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S. G. Ball Cup
Australian junior rugby competition
Australian junior rugby competition
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| name | S. G. Ball Cup |
| logo | SG Ball Cup Logo.gif |
| logo_caption | Logo 2013-2017 |
| founded | 1965 |
| inaugural | 1965 |
| teams | 16 |
| country | |
| championtag | Premiers |
| champion | Sydney (Easts) (5th title) |
| most_champs | Parramatta |
| count | 14 |
| website | [S. G. Ball Cup ](https://www.nswrl.com.au/about/competitions/junior-reps-and-development/sg-ball/) |
| related_comps | Harold Matthews Cup |
| Laurie Daley Cup | |
| Mal Meninga Cup | |
| season | [2025](2025-new-south-wales-rugby-league) |
Laurie Daley Cup Mal Meninga Cup
The S. G. Ball Cup is a junior rugby league football competition played predominantly in New South Wales, between teams made up of male players aged under 19. Teams from Canberra and Melbourne, and Auckland also participate. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales a team from Perth (West Coast) also participated. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League, and includes both junior representative teams of NRL and NSWRL clubs that do not field a team in the NRL.
The S. G. Ball Cup is named after S. G. "George" Ball, one of the five people responsible for the formation of South Sydney, and who was club secretary for over fifty years.
Clubs
In 2025, 16 clubs fielded teams in the NSWRL S G Ball Cup.
- Balmain
- Canberra
- Canterbury
- Cronulla
- Illawarra
- Manly
- Melbourne
- Newcastle
- New Zealand (Auckland)
- North Sydney
- Parramatta
- Penrith
- Souths
- St George
- Sydney (Eastern Suburbs)
- Western Suburbs
In 2020, 18 clubs fielded teams in the NSWRL S G Ball Cup. After the sixth round on March 14 & 15, the 2020 competition was suspended and subsequently cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia. Three teams from 2020 that did not return in 2021 were:
- Central Coast
- West Coast
- New Zealand (Auckland), who returned to the competition in 2023.
Previous teams that participated in the SG Ball Cup include: Gold Coast (2008–09), Newtown (1970s, early 1980s & 2009), Western Sydney Academy of Sport (2007–17).
Melbourne Storm competed in the S.G. Ball Cup from 2009 to 2014, did not compete from 2015 to 2018, and competed as the Victoria Thunderbolts from 2020 to 2022. The club returned as the Melbourne Storm from the 2023 season.
S. G. Ball Cup Premiers
1965 to Current
| Year | Premiers | Score | Runners up | Minor Premiers | Wooden Spoon | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | Souths | 5 – 4 | Canterbury | *Not applicable – Knock-Out Competition* | ||
| 1966 | Parramatta | 12 – 0 | Souths | Parramatta | Norths | |
| 1967 | Parramatta | 7 – 2 | Souths | Canterbury | Newtown | |
| 1968 | Parramatta | 7 – 4 | Souths | Parramatta | Norths | |
| 1969 | Souths | 13 – 3 | Penrith | Souths | Newtown | |
| 1970 | St George | 12 – 10 | Parramatta | Souths | Easts | |
| 1971 | Wests | 7 – 3 | Souths | Souths | Newtown | |
| 1972 | Canterbury | 13 – 8 | Parramatta | Parramatta | Norths | |
| 1973 | Parramatta | 19 – 10 | Penrith | Penrith | Norths | |
| 1974 | Souths | 12 – 8 | Balmain | Balmain | Norths | |
| 1975 | Souths | 13 – 2 | St George | Parramatta | Newtown | |
| 1976 | Souths | 28 – 3 | Wests | Souths | Norths | |
| 1977 | Penrith | 5 – 2 | Parramatta | |||
| 1978 | Canterbury | 14 – 0 | Penrith | *12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams. | ||
| Semi-Finals were: | ||||||
| Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place, | ||||||
| Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place.* | ||||||
| 1979 | Souths | 8 – 0 | Balmain | |||
| 1980 | Souths | 23 – 10 | Balmain | |||
| 1981 | Penrith | 18 – 9 | Balmain | |||
| 1982 | Balmain | 25 – 16 | Newtown | Cronulla | Easts | |
| 1983 | Parramatta | 30 – 0 | Wests | Wests | Newtown | |
| 1984 | St George | 18 – 16 | Parramatta | Parramatta | Wests | |
