The Entrance Tigers are a rugby league club based at The Entrance, New South Wales, Australia.They are competing in the 2024 Denton Engineering Cup (NSWRL Presidents Cup Northern Conference) & Central Coast Division Rugby League. They have previously competed in the Jim Beam Cup (2003-2007) and Ron Massey Cup (2010-2014). Their jersey is traditionally an all gold jersey with two black 'V's. In recent years they have included white in their jersey.

The Entrance Tigers
Club information
Full nameThe Entrance District Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)The Tigers,
Colours  Orange
  Black
  White
Founded1934; 90 years ago (1934)
Entered Competition 1947; 77 years ago (1947)
Current details
Ground(s)
  • EDSACC Oval, Bateau Bay
CompetitionCentral Coast Rugby League
Records
Premierships18 (CCDRL 1949, 1956, 1957, 1961, 1989, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2018, 2019
Jim Beam Cup 2003 2007
Ron Massey Cup 2014)
Runners-up10 (1948, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1972, 1996, 2001, 2002
Jim Beam Cup 2004
Bundaberg Red Cup 2012)
Minor premierships12 (1956, 1957, 1960, 1989, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2018
Jim Beam Cup 2003)

History

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The current club dates its establishment to 1934. The club's official history, A History of The Entrance Rugby League Football Club - From Seagulls to Tigers 1934 to 2012, acknowledges that a football team from the area played matches in the 1920s or early 1930s.[1] A newspaper report of a club meeting in May 1935 confirms this, "It is thought that there is a few shillings still belonging to the old Entrance Football Club, so negotiations are being made to have this transferred to the present club's list of funds."[2]

The Entrance did not enter the local league competitions in the 1920s or 1930s, and played only social or Challenge Cup matches. The format of the latter involved a club hosting visiting teams from Sydney or other country areas. The visiting side that was the best performed against the hosts was invited back at the end of the season to play a Grand Final. The local competitions experienced a decline in interest in the mid-thirties, and from 1937 the other clubs on the Central Coast played only in Challenge Cup matches. Matches continued to be played during the early years on World War Two.[1]

In 1947, The Entrance was a founding member of the Central Coast Rugby League Football Association.[3] The club entered a team in each of the three grade competitions, reaching the final in both lower grades.[4]

In the top grade, The Entrance were runners-up in 1948 and premiers in 1949. Three successive Grand Finals were played against Ourimbah, for a loss (7-15 in 1948), a draw (7-all) and a win (15-11 in the 1949 replay).[5]

Further A Grade or First Grade premierships were won in 1956, 1957, 1961, 1989, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2018 and 2019.[1][6]

The club has had two stints in third tier competitions run by the New South Wales Rugby League, from 2003 to 2007 in the Jim Beam Cup and in its successor, the Ron Massey Cup from 2010 to 2014. The Entrance won those competitions in 2003, 2007 and 2014.

Notable Juniors

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Honours and records

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Team

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  • NSWRL 3rd Tier (3): Jim Beam Cup 2003, 2007. Ron Massey Cup 2014.
  • Premierships (15): 1949, 1956, 1957, 1961, 1989, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2015, 2018, 2019.
  • Runners-up (8 CCDRL, 2 NSWRL): 1948, 1954, 1955, 1958, 1972, 1996, 2001, 2002. Also Jim Beam Cup 2004 and Bundaberg Red Cup 2012.
  • Second / B / Reserve Grade (10): 1950, 1961, 1991, 1992, 2007, 2011, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019.
  • Runners-up (12): 1949, 1955, 1959, 1994, 1997, 2001, 2002, 2006, 2008, 2016, 2022, 2023.
  • Third Grade (4): 1978, 1997, 1998, 1999.
  • C Grade (1): 1958.
  • Under 20 (1): 2009.
  • Under 19 (3): 1980, 2008, 2010.
  • Under 18 (4): 1992, 1994, 1997, 2012.
  • D Grade (1): 1955.
  • Under 17 (1): 2005.
  • Under 16 (7): 1974, 1995, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2015, 2022
  • Under 16 Division 2 (1): 2004.

Team Numbers

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Team numbers obtained and compiled from competition tables and match results published in the newspapers, Central Coast Express, Wyong Shire Advocate and Central Coast Express Advocate. Numbers for 2003 and 2011 taken from copies of the Central Coast Division Junior Rugby League Yearbook of those years, supplied by Toukley Hawks RLFC. Age groups Under 9 and younger not included as team numbers from 1985 to 2011 not known to the author.

See also

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Sources

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  • A History of The Entrance Rugby League Football Club - From Seagulls to Tigers 1934 to 2012. Bateau Bay, New South Wales: The Entrance Rugby League Football Club. 2013. - A copy of this book is available at the Tuggerah Branch of the Central Coast Council Library.

References

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  1. ^ a b c A History Of The Entrance Rugby League Football Club - From Seagulls to Tigers 1934 to 2012. The Entrance Rugby League Football Club. 2013. pp. 5–6.
  2. ^ "The Entrance Football Club Enthusiastic Meeting". Gosford Times. Gosford: National Library of Australia. 23 May 1935. p. 15. Retrieved 14 July 2016.
  3. ^ "Football". Wyong and Lakes District Advocate. Wyong: State Library of NSW - Microfilm RAV 178. 2 April 1947. p. 7.
  4. ^ "May Win Central Coast Treble". The Newcastle Herald. Newcastle: National Library of Australia. 4 August 1947. p. 10. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  5. ^ "Entrance Footballers Defeat Ourimbah In Grand Final". Gosford Times. Gosford: National Library of Australia. 5 October 1949. p. 7. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
  6. ^ "2015 CCRL First Grade Grand Final". www.foxsportspulse.com. Retrieved 29 June 2016.
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