Group 2 Rugby League

Group 2 is a rugby league competition on the north coast of New South Wales Since 1966, run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League. The Group 2 area runs from Grafton in the north to Macksville in the south. Group 2 teams played for many decades before 1966 when some redistribution, amalgamation or control mechanism presumably changed. Teams on the Nambucca River, namely Bowraville, Macksville and Nambucca Heads played in a southern division against Kempsey, Smithtown, Port Macquarie and Wauchope before 1966.

Group 2 Rugby League
SportRugby league
Instituted1966
Inaugural season1966
Number of teams9 senior clubs (12 junior clubs)
Country Australia
Premiers Woolgoolga Seahorses (2023)
Most titles Bellingen Magpies (9 titles)
WebsiteGroup 2 Rugby League on facebook

Teams

Clubs in 2022 Group 2 Competitions
ClubsCity/Town Home Ground TitlesSeniorsJuniors
Senior Clubs
Bellingen Dorrigo MagpiesBellingen/Dorrigo Bellingen Park 1980–82, 1984, 1987–90, 1999YesYes
Coffs Harbour CometsCoffs Harbour Geoff King Motors Oval 1970–71, 1973–74, 1983, 1985, 2013, 2018YesYes
Grafton GhostsGrafton Frank McGuren Field 2014, 2017, 2019YesYes
Macksville Sea EaglesMacksville Allan Gillett Oval 1979, 1991, 1995YesYes
Nambucca Heads RoostersNambucca Heads Coronation Park 1969, 1972, 1975–76, 1986, 1992–93YesYes
Sawtell PanthersCoffs Harbour (Sawtell) Rex Hardaker Oval 1978, 2009, 2011YesYes
South Grafton RebelsGrafton McKittrick Park 2015–16, 2022YesYes
Woolgoolga SeahorsesWoolgoolga Woolgoolga Sports Ground 2023YesYes
Orara Valley AxemenCoffs Harbour (Coramba) Coramba Sportsground 1994, 1997, 2008Recess 2023Yes
Junior Clubs
Bowraville TigersBowraville Bowraville Sports Hub NoneNoYes
Kempsey DragonsKempsey Verge Street Oval NoneNo*Yes
Smithtown TigersSmithtown Smithtown Oval 1966, 1968, 1977No‡Yes

*Kempsey Dragons no longer field a senior team, but remain a member of Group 2. Kempsey's modern senior side, the Macleay Valley Mustangs, play in the Group 3 Rugby League Premiership.

‡Smithtown's senior team is Lower Macleay Magpies, in Hastings League.

Former Clubs
Former clubs
Coffs Harbour Raiders
Coffs Jetty Park Beach
Central Kempsey
Gimbisi Valley Warriors
Dunghutti Broncos
Kempsey Kowboys
Kempsey Dragons
Macleay Valley Mustangs
Ngaku Warriors (Kempsey)
Port City Breakers
Port Macquarie Sharks
Smithtown

