The Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup will move to a 10-team competition in 2026 with the inclusion of Manly Leagues being after winning the Sydney Shield in an epic Grand Final last year.
The Leagues Clubs Australia (10 teams) and Sydney Shield (nine teams) will kick off on Saturday 21 March and be played over 18 rounds before a top five finals series for both competitions. The Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup is the state’s second-tier Rugby League competition which feeds into The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup while Sydney Shield is third-tier.
Manly Leagues scored a memorable 25-24 win over Wentworthville United in last year’s Grand Final with the match going to extra-time and then golden-point before being decided by a field goal from Manly utility Tamoko Berryman-Duff in the 96th minute.
They will start their campaign at Ringrose Park on Saturday 21 March against Wentworthville Magpies, the most successful club with seven titles since it was rebranded as the Ron Massey Cup in 2009.
Other opponents they will face in 2026 include St Marys Saints, who won the Minor Premiership last year before going on to beat the Magpies in the decider; Ryde-Eastwood Hawks, who are still chasing their first title; and 2024 Premiers Glebe Dirty Reds.
The Grand Final rematch between St Marys Saints and Wenty Magpies, who have a fierce rivalry after contesting four Grand Finals (2018-19, 2023, 2025) with the honours split at 2-all, will be played on Saturday 2 May at St Marys Leagues Stadium.
Other highlights include the Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup Magic Round which will feature all five matches from the round to be played at St Marys Leagues Stadium on Saturday 20 June, with the first game kicking off at 11am and the final match at 7pm.
In the Sydney Shield, Wentworthville Magpies will start the season with a bye but will be hoping to go one better after just falling short in the decider against Manly Leagues last year.
Wentworthville claimed the Minor Premiership in 2025 after finishing five points clear of their nearest opponent, Manly Leagues, and will be looking to regroup and claim their first Sydney Shield since 2015.
The Shield has proven to be fiercely competitive with no club ever managing back-to-back premierships and only three clubs – East Campbelltown (2014, 16, 18), Wentworthville (2012, 15) and St Marys (2017, 22) – claiming multiple titles.
Click here for the Leagues Clubs Australia Ron Massey Cup draw.
Click here for the Sydney Shield draw.