| 1985 | Parramatta | 32 – 12 | St George | Canterbury | Wests | |
| 1986 | Souths | 16 – 8 | Parramatta | Souths | ||
| 1987 | Parramatta | 32 – 10 | Canberra | Parramatta | Easts | |
| 1988 | Parramatta | 20 – 10 | Penrith | |||
| 1989 | Illawarra | 32 – 22 | Penrith | Illawarra | Easts | |
| 1990 | Newcastle | 23 – 10 | Manly | Newcastle | Easts | |
| 1991 | Parramatta | 32 – 6 | Manly | Manly | Easts | |
| 1992 | St George | 20 – 0 | Canterbury | St George | Easts | |
| 1993 | Parramatta | 28 – 20 | St George | |||
| 1994 | Souths | 22 – 20 | Newcastle | |||
| 1995 | Canberra | 36 – 6 | Penrith | Canberra | ||
| 1996 | Illawarra | 8 – 0 | Parramatta | Illawarra | Canterbury | |
| 1997 | Sydney City (Easts) | 11 – 10 | Newcastle | Newcastle | ||
| 1998 | Souths | 20 – 16 | Manly | Illawarra | Canterbury | |
| 1999 | Parramatta | 38 – 6 | Illawarra | Parramatta | St George | |
| 2000 | Penrith | 28 – 24 | Illawarra | Newcastle | Wests | |
| 2001 | Newcastle | 34 – 26 | Penrith | Parramatta | St George | |
| 2002 | Wests | 18 – 16 | Parramatta | Illawarra | Manly | |
| 2003 | Canberra | 16 – 4 | Parramatta | Parramatta | St George | |
| 2004 | Newcastle | 42 – 16 | Souths | Sydney (Easts) | Norths | |
| 2005 | Canberra | 34 – 12 | Illawarra | Parramatta | Norths | |
| 2006 | Penrith | 18 – 16 | Souths | Parramatta | Norths | |
| 2007 | Parramatta | 22 – 12 | Penrith | Penrith | Western Sydney (A) | |
| 2008 | Sydney (Easts) | 38 – 20 | Parramatta | Canterbury | Norths | |
| 2009 | Canterbury | 42 – 16 | Melbourne | St George | Wests | |
| 2010 | Sydney (Easts) | 28 – 24 | Parramatta | Cronulla | Central Coast | |
| 2011 | Newcastle | 25 – 24 | Canterbury | Wests | Western Sydney (A) | |
| 2012 | Balmain | 42 – 20 | Canberra | Balmain | Western Sydney (A) | |
| 2013 | Balmain | 14 – 6 | Penrith | Penrith | West Coast | |
| 2014 | Sydney (Easts) | 34 – 30 (iet) | Penrith | Parramatta | West Coast | |
| 2015 | Cronulla | 24 – 16 | Souths | Canberra | Norths | |
| 2016 | Penrith | 25 – 10 | Illawarra | Newcastle | West Coast | |
| 2017 | Parramatta | 30 – 22 | Cronulla | Cronulla | West Coast | |
| 2018 | Penrith | 25 – 14 | Canterbury | Sydney (Easts) | West Coast | |
| 2019 | Illawarra | 34 – 23 | Manly | Manly | West Coast | |
| [2020](2020-new-south-wales-rugby-league) | Season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic. | |||||
| [2021](2021-new-south-wales-rugby-league) | Canberra | 18 – 14 | Illawarra | Sydney (Easts) | Norths | |
| [2022](2022-new-south-wales-rugby-league) | Penrith | 22 – 20 | Sydney (Easts) | Sydney (Easts) | Victoria (Melbourne) | |
| [2023](2023-new-south-wales-rugby-league) | Parramatta | 28 – 22 | Newcastle | Canberra | Melbourne | |
| [2024](2024-new-south-wales-rugby-league) | St George | 40 – 18 | Canterbury | Sydney (Easts) | Balmain | |
| 2025 | Sydney (Easts) | 33 – 26 (aet) | Parramatta | Parramatta | Norths |
- U16/s from 1965 until 2005
- U18/s from 2006 until 2020
- U19/s from 2021 onwards
Premiership Tally
| No. | Club | Seasons |
|---|---|---|
| **0** | ** Manly** | **0** |
| **0** | ** Norths** | **0** |
| **1** | ** Parramatta** | ** 14** (1966, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2007, 2017, 2023) |
| **2** | ** South Sydney** | **10** (1965, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1994, 1998) |
| **3** | ** Penrith** | **7** (1977, 1981, 2000, 2006, 2016, 2018, 2022) |
| **4** | **Sydney (Eastern Suburbs)** | **5** (1997, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2025) |
| **5** | ** Canberra** | **4** (1995, 2003, 2005, 2021) |
| **5** | ** Newcastle** | **4** (1990, 2001, 2004, 2011) |
| **5** | ** St George** | **4** (1970, 1984, 1992, 2024) |
| **8** | ** Canterbury** | **3** (1972, 1978, 2009) |
| **8** | ** Balmain** | **3** (1982, 2012, 2013) |
| **8** | ** Illawarra** | **3** (1989, 1996, 2019) |
| **11** | ** Western Suburbs** | **2** (1971, 2002) |
| **12** | ** Cronulla** | **1** (2015) |
Bold means the team is currently taking part in the competition.
