Pittsworth Danes strengthen top squad with key new signings
TRL TRACKER: A-grade club kicks off their squad build with ‘silk and steel’ signings, adding a key forward and an attacking star. Get all the latest pre-season player movement news here.
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Things have been quiet in the “kennel” to date, but with trial matches on the horizon Pittsworth Danes have turned their attention to squad building.
The Danes have added some starch to their pack with the addition of Cooper Bowyer.
The hard-hitting middle forward, who has been flying with the Highfields Eagles the past few seasons, brings experience, physicality and hard running.
Bowyer will be a familiar face to the Pittsworth faithful having worn the red and green a few years ago.
Stewart Free will also suit up for the Danes this season.
Free was set to play last year but missed most of the season.
After his “false start” in 2024, Free is basically a brand new signing for the team.
The Danes junior and Queensland Schoolboys Rugby Union rep is a true athlete bringing pace and excitement to the squad.
Across the grounds, other key additions and player re-signings include Bradley Zampech (Gatton Hawks), Clyde Aroga (Warwick Cowboys), Nick Pails (Warwick Cowboys), Harry Boal (Warwick Cowboys), Sam Wainwright (Warwick Cowboys), Alfred Vite (Warwick Cowboys), Jackson Lepou (Watwick Cowboys)
Oakey
All eyes are on the Oakey Bears after they made yet another massive signing this off-season with the addition of Ash Taylor.
After finishing 11th in 2024, the Bears could make the biggest leap of any side in 2025 with finals a genuine possibility.
In the latest swag of announcements from the club, the Bears added the former Gold Coast Titans playmaker to their line-up along with Richard Murray and Fine Faingaa.
Taylor brings more than 100 games of NRL experience and joins the club after leading Brothers as captain/coach in 2024.
The elite playmaker returned to the TRL with Newtown in 2023 following his retirement from the NRL before joining his boyhood club Brothers last year.
The announcement also means the Taylor/Tony Clevin dynamic duo will continue in 2025 as the pair were a force to be reckoned with at Glenholme Park in 2024 and are both headed to the Den this year.
They will be joined by Valleys stars Dylan Chown, Harrison Burns and John Palavi in what is set to be an exciting new Oakey line-up under new coach Alan Kilshaw.
Other major signings from the Bears include Charlie Adams, Dylan Court, Allistar Cameron and Damon Anderson.
Souths
While they have been quiet for much of the off-season, the Southern Suburbs Tigers have made a game-changing signing for 2025 with the addition of Hayden Lipp.
Lipp brings Queensland Cup experience and has been one of the leading playmakers throughout Darling Downs rugby league for several years.
Lipp was a Souths junior and head coach Brendan Wilson was excited to bring him home.
“He’s a junior that has come back, he played a bit of Q Cup around the place, he played for Gatton a couple of years ago as well,” he said.
“He is a really big quality half coming back to the club so should be good.
“It is what we needed – a good half with good leadership skills.
“He’s a positive player, plays positive footy and fits into what we want.”
Lipp is one of several young guns to have developed through the Souths system, with the junior club one of the strongest in the TJRL at the moment.
Wilson said there has been a major focus on building the culture around the club and promoting juniors to the senior line-ups.
“Coby Fechner from Roma, he’ll fill in at centre for us, he’s a big on effort guy,” Wilson said.
“He’s skilful but big on the effort areas, works really hard so he’s a good addition to the squad.
“Tate McCormick is back from overseas, he’s another Souths junior that has come back.
“he’s a forward utility who can play in the back row or middle.”
The Tigers will also be boosted at A-grade level by the additions of some of their under-19 breakout stars last year who led the team to the grand final.
“Jake Durie’s with the Clydesdales under-19s but he will be thereabouts in first grade,” Wilson said.
“Tait Cameron will be back in the first grade side again, there’s a lot of juniors that are going to be there or thereabouts.”
Highfields
The Highfields backline could be one of the most explosive attacks in the TRL this season after the announcements of two exciting game-changing players.
Curtly Hammond and David Woodbridge will join the Eagles this year and coach Steve Haywood is excited for what the duo will bring to his side.
