Newcastle Rugby League 2023 Draw
It’s almost here! The 2023 Denton Engineering Cup.
The 111th season of Newcastle Rugby League kicks off Saturday March 24 and this year is set to be the biggest ever.
(Full 2023 Draw at bottom of the page)
Reigning premiers Maitland Pickers begins their title defence on the road against Kurri Kurri Bulldogs at the Graveyard on Saturday night 6pm. Two earlier Denton Engineering Cup games kick off at 3pm, with Cessnock Goannas hosting South Newcastle Lions and Macquarie Scorpions taking on Wyong Roos at Morry Breen Oval. On Sunday, Northern Hawks make their Denton Engineering Cup debut against Western Suburbs Rosellas and Central Newcastle Butcher Boys are at home The Entrance Tigers.
Once again BarTV Sports will bring you unrivalled coverage of not just the Denton Engineering Cup, but also all Reserve Grade and U/19’s fixtures as well. Be sure to visit bartvsports.com.au closer to Round 1 for times and dates of all grades.
Some of the big fixtures to keep a look out for this season include the Coalfields Derby in Round 3, Cessnock vs Kurri Kurri on a Thursday night, April 6 at Baddeley Park. The Coast Derby in Round 6, The Entrance vs Wyong, Sunday April 30 at EDSACC, and Round 7 sees last year’s Grand Finalist Maitland and Macquarie go toe to toe at Maitland Sports Ground, Saturday May 13.
Skip forward a few months to Round 17 and the fixtures set down on July 29 and 30 has the potential to break the aggregate crowd record for a regular season round. On Saturday we have another Coalfields Derby at Kurri Kurri Sports Ground. If these two sides are in the hunt for the finals, expect the Graveyard to be packed. Jump across to Sunday, and Lakes United host The Entrance Tigers. Whilst it’s not confirmed yet, this well could be old boys’ day at Cahill Oval, which will draw a huge crowd, not to mention The Entrance have a core group of followers that will make the trip up the Pacific Highway. The other game of interest in Round 17 is arguably the biggest day on the Newcastle Rugby League calendar, besides the Grand Final, and that is Sleapy’s Day. This year, South Newcastle host Maitland at the grand old ground, Townson Oval. This match could well be an appetiser for the Finals Series, which kick off two weeks later, August 12. At the time of writing, the Grand Final is set down for September 2, which is a Saturday. But don’t be surprised if the decider reverts to Sunday to avoid clashing with Rugby or Football. Once again, the Grand Final will be held at McDonald Jones Stadium.
If you want to recap any of last year’s Newcastle Rugby League, be sure to click on our archive footage.
*Fixtures subject to change over the course of the season*
|
ROUND 1 – March 24,25 |
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|
SAT |
Cessnock |
V |
South Newcastle |
Baddeley Park |
|
SAT |
Kurri Kurri |
V |
Maitland |
Kurri Kurri Sportsground |
|
SAT |
Wyong |
V |
Macquarie |
Morry Breen Oval |
|
SUN |
Central Newcastle |
V |
The Entrance |
St John Oval |
|
SUN |
Northern |
V |
Western Suburbs |
Tomaree Sportsground |
|
|
Lakes United |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 2 – April 1,2 |
||||
|
SAT |
Maitland |
V |
Lakes United |
Maitland Sportsground |
|
SAT |
South Newcastle |
V |
Central Newcastle |
Townson Oval |
|
SAT |
Kurri Kurri |
V |
Wyong |
Kurri Kurri Sportsground |
|
SUN |