References
References
- (27 Mar 2020). "NSWRL cancels nine competitions for 2020 season".
- "Souths, Parramatta Share Junior Cup Honours". N.S.W. Rugby Football League.
- "Souths Take Junior Cups". N.S.W. Rugby Football League.
- "JUNIOR FINALS". N.S.W. Rugby Football League.
- "Junior Stars Called Up". N.S.W. Rugby Football League.
- "The Juniors - A Goal-Kicking Discovery". N.S.W. Rugby Football League.
- "Cup to Balmain". N.S.W. Rugby Football League.
- "Penrith’s Bright Future". Forsyth Publications on behalf of New South Wales Rugby League.
- . (17 May 1978). "Junior Representative Finals". *Big League*.
- . (6 Jun 1979). "Junior Representative Finals". *Big League*.
- . (28 May 1980). "Junior Representative Finals". *Big League*.
- . (3 Jun 1981). "Junior Representative Finals". *Big League*.
- . (28 April 1982). "S.G. Ball Competition". *Big League*.
- . (12 May 1982). "Junior Rep Finals Results". *Big League*.
- (17 Jun 1984). "Sports results, details". National Library of Australia.
- (1987). "Rugby League 1987-88". Lester-Townsend Publishing.
- (9 Jun 1987). "Junior Raiders fail at the last hurdle". National Library of Australia.
- (14 Jun 1988). "Times Sport". National Library of Australia.
- (1990). "Rugby League 1989-90". Lester-Townsend Publishing.
- (24 May 1991). "Winfield Cup - S.G. Ball". National Library of Australia.
- (19 May 1991). "Young Raiders pull off a long shot". National Library of Australia.
- (6 Jun 1993). "Sport". National Library of Australia.
- (5 Jun 1994). "Siren Scores". National Library of Australia.
- Melehan, Sean. (6 Jun 1994). "Knights juniors beaten on bell". Newcastle Herald.
- Hannan, Bevan. (25 Jun 1995). "Close shave for Raiders' coach as reserves team makes it six". National Library of Australia.
- Gandon, Mike. (7 Sep 1996). "Junior seize the day - Grand final glory for Steelers". Illawarra Mercury.
- (1998). "Rugby League 1998". Harper Sports.
- Gandon, Mike. (10 May 1999). "Junior Eels pull off cup double - Too good for brave Illawarra". Illawarra Mercury.
- (2000). "Rugby League 2000". Harper Sports.
- Murray, Dave. (1 May 2000). "Penrith youngsters snatch SG Ball grand final - Steelers gallant in defeat". Illawarra Mercury.
- (2001). "Rugby League 2001". Harper Sports.
- (19 May 2003). "Monday Scoreboard - Part 2 - Netball-Water Polo". News Limited.
- (18 May 2003). "Ball final goes to Raiders". Fairfax.
- (2020-03-27). "NSWRL cancels nine competitions for 2020 season".
- McEnally, Andrew. (1 May 2021). "Raiders hold off Steelers in hard fought UNE SG Ball Cup Grand Final win".
- Honeysett, Stuart. (30 Apr 2022). "Panthers stage stunning fightback to claim SG Ball Cup premiership".
- McDonald, Margie. (29 Apr 2023). "Eels able to outlast determined Knights".
- Micallef, Tayla. (27 Apr 2024). "Dragons break 32-year drought".
- Beatton, Joel. (27 Apr 2024). "SG Ball Cup: Dragons complete dream season with Grand Final dominance".
- McDonald, Margie. (3 May 2025). "Roosters pull a premiership from the fire in a SG Ball Cup thriller".
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