^ Played in one Sydney Shield match in 2020, prior to the suspension of the competition due to the Covid-19 pandemic in Australia. Did not enter a team when the competition recommenced in July 2020.
Competition suspended and subsequently cancelled due to lockdown measure put in place to mitigate the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales.
Bold means the team still currently plays in the competition.
Timeline
The timeline below displays club participation in the Sydney Shield competition. Finals Series have been: Top 5 (2013, 2022-23), Top 8 (2014-19) and Top 4 (2020). The competition was cancelled in 2021 prior to the scheduled final series.
Previous Season Notes
2021
Eleven teams competed in the 2021 Sydney Shield. The season commenced on March 14, 2021. The last round was scheduled for August 22, 2021, with a final series to follow. The season was, however, suspended due to lockdown measures taken to combat the spread of the delta variant of the COVID-19 pandemic in New South Wales.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Australia the Sydney Shield competition was postponed after the first round on March 14 & 15.[15] The competition was subsequently reconfigured. Nominations from the following clubs were accepted.[16] Results from the matches in March were disregarded as the competition restarted on July 18.
Cronulla-Caringbah and Helensburgh were not in the first version of the 2020 Sydney Shield. The following teams had competed in the single, first round in March.
Three clubs that competed in the 2016 season did not enter teams in 2017: The Auburn Warriors, Peninsula Seagulls and Windsor Wolves. For the first time, the Moorebank Rams Rugby League club entered a team in the Sydney Shield. In 2018, Brothers Penrith were introduced into the Sydney Shield competition. In 2019, former New South Wales Rugby League premiership side University entered the Sydney Shield.[18]
The competition began on the weekend on March 4 & 5, 2017. The regular season concluded with Round 25 on the weekend of August 25, 26 & 27 (Friday to Sunday). A four-week finals series followed in September 2017.