First Grade Grand Final Results 1966–present
Season Grand Final Information Minor Premiers
Premiers Score Runners-up Report
1966 Smithtown Tigers 3–2 Macksville Sea Eagles
1967 Smithtown Tigers – Coffs Harbour
1968 Smithtown Tigers 7–4 Coffs Harbour Comets
1969 Nambucca Heads Roosters 10–6 Central Kempsey
1970 Coffs Harbour Comets – Central Kempsey
1971 Coffs Harbour Comets 20–9 Nambucca Heads Roosters
1972 Nambucca Heads Roosters 15–10 Coffs Harbour Comets
1973 Coffs Harbour Comets 20–13 Nambucca Heads Roosters
1974 Coffs Harbour Comets 6–2 Bellingen Magpies
1975 Nambucca Heads Roosters 19–4 Kempsey Dragons
1976 Nambucca Heads Roosters 19–2 Bellingen Magpies
1977 Smithtown Tigers – Nambucca Heads Roosters
1978 Sawtell Panthers 14–13 Smithtown Tigers Sawtell (Clayton Cup)
1979 Macksville Sea Eagles 24–7 Smithtown Tigers
1980 Bellingen Magpies 19–10 Sawtell Panthers
1981 Bellingen Magpies 44–0 Macksville Sea Eagles Bellingen Magpies
1982 Bellingen Magpies 21–12 Ngaku Warriors (Kempsey) Sawtell Panthers
1983 Coffs Harbour Comets 28–16 Woolgoolga Seahorses Coffs Harbour Comets
1984 Bellingen Magpies 4–1 Coffs Harbour Comets Bellingen Magpies
1985 Coffs Harbour Comets 18–10 Nambucca Heads Roosters Nambucca Heads Roosters
1986 Nambucca Heads Roosters 18–16 Kempsey Dragons Kempsey Dragons
1987 Bellingen Magpies 23–6 Nambucca Heads Roosters Bellingen Magpies
1988 Bellingen Magpies 50–24 Kempsey Dragons Nambucca Heads Roosters
1989 Bellingen Magpies 39–6 Coffs Harbour Comets Bellingen Magpies
1990 Bellingen Magpies 22–20 Orara Valley Axemen Smithtown Tigers
1991 Macksville Sea Eagles 26–26 Coffs Harbour Comets Macksville Sea Eagles
1992 Nambucca Heads Roosters 40–6 Woolgoolga Seahorses Nambucca Heads Roosters
1993 Nambucca Heads Roosters 26–10 Macksville Sea Eagles Macksville Sea Eagles
1994 Orara Valley Axemen 30–18 Nambucca Heads Roosters Macksville Sea Eagles
1995 Macksville Sea Eagles 24–16 Coffs Harbour Comets Macksville Sea Eagles
1996 Nambucca Heads Roosters 36–34 Orara Valley Axemen Nambucca Heads Roosters
1997 Orara Valley Axemen 40–32 Coffs Harbour Comets Coffs Harbour Comets
1998 Port Macquarie Sharks 26–25 Nambucca Heads Roosters Nambucca Heads Roosters
1999 Bellingen Magpies 20–18 Port Macquarie Sharks Port Macquarie Sharks
2000 Port Macquarie Sharks 24–12 Nambucca Heads Roosters Port Macquarie Sharks
2001 Port Macquarie Sharks 54–26 Macksville Sea Eagles Port Macquarie Sharks
2002 Macksville Sea Eagles 39–26 Port Macquarie Sharks Port Macquarie Sharks
2003 Macksville Sea Eagles 30–23 Orara Valley Axemen Port Macquarie Sharks
2004 Macksville Sea Eagles 34–23 Port Macquarie Sharks Port Macquarie Sharks
2005 Macksville Sea Eagles 60–22 Orara Valley Axemen Orara Valley Axemen
2006 Port Macquarie Sharks 22–18 Sawtell Panthers Port Macquarie Sharks
2007 Macksville Sea Eagles 32–24 Orara Valley Axemen Macksville Sea Eagles
2008 Orara Valley Axemen 19–18 Woolgoolga Seahorses CCA[1] Orara Valley Axemen
2009 Sawtell Panthers 21–20 Macksville Sea Eagles Sawtell Panthers
2010 Port Macquarie Sharks 41–16 Coffs Harbour Comets Port Macquarie Sharks
2011 Sawtell Panthers 29–28 Nambucca Heads Roosters CCA[2] Nambucca Heads Roosters
2012 Macleay Valley Mustangs 36–12 Nambucca Heads Roosters MA,[3] YT[4] Nambucca Heads Roosters
2013 Coffs Harbour Comets 42–20 Nambucca Heads Roosters CCA[5] Coffs Harbour Comets
2014 Grafton Ghosts 18–16 Coffs Harbour Comets DE[6] Grafton Ghosts
2015 South Grafton Rebels 46–18 Coffs Harbour Comets DE[7] South Grafton Rebels
2016 South Grafton Rebels 26–12 Grafton Ghosts DE[8] South Grafton Rebels
2017 Grafton Ghosts 32–12 South Grafton Rebels DE[9] Grafton Ghosts
2018 Coffs Harbour Comets 30–14 Macksville Sea Eagles CCA,[10] YT[11] Grafton Ghosts
2019 Grafton Ghosts 68–6 Coffs Harbour Comets Coffs Harbour Comets
2020 & 2021 seasons cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic
2022 South Grafton Rebels 36–8 Orara Valley Axemen Orara Valley Axemen
2023 Woolgoolga Seahorses 26-10 South Grafton Rebels BFBF[12] South Grafton Rebels

