The New South Wales Rugby League administered several competitions during the 2021 rugby league season in Australia. The season was impacted by the Delta variant of the COVID-19 pandemic. Junior competitions, Country representative tournaments, and City versus Country representative matches were concluded prior to the impact of lockdown in June 2021. The lockdowns, however, led to the postponement and subsequent cancellation of senior competitions.

Knock on Effect New South Wales Cup

The 2021 season of the Knock on Effect New South Wales Cup was curtailed due to lockdowns introduced to combat the Delta variant of the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales. Fifteen of a scheduled 24 rounds were played, with the last completed round of matches occurring on the weekend of 19–20 June 2021.

Teams There will be 11 teams in 2021. ColoursClubHome ground(s)Head coachBlacktown Workers Sea EaglesLottoland, HE Laybutt FieldMatt BallinCanberra RaidersGIO Stadium, Raiders BelconnenN/AMount Pritchard MountiesAubrey Keech Reserve, Stadium AustraliaMichael PotterNewcastle KnightsMcDonald Jones StadiumAndrew RyanNewtown JetsHenson ParkGreg MattersonNorth Sydney BearsNorth Sydney OvalJason TaylorParramatta EelsBankwest StadiumRyan CarrPenrith PanthersBlueBet StadiumPeter WallaceSouth Sydney RabbitohsMetricon High Performance Centre, Stadium AustraliaN/ASt. George Illawarra DragonsWIN Stadium, Netstrata Jubilee StadiumN/AWestern Suburbs MagpiesLidcombe OvalBen Gardiner

Ladder The table below reflects the competition ladder at the completion of Round 15. This was the last completed round played, and occurred on the weekend of the 19–20 June 2021. During July and early August 2021, when there was a hope that the competition could be resumed in late August and September, scheduled matches were cancelled, with the result recorded as a nil-all draw. A Round 2 match between Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles and South Sydney Rabbitohs was postponed due to wet weather. As the rescheduled date was 28 July 2021 this match was not played.

Finals series Due to the cancellation of the competition, a final Series was not held for the 2021 Knock on Effect New South Wales Cup.

President's Cup

Northern Conference (Denton Engineering Cup)

Ladder The competition was affected by the expanding impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales. From Round 13, lockdown restrictions applying to the Central Coast prevented the scheduled matches of The Entrance Tigers, Wyong Roos, and for several rounds Lakes United Seagulls, from taking place. After Round 17, lockdown restrictions were extended to Newcastle and the Hunter and the final round, Round 18, was not played. Pos Team Coach M W D CD L PF PA PD Pts 1 Maitland Pickers Matt Lantry 15 13 1 2 1 526 156 370 29 2 Cessnock Goannas Todd Edwards 14 10 0 3 4 366 285 81 23 3 Central Newcastle Butcher Boys Phil Williams 16 10 0 1 6 320 298 22 21 4 Macquarie Scorpions Steve Kidd 16 9 1 1 6 414 279 135 20 5 Western Suburbs Rosellas Todd Lowrie 14 8 0 3 6 262 200 62 19 6 Wyong Roos Mitch Williams 12 5 0 5 7 204 267 -63 15 7 The Entrance Tigers Shane Wooden 12 4 0 5 8 217 276 -59 13 8 Lakes United Seagulls Robbie Payne 14 5 0 3 9 220 408 -188 13 9 Kurri Kurri Bulldogs Mitch Cullen 16 4 0 1 12 236 431 -195 9 10 South Newcastle Lions Matt Kennedy 15 3 0 2 12 220 385 -165 8 Notes: In the above table CD refers to Covid Draw. Each team was assigned one point, per a normal draw. Two Round 1 matches were postponed due grounds being affected by wet weather. The postponed Maitland PickersKurri Kurri Bulldogs match was played on Sunday, 27 June 2021. The Lakes United SeagullsWestern Suburbs Rosellas that had been postponed was assigned as a Covid Draw.

Finals series Due to the cancellation of the competition, a final Series was not held for the 2021 Denton Engineering Cup.

