Rugby league in Sydney is the city's most popular sport,^[1] with over 200 clubs in the city across levels of competition ranging from the fully professional National Rugby League to grassroots open age and junior leagues.

By the 1890s Rugby football had taken hold in Sydney, thwarting attempts by Victorian rules and soccer to gain the ascendancy. The game continued to grow becoming the most popular code of football in NSW, until the issue of professionalism led to a schism in 1908 and the formation of the New South Wales Rugby Football League. The NSWRU lost many players including the great Dally Messenger to the new sport of rugby league, which became the most popular sport in Sydney by attendance and public interest by World War I.

The NSWRFL premiership was continued on the successful basis of the first competition in 1908. In 1929 Jersey Flegg was appointed to the position of president of the NSWRFL and in 1941 he became chairman of the Australian Rugby League Board of Control. At the time of his death in 1960, aged 82, he was still serving in these roles.

When NSWRFL president Flegg died in 1960, Bill Buckley replaced him and also became boss of the Australian Rugby League, a position he remained in from 1960 until his death in 1973. In 1973 Kevin Humphreys was appointed President of New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) and Chairman of Australian Rugby League (ARL).

In 1983 Humphreys was succeeded in these positions by Ken Arthurson. Under Arthurson the clubs in the NSWRL expanded outside the borders of the state and even the country until in 1994, after administering its 87th consecutive premiership season, the NSWRL was replaced by the Australian Rugby League as club football's peak administrative body.

Notwithstanding the hand over of control of the game at the elite level across Australia to the commission, the NSWRL did retain responsibility for both the administration of the New South Wales rugby league team in State of Origin series, as well as day-to-day management of the state-based New South Wales Cup second-tier premiership, as well as junior representative competitions.

In modern times, the NSWRL has 82,397^[2] (450,000 including variants) participants, the vast majority of which are located in Sydney as the state's main population centre.

The Ron Massey Cup (formerly known as the Bundaberg Red Cup and Jim Beam Cup) is a semi-professional development level rugby league competition in New South Wales currently comprising 9 teams drawn from the Sydney metropolitan area.

More information Club, Moniker ...

Club	Moniker	Home Ground	Suburb	Founded (Joined*)
Blacktown Workers	Sea Eagles	H.E. Laybutt Fields	Blacktown, New South Wales	1964 (2012)
Canterbury Bankstown	Bulldogs	Hammondville Oval	Canterbury-Bankstown, New South Wales	1937 (2023)
Glebe	Dirty Reds	Goddard Park	Concord, New South Wales	1908 (2015)a
Hills District	Bulls	Crestwood Oval	Hills District, New South Wales	1964 (2016)
Kaiviti Silktails	Silktails	Churchill Park, Lautoka	Lautoka, Viti Levu, Fiji	2019 (2020)
Mount Pritchard	Mounties	Aubrey Keech Reserve	Mount Pritchard, New South Wales	1927 (2007)
Ryde-Eastwood	Hawks	T.G. Millner Field	Ryde, New South Wales	1962 (2003)b
St Marys	Saints	St Marys Leagues Stadium	St Marys, New South Wales	1908 (2016)c
Wentworthville United	Magpies	Ringrose Park	Wentworthville, New South Wales	1963 (2003)

Close

The NSWRL Conference Competitions are a set of competitions for clubs in the Sydney rugby league districts of Balmain, Canterbury-Bankstown, Cronulla-Sutherland, Manly-Warringah/North Sydney, Parramatta and St. George.^[5]

Metro Open Age Gold

The competition is holding one top grade division in 2023, similar to the now defunct Sydney Combined Competition.^[6]

More information Club, Moniker ...

Club	Moniker	Home Ground	Suburb	District
Avalon	Bulldogs	Hitchcock Park	Avalon Beach, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Belrose Eagles	Eagles	Lionel Watts Oval	Belrose, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Berowra	Wallabies	Warrina Oval	Berowra, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Cromer	Kingfishers	St Matthews Farm	Cromer, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
East Hills	Bulldogs	East Hills	Castle Hill, New South Wales	Canterbury-Bankstown
Forrestville	Ferrets	Forestville Park	Forestville, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Harbord United	Devils	Harbord Park	Harbord, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Hills District	Bulls	Crestwood Oval	Baulkham Hills, New South Wales	Parramatta Junior Rugby League
Moorebank	Rams	Hammondville Oval	Moorebank, New South Wales	Canterbury-Bankstown
Narrabeen	Sharks	Lake Park	Narrabeen, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Ryde-Eastwood	Hawks	Lidcombe Oval	Ryde, New South Wales	Balmain District Junior Rugby League
Wentworthville United JRLFC	Magpies	Ringrose Park	Wentworthville, New South Wales	Parramatta Junior Rugby League

Close

Central Northern Open Age

The Central Northern Open Age competitions are for clubs in the Sydney rugby league districts of Balmain and Manly-Warringah/North Sydney. The following clubs are participating in Central Northern District competitions in 2023. This competition's Gold division is merged with Central West for 2023 as Metro Open Age Gold (see above).

Central Northern Open Age Silver

More information Club, Moniker ...

Club	Moniker	Home Ground	Suburb	District
Asquith	Magpies	Storey Park	Asquith, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Bondi United	United	Bondi	Bondi, New South Wales	South Sydney District RFL
Concord-Burwood	Wolves	Wentworth Park	Concord, New South Wales	Balmain District Junior Rugby League
Cromer (2)	Kingfishers	St Matthews Farm	Cromer, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Leichhardt	Tigers	Birchgrove Oval	Leichhardt, New South Wales	Balmain District Junior Rugby League
Leichhardt	Wanderers	N/A	Sydney	Balmain District Junior Rugby League
Sydney University	Lions	University Oval	University of Sydney	Balmain District Junior Rugby League
TAFE NSW	Polecats	N/A	Sydney	Balmain District Junior Rugby League
Willoughby	Roos	Willoughby Park	Willoughby, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney

Close

Central Northern Open Age Bronze

More information Club, Moniker ...

