Hills Bulls charge to under-16 crown after starting as underdogs in the finals

THE Hills District Bulls have retained the Parramatta Junior Rugby League under-16 Division II title with a barnstorming run in the knockout rounds.

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THE Hills District Bulls have retained the Parramatta Junior Rugby League under-16 Division II title with a barnstorming run in the knockout rounds.

Unfancied to go past the early rounds, leave alone win the title, the Bulls charged to the championships on the back of superb play from the whole team.

Hayden McWilliam, making his coaching debut with the under-16s, said they did not expect to win the competition after finishing fourth in the league.

The champions Hills Bulls Under-16 team after the grand final.

“We hadn’t beaten any of the teams higher than us and we were not expected to win the title,” the 21-year-old Sydney Shield player said.

“I took over in the first week of the competition and I am very happy to see how well the team did and see how the team has grown through the season.”

McWilliam was assisted by Isaac Gorman.

Hills Bulls front rowers Jake Leyshon, left, and Jackson Fletcher, with the trophy.

The Bulls thumped local rivals Kellyville Bushrangers 44-16 in the grand final after seeing off Cabramatta JRFL and Marconi Stallions in their elimination finals.

The win means Jake, 16, finally joins his coach/dad Rees and elder brothers Dylan, 23 and Corey, 21 as premiership winners.

Baulkham Hills local Rees Leyshon continues to coach — and sometimes play — despite battling with cancer for the past few years.

Jake Leyshon hugs his dad Rees Leyshon after his Hills Bulls under 16 team won the title, because he was the last male in the family to win a league grand final.

“Dylan played in five grand finals and won four, Core has won all four finals he has played in while I have played/coached in 18 finals for 15 wins, so with Jake’s title on the weekend, the trophy cabinet is now complete,” Leyshon said.

The former police officer said 2018 will mark the 50th year he has been coaching — he started when he was 10 training the under-6s.

“I have never had a year off, coaching through the cancer as well,” Leyshon said. “At the end of next year and with the 50 complete, I will be retiring. Not sure what I will do with myself.”