Central Conference (Ron Massey Cup)

Ladder The table below reflects the matches played prior to the cessation of the competition. Pos Team Coach Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts 1 St Marys Saints Shane Elford 12 11 0 1 1 490 124 366 24 2 Hills District Bulls 13 10 0 3 1 344 217 127 22 3 Mounties 13 8 0 5 1 301 276 25 18 4 Wentworthville Magpies Brett Cook 12 7 0 5 1 318 252 66 16 5 Kaiviti Silktails Wes Naiqama 13 6 1 6 1 334 327 7 15 6 Glebe Dirty Reds 12 5 2 5 1 370 290 80 14 7 Windsor Wolves Chris Yates 13 5 1 7 1 291 380 -89 13 8 Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles 12 4 1 7 2 250 346 -96 13 9 Western Suburbs Magpies 11 4 0 7 2 228 348 -120 12 10 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks 12 4 1 7 1 248 376 -128 11 11 Cabramatta Two Blues 11 0 0 11 2 126 364 -238 4 Notes: The competition was suspended in early July and subsequently cancelled. Round 2 was postponed following to the closure of venues due to wet weather. Two of the five matches were played prior to the lockdown. Kaiviti Silktails defeated Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles on Thursday, 24 June 2021. Windsor Wolves defeated Mounties on Saturday, 26 June 2021. Hills District Bulls had the bye in Round 2. Round 10 marked the City-Country representative weekend. No Ron Massey Cup teams played. Rounds 16 (3-4 July) to 21 (7-8 Aug) were cancelled. The scheduled matches in these Rounds were designated as a nil-all Cover Draw whilst there was a hope that the competition could be resumed. Rounds 22 and 23 were abandoned.

Finals series Due to the cancellation of the competition, a final Series was not held for the 2021 Ron Massey Cup.

Southern Conference (Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup)

Ladder The ladder below reflects the 9 out of scheduled 15 rounds that were completed prior to the suspension and subsequent cancellation of the competition. The table below reflects the matches played prior to the cessation of the competition. Pos Team Coach Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts 1 Thirroul Butchers Jarrod Costello 8 7 0 1 1 200 100 100 16 2 Collegians Red Dogs Nathan Fien 7 5 0 2 2 242 133 109 14 3 Western Suburbs Red Devils Peter McLeod 7 4 0 3 2 216 122 94 12 4 Corrimal Cougars Sean Maloney 7 2 0 5 2 110 206 -96 8 5 Dapto Canaries Chris Leikvoll & Adam Blake 7 0 0 7 2 91 298 -207 4 Notes Originally scheduled for 8 May 2021, Round 5 was washed out and postponed until 24 July 2021, however, due to the lockdown the round was not played.

Finals series Due to the cancellation of the competition, a final Series was not held for the 2021 Mojo Homes Illawarra Cup.

President's Cup Due to the cancellation of NSWRL major competitions in August, the planned four-team knock-out series for the 2021 President's Cup was not held. The plan was to include the three major premiers from the Northern (Newcastle, Hunter and Central Coast), Central (Ron Massey Cup) and Southern (Illawarra) Conferences, along with a wild card entry.

Major NSWRL Competitions

Jersey Flegg Cup

Ladder The table below reflects the matches played prior to the cessation of the competition. Pos U21s Team Coach Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts 1 Wests Tigers Wayne Lambkin 12 8 4 0 2 354 214 140 24 2 St. George Illawarra Dragons Willie Talau 12 9 0 3 2 253 248 5 22 3 Penrith Panthers Ben Harden 12 6 2 4 2 305 237 68 18 4 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs Luke Vella 13 7 1 5 1 316 261 55 17 5 South Sydney Rabbitohs Joe O'Callaghan 12 5 1 6 2 257 264 -7 15 6 Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks Andrew Dallalana 13 5 2 6 1 232 235 -3 14 7 Sydney Roosters Anthony Barnes 13 5 2 6 1 308 316 -8 14 8 Parramatta Eels Dean Feeney 12 3 1 8 2 238 290 -52 11 9 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles Trevor Ott 12 3 1 8 2 203 308 -105 11 10 Victoria Thunderbolts 13 1 6 6 1 254 347 -93 10 Notes: The competition was suspended in early July and subsequently cancelled. Four of five Round 2 matches originally scheduled for 20 & 21 March 2021 were postponed following to the closure of venues due to wet weather. Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks beat Victoria Thunderbolts on Sunday, 21 March 2021. Penrith Panthers beat Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on Saturday, 27 March 2021. Wests Tigers drew with Sydney Roosters on Friday, 14 May 2021. St. George Illawarra Dragons beat Parramatta Eels on Saturday, 15 May 2021. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles beat South Sydney Rabbitohs on Saturday, 12 June 2021. Round 10 (15 & 16 May) marked the City-Country representative weekend. Only the two postponed Jersey Flegg matches were played. Rounds 16 (3-4 July) to 21 (7-8 Aug) were cancelled. The scheduled matches in these Rounds were designated as a nil-all Cover Draw whilst there was a hope that the competition could be resumed. Rounds 22, 23 and 24 were abandoned.

