Group 9 Rugby League

Group 9 is a rugby league competition based in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales, Australia, and surrounding areas. The competition is played in six grades, with these being Under 16s, Under 18s, Women's Tackle, Women's League-Tag, Reserve-Grade and First-Grade.

Currently a home and away season consisting of sixteen rounds is played. The best four teams then play-off according to the Page–McIntyre system, culminating in the Group 9 Grand final, which is traditionally held at McDonald's Park in Wagga Wagga.

1920s–1950s: Foundations
Group 9 Rugby League was formed at a meeting at the Grand Hotel, Harden, following a four-hour meeting on 26 April 1923, which finished at 12:20 am the following morning. The foundation clubs were Harden, Murrumburrah, Binalong, Young, Wambanumba, Monteagle, Bendick Murrell, Cootamundra, Junee, Wagga Wagga, Gundagai, Tumut, Adelong, West Wyalong, Barmedman, Griffith, Temora, Leeton, Ariah Park and Mildil.



Competition in the early years of Group 9 consisted of various challenge type matches, and it was not until 1933 that regular inter-club competition commenced.

1960s–1980s: Murrumbidgee Breakaway and Reformation
In 1966, the rebel Murrumbidgee Rugby League broke away from the competition due to years of competition boundary disputes, leading to four years of reshuffled competitions from 1967 to 1970. The Murrumbidgee Rugby League was renamed to Riverina Zone 3 in 1969-70.

Given that a number of the Group 9 clubs (including Gundagai, Junee, Tumut) joined the five clubs who broke away from Group 20 to form the new competition (Batlow, Tumbarumba, Turvey Park, Wagga Magpies and Wagga Kangaroos), Group 9 was severely weakened in the 1966 season.

Therefore, the remaining Group 9 clubs were divided up and put into neighbouring competitions. Barmedman, Temora and West Wyalong joined the Group 20 during this period, leading to the 9/20 name, while Harden, Young and Wyangala Dam joined Group 8. To honour the additions of the clubs, the competitions were renamed to Group 9/20, Group 8/9 respectively.

In 1970, when the Group 9 body regained control of football in the district and the Murrumbidgee Rugby League/Riverina Zone 3 returned to the competition, West Wyalong remained in Group 20, while Harden, Temora and Young returned from their respective competitions.

1990s–present: Absorption of Group 13, Peak and Decline
After the Group 13 Rugby League competition collapsed in 1991, the Albury Blues (renamed Greater Southern Rams upon entry due to Tumut already being the Blues), Wagga Brothers, a merged outfit from Adelong and Batlow, and Tumbarumba, joined the competition.

However, the competition declined from a peak of 14 clubs in the late 1990s to 9 clubs in 2022. Clubs to leave in this period included Adelong-Batlow (folded), Harden-Murrumburrah (George Tooke Shield), Tumbarumba (folded, then joined Murray Cup) and Cootamundra (George Tooke Shield). Turvey Park and Wagga Magpies also merged in 2005 to form the South City Bulls.

Albury Thunder, the successor to Greater Southern Rams and Lavington Panthers, won a threepeat of titles from 2012 to 2014.

Group 9's crisis became even more apparent following powerhouse Junee's decision not to field a First Grade team in 2021 and 2022. However, this strategy paid off as the club won the Reserve Grade title in 2022, with plans to return to First Grade football in 2023. Their return to the premier grade was offset by the loss of the Wagga Brothers to the exact same fate for the 2023 season.

Other Former Clubs

 * Adelong
 * Ariah Park
 * Bendick Murrell
 * Boorowa
 * Mildil
 * Monteagle
 * Wambanumba
 * Wyangala Dam

Under 18/19s Grand Finals
Group Nine has run two under-age competitions since 1971. Clubs in the older division compete for the Weissel Cup. This is not to be confused with the Weissel Medal, an award for the First Grade Player of the Year. Both awards are named in honour of the late Eric Weissel, an Australian representative who played and coached several clubs in the region.

Junior League Clubs
The following clubs participate in the Group 9 Junior Rugby League competition. Where applicable, the club's differing senior team or competition is listed in brackets.
 * Albury Thunder JRL
 * Coolamon Raiders JRL
 * Cootamundra Bulldogs (George Tooke Shield)
 * Estella Storm JRL
 * Gundagai-Adelong Tigers JRL
 * Harden-Boorowa (George Tooke Shield)
 * Junee Diesels JRL
 * Temora Dragons JRL
 * Tumbarumba-Batlow Minor League (Murray)
 * Tumut Minor League
 * Turvey Park Lions (South City Bulls)
 * Wagga Wagga Brothers JRL
 * Wagga Wagga Kangaroos JRL
 * Wagga Wagga Magpies (South City Bulls)
 * Young Cherrypickers JRL

Notable Group 9 Juniors
Albury Thunder Cootamundra Bulldogs Junee Diesels South City Bulls (Turvey Park/Wagga Magpies Temora Dragons Wagga Wagga Brothers
 * Adrian Purtell
 * Dylan Edwards
 * Mark Bryant
 * Les Boyd
 * Glen Buttriss
 * Jack De Belin
 * Paul Beath
 * Luke Berkrey
 * Dennis Luck
 * Laurie Daley
 * Jason Lidden
 * Rick Keast
 * Adam Perry
 * Michael Dobson
 * Craig Breen
 * Phil Crowe
 * Nick Skinner
 * Mark Stimson
 * Trent Barrett
 * Todd Payten
 * Josh McCrone
 * Steve Reardon
 * Ryan Hinchcliffe
 * Mark Nicholls
 * Ben Hampton
 * Trevor Barnes
 * Brendon Reeves
 * Peter Stimson
 * Gavin Price-Jones
 * Steve Reardon
 * Joe Stimson
 * Liam Martin
 * Zac Lomax
 * Charlie Guymer
 * Jack Littlejohn

Wagga Wagga Kangaroos Young Cherrypickers
 * Peter Sterling
 * Steve Mortimer
 * John Bush
 * Steve Martin
 * Greg Watt
 * Geoff Lawson
 * Jeff Case
 * Paul Upfield
 * Marc Glanville
 * Luke Priddis
 * Jamie Soward
 * Nigel Plum
 * Cameron King
 * Rod Slater
 * Peter Spring
 * Brett Mullins
 * Simon Woolford
 * Jordan McLean
 * Angus Crichton
 * Brett Hetherington
 * Luke Davico
 * Ron Lynch
 * Peter Spring
 * Peter Cusack