Jamie Parsons
The seventh Proten Cup Knockout will take place this Saturday the 10th May, hosted by the Barellan Rams for the second time and featuring the on-field return of the Deniliquin Blue Heelers.
The day will see five sides compete in the men’s draw while four of the women’s teams will feature.
In 2025 the Knockout was made a voluntary competition with teams able to nominate whether their men’s or women’s teams will compete or not.
The decision was made after several clubs and many players were in favour of the day being eliminated from the calendar, with the date usually falling in the middle of the busy sowing season seeing many players from rural clubs unable to take part.
At the AGM in October the clubs voted to keep the day but on a voluntary basis for each club.
The men’s competition will see Barellan, Hillston, Ivanhoe, Narrandera and Deniliquin compete with each club playing two games and the top two at the end of the day playing in the final. In the women’s competition Barellan, Hillston, Ivanhoe and Rankins Springs will compete in a similar draw.
Goolgowi Rabbitohs have pulled both their sides out of the knockout due to low numbers. The same is said for Rankins Springs mens team and Narrandera womens team.
Goolgowi and Rankins Springs have historically struggled in the men’s knockout despite their strength in the competition proper.
Goolgowi made the first final in 2018 but the Dragons are the only Proten Cup team not to make a knockout final.
Narrandera women’s team have been strong in previous knockouts, winning the 2022 iteration with a combined side with Rankins Springs, and coming runners-up last year to Barellan.
Hopefully their lack of numbers is only a temporary problem and they can be back on the park come Round 1.
Barellan hosted the first knockout in 2018, won by Hillston in a 14-12 tight contest over Goolgowi.
They come off a successful 2024 season, with their men’s side winning the knockout and making the finals for the first time since 2021, and their women’s winning both the knockout and the premiership for the second season in a row.
Many teams have played already this year. Rankins Springs have had two trial matches, winning the Dane Richards Memorial over Forbes 12-10 and going down to West Wyalong 10-14.
Goolgowi went down to Yenda 10-16 in the Billy Hale Memorial, Barellan got up 16-12 in an opposed session over Leeton and Ivanhoe competed in the Yanco 9s, going down to Griffith Black & Whites.
Hillston played an in-club trial match showcasing their excellent numbers so far, able to field two full sides.
In the women’s trials, Rankins Springs and Ivanhoe fought out a 10-all draw, the Hens also competing in the Yanco 9s eventually beaten by Cobar, while Goolgowi were soundly beaten by Yenda on the Billy Hale Memorial day.
PROTEN KNOCKOUT DRAW
Barellan Sportsground
10.00am – Men’s – Barellan v Narrandera
10.40am – Men’s – Hillston v Ivanhoe
11.20am – Women’s – Barellan v Ivanhoe
11.50am – Women’s – Hillston v Rankins Springs
12.20pm – Men’s – Narrandera v Deniliquin
1.00pm – Men’s – Barellan v Hillston
1.40pm – Women’s – Barellan v Rankins Springs
2.10pm – Women’s – Ivanhoe v Hillston
2.40pm – Men’s – Deniliquin v Ivanhoe
3.20pm – Women’s Final
3.50pm – Women’s Presentation
4.00pm – Men’s Final
4.40pm – Men’s Presentation
Battlers For Bush Footy 