Tallon Smith

Excitement is building amongst rugby league players and spectators up and down the South Coast after the 2025 Group 7 draw was released to clubs on Thursday afternoon.

Nine teams will contest the First Grade competition, with the return of Berry-Shoalhaven Heads to First Grade confirmed, while Warilla-Lake South will not field a top grade side, electing to rebuild in the reserves competition.

Headlining the draw is the first ever Group 7 Magic Round, which is set to feature all First Grade teams playing their round eight matches on the one day at the recently upgraded Artie Smith Oval in Bomaderry.

The concept will see Stingrays face Gerringong Lions, home side Nowra-Bomaderry play Shellharbour Sharks, Jamberoo tackle Albion Park-Oak Flats, and Berry-Shoalhaven Heads take on Milton-Ulladulla across the afternoon and evening of May 31 at the home of the Bomaderry Tigers AFL club.

Lower grade matches will be played the following day at normal home and away venues, as has been done in other competitions which staged Magic Rounds, including Group 4 and the Illawarra League.

The season is set to open with a slate of derby matches across the weekend of April 5 and 6, with defending premiers Gerringong hosting Berry-Shoalhaven Heads in their return match to the top grade, before last season’s shock finalists Albion Park-Oak Flats begin their quest for another top five berth against Stingrays in a rare night game at Centenary Field.

The opening round continues the next day with Kiama hosting Jamberoo, Nowra-Bomaderry travelling to Milton-Ulladulla, and Shellharbour Sharks taking on the Warilla Lake-South Gorillas in reserve grade. 

The Grand Final rematch will take place on Saturday, May 24, with the Gerringong Lions to host Shellharbour Sharks at Michael Cronin Oval in a replay of the last two First Grade deciders.

There will be a number of themed rounds throughout the season, with Women in League Round to take place in round 6 and NAIDOC Round set down for round 12. 

The final round, which doubles as Mental Health Awareness Round, will take place on August 30 and 31, with Berry facing Albion Park, Jamberoo taking on Shellharbour Sharks, Stingrays playing Kiama, and Nowra-Bomaderry squaring off with Gerringong Lions, while Milton-Ulladulla have the bye.

The finals will follow on from there, with a top five system employed to produce two Grand Finalists ahead of the competition decider slated for September 28.

Meanwhile, early indications are that there will be further growth and expansion in the lower grades, with a whopping eleven teams set to contest the Regan Cup Third Grade competition.

First Grade clubs Jamberoo, Nowra-Bomaderry, Shellharbour Sharks and Stingrays are set to be joined by seven lower grade clubs, with the Crookhaven Magpies, Culburra Dophins, Mt Warrigal United Kooris, Robertson Spuddies, Southern Highlands Storm, St Georges Basin Dragons and Sussex Inlet Panthers all set to field sides in the competition.

Nine different grades have been proposed for the season, a record for the league, with First Grade, Reserve Grade, Under 18s, Regan Cup, Open Women’s Tackle, Under 18’s Girls Tackle, Ladies League Tag Division 1, Ladies League Tag Division 2, and Regan Cup League Tag all listed in the distribution.

The full First and Reserve Grade draw is listed below, with lower grades expected to be released in the coming weeks.

2025 Group 7 First/Reserve Grade Draw

ROUND 1

SATURDAY 5th APRIL

• Gerringong Lions v Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies
• Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles v Stingrays of Shellharbour (Night)

SUNDAY 6th APRIL

• Kiama Knights v Jamberoo Superoos
• Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs v Nowra-Bomaderry Jets
• Shellharbour Sharks v Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas

ROUND 2

SATURDAY 12th APRIL

• Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies v Shellharbour Sharks
• Jamberoo Superoos v Gerringong Lions

SUNDAY 13th APRIL

• Nowra-Bomaderry Jets v Kiama Knights
• Stingrays of Shellharbour v Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs
• Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas v Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles

SPARE ROUND – Easter Weekend 19th & 20th APRIL

ROUND 3

SATURDAY 26th APRIL

• Gerringong Lions v Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas
• Jamberoo Superoos v Nowra-Bomaderry Jets
• Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs v Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles

SUNDAY 27th APRIL

• Kiama Knights v Shellharbour Sharks
• Stingrays of Shellharbour v Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies

ROUND 4

SATURDAY 3rd MAY

• Gerringong Lions v Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs
• Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies v Kiama Knights

SUNDAY 4th MAY

• Shellharbour Sharks v Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles
• Nowra-Bomaderry Jets v Stingrays of Shellharbour
• Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas v Jamberoo Superoos

ROUND 5

SATURDAY 10th MAY

• Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies v Jamberoo Superoos
• Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles v Gerringong Lions

SUNDAY 11th MAY

• Stingrays of Shellharbour v Shellharbour Sharks
• Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs v Kiama Knights
• Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas v Nowra-Bomaderry Jets