“Curtly is a two-time premiership reserve grade player for Valleys, he’s got family connections with Justin Brown at Highfields and he played for us a fair few years ago,” Haywood said.
“We offered him a chance to come over and get about the culture and family with us and we’re really proud to have him, he’s one of the quickest players I have seen, he’s very explosive.
“We did a bit of a review from the end of last season and the big thing we lacked was maturity – we are still a young club age wise – and we worked on getting mature and finishing players.”
Haywood was also delighted about what Woodbridge will bring to the side, as the versatile talent can make a difference in any position across the backline.
“When you have the last name Woodbridge, you know he’s a star,” he said.
“Similar to Curtly, he’s just a level above speed wise, he just wants to play football so how can’t we have him with our culture we’re trying to bring?”
Earlier in the off-season, the Eagles made some major moves to add some experience and talent to their forward pack by signing Dillon Sullivan and Dylan Diefenbach.
Sullivan is a massive coup for the Eagles as he is a South Burnett 47th Battalion representative and was tied for the South Burnett Rugby League senior player of the year for 2024.
Haywood was delighted to add such a marquee player to his young squad.
“We are quite excited, he’s a very good middle front rower, he played his first season back for Nanango after a very long time away, he played with the Canterbury Bulldogs as younger fella,” he said.
“I have coached his younger brother Jack and they are a very good family.
“We are very happy to have the big fella come across.”
Sullivan is an imposing presence on the field and his experience is set to be invaluable for the Eagles.
Diefenbach is moving across to the Eagles’ nest from Oakey this upcoming season and has been a revelation for Haywood throughout the beginning of pre-season training.
Dylan Flanagan is also making his return to Highfields next year after playing for the club back in under-16s and is an exciting five-eighth with a strong kicking game.
Lachy Gilbert, Sam Dowling, Tom McCosker, Jaycob O’Toole and Vinnie Law are other new additions who are set to provide a boost for the Eagles.
Re-signings: Lachlan Fanning, Reily Land, Kyle O’Toole, Diesel Bergsma, Ryan Fisher, Cory Haywood, Alex Brighton, Taylah Hancock, Tee Rogers, Abbey Markey, Kyle Betros, Dan Betros.
Valleys
While it has been a quiet off-season for the Valleys Roosters A-grade men’s side, the women’s team has already made some key signings which will bolster its hopes for a breakthrough premiership.
After finishing the regular season third and falling just short of a grand final berth, the Roosters have already begun working for 2025 with the re-signings of BMD Premiership trio Reeghyn Beardmore, Taylor Fenton and Zoe Cook as well as young rising star Mikeely Scott.
“Mikeely Scott, I thought she was one of the better rookies of last year,” Valleys women’s co-coach Cameron Love said.
Beardmore, Fenton and Cook all played pivotal roles for BMD Premiership sides last year with Fenton a key playmaker for the Clydesdales and Cook a breakout star of the Clydesdales’ forward pack.
Beardmore brings 33 games of BMD Premiership experience with the Central Queensland Capras playing mainly as a half or hooker.
Dalby
It was the announcement which Dalby Diehards faithful had all been waiting for, with superstar fullback Chris Woodbridge set to return to the club in 2025 after he inked a new two-year deal with the club.
He was a pivotal figure in the Diehards’ 2023 triumph as he crossed over for 46 tries, scored 416 points and took home the John ‘Cracker’ McDonald Medal for best player in the grand final.
Warwick
Warwick Cowboys have been busy in the off-season signing a number of new stars.
Eager to get their hands on a premiership Warwick have signed Fassifern Bombers duo Charlie Christensen and Luke Pollock.
Warwick have also added Hostplus Cup veteran Jason Schirnack to their squad.
Schirnack brings a huge amount of experience to the Cowboys having been part of the Newcastle Knights as a junior and playing a handful of games for Wests Tigers in the NRL.
He also has played in the Hostplus and NSW Cup competitions.
“He’s a good aggressive player with great skills and a real footy IQ,” Speed said.
“He’s a top bloke as well which is important to us, you want the right people at your club.”