Leader Board
ClubPremierships
Bellingen Magpies9
Macksville Sea Eagles8
Nambucca Heads Roosters8
Coffs Harbour Comets8
Port Macquarie Sharks5
Smithtown Tigers4
Sawtell Panthers3
Orara Valley Axemen3
Grafton Ghosts3
South Grafton Rebels3
Woolgoolga Seahorses1
Macleay Valley Mustangs1


Players from Group 2 to play NRL
Player Club
Greg Inglis Bowraville Tigers JRL
Albert Kelly Smithtown Tigers JRL
Kevin Gordon Sawtell Panthers JRL
Aiden Tolman Smithtown Tigers JRL
Wayne Bartrim Macleay Valley Mustangs
Matt Donovan Macksville Sea Eagles
Paul Davis Port Macquarie, Macksville and Dunghutti
Clint Greenshields Sawtell Panthers JRL
Troy Robinson Sawtell Panthers JRL
Mitchell Thomson Sawtell Panthers JRL

Bellingen

Grafton Ghosts

Macksville Sea Eagles

Orara Valley Axemen

Sawtell Panthers

South Grafton Rebels

Bowraville Tigers

Kempsey Dragons

Nambucca Heads Roosters

Smithtown Tigers

See also

Sources
YearsAcronymItemAvailable
Online		Via
1967–69, 1971–96 - Country Rugby League Annual Report No State Library of NSW
2003 to 2014 RLW Rugby League Week Yes eResources at State Library of NSW
2008 to 2019 CCA Coffs Coast Advocate Yes Coffs Coast Advocate website
2010 to 2019 DE The Daily Examiner Yes Daily Examiner website
2005 to 2019 - Various Newspaper Websites Yes As referenced
2023 BFBF Battlers For Bush Footy Yes As referenced
  • Group 2 on Country Rugby League's official site

References
  1. Greenshields, Brad (9 September 2008). "Axemen take out grand final". The Coffs Coast Advocate. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  2. White, Greg (19 September 2011). "Sawtell Group 2 Premiers". The Coffs Coast Advocate. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  3. Klein, Thom (11 September 2012). "Macleay Valley Mustangs end a half-century's wait in 80 magical minutes". Macleay Argus. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  4. "Highlights From Group Two Rugby League Grand Final – Macleay Valley Mustangs V Nambucca Roosters". NBN TV. 10 September 2012. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2018 – via YouTube.
  5. White, Greg (18 August 2013). "Group 2 grand final: " ... glory, glory to Coffs Harbour..."". The Coffs Coast Advocate. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  6. McInerney, Matthew (25 August 2014). "Ghosts glory with extra time penalty". The Daily Examiner. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  7. Elkerton, Matthew (23 August 2015). "South Grafton Rebels make history in Group 2 decider". The Daily Examiner. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  8. Elkerton, Matthew (11 September 2016). "KINGS OF THE CLARENCE: Rebels clinch premiership over Ghosts". The Daily Examiner. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  9. "GRAND FINAL: Grafton Ghosts score spirited grand final win". The Daily Examiner. 3 September 2017. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  10. "Comets too good for Sea Eagles in Group 2 grand final". The Coffs Coast Advocate. 26 August 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2018.
  11. "Grand Final 2". 28 August 2018. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 12 April 2018 – via YouTube.
  12. Smith, Tallon (22 September 2023). "Grand Final Watch: Dubbo CYMS take Peter McDonald Premiership title, plus a recap of Groups 2, 3 & 7, GTS and the NHRL". Battlers For Bush Footy. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
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