Rugby League

The recently expanded Allora Regional Sports Museum has on show a rare display of footy memorabilia of Bronco and local hero Shane Webcke. This photo was taken on Shane's final NRL Premiership Game on 3rd September 2006 in round 26 against the NZ Warriors.

Saturday 25th October, Wilcannia hosted the Prepare to Play Outback Rugby Gala Day. Outback Rugby League gave special thanks to Olivia Whyman for acknowledging her ancestors and people in language.

Congratulations to Kendra, Jane and Bapala who took part in the NSWRL Westpac Blues Tag Rep Day in Sydney last weekend. Brooke Mallison from NSWRL made a call out to the Far West and these 3 women responded.

Glyn Rees. It was all one-way traffic at Goondiwindi’s’ Gilbert Oval on Saturday when Wattles’ Under 15 Girls League Tag team racked up ten tries to overwhelm a gallant Goondiwindi lineup 54 - nil and cement a run-on spot in this coming Saturday’s Grand Final against the Stanthorpe Gremlins in Warwick.

Hay Magpies’ first grade defeat over Leeton Greens in their final game of the regular season, has set the Club to host a final at Hay Park on September 6. For the first time since entering the Group 20 competition, all senior Magpies grades will contest finals, with league tag, reserve grade, first grade and the women’s tackle team all finishing at the top end of their competition ladders.

Barellan's men's side have finally repeated their women's side's grand final feats, winning the 2025 Proten Cup premiership against Ivanhoe 22-20 in Hillston on Saturday.

The 2nd semifinals saw both Ivanhoe Hens and Ivanhoe Roosters head off into the Grand final to play against Barellan. The Grand Final was played last weekend in Hillston. Judging by the photos, all players played hard.

Glyn Rees. Two young Central Downs region rugby league players in Allora's Reagan McMillan and Clifton's Chelsea Middleton have been recognised as achievers at the game's higher levels after Queensland Rugby League (QRL) announcements last week.

The boy who left Hay all those years ago has travelled further than most people could imagine - not just geographically, but through depths of human experience that would break many people ... At 80 metres below the surface, hand-feeding apex predators with a failing heart, he's found something that eluded him for decades; peace.

Glyn Rees. Sunday's Round 11 Toowoomba Rugby League clash at Father Ranger Oval lived up to every expectation of the rivalry of a Warwick Cowboys versus Wattles Warriors contest, the result not decided until the game's final seconds when centre Connor Williams scored allowing the Warriors a heart trembling 32 – 30 victory.

One of the most active junior sports in the region is junior rugby league and our local teams, the Wattles Junior Warriors make their mark every time a team goes onto the field, be it in the Warwick and District competition, or the Toowoomba Junior Rugby League. You can see the enthusiasm in the faces of Wattles Under 6 team.....

7 women from Wilcannia have joined the Ivanhoe Hens for this season’s Proten Community Cup competition. This was round 1 and the Ivanhoe Hens whooped the Goolgowri Rabbitohs 34 –10. Next game sees the women travel to Barellan.

For the first time ever, Casino High School will have three students playing rugby league in the state comp. Ciara Close, Tye Hogan-Collins and Joshalynn Walker were selected from players between Tweed and Newcastle to play in the Combined Schools State Championship ... Joshalynn, 17, is an all round sportsperson.

Glyn Rees. Some second half nerves had Wattles A Grade coach Travis Burns on the edge of his seat in Friday evening's Anzac Day clash with the Highfields Eagles at Platz Oval ... One of the biggest crowds ever to pour into the Platz Oval complex witnessed the activation of the playing field's lights that came at a cost in excess of $430,000 and an Anzac Day tribute highlighted by the presence of members of the 11th Light Horse Darling Downs troop.

Several of the Wilcannia women have been training 3 nights a week with Rugby League. Last Friday night, some of these women of Wilcannia joined the Ivanhoe Hens to play their first Rugby League game in Rankin Springs. (5hrs away)

Glyn Rees. To say local league guru Travis Burns is burning for Barrett Family Shield success on March 22nd is a serious understatement, the former NRL star has his first-grade line-up focused on nothing less than a positive 2025 season start.

Less than four minutes after kick-off, former Grafton Ghosts and Lower Clarence Magpies player Daine Laurie was called into the game between the Penrith Panthers and Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks as Round 1 of the 2025 NRL season got underway at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas on March 1.

After 58 years of participating in all aspects of Warwick and District Rugby League Peter Cavanagh is officially winding up his formal involvement in the game. Cavanagh had been there since day dot, coming through the grades as a player and referee, before spending his time in coaching and administration, enjoying 30 years as chairman.

Glyn Rees. Wattles Junior Rugby League Club officials celebrated their new season meet and greet dinner with committee members and coaching staff at Allora’s Railway Hotel on December 9th, and while it closed the door on the 2024 year, it also saw the Club about to step off in to an historic 2025 season.

For the seventh time, talented rugby league player Matt Duggan has been awarded The Clifton Courier Shield as the Wattles Warriors Footballer of the Year. Duggan set a new club record when he took out the title in 2022 for the sixth time - now he’s gone one better.

Glyn Rees. As many will be aware on Tuesday last week, so very sadly the Wattles fraternity, senior and junior, lost one of their great stalwarts in Mr Jack Duggan. It will certainly be an adjustment for all who frequent Platz Oval at game time, senior and junior, to now see a vacant chair near the gateway aside the announcing box, a chair that in recent years has seen Jack, beside wife Shelley, as near permanent viewers of the achievements of all those on field in green and gold.

Hay Magpies won Sunday’s Group 20 women’s tackle grand final, to secure their place in history as the first premiership team of the competition, and the first women’s tackle team from Hay to win a cup. After losing to Tullibidgeal Lakes United (TLU) Sharks in the first week of the finals, Hay caused an upset in the semis, beating Griffith Black and Whites to book the grand final berth.