The Entrance |
V |
Macquarie |
EDSACC |
|
SUN |
Northern |
V |
Cessnock |
Tomaree Sportsground |
|
|
Western Suburbs |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 3 – April 6,8,9 |
||||
|
THU |
Cessnock |
V |
Kurri Kurri |
Baddeley Park |
|
SAT |
The Entrance |
V |
Lakes United |
EDSACC |
|
SAT |
Maitland |
V |
South Newcastle |
Maitland Sportsground |
|
SUN |
Western Suburbs |
V |
Wyong |
Harker Oval |
|
SUN |
Northern |
V |
Macquarie |
Tomaree Sportsground |
|
|
Central Newcastle |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 4 – April 15,16 |
||||
|
SAT |
Lakes United |
V |
Northern |
Cahill Oval |
|
SAT |
Western Suburbs |
V |
Cessnock |
Harker Oval |
|
SAT |
Macquarie |
V |
Kurri Kurri |
Lyall Peacock Field |
|
SAT |
Wyong |
V |
Central Newcastle |
Morry Breen Oval |
|
SUN |
The Entrance |
V |
South Newcastle |
EDSACC |
|
|
Maitland |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 5 – April 22,23 |
||||
|
SAT |
Kurri Kurri |
V |
Western Suburbs |
Kurri Kurri Sportsground |
|
SAT |
Macquarie |
V |
Cessnock |
Lyall Peacock Field |
|
SUN |
Central Newcastle |
V |
Maitland |
St John Oval |
|
SUN |
Northern |
V |
The Entrance |
Tomaree Sportsground |
|
SUN |
South Newcastle |
V |
Lakes United |
Townson Oval |
|
|
Wyong |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 6 – April 29,30 |
||||
|
SAT |
Cessnock |
V |
Maitland |
Baddeley Park |
|
SAT |
South Newcastle |
V |
Kurri Kurri |
Townson Oval |
|
SUN |
Lakes United |
V |
Western Suburbs |
Cahill Oval |
|
SUN |
The Entrance |
V |
Wyong |
EDSACC |
|
SUN |
Macquarie |
V |
Central Newcastle |
Lyall Peacock Field |
|
|
Northern |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 7 – May 13,14 |
||||
|
SAT |
Maitland |
V |
Macquarie |
Maitland Sportsground |
|
SAT |
Wyong |
V |
Northern |
Morry Breen Oval |
|
SUN |
Western Suburbs |
V |
South Newcastle |
Harker Oval |
|
SUN |
Central Newcastle |
V |
Lakes United |
St John Oval |
|
|
Cessnock, Kurri Kurri & The Entrance Bye |
|
||
|
ROUND 8 – May 20, 21 |
||||
|
SAT |
Cessnock |
V |
Lakes United |
Cessnock Sportsground |
|
SAT |
Kurri Kurri |
V |
The Entrance |
Kurri Kurri Sportsground |
|
SAT |
Wyong |
V |
South Newcastle |
Morry Breen Oval |
|
SUN |
Western Suburbs |
V |
Maitland |
Harker Oval |
|
SUN |
Central Newcastle |
V |
Northern |
St John Oval |
|
|
Macquarie |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 9 – May 27,28 |
||||
|
SAT |
Lakes United |
V |
Macquarie |
Cahill Oval |
|
SAT |
Maitland |
V |
The Entrance |
Maitland Sportsground |
|
SAT |
Wyong |
V |
Cessnock |
Morry Breen Oval |
|
|
Central Newcastle |
V |
Western Suburbs |
St John Oval |
|
|
Northern |
V |
Kurri Kurri |
Tomaree Sportsground |
|
|
South Newcastle |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 10 – June 3,4 |
||||
|
SAT |
Western Suburbs |
V |
Northern |
Harker Oval |
|
SAT |
Macquarie |
V |
Wyong |
Lyall Peacock Field |
|
SAT |
Maitland |
V |
Kurri Kurri |
Maitland Sportsground |
|
SUN |
South Newcastle |
V |
Cessnock |
Townson Oval |
|
SUN |
The Entrance |
V |
Central Newcastle |
EDSACC |
|
|
Lakes United |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 11 – Jun 10,11 |
||||
|
SAT |
Cessnock |
V |
Central Newcastle |
Cessnock Sportsground |
|
SAT |
Kurri Kurri |
V |
Lakes United |
Kurri Kurri Sportsground |
|
SUN |
Macquarie |
V |
The Entrance |
Lyall Peacock Field |
|
SUN |
Maitland |
V |
Wyong |
