB First Grade Competition:


Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles
Albion Park, NSW
Ground: Centenary Field
First season: 1933

Batemans Bay Tigers
Batemans Bay, NSW
Ground: Mackay Park
First season: 1978

Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies
Berry, NSW
Ground: Berry Showground
First season: 1914

Gerringong Lions
Gerringong, NSW
Ground: Michael Cronin Oval
First season: 1914

Jamberoo Superoos
Jamberoo, NSW
Ground: Kevin Walsh Oval
First season: 1914

Kiama Knights
Kiama, NSW
Ground: Kiama Showground
First season: 1914

Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs
Mollymook, NSW
Ground: Bill Andriske Oval
First season: 1930s

Nowra-Bomaderry Jets
Nowra, NSW
Ground: Nowra Showground
First season: 2008

Port Kembla Blacks
Port Kembla, NSW
Ground: Noel Mulligan Oval
First season: 2013

Warilla-Lake South Gorillas
Lake Illawarra, NSW
Ground: Cec Glenholmes Oval
First season: 1970

In Reserve Grade, an extra two (2) teams participate in an eleven (11) team competition:

Former Teams

Foundation Clubs

Of the original eight teams that competed in the inaugural competition in 1914, only four teams remain playing in first grade. They are the Berry Magpies, Gerringong Lions, Jamberoo Superoos, and Kiama Knights. The Nowra Warriors were also a foundation club, but due to financial reasons were forced to merge with the Bomaderry Swamp Rats in 2007, creating the team Shoalhaven Jets which compete in Reserve Grade.

Club Traditional Colours Years Contested Seasons
Played Premiers Minor Premiers Runners-Up
Berry Magpies 1914 – current 100 12 10
Bombo 1914–1929 (merged with Kiama) 16 1 0
Gerringong Lions 1914–1924, 1928–current 97 16 14
Jamberoo Superoos 1914–1989, 2009–current 81 8 9
Kiama Knights 1914–current 100 11 12
Kangaroo Valley 1914–? 0 1
Naval College 1914–? 0 0
Nowra Warriors 1914–2007 (formed Jets) 94 10 11

New teams

There have been a few teams to expand into the Group 7 Rugby League First Grade Premiership. Through the 20's-30's Albion Park were founded, joined the Illawarra Rugby League and returned to Group 7 in 1933. The Shellharbour Sharks are known to have joined the league at this time. Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs also joined from Group 16 Rugby League. The Warilla-Lake South Gorillas were first introduced into First Grade during the 1970s and in 1978 the Batemans Bay Tigers were another team to move from Group 16.

Club Traditional Colours Years Contested Seasons
Played Premiers Minor Premiers Runners-Up
Shellharbour Sharks 1920–2008 (to Illawarra) 89 5 13
Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs (from Group 16) c. 1930–current 84 5 2
Albion Park Eagles (from Illawarra) 1933 – current 81 12 5
Warilla Gorillas 1964–current 44 7 7
Batemans Bay Tigers (from Group 16) 1978–current 36 5 3
Nowra Saints early 1980s >5 0 1
Bomaderry Swamp Rats ?-2007 (formed Jets) 1 4
Bay and Basin United ?-2010, 2012 0 0
Nowra-Bomaderry Jets 2008–2010, 2012- 5 0 0
Port Kembla Blacks (from Illawarra) 2013- 1 0 0

History

Formative years

Rugby league has been played in the South Coast region of New South Wales since 1913, with the first competition taking place between teams from the Shoalhaven district. In May 1914, with other rugby clubs from across the region also splitting from rugby union to join the new code, the South Coast Rugby League was formed. The first season of what is now known as the Group 7 competition began with eight teams competing. These teams included: Berry, Bombo, Gerringong, Jamberoo, Kiama, Kangaroo Valley, Naval College, and Nowra. The First round began on 30 May 1914, with Kiama defeating Gerringong 6–3, Naval College defeating Bombo 7–5, Jamberoo Superoos defeating Kangaroo Valley 3–0, and Nowra Warriors defeating Berry Magpies 3–0. The inaugural premiers were Gerringong, winning the final 11–10 at the Kiama Showground. As soon as the league began, they entered a two-year hiatus due to World War I. No competitions were held between 1916 and 1917. When the competition reformed in 1918, Gerringong again won the title. The Nowra Warriors were the next team to win the title in 1919.

