The North West Men's League is a summer rugby league competition for amateur teams in North West England. The competition was formed in 2012 after the RLC North West Premier folded.
History
The North West Men's League comes from the merger of elements from two strands of rugby league: the British Amateur Rugby League Association and Rugby League Conference.
The British Amateur Rugby League Association (BARLA) was created in 1973 by a group of enthusiasts concerned about the dramatic disappearance of many amateur leagues and clubs. BARLA merged the Leigh, Manchester, St Helens, Warrington, Widnes and Wigan districts into a new North West Counties league and created an elite National Conference League, this saw a revitalisation of the game in heartland areas of the North West of England.
In contrast, the Rugby League Conference (RLC) was born in 1997 as the Southern Conference, a 10-team pilot league for teams in the South of England and English Midlands taking place in the summer time rather than the traditional winter season. It led to the creation of many new teams in non-traditional areas; the first North West team to join the new league were the Chester Wolves; more teams from the North West joined the following season and a Northern Division was set up with teams from the North West and the North Midlands. Following a big expansion to the Rugby League Conference in 2003, the North West got its own regional division.
By 2008, there were enough sides for a higher level North West Premier division to be created and in 2010, a North West Merit League was created out of existing merit leagues.
With the RLC growing rapidly, some BARLA sides chose to leave traditional winter leagues and join the summer-based RLC. However, in 2011, the National Conference League, voted to switch to a summer season and most of the reserve teams followed. There was a short season from September to November in 2011 with teams from British Amateur Rugby League Association league North West Counties league playing in two divisions under the name North West Men's League.
The Rugby League Conference was replaced in 2012 by a series of locally administered leagues. This saw the North West Men's League merge with the RLC North West Premier and regional divisions as well as the North West merit league to create a six division structure.
Premier Division Season Champion Score Runner-up 2012 Pilkington Recs 2013 Halton Simms Cross (1) 26-19 Widnes St Maries 2014 Widnes West Bank 28-6 Widnes St Maries 2015 Widnes West Bank 28-16 Clock Face Miners 2016 Haydock 23-14 Thatto Heath Crusaders A 2017 Thatto Heath Crusaders A 2018 Thatto Heath Crusaders A 26-12 Orrell St James 2019 West Bank Bears 11-10 Shevington Sharks 2020 Season cancelled (COVID-19) 2021 Orrell St James N/A Halton Farnworth Hornests 2022 Orrell St James 10-6 Ashton Bears 2023 Orrell St James 16-2 Ashton Bears 2024 Haresfinch 14-4 Orrell St James 2025 Orrell St James 32-4 Blackbrook
Source:
Division One Season Champion Score Runner-up 2012 2013 2014 Bold Miners 36-22 Heysham Atoms 2015 Thatto Heath Crusaders A 32-8 Halton Simms Cross 2016 Orrell St James 32-14 Folly Lane 2017 2018 Rochdale Mayfield A 51-6 Walney Central 2019 Blackbrook 34-14 Hindley 2020 Season cancelled (COVID-19) 2021 Latchford Albion N/ADalton 2022 Haresfinch 38-6 Ulverston 2023 Folly Lane 24-0 Dalton 2024 Dalton 38-16 Westhoughton Lions 2025 Hindley 40-4 Chorley Panthers
Division Two Season Champion Score Runner-up 2012 2013 2014 Wigan St Patricks A 24-14 Leigh Miners Rangers A 2015 Orrell St James 20-18 Golbourne Parkside 2016 Halton Farnsworth Hornets 20-16 Pilkington Recs A 2017 2018 Wigan St Cuthberts 28-18 Ulverston 2019 Chorley Panthers 60-2 Langworthy Reds 2020 Season cancelled (COVID-19) 2021 Leigh Miners Rangers A N/A Folly Lane 2022 Wigan Spring View 38-12 Salford City Roosters 2023 Burtonwood Bridge 22-6 Ashton Bears A 2024 Hindpool Tigers 34-10 West Bank Bears 2025 Wigan St Judes A 20-12 Runcorn
Cup competitions The North West Men's League also runs three tiers of cup competitions; the NWML Cup, Shield, and Trophy. Winners are:
Year Cup Shield Trophy Ref.2024HaresfinchHaydock WarriorsBank Quay Bulls
See also Yorkshire Mens League British rugby league system Rugby League Conference
References
External links Official website