Group 6 Rugby League: Macarthur Conference, changes for 2022 season
A massive rugby league restructure is underway in the Macarthur region with the Group 6 and Wests Tigers Macarthur competitions set to combine. Find out how it impacts your club.
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It is back to the future for the Group 6 Rugby League competition, with some of the biggest changes in decades taking place in a massive restructure for rugby league in the Macarthur region.
A year in the making, Group 6 will officially join forces with the Campbelltown-based Wests Tigers Macarthur competition to form the NSW Rugby League Macarthur Conference.
A steering committee has been planning for the combined competition for the past 12 months. Committee members included Drew Dalton, Scott Borg and Peter Clarke of NSW Rugby League, Daniel Draper, Edward Cummins and Danielle Ayrton of Wests Tigers Macarthur, Grahame Andrews, Stephen Hazelton of Group 6, Shannon Gallant of Wests Tigers and Warren McDonnell of Wests Group Macarthur.
The group has decided on a series of changes to junior and senior competitions with the goal of bringing “competitive balance” to the competition.
The key changes currently planned, NewsLocal can reveal, are:
- A combined conference system for under 13s to first grade
- A First Division first grade and reserve grade competition with clubs fielding a team in each grade
- A two-tier Second Division competition
- The return of East Campbelltown Eagles and Campbelltown Collegians into the First Division competition
- Under 6s to Under 12s to stay playing in their respective Group 6 and Wests Tigers Macarthur competitions
FULL LIST: TOP 40 PLAYERS IN GROUP SIX RUGBY LEAGUE
THE EXPERTS VIEW
Macarthur Sports Radio’s Mike Shean, who has covered Group 6 seniors for the past seven years, said he couldn’t see any dramatic changes as a result of the combined competition considering most clubs had “played in the same yard before”.
“How is the competition going to look? I don’t think at this level it will be too bad. I don’t think it will be as dramatic as what people might think it is going to be,” he said.
“They’ve been whispers for a couple of years that this might happen, or was going to happen, so is it a big shock? No.
“I think putting these two competitions is the right way to go … it just fits.”
Mr Shean said the matchup between Campbelltown City Kangaroos and cross-town rivals East Campbelltown Eagles would be “interesting”.
“I’m sure both teams will be marking that one on the calendar nice and early when the draw drops,” he said. “I certainly think there will be quite a few teams and quite a few individuals who will feel they have a score to settle with the Eagles. With it being what it is I am sure there would be a lot of teams that would like to certainly put one over the Eagles and they’d be just as keen to make a statement to say we are the number one team in town.”
WHAT DOES FIRST DIVISION MEAN?
The top senior clubs, most likely the existing Group 6 first grade clubs, East Campbelltown Eagles and Campbelltown Collegians, will make up the ‘First Division’ competitions.
The First Division will include a first grade and reserve grade competition, with each club to field a team in both divisions.
For the remaining clubs they will compete in either the Second Division first or reserve grade competitions.
RETURN OF THE EAGLES
The East Campbelltown outfit spent two years in the Group 6 competition in 2011 and 2012, making the grand final and winning the premiership undefeated in respective seasons.
In controversial fashion the club was forced out of the competition in 2014 and most recently have competed in the Sydney Shield competition.
Now, in 2022, the powerhouse club will return to the combined competition with club stalwart Daniel Draper describing the move as a return home.
“It’s definitely something that should’ve been done a long time ago,” he said. “I think it’s going to see our club grow in numbers. We’re at record levels now with 34 teams ... but I still see the future growth of our club, it’s only going to get bigger.”
A decision will be made later this week if the Eagles will continue to field a team in the semi-professional Sydney Shield competition.
When asked if about a potential match-up with cross town rivals Campbelltown City Kangaroos, Mr Draper said he didn’t believe there would be much hype in the match considering the Kangaroos’ performance in the abandoned 2021 season.
JUNIOR BONANZA
The junior competition from under 13s to under 16s will be combined to allow junior teams and players to compete against better-matched opposition.
In recent years the strong junior clubs, such as Camden Rams and Narellan Jets, have dominated at a junior level with a high number of games not competitive at all.
The restructure is aimed to also allow players not suited to the top level of competition to play against others of a similar skill level.
The plan is to have three divisions at each age group.
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