1920s

Gerringong went on to win the title a third time in 1920, with a 3–0 win over Jamberoo. During 1925–26, some of the northern teams moved into Illawarra Rugby League competition, including Gerringong, who took out the Illawarra Premiership in 1925. Jamberoo won the premiership in 1927. As a result, they were the first team to represent the South Coast in the first championship between South Coast and Illawarra Premiers. Jamberoo (South Coast) defeated Port Kembla (Illawarra) 15–11. In 1929, Bombo won their first (and only) premiership.

1930s

After winning their first premiership in 1929, Bombo merged with Kiama in 1930. The new entity, Bombo-Kiama, took out the title in their first season. They followed this up with another in 1933. Albion Park became re-affiliated with South Coast Rugby League in 1933. Milton-Ulladulla joined the league in the 1930s from Group 16 Rugby League. Between 1935 and 1937, the Berry Magpies won the premiership three years consecutively. Junior aged competitions (U-17's, 18's, 19's) were first introduced in 1938. The Shellharbour Sharks won their first premiership in 1939.

1940s

Again, the competition faced a hiatus, this time between 1942–43, due to World War II. Albion Park won their maiden Premiership in 1944. Kiama (as a single entity) won the title in 1945. They went on to win a further three titles, becoming the first and only club to win four consecutive titles (1945–1948).

1950s – 1960s

For a second time, between 1952 and 1954, Berry record premiership wins three years consecutively. In 1955, the league was renamed Group 7 Rugby League. Shellharbour won the Premiership in 1962 after a 23-year drought. In 1967, Bomaderry record their first premiership win.

1970s – 1980s

In the 1970s, an expansion occurred when Warilla entered the first grade competition in 1970. They go on to win their first premiership in 1978. The Batemans Bay Tigers win their first premiership in 1979, after joining one year earlier in 1978 from Group 16. In 1980, the league was re-branded as South Coast Group Seven. Milton-Ulladulla record their first premiership win in 1987.

Modern Times

A hat-trick of premierships is again recorded, this time by the Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles between 1998–2000.

