Cover Photo: Facebook
Tallon Smith
Newcastle has solidified its claim to being the best competition in the state after taking out a fourth consecutive Country Championships title with a 36-4 win over Central Coast at Port Macquarie Regional Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
A double to hooker and man of the match Luke Huth accounted for two of Newcastle’s six tries, with Jacob Afflick, Reid Alchin, Liam Wiscombe and Zac Montgomery also adding their names to the scoresheet as the Rebels turned an 18-4 half time lead into a 32-point victory.
Huth said that his best on ground winning feats were aided by a strong performance from the Newcastle team’s middle third, telling Battlers that a number of his teammates could have taken the honours.
“When you’re rolling off the back of a few good forwards and a pretty decent side it makes your life a little bit easier, but anyone could have got that recognition today,” he said.
Despite the scoreline showing all but one way traffic on the scoresheet in favour of Newcastle, the match was a physical battle, with both teams giving their all in what was essentially as close to a local derby as the Country Championships offers.
Huth, who plies his trade for the Cessnock Goannas in clubland, said that while the match certainly took its toll on the players, the effort was rewarded in the form of another victory and further merit to the claim that the NEWRL is the best local competition in the country.
“It was pretty physical, I think with five minutes to go there were about five or six of us on our haunches, so it was a physical game,” Huth said.
“They were a tough side, but we just got over them in the end.
“Four Country Championships in a row is a pretty decent feat, and goes to show how strong the Newcastle comp is.”
For Rebels backrower and Wests Rosellas star Liam Wiscombe, the victory marks his third Country Championships win after also featuring in the 2024 and 2025 victories.
While the Albury product said that it still feels a little strange to don the Newcastle jersey rather than that of the Riverina Bulls, the rare feat of winning multiple consecutive titles is not lost upon him.
“Obviously being from the Riverina, it’s a little bit weird, but [I’ve] been here for a little bit, been able to integrate with the boys and having them few country boys, Goody’s [Jake Goodwin] in there, and there’s a lot of Wests boys, so it makes a big difference, I feel like I’m a part of the crew now,” he said.
“It’s good, you don’t get a Country Championship very often, especially when we were younger it was pretty hard for a Riverina side to get there.
“It’s good, especially being so dominant and just consistently being able to prove how good the Newcastle competition is, it is the best comp in New South Wales easily.”
Newcastle’s victory follows wins over the Riverina Bulls (2023), Monaro Colts (2024) and Northern Rivers Titans (2025) in the past three editions of the state’s premier regional representative competition.
Meanwhile, in the Women’s Country Championships final, the Western Rams took out their third straight title with a 20-12 win over the Northern Rivers Titans.
After an early try to Rams winger Shelly Cox, the Titans hit back through an intercept try to Natalia Hickling, who raced 80 metres to score and give her side a 6-4 lead.
However, it was the Western side which took control of the match from there onwards, with tries to Maddy O’Brien and Teagan Smede putting the Rams in control.
A late charge saw the Titans get within a converted try when hooker Shakaya Williams crossed next to the posts, but a late penalty goal ensured the status quo remained with the Rams securing a tournament threepeat courtesy of an 8-point win.
