Western Premiership (rugby league)

Peter McDonald Premiership
Sport	Rugby league
Inaugural season	2022
Number of teams	13
Region	Greater Western & Bidgee (New South Wales Rugby League)
Premiers	Dubbo CYMS (2023)
Most titles	Forbes Magpies ; Dubbo CYMS (1 title)
Website	Play Rugby League.com
Related competition	Presidents Cup Conferences: ; Denton Engineering Cup (North) ; Ron Massey Cup (Central) ; *Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup (South)

The Western Premiership (also known as the Peter McDonald Premiership due to the name of its First Grade competition) is a New South Wales, Australia rugby league competition. The competition commenced in April 2022.^[1] The competition incorporates the former Group 10 and Group 11 competitions by implementing a first past the post system to award silverware to the clubs who win the respective historic competitions. The top four from each conference will then compete in the Finals with the overall Western Conference winners progressing to the two week state NSWRL Presidents Cup finals against the Northern (Newcastle), Southern (Illawarra) and Ron Massey Cup (Sydney) conferences to crown the state semi-professional club champions.^[2]^[3]

The competition is named in honour of the late Peter 'Ace' McDonald, a long-time Cowra Magpies, Group 10, Western Division and Country Rugby League administrator.^[4]

The competition is played in four grades, these being First-Grade, Reserve-Grade, Under 18s and Ladies League Tag.

History

The competition was founded in 2022 after a series of strategic meetings with group 10 and 11 clubs conducted by the NSWRL.

The competition initially only had First Grade and Under 18s, with respective reserves and women's tag competitions remaining under the control of Group 10 and Group 11. However, the competition will feature all four grades from 2023, as clubs wanted a full consistent matchday.

Clubs

14 clubs compete in the Peter McDonald Premiership, of which 12 are in First Grade. All 14 clubs field a Reserve Grade team.

Current Clubs

Club	Moniker	Group	Home ground	Premierships	Premiership Years
First Grade
Bathurst	Panthers	Group 10	Carrington Park, Bathurst	0	None
Bathurst St Patrick's	St Pat's	Group 10	Jack Arrow Sporting Complex, Bathurst	0	None
Dubbo	CYMS	Group 11	Apex Oval, Dubbo	1	2023
Dubbo Macquarie	Raiders	Group 11	Apex Oval, Dubbo	0	None
Forbes	Magpies	Group 11	Spooner Park, Forbes	1	2022
Lithgow Workmen's Club	Wolves	Group 10	Tony Luchetti Showground, Lithgow	0	None
Mudgee	Dragons	Group 10	Glen Willow Oval, Mudgee	0	None
Nyngan	Tigers	Group 11	Larkin Oval, Nyngan	0	None
Orange CYMS	CYMS	Group 10	Wade Park, Orange	0	None
Orange	Hawks	Group 10	Wade Park, Orange	0	None
Parkes	Spacemen	Group 11	Pioneer Oval, Parkes	0	None
Wellington	Cowboys	Group 11	Kennard Park, Wellington	0	None

Former Clubs

Town	Team	Home ground	Conference	No. of Premierships	Group Premierships	No. of Western Conference titles	Western Conference titles
Blayney	Bears	King George Oval	Group 10	5	1977, 1990, 1993, 1996, 1998	0	None
Cowra	Magpies	Sid Kallas Oval	Group 10	4	1978, 1983, 1992, 1995	0	None

Grand Finals

Peter McDonald Premiership (First Grade)

Year	Premiers	Score	Runner-Up	Venue	Scott Weir Medal	Group 10 Premiers	Group 11 Premiers
2022	Forbes	28-16	Dubbo CYMS	Apex Oval, Dubbo	Mitch Andrews (Forbes)	Mudgee	Dubbo CYMS
2023^[5]	Dubbo CYMS	25-12	Mudgee	Apex Oval, Dubbo	Jarryn Powyer (CYMS)	Mudgee	Dubbo CYMS

