The Castlereagh League is heading for an historic year in 2026 with no less than 14 teams taking the field for the inaugural Castlereagh Community Cup competition kicking off the season in mid-March.
“The Castlereagh Community Cup competition is designed to provide rugby league for our smaller communities who otherwise would have no rugby league at all,” Castlereagh League Chairman Chris Deighton said.
“It will be a short sharp competition that could well be the first step towards the clubs involved playing in the Castlereagh League competition in future years.”
Deighton welcomed the return of both the Trangie Magpies and Gulargambone Galahs, who will join Mendooran Tigers and Walgett Dragons as teams in the first Community Cup competition.
“It may only be a short competition, but it will give the players the opportunity to represent their communities, then if a player wants to continue to play football this year than they can transfer to another club and do so,” Deighton said.
“At the same time, it gives the club’s committee an insight as to what it takes to run a club should they aspire to joining the Castlereagh League competition in the future.”
The Community Cup competition commences on 14 March with the Grand Final to be played in early May.
In other Castlereagh League news, the popular Reserve Grade competition will be played much earlier in the year, commencing in Round Three of the Castlereagh League competition.
The Castlereagh League competition will feature ten clubs, with Gilgandra Panthers returning to the fray after sitting out last season, while Coolah Kangaroos (pictured) will be aiming for their third consecutive premiership.
The season will open with the annual League Tag knockout being played at Cobar on 28 March, followed by the Youth League and Senior Rugby League knockout at Gulgong on 11 April, with the competition proper also getting under way on 11 April.
Much interest will centre on the Coolah Kangaroos who apart from being the 2025 Clayton Cup holders will be aiming for a three-peat of Castlereagh League premierships.
