What's new
The Front Row Forums

Register a free account today to become a member of the world's largest Rugby League discussion forum! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!

Rugby League Pub Guide

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
A question that comes up pretty often on here is "I'm travelling, where's a good place to watch NRL in [city]?"

So I thought we could put together a decent guide to Good NRL Pubs, and if it gains some traction maybe the mods could sticky it to the top of the NRL forum or the Ask Us Anything forum and we can keep adding to it.

Either post good NRL pubs you know of, OR requests for places you're visiting or can never find a decent place to watch footy.
Format:
(Country, if not Australia), City/Town/Region, Pub, notes.

Please post a brief mini-review of why this is a good NRL pub.

The ones I'll put into the The List will:
- have decent sized screens with good angles
- have sound ON
- show NRL by default

The above are stricter for NSW, QLD and Auckland, more lenient in Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide, and internationally.
Example. If a Sydney pub doesn't have sound on, it's not a great nomination. Every pub in Sydney should show NRL by default, so No Sound = nothing special for the purposes of this list. We're looking for the best in each area, not a list of every pub in Sydney.
But in Adelaide or Paris, no sound might be the best available. That's fine.

The following will not make The List or will result in removal:
- Not showing NRL if Union or AFL is on.
- Not allowing jerseys on a game day.

If anything in the list isn't up to scratch, point it out.

THE LIST

Sydney, City/CBD
- The Star Pyrmont. Lots of big screens in sports bar.
- Palace Hotel Haymarket. Warriors fans in Sydney meet-up venue.

Sydney, Waverley
- Robin Hood, massive screen

Sydney, Randwick
- The Regent Hotel. Decent sized screens and sound usually on in the top bar. NRL always on. Decent food and beer.
- Coogee Bay Hotel. Dedicated sports bar with lots of screens. NRL always on. Decent food and beer.
- Churchill's Sports Bar. Lots of screens and sound usually on all through the pub.

Sydney, Inner West
-
Southern Cross Hotel St Peters. 'usually have a projector onto a big screen for the main game and lots of other tv screens showing the main game and other sporting events.'
- Marly Bar. 'Projector screen, show all games with sound. Good for Origin and GFs.'

Sydney, Ryde
- Ranch. 'Big screen that has always had the NRL'

Sydney, Hills Shire
- The Winston. Big screens indoors and outdoors, NRL always on, sound usually on, ESL usually on too, quality mid-priced food and decent beer selection.

Sydney, Cumberland
- Wenty Leagues. Sports bar with good screens and sound on, cheap beers.


OTHER NOMINATIONS

CBD/Surry Hills
Aurora
Harts Pub
Helm Bar
Shellbourne
Aurora
Dove & Olive
Keg & Brew
Dolphin
Surlys
Sweeneys
Office
PJs Criterion

Sydney East
Sheaf Hotel, Double Bay
Lord Nelson, Bondi Junction

Inner West
Vic on the Park
Coopers Arms
Kellys
Erko
Golden Barley Enmore

Cronulla
Northies

Lidcombe
Lidcombe hotel
Novotel Olympic Park

South/Hurstville
Meridian Hotel
Ritz
Allawah
Oatley

South West/Bankstown
The Mill

Campbeltown Camden
Crown Hotel
Camden Hotel
Gregory Hills
Wests Leagues Campbeltown


Work in progress... other cities and countries coming soon

 
Last edited:
Messages
4,040
Good stuff Adam

CBD

ShellBourne (for origin), Sussex hotel, Martin place bar, pyrmont bridge hotel

Surry/central

Beresford, foresters, most of the pubs going up foveaux really

East

Light brigade, clovelly hotel, beach road, Coogee bay

Inner west

Dicks, the London, bank hotel (50/50), most pubs in Redfern/erskineville
 

Grapple

Bench
Messages
4,612
Come to the Brownzy' on the shore here in Auckland on a Friday, and you get tits and tickets and a bit of NRL too if you're that way inclined. Scummy pub with nothing going for it but location. Perfect hang out for Cronulla fans when in Auckland.
 

