Group 10 Rugby League

Group 10 is a rugby league competition in the Central West area of New South Wales, under the auspices of the New South Wales Rugby League. It had been under the control of Country Rugby League but that changed after the NSWRL agreed to a new constitution and the CRL voted to wind up its affairs immediately. The decisions was made on 19 October 2019 and the merger means that the aim of a unified administration of the sport in NSW was achieved over a year ahead of time.

Ahead of the 2022 season, the leading Group 10 and Group 11 first grade and under 18s clubs merged to form the Peter McDonald Premiership. From the 2022 season, Group 10 will only officially field reserve and women's league tag competitions, although a Group 10 Premier will still be crowned in First Grade and Under 18s, with this being the best team in the Group 10 Pool of the Peter McDonald Premiership.

Origin and formation
At the end of the 1946 representative campaign, it was Bathurst that was crowned Western Challenge Cup premiers after finishing ahead of Lithgow, Orange and Oberon in the four-team group. The team's 7–0 win against Oberon in the final match of the round-robin competition in August at the Bathurst Sportsground saw the team finish the campaign undefeated.

Group 10 would meet two months later but Group 10 secretary Harley Brazil put forward a radical proposal, which alter the future of rugby league in the Central West region. Brazil put forward a "scheme" for an inter-town competition, with a goal to kick off in 1947. Brazil's idea was to see the leading eight teams in the Group (Bathurst Railway, Bathurst Waratahs, Lithgow Small Arms Factory, Lithgow Western Suburbs, Oberon, Orange Our Boys, Orange Waratahs and Portland) participate in the competition.

When the districts met in February, not everyone accepted Brazil's proposal, which become referred to as the 'Brazil plan' by the local press. Representatives from Bathurst, Orange, Lithgow, Mudgee, Oberon, Blayney and Portland would debate over three proposals for several hours. The three proposals mentioned in the Lithgow Mercury on 26 February 1947 included:


 * The 'Brazil plan': The leading clubs from the major districts competing in an inter-town club competition.
 * The 'Bathurst proposal': An inter-district competition with games played every two weeks, to permit the local competitions to be played on alternative weeks. Winners of the inter-district competition would receive a prize of £100 and the Western Challenge Cup.
 * The 'Orange proposal': Rugby league would conduct the same way it was in the 1946 season, with the Western Challenge Cup to be played for at least every three weeks.

Ultimately, it was the 'Brazil plan' that was adopted by 10 votes to eight but it was quickly followed by opposition from Orange and Bathurst.

Issues continued and by Group 10's annual general meeting on 16 March, tensions reached boiling point between Orange and Bathurst and the other leagues. According to the Lithgow Mercury, Bathurst and Orange were granted permission to conduct their own competitions, independent of the new inter-town club tournament.

Brazil's plan for a new inter-town club competition was thrown into turmoil, with only four teams nominating, well below the secretary's eight-team dream. At the Group's meeting on 7 April, only Lithgow Small Arms Factory, Lithgow Western Suburbs, Oberon Tigers and Portland Colts had put their hands up for the new competition.

The first ever games in Group 10 had been locked in for Sunday, 13 April. Wests would play Oberon in Lithgow, while Portland would host Factory. Both games would kick-off at 3.15pm, with curtain-raisers the local Lithgow first grade competition games. Match reports in the Lithgow Mercury indicate Wests overcame the Tigers 17–3. C. Hallam scored the first try for Wests, which may have been the first ever try scored in the competition. In the other match, Portland downed Factory 14–7. Factory won the inaugural premiership by defeating Portland 17–7 in the grand final.

Overview
The current season format consists of fourteen rounds, with each team playing each other twice. The top five teams then play-off to the McIntyre final five system, culminating in the grand final which is held at the home ground of the major semi-final winner.

Former NRL players to play in Group 10 in recent times include Luke Branighan (Oberon and Bathurst St Patrick's) and Josh Starling (Oberon and Bathurst Panthers), with the latter signing on for the Panthers ahead of the 2020 season. Former Manly forward George Rose played one season for Oberon in 2016. NSW legend Mark O'Meley played a one-off game for St Pat's in 2016. Mick Sullivan has been one of the most influential ex-NRL players in recent times, leading Orange CYMS to five premierships during his nine-season stint between 2010 and 2018, a record haul for a captain-coach in the competition's history.

Current clubs and location
From 2023, all four grades of Group 10 Clubs play in the Peter McDonald Premiership alongside Group 11 Rugby League clubs. Although a Group 10 Premier is still crowned in all grades, with this being the best team in the Group 10 Pool of the Peter McDonald Premiership. In 2022, Group 10 still officially fielded Reserve and women's League Tag competitions while the First Grade and Under 18s competitions were run as the Peter McDonald Premiership.

Junior Clubs

 * Bathurst Panthers
 * [[Image:Canterbury colours.svg|16x16px]] Bathurst St Patrick's
 * Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Blayney Bears
 * Bloomfield Tigers (Feeder club for Orange Hawks)
 * [[Image:Western Suburbs colours.svg|16x16px]] Cowra Magpies
 * Eglington Eels Bathurst (No seniors)
 * Lithgow Storm
 * [[Image:St. George colours.svg|16x16px]] Mudgee Dragons
 * [[Image:Wellington colours.svg|16x16px]] Oberon Tigers (Seniors play in Woodbridge Cup)
 * Orange CYMS
 * Wallerawang Warriors (No seniors)

Group 10 (1947-2021)

 * Between 1948 and 1951, Group 10 was split into a Western Zone and an Eastern Zone, with the top teams from each zone crossing over to contest a finals series.


