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The Tasmanian Rugby League is responsible for administering the game of rugby league in the Australian state of Tasmania. Tasmania is an Affiliated State of the overall Australian governing body the Australian Rugby League.
History
The Tasmanian Rugby League was founded at a meeting at Heathorn's Hotel, Hobart on 2 December 1953 and the first competition was held in 1954 with teams including Bellerive (Eastern suburbs), Taroona, Newtown and Canterbury. Players were initially recruited from Hobart Rugby Union teams and the first matches were played on 3 April 1954 at the South St Grounds, Bellerive. The first premiership was won by Taroona[1][2] The first interstate match was played against Victoria on 12 June 1954 with Tasmania winning 18-8.[3]
By the mid 1990s the Tasmanian Rugby League was running a statewide competition[4][unreliable source?] which included Six Hobart teams:
Glenorchy Stingrays
Panthers (possibly Sandy Bay Panthers)
Logo prior to 2013Eastern Suburbs Eagles
Northern Suburbs Tigers (not connected to the current Hobart Tigers)
Hobart City Falcons
Derwent valley Sharks
and three regional teams:
Launceston Clippers ( the Australian Maritime College)
North-West Raiders (Based in Burnie)
Smithton
The Tasmanian Rugby League also ran a Northern Tasmanian vs Southern Tasmanian competition during this period. Ben Mckinnon from the Launceston Clippers is the only player to have won the statewide best + fairest on two occasions both in his debut season in 1995 and then again in 1997.
Due to dwindling player numbers the competition contracted to four Hobart teams during the early 2000s and midway through the 2003-04 season the senior amateur competition folded as a result of rising public liability insurance costs.
In late 2009 a new senior competition was established through the efforts of local 7HO FM Radio Personality Jason 'Wolfie' Wolfgram (President 09/10), and in conjunction with ARL Rugby League Development Officer, Graham McNaney. The decision to re-establish the competition followed a public forum at the Hotel Grand Chancellor in Hobart on Thursday 25 June 2009.
The revised summer competition initially included four teams:
Hobart Tigers;
Northern Suburbs Cowboys (formerly named Broncos)
Eastern Shore Thunder; and
Southern Rabbitohs
Gala Days and Under 17s junior exhibition matches have also been a feature of the revised competition. In February 2012 a National Rugby League trial match between Brisbane Broncos and Melbourne Storm was held in Hobart.
The Launceston Warriors were admitted to the competition during the 2012-13 season. A North West Titans team is due to join the competition in 2013-2014 representing North West Tasmania "Titans fill statewide picture". The Mercury..
For the 2013-2014 season, the competition consists of 5 teams:
Hobart Tigers
Launceston Warriors
North West Coast Titans
South Hobart Storm (Formally Eastern Shore Thunder)
As of the start of the 2014-15 season a new team from the Northern Suburbs of Hobart joined the comp, The team was named the [Claremont Cowboys].
Due to lack of players Launceston Warriors did not take part in the 2014-15 season.
Hobart Tigers;
Northern Suburbs Cowboys (formerly named Broncos)
Eastern Shore Thunder; and
Southern Rabbitohs
Launceston Warriors
North West Coast Titans
Hobart Tigers
South Hobart Storm
North West Coast Titans
Launceston Warriors
Southern Rabbitohs
2014-15 Tasmanian Mens Rugby League Competition
Claremont Cowboys
Northern Suburbs Broncos