Maitland Sportsground |
|
SUN |
Northern |
V |
South Newcastle |
Tomaree Sportsground |
|
|
Western Suburbs |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 12 – June 17,18 |
||||
|
SAT |
Lakes United |
V |
Wyong |
Cahill Oval |
|
SAT |
Kurri Kurri |
V |
Central |
Kurri Kurri Sportsground |
|
SUN |
Northern |
V |
Maitland |
Tomaree Oval |
|
SUN |
The Entrance |
V |
Western Suburbs |
EDSACC |
|
SUN |
South Newcastle |
V |
Macquarie |
Townson Oval |
|
|
Cessnock |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 13 – June 24,25 |
||||
|
SAT |
Kurri Kurri |
V |
South Newcastle |
Kurri Kurri Sportsground |
|
SAT |
Maitland |
V |
Cessnock |
Maitland sportsground |
|
SAT |
Wyong |
V |
The Entrance |
Morry Breen Oval |
|
SUN |
Western Suburbs |
V |
Lakes United |
Harker Oval |
|
SUN |
Central Newcastle |
V |
Macquarie |
St John Oval |
|
|
Northern |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 14 – July 1,2 |
||||
|
SAT |
Cessnock |
V |
Northern |
Baddeley Park |
|
SAT |
Lakes United |
V |
Maitland |
Cahill Oval |
|
SAT |
Macquarie |
V |
Western Suburbs |
Lyall Peacock |
|
SAT |
Wyong |
V |
Kurri Kurri |
Morry Breen Oval |
|
SUN |
Central Newcastle |
V |
South Newcastle |
St John Oval |
|
|
The Entrance |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 15 – July 8,9 |
||||
|
SAT |
Cessnock |
V |
The Entrance |
Baddeley Park |
|
SAT |
Lakes United |
V |
Central Newcastle |
Cahill Oval |
|
SAT |
South Newcastle |
V |
Western Suburbs |
Townson Oval |
|
SUN |
Northern |
V |
Wyong |
Tomaree Sportsground |
|
|
Kurri Kurri, Macquarie & Maitland Bye |
|
||
|
ROUND 16 – July 22,23 |
||||
|
SAT |
Cessnock |
V |
Wyong |
Baddeley Park |
|
SUN |
Maitland |
V |
Northern |
Maitland Sportsground |
|
SUN |
The Entrance |
V |
Kurri Kurri |
EDSACC |
|
SUN |
Western Suburbs |
V |
Central Newcastle |
Harker Oval |
|
SUN |
Macquarie |
V |
Lakes United |
Lyall Peacock Field |
|
|
South Newcastle |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 17 – July 29,30 |
||||
|
SAT |
Kurri Kurri |
V |
Cessnock |
Kurri Kurri Sportsground |
|
SAT |
Macquarie |
V |
Northern |
Lyall Peacock Field |
|
SAT |
Wyong |
V |
Western Suburbs |
Morry Breen Oval |
|
SAT |
South Newcastle |
V |
Maitland |
Townson Oval |
|
SUN |
Lakes United |
V |
The Entrance |
Cahill Oval |
|
|
Central Newcastle |
|
Bye |
|
|
ROUND 18 – August 5,6 |
||||
|
SAT |
Lakes United |
V |
Kurri Kurri |
Cahill Oval |
|
SUN |
The Entrance |
V |
Maitland |
EDSACC |
|
SUN |
Western Suburbs |
V |
Macquarie |
Harker Oval |
|
SUN |
Central Newcastle |
V |
Cessnock |
St John |
|
SUN |
South Newcastle |
V |
Northern |
Townson Oval |
|
|
Wyong |
|
Bye |
|
|
Qualifying Final – August 12 |
||||
|
SAT |
Second |
V |
Third |
TBA |
|
Elimination Final – August 13 |
||||
|
SUN |
Fifth |
V |
Fourth |
TBA |
|
Minor Semi Final – August 19 |
||||
|
SAT |
Loser of 2nd v 3rd |
V |
Winner of 4th v 5th |
TBA |
|
Major Semi Final – August 20 |
||||
|
SUN |
1st (Minor Premiers) |
V |
Winner of 2nd v 3rd |
TBA |
|
Preliminary Final – August 26 |
||||
|
SAT |
Major Semi Loser |
V |
Minor Semi Winner |
TBA |
|
GRAND FINAL – September 2 |
||||
|
SAT |
Major Semi Winner |
V |
Prelim Winner |
McDonald Jones Stadium |
About Paul Arandale
Paul commentates Newcastle Rugby League, Hunter Rugby, Gold Coast Rugby League and International Rugby League. Paul is also a co-host of the Country Rugby League Show.
