Limestone Coast Rugby League
{{Infobox rugby league football competition|name=Limestone Coast Rugby League|current_season=|logo=|pixels=150px|alt=LCRL|formerly=|founded=2017|inaugural=2017|folded=2022|replaced=|ceotag=Chief executive|ceo=|teams=5|country=Victoria|country2=|championtag=Premiers|champion={{leagueicon|Bradford|16}} Gunditjmara Bulls|season=2019|most_champs={{leagueicon|New Zealand|16}} Naracoorte Jets|count=2|Top Pointscorer=|TV=|website=[https://www.nrlvic.com NRL Victoria website]}}The Limestone Coast Rugby League is a rugby league competition held in the Wimmera and South West regions of Victoria and Eastern South Australia. The competition is co-administered by NRL South Australia and NRL Victoria, and features five clubs (three from Victoria and two from South Australia).{{Cite web |title=Limestone Coast Rugby League |url=https://www.facebook.com/mtgambierrl |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}
History
The competition was founded in 2017, with four inaugural clubs; the Blue Lake Knights, Horsham Panthers, Naracoorte Jets and Warrnambool Raiders.{{Cite web |title=Limestone Coast Rugby League |url=https://www.facebook.com/mtgambierrl |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=www.facebook.com |language=en}}
The competition was initially dominated by the Naracoorte Jets, who won the first two titles, before Warrnambool broke through for their maiden premiership in 2019.{{Cite web |date=2018-12-15 |title=Growth of the game a bonus for grand finalist Raiders {{!}} video, photos |url=https://www.standard.net.au/story/5813257/growth-of-the-game-a-bonus-for-grand-finalist-raiders-video-photos/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=The Standard |language=en-AU}}
The competition garnered national attention in 2022 after the ABC News channel ran a series of stories on the Stawell Mounties team which entered the competition for their inaugural season.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-06 |title=New rugby league team Stawell Mountaineers about to kick off |url=https://www.abc.net.au/wimmera/programs/breakfast/mountaineers-to-tri-their-luck-in-limestone-coast-rugby-league-/101414288 |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=ABC Wimmera |language=en-AU}}{{Cite news |date=2022-12-04 |title=Pacific Islander-led rugby league revolution is in full swing in this Aussie Rules stronghold |language=en-AU |work=ABC News |url=https://www.abc.net.au/news/2022-12-04/stawell-rugby-league-team-driven-by-pacific-islanders/101721182 |access-date=2023-01-25}} The side made their way into the Grand Final, where they were defeated 22-8 by the Gunditjmara Bulls.{{Cite web |date=2022-12-18 |title=Bulls are toast of the coast |url=https://www.standard.net.au/story/8024006/bulls-are-toast-of-the-coast/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=The Standard |language=en-AU}}
The competition folded however in the following months as NRL Victoria withdrew the three remaining Victorian clubs, leaving only the two South Australian clubs, who were unable to continue the competition with such a low number of teams.
Clubs
Five clubs are competing in the 2022 season; Blue Lake (Mount Gambier), Gunditjmara (Warrnambool), Naracoorte, Stawell and Warrnambool.{{Cite web |date=2018-10-05 |title=Bulls eager to charge headfirst into debut season |url=https://www.standard.net.au/story/5686571/bulls-eager-to-charge-headfirst-into-debut-season/ |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=The Standard |language=en-AU}}
| class="wikitable"
!Club !Moniker !Home Ground !District |
| {{leagueicon|Newcastle|16}} Blue Lake
|Knights |Apollo Soccer Grounds |
| {{leagueicon|Bradford|16}} Gunditjmara
|Bulls |Deakin University |
| {{leagueicon|New Zealand|16}} Naracoorte
|Jets |Naracoorte United Soccer Ground |
| {{leagueicon|Sydney|16}} Stawell
|Mounties |North Park |
| {{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} Warrnambool
|Raiders |Friendly Societies Park |
= Former clubs =
| class="wikitable"
!Club !Moniker !District |
| {{leagueicon|Penrith|16}} Horsham
|Panthers |
| {{leagueicon|Parramatta|16}} North Warrnambool
|Warriors |
Grand Finals
| class="wikitable"
!Year !Winner !Score !Loser !Venue |
| 2017
|{{leagueicon|New Zealand|16}} Naracoorte Jets |26-24 |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} Warrnambool Raiders |Naracoorte United Soccer Ground, Naracoorte |
| 2018
|{{leagueicon|New Zealand|16}} Naracoorte Jets |32-30 |{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} Warrnambool Raiders |Deakin University, Warrnambool |
| 2019
|{{leagueicon|Canberra|16}} Warrnambool Raiders |46-22 |{{leagueicon|New Zealand|16}} Naracoorte Jets |Apollo Soccer Grounds, Mount Gambier |
| 2020
| colspan="4" rowspan="2" |Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Victoria |
| 2021 |
| 2022
|{{leagueicon|Bradford|16}} Gunditjmara Bulls |22-8 |{{leagueicon|Sydney|16}} Stawell Mounties |North Park, Stawell |
Source: {{Cite web |title=Association: NRL SA Limestone Coast |url=https://www.playrugbyleague.com/Competitions/Association/nrl-sa-limestone-coast-21869 |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=www.playrugbyleague.com}}{{Cite web |title=Competition: Limestone Coast Senior Mens Draw |url=https://www.playrugbyleague.com/Competitions/Competition/limestone-coast-senior-mens-410323 |access-date=2023-01-25 |website=www.playrugbyleague.com}}
References
{{Rugby League in South Australia}}
{{Rugby league in Victoria}}
Category:Rugby league competitions in Australia
Category:Rugby league in South Australia