The Cowboys have also added exciting centre Garry Prince.
Prince was a key member of the Warialda Wombats, who claimed the 2024 Group 19 Rugby League premiership.
Re-signings: Caleb Murphy, Ben Sullivan, Daniel Conn, Darryl Erepia.
Gatton
Gatton Hawks have feathered their nest with another exciting young star.
Fresh off signing three-time Brisbane Rugby League winner James Robinson, the Hawks have added Joshua Lee to their squad.
The Port Macquarie talent joins the Hawks from Brisbane Tigers where he lined up in the Hastings Deerings Colts and Mal Meninga Cup sides.
Lee also trained with the Tigers’ Hostplus Cup side.
“I’m really keen to join a family orientated club and Gatton is exactly that,” Lee said.
“They’re focused on helping their players improve on the field and become better people as well. I’m really looking forward to the opportunity.”
Lee, who can play at fullback and centre, is also looking forward to helping Hawks defend their premiership.
“I think I’ll be able to bring a toughness and determination to the side which is what they (Gatton) are all about,” he said.
“Being part of a team defending the title also appealed to me.
“All the talks with the club and coaching staff so far have been about not just competing for the title but going out there and winning it again, earning it.”
Re-signings: Ben Haviland, Luke Self, Olly Bichel, Shannon Hicks, Travis Turnbull, Dalton Desmond-Walker, Blake Appo, Damien Burrows, Joel Brett, Mena Bakabaka, Cameron Bundock, Nick Short, Leonard Thomas, Tom Luhrmann.
Brothers
Brothers sent an early statement to its Toowoomba Rugby League counterparts that it means business in 2025 after the massive signing of elite playmaker Cory McGrady.
McGrady is a premiership winning half who featured heavily in the Western Clydesdales’ inaugural Hostplus Cup campaign in 2023.
Brothers president John Butler was delighted to add the playmaker to his club.
“We’re really excited we got Cory on board,” he said.
“We were looking for a leader and we found one, he’s pretty excited for the challenge ahead as well.
“We don’t want to just compete, we want to be back winning, we want to get back to that groove … and the only way to go forward is with a good leader.”
The Leprechauns have also added experienced outside back Harry Sterling to their line-up for next season.
Coaches
Brothers
Brothers’ women’s coach Kris Whale will return once again for 2025, with Brett Wilson set to lead the under-19s and Aaron Burgess the Reserve grade side at Glenholme Park.
Highfields
Highfields icon Steve Haywood is back for his second year in charge of the men’s A-grade side.
The Eagles coach boasts premiership success at the club, having led the under-19 men’s side to back-to-back premierships in 2022 and 2023.
The reigning premiers in the women’s competition will be a force to watch again next season with Wayne Collie continuing on as coach.
Gary Halliday will coach the Eagles reserve grade side, while Justin brown will coach the under-19s.
Goondiwindi
Callum Skinner will take the helm as Goondiwindi A-grade coach, with John Goodfellow (Reserve grade) and Gabriel Boota (under-19s) also locked in for the Boars next year.
Southern Suburbs
Brendan Wilson is set to return as A-grade head coach of Southern Suburbs, with Mitch Riley (Reserve grade), Andrew Trapp (women) and Darren Wilson and Matt Gainey will lead the Tigers side which made the under-19 grand final this year.
Valleys
Jock Waters and Ben Cook will take over from Shaun Weatherall after he led the Roosters to the reserve grade premierships as coach in 2023 and 2024.
After suffering agonising grand final defeats the last two years, Josh Barrett is back in charge of the A-grade side in their quest to go one better, while Adrian Zanette has stepped up as under-19 coach.
Cameron Love and Kaylah Pearce will coach the women’s Roosters team.
Wattles
Travis Burns will return as A-grade coach, with Cameron Hamblin (under-19) and Will Manley (Reserve grade) also leading the Warriors.
Check back here regularly as we continue to update our TRL off-season tracker in the lead-up to the 2025 season.
Oakey
Alan Kilshaw has been announced as the Bears’ new coaching director, bringing high-level experience from the United Kingdom.
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