Harold Matthews Cup

The NSWRL Harold Matthews Cup is a junior rugby league competition played in New South Wales between teams made up of players aged under 16. The competition is administered by the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL). The competition is made up of NSW-based clubs and includes both junior representative teams of the elite National Rugby League (NRL) and clubs that do not field teams in the NRL competition.

Harold Matthews Cup
Current season or competition:
2021 Harold Matthews Cup
SportRugby league
Instituted1970
Inaugural season1970
Number of teams15
Country Australia (15 teams)
Premiers Newcastle Knights (5th title) (2019)
Most titles Parramatta Eels (20 titles)
WebsiteHarold Matthews Cup
Related competitionAndrew Johns Cup
S. G. Ball Cup

The competition is named after Harold Matthews, a Balmain Tigers secretary who later was appointed as manager of the Australian Test squad and later went on to become secretary of the NSWRL and ARL.[1][2]

The clubs

In 2019 and 2020, 15 clubs fielded teams in the NSWRL UNE Harold Matthews 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.[3]

In the 1970s and early 1980s the Harold Matthews Cup was played in a carnival format over three to five successive days. Teams from the country groups and regions competed alongside representative teams from the NSWRL clubs of Sydney. The competition later changed to a partial round-robin format.

Former teams in the Harold Matthews Cup include: Gold Coast Titans (2009), Melbourne Storm (2013-14), South-Western Sydney Academy of Sport (2008–16) and Western Sydney Academy of Sport (2007–17).

Harold Matthews Cup Premiers
YearAgePremiersRunners UpReport
1970 Parramatta Eels
1971 Parramatta Eels
1972 Parramatta Eels
1973 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
1974 South Sydney Rabbitohs
1975 Parramatta Eels
1976U/14s Parramatta Eels
1977U/14s Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
1978U/14sCanberra Rugby League (CRL) Parramatta EelsCT[4]
1979U/14s Penrith Panthers
1980U/14sGroup 12 (CRL) Cronulla-Sutherland SharksCT[5]
1981U/14s Parramatta Eels
1982U/14s Parramatta Eels
1983U/14sGroup 6 Rugby League (CRL) Penrith PanthersCT[6]
1984U/14s Canberra RaidersCentral CoastCT[7]
1985U/14s Penrith Panthers
1986U/15s Parramatta Eels
1987U/15s Illawarra Steelers
1988U/15s Parramatta Eels Penrith PanthersCT[8]
1989U/15s Penrith Panthers
1990U/15s Parramatta Eels Gold Coast Seagulls
1991U/15s Gold Coast Seagulls Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
1992U/15s Newcastle Knights South Sydney Rabbitohs
1993U/15s Canberra Raiders Parramatta EelsCT[9]
1994U/15s Parramatta Eels Penrith Panthers
1995U/15s Canberra Raiders Parramatta EelsCT[10]
1996U/15s Illawarra Steelers Newcastle Knights
1997U/16s Parramatta Eels North Sydney Bears
1998U/16s Parramatta Eels
1999U/16s Parramatta Eels South Sydney Rabbitohs
2000U/16s Newcastle Knights Penrith Panthers
2001U/16s Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Penrith Panthers
2002U/16s Penrith Panthers
2003U/15s Parramatta Eels St George Dragons
YearAgePremiers ScoreRunners UpMinor PremiersWooden SpoonReport
2004U/16s Parramatta Eels Penrith Panthers Parramatta Eels Western Suburbs Magpies
2005U/16s Penrith Panthers Illawarra Steelers Illawarra Steelers Newcastle Knights
2006U/16s Penrith Panthers Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs North Sydney Bears
2007U/16s Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Penrith Panthers Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs North Sydney Bears
2008U/16s Parramatta Eels Penrith Panthers Penrith Panthers South-West Academy
2009U/16s Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Parramatta Eels Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs South-West Academy
2010U/16s Penrith Panthers Parramatta Eels Parramatta Eels South-West Academy
2011U/16s Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Illawarra Steelers Illawarra Steelers North Sydney Bears
2012U/16s Parramatta Eels Newcastle Knights South Sydney Rabbitohs Sydney RoostersFC[11] OFT[12]
2013U/16s Parramatta Eels South Sydney Rabbitohs South Sydney Rabbitohs South-West AcademyVH[13] SSR[14]
2014U/16s Newcastle Knights Penrith Panthers Newcastle Knights North Sydney BearsCA[15] VR[16]
2015U/16s Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 30 – 16 Parramatta Eels Parramatta Eels Sydney RoostersPE[17] VH[18]
2016U/16s Parramatta Eels 16 – 14 Newcastle Knights Parramatta Eels South-West AcademyTCT[19] VH[20]
2017U/16s Newcastle Knights 26 – 20 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles Newcastle Knights Western Suburbs MagpiesNH[21] VH[22]
2018U/16s Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 26 – 18 Parramatta Eels Penrith Panthers North Sydney BearsNSWRL[23] VH[24]
2019 U16/s Newcastle Knights 28 – 8 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Newcastle Knights St George Dragons NSWRL[25] VH[26]
2020 Season was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[27]
2021 U17/s

