The rugby league scene in the Western Riverina is set for another major change in 2026 after the Narrandera Lizards applied to re-join the Group 20 competition next season.

BY TALLON SMITH

After seven successful years in the Proten Community Cup and 22 years since their exit from the Group 20 competition, Narrandera officials decided upon the much-speculated change, with a meeting to take place between the club, NSWRL, Group 20 and the ProTen Cup in the coming weeks. 

Lizards President Shaun Lyons said that the club decided, after years of losing junior players to other clubs and sports in the area, to offer a pathway into full-season first division football.

“[At] the last Group 20 meeting, the Lizards made a decision to put our letter of expression of interest out for the Lizards to return to Group 20 in 2026,” he said.

“I think it's time for us to make that move." 

“We have strong juniors coming through, our junior committee does a great job, great numbers, we've got to give these kids somewhere to go."

“I think we've achieved a fair bit in ProTen, we won a few Premierships, lost a couple as well." 

“I just think it's time for Narrandera as a club and as a community to go back to Group 20, and all reports are that there has been a good response.”

Following in the footsteps of the Hay Magpies almost two decades ago, the Lizards will make the step up to the Group-level competition via Reserve Grade, with a view to re-establishing a first-grade presence later once the foundations have been built.

“Group 20 has a plan that we go back to Reserve Grade,” Lyons said.

“We're hoping to get a women's team, under 18s, and, obviously, it depends on what the 16s are doing, but we hope the 16s can come along and play for Narrandera.

“So we're hoping to put four teams in next year, but that's not set in stone yet."

Despite forming an integral part of the tight-knit ProTen Cup community alongside the other six clubs, Lyons said that the Lizards have enough support to sustain a return to the larger of the two Western Riverina competitions.

“We have great support from our local town, and I think when we return back [to Group 20], I think our support is going to be twice as much,” he said.

“[It’ll mean] rugby league in the town, week in, week out, and I think it's only going to be better for us.”

As for the club’s home ground, Lyons said the Lizards are looking to remain at the Narrandera Sports Ground and ground-share with their stablemates, the Narrandera Imperial Australian Rules Club.

“We have a good association with [the Eagles],” he said.

“Sometimes it doesn't always work out, [but] we’ve just got to work together and alternate weekends.”

“We've done it in the past. "

“I remember when I was playing with junior football there, and senior football there. It always worked. 

“There was no disagreement, so I think that will be pretty easy.”

Formed in 1921, Narrandera was a founding member of Group 20 in 1954 and competed in every season until going into recess after their 1999 premiership win.

After joining Group 17 for a season after the turn of the century, the Lizards returned to Group 20 in 2003 and 2004, only to go into extended recess beginning in 2005.

The club then entered into an ill-fated joint venture with local rivals Yanco-Wamoon from 2012 to 2014, competing in Group 20 as the Hurricanes, before entering the Proten Community Cup in 2018 after the Hawks decided to return to being a standalone club three years prior.

Narrandera has won three premierships in Group 20 throughout its history, in 1986, 1991 and 1999, in addition to their two Proten Cup titles in 2022 and 2023.