Club	Moniker	Home Ground	Suburb	District
Asquith (2)	Magpies	Storey Park	Asquith, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Carlingford Cougars	Cougars	N/A	Carlingford, New South Wales	Balmain District Junior Rugby League
Harbord United	Devils	Harbord Park	Harbord, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Leichhardt (2)	Wanderers	N/A	Sydney	Balmain District Junior Rugby League
Macquarie University	Warriors	Macquarie University	Ryde, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Pennant Hills-Cherrybrook	Stags	Greenway Park	Pennant Hills, New South Wales	Manly-Warringah/North Sydney
Redfern All Blacks	All Blacks	Pioneers Park	Redfern, New South Wales	South Sydney District RFL
Sydney University (2)	Lions	University Oval	University of Sydney	Balmain District Junior Rugby League
TAFE NSW (2)	Polecats	N/A	Sydney	Balmain District Junior Rugby League

Close

Central West Open Age

Central West Open Age is the premier rugby league competition clubs in the Parramatta and Canterbury-Bankstown districts of Sydney. The competition features 12 clubs in 2023, in a single division, with its gold clubs playing in the Metro Gold competition.

Central West Open Age Silver

More information Club, Moniker ...

Club	Moniker	Home Ground	Suburb	District
All-Saints Toongabbie	Tigers	C.V. Kelly Park	Toongabbie, New South Wales	Parramatta Junior Rugby League
Bankstown Sports	Club	Bankstown Sports Club	Bankstown, New South Wales	Canterbury-Bankstown
Berala	Bears	N/A	Berala, New South Wales	Canterbury-Bankstown
Canley Vale	Kookaburras	Adams Park	Canley Vale, New South Wales	Parramatta Junior Rugby League
Chester Hill	Hornets	N/A	Chester Hill, New South Wales	Canterbury-Bankstown
Greenacre	Tigers	N/A	Greenacre, New South Wales	Canterbury-Bankstown
Guildford	Owls	Mccredie Park	Guildford, New South Wales	Parramatta Junior Rugby League
Kellyville	Bushrangers	Kellyville Park	Kellyville, New South Wales	Parramatta Junior Rugby League
Lalor Park	Kookas	Cavanagh Reserve	Lalor Park, New South Wales	Parramatta Junior Rugby League
Merrylands	Rams	Merrylands Oval	Merrylands, New South Wales	Parramatta Junior Rugby League
South West	Sharks	N/A	Sydney	Parramatta Junior Rugby League

Close

Southern Open Age is the premier rugby league competition clubs in the Cronulla-Sutherland and St. George districts of Sydney. The competition features 12 clubs in 2023, across two divisions, Gold (First Grade) and Silver (Second Grade).

Southern Open Age Gold

More information Club, Moniker ...

Club	Moniker	Home Ground	Suburb
Como-Jannali	Crocodiles	Scylla Bay Oval	Como, New South Wales
De La Salle Caringbah	Saints	Captain Cook Oval	Caringbah, New South Wales
Engadine	Dragons	ANZAC Oval	Engadine, New South Wales
Gymea	Gorillas	Corea Oval	Gymea, New South Wales
Kogarah	Cougars	Todd Park	Kogarah, New South Wales
St John Bosco	Bulldogs	Boystown Oval	Sutherland, New South Wales
St Joseph's	Kangaroos	Kareela Oval	Sutherland, New South Wales

Close

Southern Open Age Silver A^[7]

More information Club, Moniker ...

Club	Moniker	Home Ground	Suburb
Como-Jannali	Crocodiles	Scylla Bay Oval	Como, New South Wales
De La Salle Caringbah	Saints	Captain Cook Oval	Caringbah, New South Wales
Gymea	Gorillas	Corea Oval	Gymea, New South Wales
Renown United	United	Renown Park	Sydney, New South Wales
St John Bosco	Bulldogs	Boystown Oval	Sutherland, New South Wales
St Joseph's	Kangaroos	Kareela Oval	Sutherland, New South Wales
Taren Point	Titans	Gwawley Oval	Taren Point, New South Wales

Close

Southern Open Age Silver B^[7]

More information Club, Moniker ...

Club	Moniker	Home Ground	Suburb
Aquinas	Colts	Blaxland Oval	Sutherland, New South Wales
Cronulla-Caringbah	Sharks	Cronulla High School	Cronulla, New South Wales
Engadine	Dragons	ANZAC Oval	Engadine, New South Wales
Kingsgrove	Colts	Beverley Hills Park	Kingsgrove, New South Wales
Riverwood Legion Club	Riverwood	Riverwood Park	Sutherland, New South Wales

Close

There are currently ten junior rugby league competitions in Sydney. These are:

• Balmain District Junior Rugby League
• Canterbury-Bankstown JRL
• Cronulla-Sutherland District JRL
• Manly-Warringah/North Sydney District JRL
• Parramatta Junior Rugby League
• Penrith District Junior Rugby League
• South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League
• St. George JRL
• Sydney Roosters Juniors
• Wests Tigers Macarthur DJRL

• Penrith District Rugby League
• South Sydney District Junior Rugby Football League
• Sydney Combined Competition
• Brisbane Second Division Rugby League