NRL Victoria 2026

[yakstorm]

Thought it would be worthwhile starting a new thread for 2026 for the NRL Victoria competitions and the relevant pathways from Victoria.

NRL Victoria key events
28 February : U20s Pre-Season kicks off
11 April : U20s Pre-Season Final
18 April : Female Footy Festival
2 May : Storm Premiership & Storm Junior Premierships start
5-7 June : CAS Championship
4 July : City v Country
22 August : Storm Junior Premiership Finals
29 August : Storm Premiership Finals
5 September : Storm Junior Premiership Grand Final
12 September : Storm Premiership Grand Final
23 October : Harmony Cup

 

[yakstorm]

Point Cook Scorpions to join 2026 NRL Victoria Storm Junior Premiership
Based in south-west Melbourne, the new Point Cook Scorpions club will look to enter teams in the U6 - U12 Storm Junior Premiership competitions. Closest clubs will be Altona Roosters (10km).

 

[yakstorm]

Male high performance pathways
For the first time in history of Rugby League in Victoria there will be a high performance pathway from Under 16s to NRL, with the Storm & NRL Victoria completing the 'Road to AAMI Park' strategy they started in 2022.

The high performance pathways start at the U16s Sua Fa'alogo Cup. This NRL Victoria competition features the best U16s players from across the Storm Junior Leagues, selected for one of three high performance teams - North, South East & West.

The best players from the Sua Fa'alogo Cup progress to the Harold Mathews Cup (U17s) and then can progress to SG Ball (U19s), Jersey Flegg (U21s) and Reserve Grade (NSW Cup). Complementing those team's will be the Storm Academies.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Thought it would be worthwhile starting a new thread for 2026 for the NRL Victoria competitions and the relevant pathways from Victoria.

NRL Victoria key events
28 February : U20s Pre-Season kicks off
11 April : U20s Pre-Season Final
18 April : Female Footy Festival
2 May : Storm Premiership & Storm Junior Premierships start
5-7 June : CAS Championship
4 July : City v Country
22 August : Storm Junior Premiership Finals
29 August : Storm Premiership Finals
5 September : Storm Junior Premiership Grand Final
12 September : Storm Premiership Grand Final
23 October : Harmony Cup

Thanks Yakstorm I love reading about the game`s development in Victoria.

 

[yakstorm]

Geelong Sharks set to grow in 2026
The Geelong Sharks are on track for their biggest season yet, with the club on track to field a record 10 teams in 2026.

Last season the club fielded 8 teams in the metro competitions, entering teams in the U6s, U7s, U8s, U11s (2 Teams) and U14s Storm Junior Leagues, whilst also running a Women's Tag side and a Men's Third Division.

The club is on track to field U6s, U7s, U9s, U11s, U12s, U12s Girls Tag, U15s Girls & U16s Boys in the Storm Junior League, with the Men's and Women's Tag teams also returning.

 

[yakstorm]

So just noticed on the Play Rugby League website that in the past week there has been some new clubs added under the Greater Western Storm Premiership. Originally this league only had one club listed, the Bendigo Crushers, who were formed last year and played in the Harmony Cup competition, but in the past few days the Gunditjmara Bulls, Horsham Panthers, Stawell Mounties, North Warrnambool Warriors and Warrnambool Raiders have been added.

These clubs previously played in the NRLSA run Limecoast Rugby League competition and a number were set to join the Greater Western Storm Premiership back in 2023, though it all fizzled out and were then removed from the Play Rugby League site until now.

From what I can see the Raiders were last active in 2023, the Bulls and Mounties in 2024, whilst the Panthers and Warriors look like they last played in 2019.

Whilst Im suspecting that it's nothing more than someone moving things around, I'd love to see some of these clubs return in some capacity.

 

[yakstorm]

First Wheelchair Rugby League Come & Try event for 2026
Wheelchair Rugby League Victoria will host their first Come & Try series for the year in Greenvale (north) starting this Sunday.


Started in 2023, the WRL Victoria has slowly been expanding the length and number of these events held each year, with Casey (southeast), Footscray (central west) and Werribee (southwest) also set to hold programs this year.

 

[yakstorm]

Cranbourne Bulldogs club formed
Another new junior Rugby League club has formed in Melbourne, with the Cranbourne Bulldogs joining the Points Creek Scorpions for seasons 2026.

The club aims to enter teams in the ages 6 - 12 non-competition leagues, and will play out of J&P Cam reserve. Cranbourne is in Melbourne's south-east. Closest existing clubs will be the South Eastern Titans in Dandenong, Frankston Raiders and Peninsula Dolphins (Mornington Peninsula).

The NRL Victoria Metro competitions now boast 22 clubs for season 2026.

 

[yakstorm]

Storm Pathways - Round 1 Results
Lisa Fiaola Cup (U17s) - Storm 50 - 4 North Sydney
Tasha Gale Cup (U19s) - Storm 22 - 36 North Sydney

Harold Matthews (U17s) - Storm 18 - 20 North Sydney
SG Ball (U19s) - Storm 32 - 12 North Sydney

 

[yakstorm]

Storm Schools Cup grows for 2026
In a promising sign for the continued growth of Rugby League in Victoria, the Boys Storm Schools Cup has grown from 5 schools to 9 schools, whilst a new schoolgirls competition has been formed.

Melton Secondary College, Hampton Park College, Craigeburn Secondary College and Fountain Gate Secondary College are the new schools that have joined Hallam Senior College, The Grange College, Victoria University Secondary College, Mount Ridley College and Manor Lakes in the Boy's competition.

The Girls competition features all of the same schools except for Hampton Park College.

 

[Mother Nature's Son]

Storm Schools Cup grows for 2026
In a promising sign for the continued growth of Rugby League in Victoria, the Boys Storm Schools Cup has grown from 5 schools to 9 schools, whilst a new schoolgirls competition has been formed.

Melton Secondary College, Hampton Park College, Craigeburn Secondary College and Fountain Gate Secondary College are the new schools that have joined Hallam Senior College, The Grange College, Victoria University Secondary College, Mount Ridley College and Manor Lakes in the Boy's competition.

The Girls competition features all of the same schools except for Hampton Park College.

If we`re not careful we`re going to have a real SOO Victoria vs. WA in a few years.