Bryson Luff

The many supporters of the Coolah Kangaroos would have left Coolah’s Bowen Oval last Saturday afternoon well pleased with the performance of both their sides against the visiting Narromine Jets in the opening round of the 2025 Christie and Hood Castlereagh League competition.

The afternoon opened up with a rematch of the 2024 league tag grand final which saw the Jets come away with the premiership following a thrilling 14 to 10 victory over the Flyers.

This time around the result was well and truly reversed with the Flyers registering a very impressive 34 to 10 victory, with their dynamic fullback Brooklyn Blackadder crossing for five tries.

The first-grade encounter saw the home side defending the Boronia Cup for the sixth time and just as it was in 2024 Bowen Oval proved to be an impenetrable fortress for visiting teams with the ‘Roos recording a solid 26 to 16 win over the Jets.

That win sets up an absolute blockbuster Boronia Cup Challenge game against the Cobar Roosters this coming Saturday with the game also being a grand final re-match between the two sides.

The Roosters started their 2025 campaign off in fine style by providing the Warren Bulldogs with a reality check in their game played at Warren’s Victoria Park.

The Roosters had the game well and truly sewn up at half time with 34 to nil lead and whilst the home side slowed the score board down in the second half the visitors strutted from the field with a 50 to nil win under their belt.

That win made it a double for the Roosters who also took the league tag with a narrow 18 to 14 victory.

Also scoring two wins were the Dunedoo Swans in their games against the Coonamble Bears at Coonamble with the Swannette’s Chelsea Gallagher crossing for an incredible eight tries in her sides big 68 to 14 win over the home side.

In first grade the Swans continued the good for that they showed in the knockout a couple of weeks ago and after leading 16 to 12 at the break they were able to extend the four points difference to ten to come away with tough 36 to 26 win.

At Coonabarabran the Unicorns were always in control of their game against the Gulgong Bull Terriers at one stage leading 48 to six before taking the game 54 to 18.

The home side also got up in the league tag in what was a close affair, winning 14 to 10.

The Baradine Magpies had little trouble in overrunning the Gilgandra Pink Panthers at Baradine in the league tag, the final score being 14 to 10.

Turning to round two of the competition this weekend the obvious match of the round will again take place at Coolah when the Kangaroos entertain their grand final opponents from last year, the Cobar Roosters in a Boronia Cup challenge game.

The Roosters were the only side to lower Coolah’s colours last year, that being in the preliminary final played at Dunedoo, and they will be out to erase the memory of their lacklustre performance in the grand final and wrest the Boronia Cup from the ‘Roos so the scene is set for a great game of rugby league.

In the league tag the Jessica Skinner Challenge Cup match between the Narromine Jets and the Dunedoo Swannettes shapes as another enthralling game between these two sides who have had some epic battles in recent times.

The Swannettes are coming off a big win over Coonamble whilst the Jets tasted defeat for the first time since 2023 when they were well beaten by Coolah last Saturday and they will be looking to bounce back.

The first-grade encounter at Narromine should also be well worth viewing with the Swans surprising everyone so far this year whilst the Jets will be out to kick start their season with a win at home.

Christie and Hood Castlereagh League – Round 1 Scores

League Tag

Coolah Flyers 34 (Brooklyn Blackadder 5, Erin Bush tries, Tori Mogg 5 goals)
defeated Narromine Jets 10 (Haleigh McCarney, Minnie Peisley tries, Lily Spackman goal).

Coonabarabran Unicorns 14 (Meg Walton 2, Anthea Karavas tries, Zoe Wark goal) defeated Gulgong 10 (Chloe Patrick 2 tries, Lolly Tumpey goal).

Dunedoo Swannettes 68 (Chelsea Gallagher 8, Shelley Cox 4, Hayley Berg tries,
Georgia Price 8 goals) defeated Coonamble Bears 14 (Shakaye Walker 2, Mia Nalder tries, Kaleeha Jones goal.)

Cobar Roosters 18 (Taylah Good 2, Kayla Hassan-Williams tries, Brianna Watson 2, Good goals) defeated Warren Bulldogs 14 (Mab Fuller, Harmonie Morris, Kaitlyn Brown tries, Maddie Marks goal)

Baradine Magpies 54 (Suzannah Carey 3, Emily Murray, Adda Craig, Savannah
Carey, Zali Fulton, Stephanie Dewson, Paula Evans, Piper Walker, Chelsea Woodham tries, Craig 2, Jorja Carey, Suzzanah Carey goals) defeated Gilgandra Pink Panthers 0.

First Grade

Coolah Kangaroos 26 (Jacob Medd, Sam Wesley, Dan Lane, Austin Burgess, Hugh
Wesley tries, Lane 3 goals) defeated Narromine Jets 16 (Cory Cox 2, Ryan Richardson tries, Cox 2 goals)

Coonabarabran Unicorns 54 (Nick Willoughby 3, Eddie Kuras, Sonny-Bill Walker,
Donald Kuras, Bard Fuller, Dane Kershaw, Dave Sulter, Jordan Baker tries, Fuller 6, Walker goals) defeated Gulgong Bull Terriers 18 (Toby O’Leary, Fred May, Jason Morrison, Will Hawkins tries, Oliver Hollow goal).

Dunedoo Swans 36 (Chris Fuller, Ben Gallagher, Mana Dermott, Sam Coe, Nathan Duce, Dan Troutman tries, Ty Sutherland 6 goals) defeated Coonamble Bears 26 (Jye Dixon 2, Daniel Sangster, Jack Kelly, Blake Jones tries, Brenton Glover 3 goals).

Cobar Roosters 50 (Tim Hillam 2, Kai Taylor, Jack Brown, Kai Greenwood, Oisin
McMullen, Christopher Crotty, Lachlan Ford tries, Thomas Plater 7 goals) defeated Warren Bulldogs 0.

Baradine bye