Source: Group 7 Rugby League History

Premierships

First Grade Premiers

Season Grand Final Information Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-Up
1914 Gerringong 11–10 Nowra
1915 Jamberoo Forfeit Gerringong
No competition held between 1916–1917
1918 Gerringong 12–3 Kiama
1919 Nowra 7–7
13–9
Kiama (Dinkums)
1920 Gerringong 3–0 Jamberoo
1921 Gerringong 8–7 Berry
1922 Gerringong 11–0 Berry
1923 Berry 6–5 Gerringong
1924 Gerringong 10–0 Berry
1925 Kiama 8–5 Kangaroo Valley
1926 Berry 13–10 Jamberoo
1927 Jamberoo 14–0 Berry
1928 Berry 5–2 Gerringong
1929 Bombo 12–7 Gerringong
1930 Kiama-Bombo 3–3
6–4
Nowra
1931 Jamberoo 10–0 Shellharbour
1932 Jamberoo 21–0 Shellharbour
1933 Kiama-Bombo 7–4 Nowra
1934 Nowra 16–10 Kiama-Bombo
1935 Berry 11–2 Kiama-Bombo
1936 Berry 22–4 Gerringong
1937 Berry 15–2 Nowra
1938 Nowra 12–5 Jamberoo Nowra
1939 Shellharbour 4–2 Jamberoo
1940 Gerringong 6–2 Kiama
1941 Berry 10–7 Kiama
No competition held between 1942–1943
1944 Albion Park 4–3 Nowra
1945 Kiama 5–0 Nowra
1946 Kiama 3–0 Jamberoo Kiama
1947 Kiama 19–5 Jamberoo
1948 Kiama 5–5
10–6
Berry
1949 Albion Park 2–0 Gerringong
1950 Kiama 5–5
2–0
Jamberoo
1951 Jamberoo 15–5 Kiama
1952 Berry 8–0 Gerringong
1953 Berry 12–2 Kiama
1954 Berry 13–0 Jamberoo
1955 Nowra 13–9 Shellharbour
1956 Gerringong 6–5 Jamberoo
1957 Nowra 19–10 Shellharbour
1958 Jamberoo 18–8 Berry
1959 Nowra 8–6 Bomaderry
1960 Gerringong 7–3 Nowra
1961 Jamberoo 7–2 Nowra
1962 Shellharbour 13–6 Albion Park
1963 Albion Park-Oak Flats 3–0 Berry
1964 Albion Park-Oak Flats 6–5 Berry
1965 Gerringong 14–9 Albion Park-Oak Flats
1966 Berry 4–0 Shellharbour
1967 Berry 15–7 Nowra
1968 Gerringong 15–9 Shellharbour
1969 Kiama 2–2
14–2
Bomaderry
1970 Gerringong 17–15 Shellharbour (Workers)
1971 Shellharbour (Workers) 8–0 Gerringong
1972 Gerringong 13–7 Shellharbour (Workers)
1973 Shellharbour (Workers) 36–7 Gerringong
1974 Jamberoo 13–5 (AET) Albion Park-Oak Flats
1975 Albion Park-Oak Flats 19–8 Gerringong
1976 Bomaderry 14–12 Albion Park-Oak Flats
1977 Nowra 21–7 Kiama
1978 Warilla 10–2 Bomaderry
1979 Batemans Bay 10–0 Milton-Ulladulla
1980 Warilla-Lake South 14–10 Shellharbour (Workers)
1981 Nowra 20–3 Warilla-Lake South
1982 Warilla-Lake South 27–7 Nowra Saints Warilla-Lake South
1983 Kiama 38–6 Shellharbour (Workers)
1984 Warilla-Lake South 30–6 Kiama
1985 Kiama 22–18 Nowra Warriors
1986 Batemans Bay 10–8 Warilla
1987 Milton-Ulladulla 13–12 Gerringong
1988 Batemans Bay 19–12 Gerringong
1989 Milton-Ulladulla 8–4 Gerringong
1990 Gerringong 19–16 Kiama
1991 Warilla-Lake South 22–1 Kiama
1992 Batemans Bay 26–6 Warilla-Lake South
1993 Nowra 16–12 Bomaderry Batemans Bay
1994 Gerringong 9–6 Warilla-Lake South
1995 Warilla-Lake South 12–10 Nowra Warriors
1996 Nowra 42–6 Shellharbour
1997 Warilla-Lake South 18–16 Albion Park-Oak Flats Warilla-Lake South
1998 Albion Park-Oak Flats 11–4 Warilla-Lake South Warilla-Lake South
1999 Albion Park-Oak Flats 30–16 Batemans Bay
2000 Albion Park-Oak Flats 31–18 Batemans Bay
2001 Shellharbour City 22–20 Batemans Bay
2002 Batemans Bay 54–10 Milton-Ulladulla
2003 Albion Park-Oak Flats 14–10 Gerringong
2004[2] Milton-Ulladulla 50–12 Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Milton-Ulladulla
2005[3] Milton-Ulladulla 34–22 Albion Park-Oak Flats Albion Park-Oak Flats[3][4]
2006[5] Albion Park-Oak Flats 30–0 Shellharbour City Albion Park-Oak Flats
2007 Albion Park-Oak Flats 44–10 Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Albion Park-Oak Flats[6]
2008[7] Milton-Ulladulla 36–24 Shellharbour City Shellharbour City
2009[8] Albion Park-Oak Flats 25–22 Warilla-Lake South Warilla-Lake South
2010[9] Gerringong 21–20 Warilla-Lake South Albion Park-Oak Flats
2011[10] Warilla-Lake South 36–6 Gerringong Warilla-Lake South[11]
2012[12] Albion Park-Oak Flats 16-14 Gerringong Albion Park-Oak Flats
2013[13] Gerringong 14–13^ Warilla-Lake South Gerringong
2014 Nowra-Bomaderry 30–20 Warilla-Lake South
2015 Gerringong 26–22 Warilla-Lake South
2016 Gerringong[14]

    Total Premierships Won

    Team Titles Years
    Gerringong Lions 18 1914, 1918, 1920, 1921, 1922, 1924, 1940, 1956, 1960, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1990, 1994, 2010, 2013, 2015
    Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles 13 1944, 1949, 1963, 1964, 1975, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
    Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies 12 1923, 1926, 1928, 1935, 1936, 1937, 1941, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1966, 1967,
    Kiama Knights 11 1925, 1930, 1933, 1945, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1950, 1969, 1983, 1985
    Nowra Warriors 10 1919, 1934, 1938, 1955, 1957, 1959, 1977, 1981, 1993, 1996
    Jamberoo Superoos 8 1915, 1927, 1931, 1932, 1951, 1958, 1961, 1974
    Warilla-Lake South Gorillas 7 1978, 1990, 1982, 1991, 1995, 1997, 2011
    Shellharbour Sharks 5 1939, 1962, 1971, 1973, 2001
    Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs 5 1987, 1989, 2004, 2005, 2008
    Batemans Bay Tigers 5 1979, 1986, 1988, 1992, 2002
    Bomaderry Swamp Rats 1 1976
    Bombo 1 1929
    Nowra-Bomaderry Jets 1 2014

    References

    External links

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