adamkungl

Immortal
Messages
42,955
Good stuff Adam

CBD

ShellBourne (for origin), Sussex hotel, Martin place bar, pyrmont bridge hotel

Surry/central

Beresford, foresters, most of the pubs going up foveaux really

East

Light brigade, clovelly hotel, beach road, Coogee bay

Inner west

Dicks, the London, bank hotel (50/50), most pubs in Redfern/erskineville

If there are heaps in an area (Surry Hills/ Foveax St for example), let's get the standouts.
Looking for the ones that have big screens, sound on, and you don't have to ask them for it over the AFL or some other rubbish.
Especially in Sydney where basically every bar shows NRL to some extent.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,420
Perth for game day
NIB stadium - The Brisbane, The Queens
Optus - The Crown riverbank area pop up bar, Royal in East Perth (if the footbridge ever gets finished!)

For just watching games, most these days show it if they're a decent pub. For best beer and NRL hard to go past The Paddington or the Whitfords Brewery
 
Messages
21,783
Canberra, City:

PJs - City
PJs shades KingOs for NRL due to TV Screen Size and large front room layout. Beers are better priced as well.

Canberra, inner north:
The Duxton - Turner
Have a beer at the former all bar nun where Toddy C peed on a bloke and got sacked. A bonafide Rugby League Venue.
Its all new here now with beers and pub grub all night. Many tvs and comfortable.
The duxton is also a very short walk from the Ruc bowls club.

The Ruc - Turner
The Rugby Untion Club took over the Turner Bowls Club and made it way better. Plenty of cold beers, screens and three bowling greens for barefoot in the summer.

Ducks Nuts - Dickson
Was Oneals. Owned by the former Raiders CEO.
Now more trendy. Good TV viewing angles. Dedicated UFC coverage if that is your thing. Young Henrys and Mountain Goat on Tap as well. Duck Pancakes are a good appetiser.

Canberra, inner south:
The Dock - Kingston Foreshore
Many dedicated NRL screens. Good beer on tap. Trendy atmosphere. Chicken Wings are really good. Sweet Potato fries also a good appetiser.

Hale and Mary - Kingston
Hale and Mary have f**ktons of screens, good beer and for mine do the best superbowl monday in canberra. NRL is also well put on at this bar.
 

Lambretta

First Grade
Messages
8,679
Eastern Suburbs Sydney

(Origin)
Sheaf Hotel, Double Bay
Lord Nelson, Bondi Junction, opposite Waverly Bus Depot

Both these pubs screen regular NRL but will not have the sound on.
 

Lambretta

First Grade
Messages
8,679
City / Surry Hills
Dove and Olive, Aurora, Keg & Brew

Points to note:
All three pubs sell nice beers $5 schooners for Newtowner 5pm to 7pm in Aurora. But they all vary with little quirks.

Dove & Olive and Keg & Brew are beer places first. League will be screened but no sound. Neither pub allows team colours to be worn post game if you are heading home from Allianz

Aurora. Nice bar is upstairs. On weekends, as it is a City pub only the shitty ground floor bar is open. But they have $7 PINTS on offer. Whey hey.
 

Perth Red

Post Whore
Messages
65,420
City / Surry Hills
Dove and Olive, Aurora, Keg & Brew

Points to note:
All three pubs sell nice beers $5 schooners for Newtowner 5pm to 7pm in Aurora. But they all vary with little quirks.

Dove & Olive and Keg & Brew are beer places first. League will be screened but no sound. Neither pub allows team colours to be worn post game if you are heading home from Allianz

Aurora. Nice bar is upstairs. On weekends, as it is a City pub only the shitty ground floor bar is open. But they have $7 PINTS on offer. Whey hey.

That real ale pub in The Rocks shows NRL and has some stonking beers on tap! Dont know what its called but at top of a steep hill which I have stumbled down a few times :)
 

Timbo

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
20,270
Sydney East - Coach and Horses Hotel (good sports bar with lots of screens), Robin Hood Hotel (still uses a projector so has a massive screen).
 

myrrh ken

First Grade
Messages
9,817
Sydney East - Coach and Horses Hotel (good sports bar with lots of screens), Robin Hood Hotel (still uses a projector so has a massive screen).

Ah - now the big question. Do you watch the projector where you get decent size but generally poor definition and contrast? Or opt for the HD tvs which are much smaller.

I always opt for the TV.
 
Top