Western Premiers Challenge/Peter McDonald Premiership - Reserve Grade

Year	Premiers	Score	Runner-Up	Group 10 Premiers	Group 11 Premiers
2022	Bathurst Panthers	29-24	Dubbo CYMS	Bathurst Panthers	Dubbo CYMS
2023	Dubbo CYMS	32-22	Cowra	Cowra	Dubbo CYMS

Western Premiers Challenge/Peter McDonald Premiership - League Tag

Year	Premiers	Score	Runner-Up	Group 10 Premiers	Group 11 Premiers
2022	Bathurst St Patrick's	28-0	Dubbo CYMS	Bathurst St Patrick's	Dubbo CYMS
2023	Bathurst St Patrick's	32-8	Dubbo Macqurarie	Bathurst St Patrick's	Dubbo CYMS

Tom Nelson Under 18s Premiership

Year	Premiers	Score	Runner-Up	Group 10 Premiers	Group 11 Premiers
2022	Nyngan	26-12	Bathurst St Patrick's	N/A	N/A
2023	Orange Hawks	42-14	Lithgow	Orange Hawks	Dubbo CYMS

Western Women's Rugby League

The Western Womens Rugby League (WWRL) is a post-season women's tackle competition contested in the Central West. It features teams from the Peter McDonald Premiership, and their affiliates (in the case of Orange and Panorama), as well as representative sides from other Western Division competitions such as the Castlereagh League and Woodbridge Cup.^[6]

Clubs

Town	Team	Home ground	Titles	Premiership Years
Castlereagh	Cougars	Coonamble Sports Ground
Lachlan District	Lachlan	Pioneer Oval, Parkes
Mudgee	Dragons	Glen Willow Sports Stadium
Orange	Vipers	Pride Park, Waratah Sports Ground
Panorama	Platypi	Jack Arrow Sporting Complex	3	2021, 2022, 2023
Wiradjuri	Goannas	Kennard Park, Wellington
Woodbridge	Cup	Henry Lawson Oval, Grenfell

References

^ Mobbs, Jay-Anna (2 Apr 2022). "Mudgee Dragons defeat Dubbo's Macquarie Raiders in Peter McDonald Premiership opener". Daily Liberal. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
^ "NSWRL announces Western Premiership 2022 structure". New South Wales Rugby League. 2021-07-23. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
^ "Western Conference system to benefit future generations". New South Wales Rugby League. 2021-03-29. Retrieved 2021-08-17.
^ McGrath, Nick (5 Apr 2022). "Peter McDonald's family says 'Ace' would be honoured by new Western Rams title race". Central Western Daily. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 3 May 2022.
^ Smith, Tallon (2023-09-22). "Grand Final Watch: Dubbo CYMS take Peter McDonald Premiership title, plus a recap of Groups 2, 3 & 7, GTS and the NHRL". Battlers For Bush Footy. Retrieved 2023-09-25.
^ "Association: Western Womens Rugby League". www.playrugbyleague.com. Retrieved 2023-12-01.

[1] Mobbs, Jay-Anna (2 Apr 2022). "Mudgee Dragons defeat Dubbo's Macquarie Raiders in Peter McDonald Premiership opener". Daily Liberal. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 3 May 2022.

[2] "NSWRL announces Western Premiership 2022 structure". New South Wales Rugby League. 2021-07-23. Retrieved 2021-08-17.

[3] "Western Conference system to benefit future generations". New South Wales Rugby League. 2021-03-29. Retrieved 2021-08-17.

[4] McGrath, Nick (5 Apr 2022). "Peter McDonald's family says 'Ace' would be honoured by new Western Rams title race". Central Western Daily. Australian Community Media. Retrieved 3 May 2022.

[5] Smith, Tallon (2023-09-22). "Grand Final Watch: Dubbo CYMS take Peter McDonald Premiership title, plus a recap of Groups 2, 3 & 7, GTS and the NHRL". Battlers For Bush Footy. Retrieved 2023-09-25.

[6] "Association: Western Womens Rugby League". www.playrugbyleague.com. Retrieved 2023-12-01.

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v t e Country Rugby League (NSWRL)
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