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

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

Clubs

In 2026, 17 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. Three teams from 2020 that did not return in 2021 were Central Coast, New Zealand, and West Coast. New Zealand returned in 2023. Central Coast returned in 2026.

Previous teams that participated in the SG Ball Cup include: Gold Coast (2008–09), Newtown (1970s, early 1980s & 2009), and the Western Sydney Academy of Sport (2007–17).

Eastern Suburbs changed their name to Sydney City and then Sydney.

Central Coast and Sydney both compete as the Roosters. Typically, Sydney compete in navy blue jerseys with red and white chevrons, whilst the Central Coast compete in white jerseys with red and navy blue chevrons.

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

YearPremiersScoreRunners upMinor PremiersWooden SpoonNotes
1965Souths5 – 4CanterburyNot applicable – Knock-Out Competition
1966Parramatta12 – 0SouthsParramattaNorths
1967Parramatta7 – 2SouthsCanterburyNewtown
1968Parramatta7 – 4SouthsParramattaNorths
1969Souths13 – 3PenrithSouthsNewtown
1970St George12 – 10ParramattaSouthsEasts
1971Wests7 – 3SouthsSouthsNewtown
1972Canterbury13 – 8ParramattaParramattaNorths
1973Parramatta19 – 10PenrithPenrithNorths
1974Souths12 – 8BalmainBalmainNorths
1975Souths13 – 2St GeorgeParramattaNewtown
1976Souths28 – 3WestsSouthsNorths
1977Penrith5 – 2Parramatta
1978Canterbury14 – 0Penrith12 teams split into 2 zones of 6 teams. Semi-Finals were: Zone 1 1st-place vs Zone 2 2nd-place, Zone 2 1st-place vs Zone 1 2nd-place.
1979Souths8 – 0Balmain
1980Souths23 – 10Balmain
1981Penrith18 – 9Balmain
1982Balmain25 – 16NewtownCronullaEasts
1983Parramatta30 – 0WestsWestsNewtown
1984St George18 – 16ParramattaParramattaWests
1985Parramatta32 – 12St GeorgeCanterburyWests
1986Souths16 – 8ParramattaSouths
1987Parramatta32 – 10CanberraParramattaEasts
1988Parramatta20 – 10Penrith
1989Illawarra32 – 22PenrithIllawarraEasts
1990Newcastle23 – 10ManlyNewcastleEasts
1991Parramatta32 – 6ManlyManlyEasts
1992St George20 – 0CanterburySt GeorgeEasts
1993Parramatta28 – 20St George
1994Souths22 – 20Newcastle
1995Canberra36 – 6PenrithCanberra
1996Illawarra8 – 0ParramattaIllawarraCanterbury
1997Sydney City (Easts)11 – 10NewcastleNewcastle
1998Souths20 – 16ManlyIllawarraCanterbury
1999Parramatta38 – 6IllawarraParramattaSt George
2000Penrith28 – 24IllawarraNewcastleWests
2001Newcastle34 – 26PenrithParramattaSt George
2002Wests18 – 16ParramattaIllawarraManly
2003Canberra16 – 4ParramattaParramattaSt George
2004Newcastle42 – 16SouthsSydney (Easts)Norths
2005Canberra34 – 12IllawarraParramattaNorths
2006Penrith18 – 16SouthsParramattaNorths
2007Parramatta22 – 12PenrithPenrithWestern Sydney (A)
2008Sydney (Easts)38 – 20ParramattaCanterburyNorths
2009Canterbury42 – 16MelbourneSt GeorgeWests
2010Sydney (Easts)28 – 24ParramattaCronullaCentral Coast
2011Newcastle25 – 24CanterburyWestsWestern Sydney (A)
2012Balmain42 – 20CanberraBalmainWestern Sydney (A)
2013Balmain14 – 6PenrithPenrithWest Coast
2014Sydney (Easts)34 – 30 (iet)PenrithParramattaWest Coast
2015Cronulla24 – 16SouthsCanberraNorths
2016Penrith25 – 10IllawarraNewcastleWest Coast
2017Parramatta30 – 22CronullaCronullaWest Coast
2018Penrith25 – 14CanterburySydney (Easts)West Coast
2019Illawarra34 – 23ManlyManlyWest Coast
2020Season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
2021Canberra18 – 14IllawarraSydney (Easts)Norths
2022Penrith22 – 20Sydney (Easts)Sydney (Easts)Victoria (Melbourne)
2023Parramatta28 – 22NewcastleCanberraMelbourne
2024St George40 – 18CanterburySydney (Easts)Balmain
2025Sydney (Easts)33 – 26 (aet)ParramattaParramattaNorths
2026Grand Final to be held on May 2, 2026SouthsCentral Coast

Notes:

  • U16/s from 1965 until 2005
  • U18/s from 2006 until 2020
  • U19/s from 2021 onwards

Premiership Tally

No.ClubSeasons
1Parramatta14 (1966, 1967, 1968, 1973, 1983, 1985, 1987, 1988, 1991, 1993, 1999, 2007, 2017, 2023)
2South Sydney10 (1965, 1969, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1986, 1994, 1998)
3Penrith7 (1977, 1981, 2000, 2006, 2016, 2018, 2022)
4Sydney (Eastern Suburbs)5 (1997, 2008, 2010, 2014, 2025)
5Canberra4 (1995, 2003, 2005, 2021)
5Newcastle4 (1990, 2001, 2004, 2011)
5St George4 (1970, 1984, 1992, 2024)
8Canterbury3 (1972, 1978, 2009)
8Balmain3 (1982, 2012, 2013)
8Illawarra3 (1989, 1996, 2019)
11Western Suburbs2 (1971, 2002)
12Cronulla1 (2015)
—Manly0
—Norths0

Bold means the team is currently taking part in the competition.

See also