 * 1991 finished in a 16-all draw with no points scored in extra-time. Replay was required.

First Division/Reserve Grade
• 1952 Wallerawang Warriors

• 1953

• 1954  Bathurst Charlestons

• 1955  Cowra Magpies

• 1956  Orange CYMS

• 1957 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Lithgow Small Arms Factory

• 1958  Orange Emmco

• 1959  Orange Emmco

• 1960  Orange Emmco

• 1961  Orange CYMS

• 1962  Oberon Tigers

• 1963  Lithgow Workmen's Club

• 1964  Lithgow Workmen's Club

• 1965  Orange CYMS

• 1966  Oberon Tigers

• 1967  Orange CYMS

• 1968  Lithgow Workmen's Club

• 1969  Orange Ex-Services

• 1970  Bathurst Railway

• 1971  Bathurst Railway

• 1972  Lithgow Workmen's Club

• 1973  Orange Ex-Services

• 1974  Orange Ex-Services

• 1975  Oberon Tigers

• 1976  Oberon Tigers

• 1977  Orange Ex-Services

• 1978 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Blayney Bears

• 1979  Cowra Magpies

• 1980  Bathurst Charlestons

• 1981  Bathurst Railway

• 1982  Mudgee Dragons

• 1983  Cowra Magpies

• 1984  Bathurst Charlestons

• 1985 New South Wales colours.svg Orange United

• 1986  Mudgee Dragons

• 1987 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Blayney Bears

• 1988  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 1989  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 1990  Bathurst Penguins

• 1991 New South Wales colours.svg Orange United

• 1992  Cowra Magpies

• 1993  Bathurst Penguins

• 1994  Bathurst Penguins

• 1995  Cowra Magpies

• 1996  Bathurst Railway

• 1997  Orange CYMS

• 1998  Cowra Magpies

• 1999 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Blayney Bears

• 2000  Bathurst Panthers

• 2001  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2002  Bathurst Panthers

• 2003  Bathurst Panthers

• 2004  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2005  Cowra Magpies

• 2006  Cowra Magpies

• 2007  Bathurst Panthers

• 2008  Bathurst Panthers

• 2009  Cowra Magpies

• 2010  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2011  Bathurst Panthers

• 2012  Mudgee Dragons

• 2013  Bathurst Panthers

• 2014  Orange CYMS

• 2015  Orange CYMS

• 2016  Bathurst Panthers

• 2017  Lithgow Workmen's Club

• 2018  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2019  Lithgow Workmen's Club

• 2022  Bathurst Panthers

• 2023  Cowra Magpies

Under 18s
• 1954  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 1955

• 1956 Orange CYMS

• 1957

• 1958

• 1959

• 1960  Cowra Magpies

• 1961  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 1962  Orange CYMS

• 1963

• 1964  Lithgow Shamrocks

• 1965  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 1966  Lithgow Workmen's Club

• 1967  Orange CYMS

• 1968  Cowra Magpies

• 1969  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 1970  Cowra Magpies

• 1971  Orange Ex-Services

• 1972  Oberon Tigers

• 1973  Bathurst Charlestons

• 1974  Cowra Magpies

• 1975  Cowra Magpies

• 1976  Orange CYMS

• 1977  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 1978  Bathurst Charlestons

• 1979  Cowra Magpies

• 1980  Orange CYMS

• 1981  Orange CYMS

• 1982  Bathurst Railway

• 1983 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Blayney Bears

• 1984  Bathurst Railway

• 1985  Cowra Magpies

• 1986  Lithgow Workmen's Club

• 1987  Mudgee Dragons

• 1988  Mudgee Dragons

• 1989  Oberon Tigers

• 1990  Orange CYMS

• 1991  Orange CYMS

• 1992  Bathurst Penguins

• 1993  Mudgee Dragons

• 1994  Cowra Magpies

• 1995 New South Wales colours.svg Orange Hawks

• 1996 New South Wales colours.svg Orange Hawks

• 1997  Orange CYMS

• 1998  Mudgee Dragons

• 1999  Mudgee Dragons

• 2000  Bathurst Panthers

• 2001  Bathurst Panthers

• 2002  Orange CYMS

• 2003  Cowra Magpies

• 2004  Cowra Magpies

• 2005  Bathurst Panthers

• 2006  Cowra Magpies

• 2007  Orange CYMS

• 2008  Mudgee Dragons

• 2009  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2010  Bathurst Panthers

• 2011  Bathurst Panthers

• 2012  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2013  Cowra Magpies

• 2014 New South Wales colours.svg Orange Hawks

• 2015 New South Wales colours.svg Orange Hawks

• 2016  Lithgow Workmen's Club

• 2017  Orange CYMS

• 2018  Bathurst Panthers

• 2019  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2020-21: No Premiers - COVID-19 pandemic

• 2022:   Nyngan Tigers (Group 11)

• 2023 New South Wales colours.svg Orange Hawks

Women's League Tag
• 2012  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2013 Bathurst Panthers

• 2014  Bathurst Panthers

• 2015  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2016 Manly Sea Eagles colours.svg Blayney Bears

• 2017  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2018  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2019  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2022  Bathurst St Patrick's

• 2023  Bathurst St Patrick's

Under 18s League Tag
• 2018 New South Wales colours.svg Orange Hawks

• 2019 New South Wales colours.svg Orange Hawks