S. G. Ball Cup Explained

S. G. Ball Cup
Current Season:2024 S.G. Ball Cup
Founded:1965
Inaugural:1965
Teams:15
Championtag:Premiers
Champion: St George Dragons (4th title)
Most Champs: Parramatta Eels
Count:14
Website:S. G. Ball Cup
Related Comps:Harold Matthews Cup
Laurie Daley Cup
Mal Meninga Cup
Season:2024

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 (New Zealand Warriors) also participate. Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales a team from Perth (West Coast Pirates) also participated. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League. The competition includes both junior representative teams of NRL and NSW Cup clubs that do not field a team in the NRL competition.

The S. G. Ball Cup is named after S. G. "George" Ball, one of the five people responsible for the formation of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, and who was club secretary for over fifty years.

Clubs

In 2023, 16 clubs fielded teams in the NSWRL S G Ball Cup.

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.[1] Three teams from 2020 that did not return in 2021 were:

Previous teams that participated in the SG Ball Cup include: Gold Coast Titans (2008–09), Newtown Jets (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 South Sydney Rabbitohs5 – 4 Canterbury BulldogsNot applicable – Knock-Out Competition
196612 – 0
1967 Parramatta Eels7 – 2 South Sydney Rabbitohs
1968 Parramatta Eels7 – 4 South Sydney Rabbitohs[2]
1969 South Sydney Rabbitohs13 – 3 Penrith Panthers[3]
1970 St George Dragons12 – 10 Parramatta Eels[4]
1971 Western Suburbs Magpies7 – 3 South Sydney Rabbitohs[5]
1972 Canterbury Bulldogs13 – 8 Parramatta Eels[6]
1973 Parramatta Eels19 – 10 Penrith Panthers[7]
1974 South Sydney Rabbitohs12 – 8 Balmain Tigers
1975 South Sydney Rabbitohs13 – 2 St George Dragons
1976 South Sydney Rabbitohs28 – 3
1977 Penrith Panthers00 – 00 Parramatta Eels
1978 Canterbury Bulldogs14 – 0 Penrith Panthers12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams.
Semi-Finals were Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place,
and Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place. 		[8]
1979 South Sydney Rabbitohs8 – 0 Balmain Tigers[9]
1980 South Sydney Rabbitohs23 – 10 Balmain Tigers[10]
1981 Penrith Panthers18 – 9 Balmain Tigers[11]
1982 Balmain Tigers25 – 16 Newtown Jets[12] [13]
1983 Parramatta Eels30 – 0
1984 St George Dragons18 – 16 Parramatta Eels[14]
1985 Parramatta Eels32 – 12
1986 South Sydney Rabbitohs16 – 8
1987 Parramatta Eels32 – 10 Canberra Raiders[15]
1988 Parramatta Eels20 – 10 Penrith Panthers[16]
1989 Illawarra Steelers32 – 22 Penrith Panthers[17]
1990 Newcastle Knights23 – 10 Manly Sea Eagles
1991 Parramatta Eels32 – 6
1992 St George Dragons20 – 0 Canterbury Bulldogs
1993 Parramatta Eels28 – 20 St George Dragons[18]
1994 South Sydney Rabbitohs22 – 20 Newcastle Knights[19]
1995 Canberra Raiders36 – 6[20]
1996 Illawarra Steelers8 – 0
1997 Sydney City Roosters11 – 10[21]
1998 South Sydney Rabbitohs20 – 16 Manly Sea Eagles
1999 Parramatta Eels38 – 6[22]
2000 Penrith Panthers28 – 24[23]
2001 Newcastle Knights34 – 26
2002 Western Suburbs Magpies18 – 16
2003 Canberra Raiders16 – 4[24] [25]
2004 Newcastle Knights42 – 16 South Sydney Rabbitohs
2005 Canberra Raiders34 – 12 Illawarra Steelers
2006 18 – 16 South Sydney Rabbitohs Parramatta Eels
2007 22 – 12 Penrith Panthers Penrith Panthers Western Sydney Academy
2008 38 – 20 Parramatta Eels Canterbury Bulldogs
2009 42 – 16 Melbourne Storm St George Dragons
2010 28 – 24 Parramatta Eels Cronulla Sharks
2011 25 – 24 Canterbury Bulldogs Western Suburbs Magpies Western Sydney Academy
2012 42 – 20 Canberra Raiders Balmain Tigers Western Sydney Academy
2013 14 – 6 Penrith Panthers Penrith Panthers
2014 34 – 30 Penrith Panthers Parramatta Eels
2015 Cronulla Sharks24 – 16 South Sydney Rabbitohs Canberra Raiders
2016 Penrith Panthers25 – 10 Illawarra Steelers Newcastle Knights
2017 Parramatta Eels30 – 22 Cronulla Sharks Cronulla Sharks
2018 Penrith Panthers25 – 14 Canterbury Bulldogs Sydney Roosters
2019 Illawarra Steelers34 – 23 Manly Sea Eagles
2020Season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[26]
Canberra Raiders18 – 14 Illawarra Steelers Sydney Roosters North Sydney Bears[27]
22 – 20 Sydney Roosters Sydney Roosters Victoria Thunderbolts[28]
28 – 22 Canberra Raiders Melbourne Storm[29]
2024 St George Dragons40 – 18 Canterbury Bulldogs Sydney Roosters[30] [31]

Premiership Tally

No.ClubSeasons
1 Parramatta Eels 14 (1966, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2007, 2017, 2023)
2 South Sydney Rabbitohs10 (1965, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1994, 1998)
3 Penrith Panthers7 (1977, 1981, 2000, 2006, 2016, 2018, 2022)
4 Canberra Raiders4 (1995, 2003, 2005, 2021)
4 Newcastle Knights4 (1990, 2001, 2004, 2011)
4 Sydney Roosters4 (1997, 2008, 2010, 2014)
4 St George Dragons4 (1970, 1984, 1992, 2024)
8 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs3 (1972, 1978, 2009)
8 Balmain Tigers3 (1982, 2012, 2013)
8 Illawarra Steelers3 (1989, 1996, 2019)
11 Western Suburbs Magpies2 (1971, 2002)
12 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks1 (2015)
Bold means the team still currently play in the competition.