Finals series Due to the cancellation of the competition, a final Series was not held for the 2021 Jersey Flegg Cup.

Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership

Ladder

Finals series The competition was suspended during the week that preceded the planned first week of a three-week, six team final series. Subsequently, in August, the 2021 Harvey Norman NSW Women's Premiership competition was cancelled.

Sydney Shield

Ladder The table below reflects the matches played prior to the cessation of the competition. Pos Team Coach Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts 1 St Marys Saints Shane Rodney 12 11 0 1 1 528 184 344 24 2 Hills District Bulls 13 11 0 2 1 440 226 214 24 3 Brothers Penrith 12 9 1 2 2 380 252 128 23 4 Cronulla Caringbah Sharks 13 8 0 5 1 332 326 6 18 5 Moorebank Rams 12 6 1 5 1 359 364 -5 15 6 Wentworthville Magpies 12 5 2 5 1 260 300 -40 14 7 East Campbelltown Eagles 11 3 0 8 2 268 355 -87 10 8 Ryde-Eastwood Hawks 12 4 0 8 1 272 379 -107 10 9 Belrose Eagles 13 3 1 9 1 268 378 -110 9 10 Windsor Wolves 12 3 1 8 1 263 394 -131 9 11 Cabramatta Two Blues 12 1 0 11 2 218 430 -212 6 Notes: The competition was suspended in early July and subsequently cancelled. Round 2 was postponed following to the closure of venues due to wet weather. Two of the five matches were played prior to the lockdown. Brothers Penrith defeated Belrose Eagles on Sunday, 16 May 2021. Cronulla Caringbah Sharks defeated Cabramatta Two Blues on Saturday, 26 June 2021. Hills District Bulls had the bye in Round 2. Round 10 marked the City-Country representative weekend. No Sydney Shield teams played. Rounds 16 (3-4 July) to 21 (7-8 Aug) were cancelled. The scheduled matches in these Rounds were designated as a nil-all Cover Draw whilst there was a hope that the competition could be resumed. Rounds 22 and 23 were abandoned.

Finals series Due to the cancellation of the competition a final Series was not held for the 2021 Sydney Shield.

NSW Men's Country Championships The 2021 Men's Country Championship was won by Monaro Colts.

Northern Conference Ladder

Southern Conference Ladder

Finals series

HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeSemi-finalsCentral Coast Roosters 10 – 18 Monaro ColtsSunday, 21 March, 12:10pmSeiffert OvalTBDRiverina Bulls 16 – 24 Illawarra-South Coast DragonsSunday, 21 March, 2:00pmSeiffert OvalBraiden McIntoshGrand FinalMonaro Colts 18 – 16 Illawarra-South Coast DragonsSaturday, 27 March, 2:30pmHE Laybutt FieldBraiden McIntosh

NSW Women's Country Championships

Northern Conference Ladder

Southern Conference Ladder

Finals series

HomeScoreAwayMatch InformationDate and TimeVenueRefereeSemi-finalsRiverina Bulls 12 – 8 Monaro ColtsSunday, 21 March, 11:00amSeiffert OvalTBDNewcastle-Maitland Knights 26 – 12 North Coast BulldogsSunday, 18 April, 11:00amJack Neal OvalTBDGrand FinalRiverina Bulls V Newcastle-Maitland KnightsSaturday, 18 May, TBATBATBD

NSWRL Junior Reps

SG Ball Cup The 2021 S.G. Ball Cup competition was won by the Canberra Raiders. The Raiders' lock forward, Trey Mooney, was named Player of the Match. Illawarra's five-eighth, Junior Amone, was named Player of the Series.

Ladder

Finals series