Premiership Tally
No. Club Seasons
1 Parramatta Eels 20 (1970, 1971, 1972, 1975, 1976, 1981, 1982, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2016)
2 Penrith Panthers 7 (1979, 1985, 1989, 2002, 2005, 2006, 2010)
3 Newcastle Knights 5 (1992, 2000, 2014, 2017, 2019)
4 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 4 (1973, 1977, 2001, 2015)
5 Canberra Raiders 3 (1984, 1993, 1995)
5 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 3 (2007, 2009, 2011)
7 Illawarra Steelers 2 (1987, 1996)
8 South Sydney Rabbitohs 1 (1974)
8 Canberra Rugby League (CRL) 1 (1978)
8 Group 12 (Central Coast, CRL) 1 (1980)
8 Group 6 (CRL) 1 (1983)
8 Gold Coast Seagulls 1 (1991)
8 Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 1 (2018)

Bold means that the team is still currently plays in the competition.

See also

References
  1. "1920". TIGERS. Archived from the original on 14 February 2012. Retrieved 2012-02-18.
  2. New South Wales Rugby Football League. "Harold Matthews - League was his Life". Rugby League news. Sydney: N.S.W. Rugby Football League. Retrieved 7 September 2020 – via Trove.
  3. "NSWRL cancels nine competitions for 2020 season". NSWRL. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  4. "Sport in Brief". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 24 April 1978. p. 16. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  5. Harrison, Ian (14 August 1980). "Group 12 wins Matthews Cup". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. p. 16. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  6. "Sports results, details". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 4 April 1983. p. 12. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  7. "Under-14 team waits six years for win". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 14 April 1984. p. 51. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  8. "Times Sport". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. 14 June 1988. p. 27. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  9. Kirkman, Janette (2 May 1993). "Excellent U15s roll the Eels". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. p. 17. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  10. Hannan, Bevan (1 May 1995). "Raiders outclass favourites to take junior title". The Canberra Times. Canberra: National Library of Australia. p. 25. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  11. "Eels win Harold Matthews Cup". Fairfield City Champion. 8 May 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  12. "NSWRL 2012 Harold Matthews Cup - GRAND FINAL". OurFootyTeam. 5 May 2012. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  13. "2013 HMATTS Grand Final". NSWRL. 7 May 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  14. "Under 16s Go Down in Harold Matthews Cup Grand Final in 2013". South Sydney Rabbitohs. 6 May 2013. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  15. "Cessnock boys star in Harold Matthews grand final". Cessnock Advertiser. 14 May 2014. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  16. "2014 Harold Matthews Grand Final". NSWRL. 4 May 2017 [2014]. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  17. "District Reps: Harold Matthews Grand Final". ParraEels. 11 May 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  18. "Harold Matthews highlights: Grand Final". NSWRL. 13 May 2015. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  19. "Live Blog – Harold Matthews Grand Final vs Newcastle Knights". The Cumberland Throw. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  20. "Highlights - 2016 Harold Matthews Cup Grand Final". NSWRL. 10 May 2016. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  21. Gardiner, James (6 May 2017). "Newcastle Knights score in extra-time to snatch thrilling comeback win over Manly Sea Eagles in Harold Matthews Cup final". Newcastle Herald. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  22. "Highlights - Harold Matthews Cup Grand Final". NSWRL. 10 May 2017. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  23. Masterton, Simon (5 May 2018). "Sea Eagles Win First-Ever UNE Harold Matthews Cup". NSWRL. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  24. "Highlights - UNE Harold Matthews Grand Final". NSWRL. 10 May 2018. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  25. Honeysett, Stuart (4 May 2019). "Newcastle crowned Harold Matthews champions". NSWRL. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  26. "Highlights - UNE Harold Matthews Cup Grand Final". NSWRL. 8 May 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
  27. "NSWRL cancels nine competitions for 2020 season". New South Wales Rugby League. 27 March 2020. Retrieved 8 October 2020.
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