See also

Notes and References

  1. Web site: NSWRL cancels nine competitions for 2020 season. 27 Mar 2020. NSWRL. 16 Sep 2020.
  2. New South Wales Rugby Football League. . The Rugby League News . Sydney . N.S.W. Rugby Football League . Trove . Souths, Parramatta Share Junior Cup Honours. 8 September 2020. 49. 26 (June 22, 1968) .
  3. New South Wales Rugby Football League. . The Rugby League News . Sydney . N.S.W. Rugby Football League . Trove . Souths Take Junior Cups. 8 September 2020. 50. 22 (June 21, 1969) .
  4. New South Wales Rugby Football League. . The Rugby League News . Sydney . N.S.W. Rugby Football League . Trove . JUNIOR FINALS. 8 September 2020. 51. 26 (June 27, 1970) .
  5. New South Wales Rugby Football League. . The Rugby League News . Sydney . N.S.W. Rugby Football League . Trove . Junior Stars Called Up. 8 September 2020. 52. 24 (July 3, 1971) .
  6. New South Wales Rugby Football League. . The Rugby League News . Sydney . N.S.W. Rugby Football League . Trove . The Juniors - A Goal-Kicking Discovery. 8 September 2020. 53. 23 (June 24, 1972) .
  7. New South Wales Rugby Football League. . The Rugby League News . Sydney . N.S.W. Rugby Football League . Trove . Cup to Balmain. 8 September 2020. 54. 24 (June 23, 1973) .
  8. . 17 May 1978. Junior Representative Finals. Big League. 59 . 13 . 39.
  9. . 6 Jun 1979. Junior Representative Finals. Big League. 60 . 16 . 33.
  10. . 28 May 1980. Junior Representative Finals. Big League. 61 . 14 . 37.
  11. . 3 Jun 1981. Junior Representative Finals. Big League. 62 . 15 . 42.
  12. . 28 April 1982. S.G. Ball Competition. Big League. 63 . 10 . 40.
  13. . 12 May 1982. Junior Rep Finals Results. Big League. 63 . 12 . 38.
  14. News: Sports results, details. . Canberra . 17 Jun 1984 . 7 Sep 2020 . 30 . National Library of Australia.
  15. Book: Middleton . David . Rugby League 1987-88 . 1987 . Lester-Townsend Publishing . Sydney . 0949853119 . 139.
  16. News: Times Sport. . Canberra . 14 Jun 1988 . 7 Sep 2020 . 27 . National Library of Australia.
  17. Book: Middleton . David . Rugby League 1989-90 . 1990 . Lester-Townsend Publishing . Sydney . 0949853321 . 147.
  18. News: Sport. . Canberra . 6 Jun 1993 . 8 Sep 2020 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
  19. News: Siren Scores. . Canberra . 5 Jun 1994 . 8 Sep 2020 . 12 . National Library of Australia.
  20. News: Close shave for Raiders' coach as reserves team makes it six. . Canberra . 25 Jun 1995 . 8 Sep 2020 . 16 . National Library of Australia. Hannan. Bevan.
  21. Book: Middleton . David . Rugby League 1998 . 1998 . Harper Sports . Sydney . 0732264243 . 210–211.
  22. Book: Middleton . David . Rugby League 2000 . 2000 . Harper Sports . Sydney . 0732265576 . 253.
  23. Book: Middleton . David . Rugby League 2001 . 2001 . Harper Sports . Sydney . 0732269261 . 258.
  24. News: Monday Scoreboard - Part 2 - Netball-Water Polo. Daily Telegraph. 19 May 2003. 48. News Limited.
  25. News: Ball final goes to Raiders. Canberra Times. 18 May 2003. 61. Fairfax.
  26. Web site: 2020-03-27. NSWRL cancels nine competitions for 2020 season. 2020-10-08. New South Wales Rugby League. en.
  27. Web site: Raiders hold off Steelers in hard fought UNE SG Ball Cup Grand Final win. McEnally. Andrew. 1 May 2021. NSWRL. 1 May 2021.
  28. Web site: Panthers stage stunning fightback to claim SG Ball Cup premiership. Honeysett. Stuart. 30 Apr 2022. NSWRL. 30 Apr 2022.
  29. Web site: Eels able to outlast determined Knights. McDonald. Margie. 29 Apr 2023. NSWRL. 29 Apr 2023.
  30. Web site: Dragons break 32-year drought. Micallef. Tayla. 27 Apr 2024. NSWRL. 27 Apr 2024.
  31. Web site: SG Ball Cup: Dragons complete dream season with Grand Final dominance. Beatton. Joel. 27 Apr 2024. Dragons.com.au. 27 Apr 2024.

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