Jamie Parsons

The Proten Cup men’s representative side played their first game since 2019 on Saturday against Group 7’s second division Regan Cup team.

Despite a few players pulling out before the game the team travelled to Grenfell with a full 18-player team.

The game was played under full international rules with 35 minute halves, 5-man bench with unlimited changes.

Regan Cup started with spreading the ball to their left side often, and midway through the first half found their way over after several sets on Proten Cup’s line.

Not long after a break from Ollie Taylor led to a kick from Noah Forbutt gathered by Lochyer Brennan for Proten Cup’s first try, and Forbutt and Brennan combined again with another kick leading to another try not long before halftime.

With a bit of luck Regan Cup hit back with a minute on the clock to make it 10-8 at the break, Proten Cup’s way.

Proten began with several attacking chances but an intercept led to a long race downfield, ending with Regan spreading the ball to the other wing to hit the lead.

Afterwards Proten could not regain momentum, and the superior fitness of the Group 7 side led to two more tries and a 26-10 win.

Best on-field was named Noah Forbutt, with two try assists, a full game at hooker and a fair bit of blood loss from a hit in the nose and a split above the eye.

The Proten Cup team consisted of Henry Taylor at fullback, Lochyer Brennan and Will Sali on the wings, centres Ollie Taylor and Rodney Gibbs, halves Jermaine Dixon and Jasvir Singh-Clark, props Trey Woodland and Beigh Hillier, hooker and captain Noah Forbutt, second-rowers Tom Sellars and Darcy Payne, lock Adam Thomas and bench of Mark Huntly, Reece Wilson, Anthony Jones, Sam Richards and Jamie Parsons.

Sam Richards was called into the squad the night before when one player was still needed to fill the 18. Only Thomas, Huntly and Parsons had represented before, in 2018 and 2019.

Despite the loss, the day was deemed successful and both teams are hopeful the fixture goes ahead again next season.

Knockout kicks off seeason this Saturday

The annual Proten Cup knockout is back for its eighth iteration this weekend at Goolgowi, who host the fixture for the second time, after first hosting in 2019.

The knockout will go ahead without Barellan, who pulled out both their mens and womens teams two weeks ago, with the Rankins Springs mens team also declining to participate due to numbers concerns, choosing to pull their side out before the draw was advertised.

Goolgowi are holding a reverse draw raffle afterwards at the club, with tickets still available on the day for $100, which includes food and drink during the day at the football.

Money raised will go to benefit former player Danvir Singh-Clark, who has been facing health concerns.

The day will be the first hit out for Goolgowi, Ivanhoe and Deniliquin men’s teams, and the first for Hillston since their trial with TLU reserves back in March.

It will also be the first game for all the women’s teams, as under current insurance rules they aren’t allowed to play trials.

Full Schedule below:

10.00am – Goolgowi v Hillston Women’s

10.30am – Rankins Springs v Ivanhoe Women’s

11.00am – Hillston v Deniliquin Men’s

11.40am – Goolgowi v Ivanhoe Men’s

12.20pm – Hillston v Deniliquin Women’s

12.50pm – Goolgowi v Ivanhoe Women’s

1.20pm – Rankins Springs v Deniliquin Women’s

1.50pm – Goolgowi v Hillston Men’s

2.30pm – Ivanhoe v Deniliquin Men’s

3.10pm – Women’s Final

3.40pm – Men’s Final

Of the teams competing, only Hillston and Ivanhoe have won the men’s knockout before, Hillston all the way back in 2018 and Ivanhoe when they hosted the day in 2023.

Departed team Narrandera won in 2019, 21, 22 and 25, while Barellan won in 2024.

In the previous women’s knockouts, a combined Narrandera/Rankins Springs team won the first in 2022, with Barellan winning in 2023, 24 and 25.