Four NSW country premierships were decided on Sunday 6 September, and three of them came down to the last minutes. South Newcastle needed extra time to end Maitland’s run at four straight titles, Uralla won Group 19 by a single point with a penalty goal two and a half minutes from the end, and Forbes took the Peter McDonald Premiership on their own ground for the first time in a generation.
🏆 Sunday 6 September 2026 — Every Result
Last updated: 7 September 2026 · Results verified against the Daily Liberal, the Newcastle Herald, The Northern Daily Leader, official competition pages and Cruze FM
| Peter McDonald Premiership | Forbes Magpies 36 defeated Dubbo Macquarie Raiders 16 · Spooner Oval, Forbes |
| Group 2 | Macksville Sea Eagles 24 defeated Woolgoolga Seahorses 14 · C.ex Coffs International Stadium |
| Newcastle | South Newcastle Lions 18 defeated Maitland Pickers 16 (extra time) · McDonald Jones Stadium |
| Group 19 | Uralla Tigers 25 defeated Inverell Hawks 24 · Woodville Oval, Uralla |
| Group 21 | Scone Thoroughbreds v Singleton Greyhounds · Scone Park — result not yet confirmed by a published source; this page is updated as soon as it is |
| Group 4 (Saturday) | Gunnedah Bulldogs 28 defeated Moree Boars 12 · Kitchener Park |
Four of Sunday’s five deciders are confirmed. Group 21 is deliberately left blank rather than guessed — we publish a scoreline only once a named source carries it.
Peter McDonald Premiership — Forbes 36-16 Dubbo Macquarie
Forbes hosted a senior grand final day at Spooner Oval for the first time in decades and made it count, beating Dubbo Macquarie 36–16. The Raiders had not reached a decider since 2012, having come through their preliminary final 20–18 over Dubbo CYMS in extra time.
The first-grade decider was ended early after a serious injury, with the Magpies well clear at the time. Forbes dedicated the premiership to their late clubmate Hayden Bolam.
The Magpies had four sides in grand finals on their home turf. Orange CYMS took the league tag and Bathurst Panthers the Tom Nelson Premiership under-18s.
Group 2 — Macksville 24-14 Woolgoolga
Macksville Sea Eagles are the 2026 Group 2 premiers, beating Woolgoolga Seahorses 24–14 at C.ex Coffs International Stadium. Fullback Pierre Monteil was named player of the match. Macksville had reached the decider the hard way, accounting for Sawtell 30–12 in the preliminary final while Woolgoolga went through the major semi and had the extra week off.
Newcastle — South Newcastle 18-16 Maitland, in extra time
The biggest upset of the weekend. Maitland went to McDonald Jones Stadium chasing a fifth consecutive premiership and left without it, beaten 18–16 by South Newcastle after extra time. The Pickers had been minor premiers. Souths reached the decider by beating Central 40–20 in the preliminary final.
Group 19 — Uralla 25-24 Inverell
Uralla trailed by five with 23 minutes to go and by one with the clock running down. Player of the match Sam Press regathered a fumbled high ball to score beside the posts, and Jacob Whitehill converted to bring the Tigers to 23–24. With two and a half minutes left Uralla drew a penalty 32 metres out and Whitehill kicked it for a 25–24 lead they did not surrender.
Minor premiers Inverell had led 18–13 after Josh Boyd’s try, and 12–0 went the other way inside the opening exchanges. The win completed a double for Uralla, who also took reserve grade; Glen Innes won the league tag.
Group 21 — result to come
Scone Thoroughbreds hosted Singleton Greyhounds at Scone Park for the WTAW Shield, with Scone having earned hosting rights by upsetting minor premiers Singleton in the major semi-final. No published source carried the result at the time of writing, so no score is shown here. This page is updated as soon as one does.
Where the season stands
Group 4 was decided on Saturday, when Gunnedah beat Moree 28–12 for their first premiership in 28 years — full result here. Competition ladders, draws and season results are on our Group 2 guide, Peter McDonald Premiership guide and Group 21 guide. New to how these finals work? Our guide to rugby league finals systems explains the major semi, the double chance and why some teams get a week off.
Frequently asked questions
Who won the 2026 Newcastle Rugby League grand final?
South Newcastle Lions, who beat Maitland Pickers 18–16 after extra time at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday 6 September 2026. It ended Maitland’s run of four straight premierships.
Who won the 2026 Peter McDonald Premiership?
Forbes Magpies, 36–16 over Dubbo Macquarie Raiders at Spooner Oval. The decider was ended early following a serious injury.
Who won the 2026 Group 2 and Group 19 grand finals?
Macksville Sea Eagles won Group 2, beating Woolgoolga 24–14. Uralla Tigers won Group 19, beating Inverell Hawks 25–24.
