Central Coast re-aligns with Newcastle in 2010
17th November 2009
Rugby League on the Central Coast has today received a boost with the announcement the region will be represented in all New South Wales Rugby League run competitions in 2010, after Melbourne ended their feeder arrangement. The Central Coast Crusaders, a new partnership between the Newcastle Knights and the Central Coast Rugby League, will play in the state's premier open age competition, the NSW Cup, while The Entrance Tigers make their return to the Bundaberg Red Cup competition.
NSW Country Rugby League General Manager Mr. Terry Quinn believes this is step in the right direction for Rugby League on the Central Coast. "With today's announcement grade and junior players now have a complete representative pathway available to them from under 13s through to the National Rugby League with the Newcastle Knights," Quinn said. "It is exciting news for both the junior and senior branches of the Central Coast Rugby League because the new Crusaders branding will be worn by all representative teams from the under 13's through to NSW Cup. "It gives Central Coast juniors something to strive for and will hopefully keep them in our game." The Crusaders side will be selected from elite local players and Newcastle Knights contracted players not involved in NRL or Toyota Cup matches. The Central Coast previously competed in the NSW Cup under a joint-venture agreement with the Melbourne Storm which began in 2007 while the Entrance Tigers are also no strangers to NSWRL open age competitions having won the 2007 Jim Beam Cup Premiership. The Central Coast is also represented in the NSWRL's elite junior competitions with teams in both the Harold Matthews Cup and the SG Ball Cup.
Central Coast's Centurions
9th December 2009
The three-week struggle to secure a name has finally been resolved, with Central Coast Division of Rugby League general manager Scott Wyatt confirming the Centurions name this week. The Centurions side is a partnership between the Newcastle Knights and Country Rugby League.
It was originally called the Central Coast Crusaders, starting a battle with the Central Coast representative basketball who are already known as the Central Coast Crusaders. Rugby league officials decided to move away from the Crusaders name last week and had been considering various options, before deciding on the Centurions.
Wyatt said the name and logo had been submitted to the relevant authorities. "We are pleased to be able to settle on a name that is not linked to anyone else on the coast and will enable us to establish our own identity," he said. The name will be used by all Central Coast representative rugby league sides from under-13s through to the NSW Cup. Wyatt was confident the timing of the decision would ensure the blue and gold jerseys would be ready by the middle of next month, in time for pre-season trial matches. The Knights logo will feature on Central Coast junior and senior representative jerseys in 2010.