The Lismore Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout Carnival is putting women in the spotlight, with a growing number of players set to take the field in the 2026 competition.
The three-day carnival will return to the Crozier Field and Oakes Oval sporting precinct from today, Friday 18 September, until Sunday.
The women’s competition has grown in both quality and profile in recent years, with players coming from NSW and Queensland competitions and the NRLW.
Carnival coordinator Chris Binge said the women had become an important part of the event and were bringing a new edge to the competition.
That growth was particularly evident last year with the inclusion of NRLW players, while more local women are now securing contracts with professional clubs.
“These ladies bring such a different edge to this whole event. They bring a different edge to the competition,” Binge said.
“The standard of football that these ladies produce and play is second to none.”
Binge said the growth of women’s rugby league at the elite level was now being reflected at the knockout carnival, with young players progressing through higher levels of the game.
The men’s competition will be hotly contested at the three-day event. Photo: Cee Bee’s Photos.
“When you look at the NRLW and the growth in the space, you now have all these young women that are playing at higher levels,” he said.
The carnival attracts teams, families and supporters from Aboriginal communities across the region and beyond, with more than 7,500 people attending in previous years.
It has become a major event on the region’s sporting calendar, as well as an important gathering for Aboriginal communities.
The men’s competition will again be hotly contested, with the carnival regarded as one of the premier regional Indigenous rugby league events on the NSW north coast.
For many teams, the Lismore carnival also serves as a tune-up for the NSW state carnival in October, with local bragging rights at stake.
The event has also attracted current and former NRL stars over the years, including Greg Inglis, Albert Kelly and Cody Walker.
Teams from Cabbage Tree Island, Cubawee, Muli Muli, Tabulam and Tweed are among those that regularly feature at the carnival.
Run by Northern United Rugby League Club, the event relies on the support of volunteers, officials and community groups.