ROUND 6 – Women in League Round

SATURDAY 17th MAY

• Jamberoo Superoos v Stingrays of Shellharbour

SUNDAY 18th MAY

• Shellharbour Sharks v Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs
• Nowra-Bomaderry Jets v Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles
• Kiama Knights v Gerringong Lions
• Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas v Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies

ROUND 7

SATURDAY 24th MAY

• Gerringong Lions v Shellharbour Sharks
• Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs v Jamberoo Superoos

SUNDAY 25th MAY

• Stingrays of Shellharbour v Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas
• Nowra-Bomaderry Jets v Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies
• Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles v Kiama Knights

ROUND 8

SATURDAY 31st MAY – 1st Grade Magic Round (Artie Smith Oval, Bomaderry) 

• Stingrays of Shellharbour v Gerringong Lions
• Nowra-Bomaderry Jets v Shellharbour Sharks
• Jamberoo Superoos v Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles

• Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies v Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs
• Kiama Knights BYE

SUNDAY 1st June (Other Grades)

• Nowra-Bomaderry Jets v Shellharbour Sharks
• Jamberoo Superoos v Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles
• Stingrays of Shellharbour v Gerringong Lions
• Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies v Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs
• Warilla-Lake South Gorillas v Kiama Knights

SPARE ROUND – Long Weekend – SATURDAY 7th JUNE & SUNDAY 8th JUNE

ROUND 9

SATURDAY 14th JUNE

• Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs v Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas
• Gerringong Lions v Nowra-Bomaderry Jets

SUNDAY 15th JUNE

• Shellharbour Sharks v Jamberoo Superoos
• Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles v Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies
• Kiama Knights v Stingrays of Shellharbour

ROUND 10

SATURDAY 21st JUNE

• Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies v Gerringong Lions
•  Jamberoo Superoos v Kiama Knights

SUNDAY 22nd JUNE

• Nowra-Bomaderry Jets v Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs
• Stingrays of Shellharbour v Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles
• Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas v Shellharbour Sharks

ROUND 11

SATURDAY 28th JUNE

• Gerringong Lions v Jamberoo Superoos
• Kiama Knights v Nowra-Bomaderry Jets
• Shellharbour Sharks v Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies (night)

SUNDAY 29th JUNE

• Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs v Stingrays of Shellharbour
• Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles v Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas

ROUND 12 – NAIDOC ROUND

SATURDAY 5th JULY

• Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies v Stingrays of Shellharbour
• Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles v Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs

SUNDAY 6th JULY

• Shellharbour Sharks v Kiama Knights
• Nowra-Bomaderry Jets v Jamberoo Superoos
• Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas v Gerringong Lions

SPARE ROUND – Washout Round 12th & 13th JULY

ROUND 13

SATURDAY 19th JULY

• Jamberoo Superoos v Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas
• Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs v Gerringong Lions

SUNDAY 20th JULY

• Kiama Knights v Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies
• Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles v Shellharbour Sharks
• Stingrays of Shellharbour v Nowra-Bomaderry Jets

ROUND 14

SATURDAY 26th JULY

• Jamberoo Superoos v Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies
• Gerringong Lions v Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles

SUNDAY 27th JULY

• Nowra-Bomaderry Jets v Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas
• Kiama Knights v Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs
• Shellharbour Sharks v Stingrays of Shellharbour

ROUND 15

SATURDAY 2nd AUGUST

• Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies v Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas
• Gerringong Lions v Kiama Knights

SUNDAY 3rd AUGUST

• Stingrays of Shellharbour v Jamberoo Superoos
• Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs v Shellharbour Sharks
• Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles v Nowra-Bomadey Jets

SPARE ROUND – Washout Round 9th & 10th AUGUST

ROUND 16

SATURDAY 16th AUGUST

• Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies v Nowra-Bomaderry Jets
• Jamberoo Superoos v Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs

SUNDAY 17th AUGUST

• Shellharbour Sharks v Gerringong Lions
• Kiama Knights v Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles
• Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas v Stingrays of Shellharbour

ROUND 17

SATURDAY 23rd AUGUST

• Gerringong Lions v Stingrays of Shellharbour
• Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs v Berry-Shoalhaven Heads
• Shellharbour Sharks v Nowra-Bomaderry Jets

SUNDAY 24th AUGUST

•  Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles v Jamberoo Superoos
•  Kiama Knights v Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas

ROUND 18 – MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS RD

SATURDAY 30th AUGUST

• Berry-Shoalhaven Heads Magpies v Albion Park-Oak Flats Eagles
• Jamberoo Superoos v Shellharbour Sharks
• Stingrays of Shellharbour v Kiama Knights

SUNDAY 31st AUGUST

• Nowra-Bomaderry Jets v Gerringong Lions
• Bye/Warilla-Lake South Gorillas v Milton-Ulladulla Bulldogs