Cover Photo: Courtney Boney

By Tallon Smith

The Brewarrina Golden Googars are the Barwon Darling Rugby League Premiers for the 2024 season after an 18-14 win over the Bourke Warriors at Ricky Walford Oval in Walgett on Sunday.

The win breaks a 7-year premiership drought for the small town in the state’s Far West region, with the town’s 1,100-odd residents sent into party mode after a famous triumph.

The Googars burst out of the blocks in the first half, scoring two tries early on to open up a 10-2 half time lead. 

Bourke came roaring back in the second half however, closing the gap, but Brewarrina countered with points of their own to maintain the lead heading into the final stages.

The Warriors surged again late, but a disallowed try with five minutes remaining saw the Bourke side fall short for the third straight year after yet another valiant campaign in 2024, while the Brewarrina crowd went into raptures as the trophy returned to the 2839 postcode for the first time since 2017.

Brewarrina President Sharon Fox told online news app Western Plains just how much the win meant to the town and its people.

“All outback towns love their football, but Bre’s passionate about their football,” she said.

“They love the crowd, they like doing it for the crowd and community.

“Every time they scored a try, the crowd was just wild.”

Googars Vice-President Thomas Dodds added to Fox’s comments, telling Battlers For Bush Footy that the win was an extremely emotional one, with rugby league being the lifeblood of the remote community.

“There were people crying and everything,” he said.

“We haven’t won a grand final for a very long time.

“This is the only thing out here for the community, bush football is one of the best things everyone talks about.”

Redbacks go back-to-back in League Tag

The Lightning Ridge Redbacks went back-to-back in the Ladies League Tag decider with a 58-0 victory over Walgett Dragons.

The Redbacks club have dominated the League Tag competition in recent seasons, qualifying for the Grand Final three years in a row, losing the first one to Walgett before their two consecutive triumphs.

Lightning Ridge League Tag star Jada Seaton, who made the 11-hour trip back to her home town from Wollongong to play in the game, spoke exclusively to Battlers For Bush Footy abut the great day for the Redbacks club.

“It was really great, having come all the way from Wollongong,” she said.

“It was pretty spectacular to have such a demanding win, it was 58-0.

“It was pretty crazy, [but] it was worth it though, and I ended up getting a try too, so [that] was good.”

Central to the team’s success over the past few seasons is a family atmosphere, with Seaton explaining to Battlers For Bush Footy that the efforts of a few committed volunteers has kept the Redbacks club afloat.

“Our league tag team’s pretty much a family team,” she said.

“We’ve been undefeated for 2 seasons.

“My uncle, my uncle Danny Drew, he runs the team. 

“He’s been coaching for like six plus years, just having that strong foundation of grown-ups that are dedicated to constantly keeping the team going, volunteering to take like children on the buses, volunteering to take buses of kids to the games and just having all the helpers in the region is what’s pretty much kept us succeeding in these games.”

The club culture at Lightning Ridge has been built around strong Women’s teams in recent years, with the Redbacks only fielding League Tag and Junior sides due to a lack of players for an A-Grade team.

Despite the town’s teams being highly successful, winning both competitions they entered this year, the club’s lack of a senior male team, coupled with the competition’s Under 15 and Under 18 Boys competitions going into recess, has seen many young rugby league players in the area like Seaton begin to worry about the future of their clubs and competition.

“I think there [were] six or five games through the season, I ended up playing about three of them,” she said.

“It’s just sad how [few] games you get to play each year, and more [players and clubs] are dropping out, and so I think it’s worrisome.

“No one cares about regional bush footy out that way.”

Finally, in the Under 15 League Tag decider, it was the Redbacks again who took out the title with a 60-0 win over Brewarrina in the Grand Final.

The lower grade premiership win is yet another accolade for the Lightning Ridge club, who are looking to field a Senior Men’s team for the first time in a few years next season.

Grand Final Day brings to a close an at times underwhelming season for the BDRL, with the overwhelming sentiment shared in conversations between club officials and Battlers For Bush Footy being the need for a longer season with more games.

Another paramount concern has been the loss of the Under 15’s and Under 18’s Boys competitions this season, which has elevated concerns regarding the future of the game in the region. 

However, with the season coming to a close, the focus now turns to the NSW Outback v Hastings League representative fixture this Saturday in Lightning Ridge.

A gala day will also be held for juniors, with a bus running from Bourke and Brewarrina to Lightning Ridge for the day, while there will also be a NSWRL Community Wellbeing Dinner held for the Redbacks club later that evening.