Author: Tallon Smith

My name is Tallon, and I am a rugby league journalist covering country football. I have been covering rugby league since I was 14, when I launched my first publication, In Touch, covering grassroots footy in South West NSW, a project that morphed into my website Battlers For Bush Footy in 2021. My work has been published in more than a dozen mastheads including The Riverine Grazier, Back Country Bulletin, The Area News, The Irrigator, The Area News, Gundagai Times, Yass Valley Times, Cootamundra Times, Young News, Junee Independent, Deniliquin Pastoral Times and West Wyalong Advocate.
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Major Rugby League event to be played in Tamworth after NRL snub

By Tallon Smith Regional NSW will take centre stage a week after Brisbane hosts NRL Magic Round 2025 when Tamworth plays host to the inaugural NSW Cup Regional Magic Round the following weekend in May. The event, which will be held from the 9th until the 11th of May next year, will see four Group 4 First Grade fixtures played alongside a full round of … Continue reading Major Rugby League event to be played in Tamworth after NRL snub

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New club, new dawn for rugby league in the Goldfields

By Tallon Smith It may not be spreading like wildfire into non-traditional territory as Aussie Rules has done across regional New South Wales in recent years, but rugby league has made another massive stride in Victoria with the formation of a club in Bendigo. The gold mining city of 100,000 people previously had a team, the Bendigo Tigers, which last competed in 2011, though records … Continue reading New club, new dawn for rugby league in the Goldfields

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Group 9

New direction: Club administrators sweep to power at Group Nine AGM

By Tallon Smith – originally for the Young News The balance of power within Group Nine Rugby League has undergone a major shake-up ahead of the 2025 season after a new Competition Board was voted in at the competition’s Annual General Meeting at the Wagga RSL Club on Sunday. Elected to the competition’s board for season 2025 are delegates Grant Fenn (Tumut), Josh Powderly (Young), … Continue reading New direction: Club administrators sweep to power at Group Nine AGM

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Group 9

Diesels making moves as coaches and key signings confirmed for season 2025

By Tallon Smith – originally for the Junee Independent After an improved campaign in 2024, the Junee Diesels have signalled their intention to move further up the Group Nine table next season following the announcement of several key signings for the 2025 campaign. The Diesels have locked in Chase Bernard and Ben Shea as their First Grade coaches for the upcoming campaign, whilst also securing … Continue reading Diesels making moves as coaches and key signings confirmed for season 2025

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Castlereagh League expands after former club accepted back into competition at AGM

By Bryson Luff The Warren Bulldogs will be returning to the Castlereagh League fold in season 2025 after their application to rejoin the Castlereagh competition was unanimously supported by all the current clubs that were in attendance at the Castlereagh League AGM held in Gilgandra last Sunday. The Bulldogs will field First Grade and League Tag teams in what now becomes an eleven-club competition. To … Continue reading Castlereagh League expands after former club accepted back into competition at AGM

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Queensland, Statewide

The Off-season Battler: November Edition

Tallon Smith In between enjoying daylight savings and a few yarns at the pub, the Battler has been spending his off-season with his ear to the ground, listening for any rumblings from the Riverina and beyond. With signings and changes aplenty across the bush, here is a look at the top stories driving the bush footy rumour so far mill this month. Here is your … Continue reading The Off-season Battler: November Edition

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New club joins GTS in place of departing Cootamundra

By Tallon Smith – originally for the Yass Valley Times A new rugby league club in the Monaro region town of Googong is firming to join the George Tooke Shield in 2025 in place of the departing Cootamundra Bulldogs. According to sources with knowledge of the recent CRRL meeting, the Googong Goannas have been provisionally accepted into the competition next season, bucking the trend of … Continue reading New club joins GTS in place of departing Cootamundra

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Group 9

‘Not a one for one swap’: Group Nine President on Under 16 Boys/Under 18s Girls changes

By Tallon Smith – originally for the Gundagai Times With Group Nine pre-season beginning for some eager sides in the coming weeks, the controversial changes to the competition’s lower grades are set in stone as clubs prepare for a very different match day in 2025.  The changes, which will see the Under 16s Sullivan Cup moved from the Senior League to the Juniors while an … Continue reading ‘Not a one for one swap’: Group Nine President on Under 16 Boys/Under 18s Girls changes

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Group 9, Uncategorized

New top Tiger Gorrell ‘looking forward’ to different challenge after coaching swap

By Tallon Smith – originally for the Gundagai Times The destination for outgoing Wagga Brothers mentor Aaron Gorrell has finally been revealed after he was unveiled as the new coach of the Gundagai Tigers for their 2025 Group 9 campaign. After announcing he would depart the Brothers at the end of the season, the position left vacant by Gorrell was filled by Gundagai stalwart Blake … Continue reading New top Tiger Gorrell ‘looking forward’ to different challenge after coaching swap

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Clayton Cup winners announced for 2024 despite controversy over tiebreaker

By Tallon Smith The most coveted accolade in country rugby league has been awarded for 2024 after the Camden Rams were confirmed as the winners of the Clayton Cup. The presentation after the Rams’ spectacular season marks the first time they have won the cup, which is awarded to the country rugby league side that is best performed within its own competition throughout the season. … Continue reading Clayton Cup winners announced for 2024 despite controversy over tiebreaker

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