Cover Photo: Pita Visuals

Tallon Smith

The Riverina Bulls and Monaro Colts will start their 2026 Country Championships campaign with a preliminary round showdown at Junee’s Laurie Daley Oval on Sunday, March 1.

The two sides will join the Northern Tigers and North Coast Bulldogs in playing an extra preliminary round game to qualify for the quarter finals of the four-week knockout competition, due to the 10-team single elimination format in place.

The quarter finals will then follow beginning on March 7, with the Illawarra South Coast Dragons to take on Macarthur Wests Tigers, Newcastle Rebels to face the winner of Riverina v Monaro, and the Northern Rivers Titans set to host the victorious team from the Northern Tigers v North Coast match.

The final game of the quarter finals will be held a week later when the Western Rams welcome the Central Coast Roosters to Bathurst’s Carrington Park.

Following this, the semi finals will take place on the weekend of March 21/22, with the final to be played a week later on Saturday March 28.

The full draw is listed below.

2026 NSWRL Country Championships Draw

Qualifying Round

Saturday, February 28

Northern Tigers v North Coast Bulldogs – Scully Park, Tamworth

Sunday, March 1

Riverina Bulls v Monaro Colts – Laurie Daley Oval, Junee

Quarter Finals

Saturday, March 7

Northern Rivers Titans v Qualifier Winner (Northern/North Coast) – Crozier Field, Lismore 

Illawarra South Coast Dragons v Macarthur Wests Tigers – Collegians Sportsground, Figtree

Qualifier Winner (Riverina/Monaro) v Newcastle Rebels – Seiffert Oval, Queanbeyan East

Saturday, March 14

Central Coast Roosters v Western Rams – Carrington Park, Bathurst

Semi Finals

March 21/22 – The Oaks, Glen Willow or Lismore

March 21/22 – The Oaks, Glen Willow or Lismore

Final

Saturday, March 28 – Venue TBC