Group 3 is a

rugby league Rugby league football, commonly known as just rugby league and sometimes football, footy, rugby or league, is a full-contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular field measuring 68 metres (75 yards) wide and 112 ...

competition on the north coast of

New South Wales ) , nickname = , image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , es ...

, run under the auspices of the

Country Rugby League The Country Rugby League of New South Wales (CRL), formed in 1934 and disbanded in 2019, was the governing body for the sport of rugby league football in areas of New South Wales outside the Sydney metropolitan area until it merged with NSW Rug ...

. The Group 3 area runs from Kempsey in the north to Forster in the south.

History

The league began in 1946, with Taree Old Bar winning the first ever premiership. At the time, this league was known as Group 18. In 1966, the boundaries were re-drawn to include three new clubs (Camden Haven, Port Macquarie, and Wauchope) and the group's name was changed to Group 3. In 1995, Port Macquarie and Wauchope joined

Group 2 The term Group 2 may refer to: * Alkaline earth metal, a chemical element classification * Astronaut Group 2, also known as The New Nine, the second group of astronauts selected by NASA in 1962 * Group 2 (racing), an FIA classification for cars in ...

in another re-zoning, with teams from Group 3 Saturday League joining the competition. In 2003, Port City RLFC joined the competition on loan from Group 2. In 2004, Wauchope re-joined the league after departing at the end of the 1994 season.Group 3 History
/ref> The current First Grade premiers are the Macleay Valley Mustangs. The 2020 Group 3 competition was cancelled due to the

COVID-19 pandemic in Australia The COVID-19 pandemic in Australia is part of the ongoing worldwide pandemic of the coronavirus disease 2019 () caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (). The first confirmed case in Australia was identified on 25 Januar ...

. Junior competitions were postponed, eventually commencing in July. The highest age group competition winners were

Wingham Tigers The Wingham Tigers are a Rugby League Club from Wingham, New South Wales that participates in Group 3 Rugby League competitions. Playing Record Playing record compiled from the club history book and scores published in the Rugby League Week. R ...

(Under 18 boys) and

Port Macquarie Sharks The Port Macquarie Sharks are an Australian rugby league football team based in Port Macquarie and was formed in 1940. Playing Record Playing record compiled from scores published in the Rugby League Week ''Rugby League Week'' (frequently ...

(Under 17 Ladies League Tag).

Teams

The following clubs field teams in the Group 3 First Grade competition. Junior Clubs * Camden Haven Eagles (No Seniors) * Forster Tuncurry Hawks * Gloucester Magpies (Seniors play in

Newcastle & Hunter Rugby League Newcastle & Hunter Community Rugby League is the governing body of second tier rugby league in the Newcastle and Hunter region. Formed in 2006 after a merger between the Maitland & Coalfields Rugby League and Lower Hunter Rugby League Competition ...

) * Lake Cathie Raiders (Seniors play in Hastings League) * Old Bar Beach Pirates * Port City Breakers * Port Macquarie Sharks * Taree Red Rovers (feeder club to Taree City) * Taree Panthers (feeder club to Taree City) * Wauchope Blues * Wingham Tigers

Former Teams

* Camden Haven Eagles (Withdrew from Senior Football) * Cundletown (Folded) * Forster Dragons (Folded) * Gloucester Magpies (Withdrew from first grade in 2002) * Halliday Point Makos (Folded 2009) * South Taree Rhinos (Folded) * Taree Browns Creek (Folded) * Taree Old Bar (Folded 1994) * Taree United (Folded 1994)

Map

Premierships

First Grade

Separate teams in 1946, Forster and Tuncurry combined as Cape Hawke in 1947, then played as Foster-Tuncurry from 1953.

Group 3

''Source
Group 3 History
' ''Grand Final scores compiled from results published in the

Rugby League Week ''Rugby League Week'' (frequently abbreviated to RLW) was the highest selling Australian rugby league magazine, ahead of major competitor ''Big League''. It was published weekly (on Wednesdays) during the Australian rugby league season, which ru ...

.''

Leaderboard

Bold indicates active club ''(Correct as of 28 September 2020)''

Juniors

Forster Tuncurry Hawks

Macleay Valley Mustangs

Wayne Bartrim Wayne Bartrim (born 9 October 1971), is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He was selected to represent Australia and Queensland during his career, which he spent playing for the Gold C ...

Aiden Tolman Aiden Tolman (born 10 November 1988) is a former Australian professional rugby league footballer who last played as a for the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks in the NRL. He previously played for the Melbourne Storm and the Canterbury-Bankstown Bul ...

Old Bar Beach Pirates

Danny Buderus Danny Buderus (born 6 February 1978) is an Australian rugby league commentator, coach and former professional footballer who played in the 1990s, 2000s and 2010s. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative , ...

Boyd Cordner Boyd Cordner (born 9 June 1992) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a forward for the Sydney Roosters in the NRL and Australia at international level. He has played for Country Origin and New South Wales ...

* Ben Harris *

Jarrod Mullen Jarrod Stephen Mullen (born 9 April 1987) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He last played for the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland Cup. A New South Wales State of Origin representative, he played at and . H ...

* Adam Woolnough

Port City Breakers

* Daniel Dumas

Port Macquarie Sharks

Scott Dureau Scott Dureau (born 29 July 1986) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. A goal-kicking , he played for the Catalans Dragons in the Super League and the Newcastle Knights in the NRL. Background Dureau was born in Taree, ...

Taree City Bulls

Matt Adamson Matt Adamson (born 14 August 1972 in Taree, New South Wales) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. A New South Wales State of Origin and Australian international representative (under t ...

Phil Adamson Phil Adamson (born 20 March 1970) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s. He played for the Parramatta Eels ( Heritage No. 497), the Penrith Panthers ( Heritage No. 325), St Helens ( Heritage No. 1 ...

Latrell Mitchell Latrell Mitchell (''né'' Goolagong; born 16 June 1997) is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays as a for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the NRL, and has represented both New South Wales in the State of Origin series and ...

Michael Sullivan (rugby league) Michael Sullivan (born 18 June 1980) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 2000s. He played in the NRL for the Northern Eagles, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks and Canterbury-Bankstown, as well as in the ...

Wauchope Blues

* Mark Laurie (rugby league) *

Robert Laurie (rugby league) Robert "Rocky" Laurie (1956 – June 2022)Ian Schubert Ian 'Shoey' Schubert (born 22 August 1956) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1970s and 1980s. He later became chief salary cap auditor for the National Rugby League. An Australian international repre ...

Rex Terp Rex Terp (born 13 March 1970) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played for St. George and Illawarra Steelers. He played his football in the backline, as a centre and winger. Playing career Terp, who comes from th ...

Wingham Tigers

References

External links

Group 3
on Country Rugby League's official site {{Rugby League in New South Wales Rugby league competitions in New South Wales Mid North Coast