MENU
The Canterbury Cup NSW season is the 11th season of the New South Wales Cup, which is the top Rugby League competition sanctioned by the New South Wales Rugby League. It is contested by the reserve squads of NSW-based NRL teams and it also includes squads that competed before in the NSWRL Premiership but who do not field a team in the NRL competition.
The St. George Illawarra Dragons clinched the minor premiership after topping the team standings for the 2019 season while the Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles clinched the Wooden Spoon as the bottom team in the ladder. Here is the 2019 Ladder for the Canterbury Cup NSW:
- Dragons 31 points
- Rabbitohs 30
- Bears 28
- Bulldogs 27
- Panthers 26
- Mounties 25
- Jets 25
- Wentworthville Magpies 24
- Warriors 22
- Western Suburbs Magpies 19
- Knights 16
- Sea Eagles 15
The Top 8 teams have qualified for the finals. The first round of the finals is already in the books. The second round will be held on September 13 while the semifinals or the Finals Week 3 will be on September 21st. The Grand Final will be held on September 28, 2019. Here are the odds to win the 2019 Canterbury Cup. These odds were taken from 888sport.com as of 9/10/19:
- St. George Illawarra Dragons +150
- South Sydney Rabbitohs +200
- North Sydney Bears +600
- Canterbury Bulldogs +1000
- Newton Jets +1000
- Wentworthville Magpies +1000
Who Are The Favorites?
The St. George Illawarra Dragons were founded in 1998. They have made the Finals in nine out of their 11 years of existence and have never been awarded the dubious Wooden Spoon in their history. They finished first in the 2009 and 2010 seasons to claim the minor premiership and in their maiden season in 1999, they finished as runner-up to the Melbourne Storm. They won the 2010 NRL Grand Final by defeating the Sydney Roosters. They also won the 2011 World Club Challenge Cup, making them the first team since the 1922-23 Brisbane Broncos to win the minor premiership, premiership and challenge cup simultaneously. The Dragons clinched their third minor premiership this year after leading the league with 31 points on 13 wins, 3 draws and only six losses.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs were founded 111 years ago and are one of two remaining original founding members of the NSWRFL still competing today. The Bunnies have won a total of 21 Premierships, 17 minor premierships, and 9 club championships. The last time that they won a Premiership was in 2014. Unlike the Dragons who have never been the recipient of the Wooden Spoon, the Rabbitohs have held that unwanted award eight times. The Bunnies were second in the final table with 30 points coming from 14 wins and 8 losses.
Who Wins?
I believe that it will be the Dragons and Rabbitohs who will be the last two teams standing in the 2019 Canterbury Cup and that’s why I didn’t even bother to talk about the other teams. The Rabbitohs struggled to find consistent form in the middle part of the season. They’ve picked it up as the season has progressed and are now in second place with 30 points on 14 wins and 8 losses.
Meanwhile, the Dragons boast some of the most exciting players in the tournament in Matt Dufty, Adam Clune, Darren Nicholls, and Tristan Sailor. The Dragons have clinched the minor premiership after posting a record of 13 wins, 3 draws and only six losses. They have scored the most points during the regular season and have allowed their opponents to score the fewest points in the tournament. Remember that their +167 points differential is twice that of the Rabbitohs who are at +80.
I think both the Dragons and Rabbitohs are primed for an exciting final series. But the team which has played more consistently on both ends of the field all season long should have the advantage in the final. That team is the Dragons and I think they will win it all this year. Prediction: St. George Illawarra Dragons
