Group 2 Rugby League: Vote for the Group 2 team of the year
After an exciting Group 2 season, it’s time to reflect on who shone in 2024. Have your say for who should be in the people’s choice team of the year.
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Capped off by a drought-breaking grand final victory by the Nambucca Roosters, there was plenty of brilliant footy on show in Group 2 this season.
And while the Roosters got the chocolates, there were some stunning highlights from all clubs as they battled it out in a tightly contested season.
To celebrate the year, we’ve put together a list of the top performers from all clubs, with readers given the chance to vote for their team of the year.
Check out the list and vote below.
FULLBACK
There were some seriously impressive performers in what was a crack year for fullbacks.
Nambucca skipper Tyronne Roberts-Davis was inspirational as his Roosters side broke a 28-year drought to lift the premiership, while Woolgoolga’s Dane O’Hehir once again consolidated his reputation as one of the best players in the Group as he took the Seahorses to their second-straight grand final.
Elsewhere, new recruit Jake Thornton was impressive, picking up the player of the year award for Sawtell as the Panthers emerged as the most improved team in 2024, while Toby McIntosh showed his class in what was an up and down season for the Ghosts.
WINGER
Playing in far and away the best attacking side in the competition, Nambucca’s Jack Margetts and Beau Langford benefited nicely from playing on the wing in 2024.
While Margetts spent part of the season filling gaps in the back row, he made a home for himself on the right wing and finished the regular season as the third-highest tryscorer with 11, while Langford crossed the stripe seven times on the left.
Sawtell’s Tully O’Rourke was one of the team’s unsung heroes as he never shirked from taking tough carries out from the back while Kade Levingston, Wezley Brown, Jamal Laurie and Liam Bloomer were all regulars for their sides over the course of the season.
CENTRE
There was plenty of strike on the edges.
Nambucca pair Dane Saunders and Willy Baker were dangerous in attack all year and Shayde Perham was once again outstanding for Woolgoolga, giving his opposite numbers headaches throughout the season.
Sawtell’s Robert Brilley and Jayden O’Shannessy were also impressive, while around the clubs Macksville’s Sam Shields and Coffs Harbour’s Marty Ferguson were among the best for their teams. And despite taking on the extra responsibility of captain-coach, Ghosts centre Dylan Collett showed how dangerous he can be by crashing over for nine tries.
FIVE-EIGHTH
There was a mix of youth and experience in the five-eighth position as some older players well and truly showed their value while one young gun burst onto the scene.
Coming off a year out of the game after undergoing a knee reconstruction, Woolgoolga’s Jason McGrady was one of the Seahorses’ most consistent in 2024 and provided plenty of experience as he led his side to back-to-back grand finals.
Down the coast in Nambucca, Tyreece Sines was ever dangerous for the Roosters with the ball in hand and was duly given the club’s best back award, while Tyke Kemp was a regular fixture in Sawtell’s halves as the Panthers enjoyed their best season in more than a decade.
Meanwhile Macksville’s Rielly Laverty was one of the revelations of the season as the 17-year-old first broke into the top grade and then went on become one of the Sea Eagles’ best in an impressive debut season.
HALFBACK
There were plenty of talented players with the number seven on their back in 2024 as some of the most influential footballers in the competition lined up at halfback.
For the premiers, Logan Jones was outstanding for Nambucca, finishing the competition as the leading tryscorer before taking out the club’s best and fairest award.
At Sawtell, Corey Willis was a huge reason behind the Panthers’ excellent season with his experienced playmaking, while Woolgoolga’s Tyler Murden and the Ghosts’ Cooper Woods both guided their teams into the finals.
HOOKER
In his first season back at the club since 2018, Jacob Welsh was excellent for Nambucca and capped off a dream return to the Roosters with a premiership, while Jordan Starr controlled things nicely around the ruck for Sawtell.
The evergreen Todd Cameron showed that he’s still got the goods and provided a bright spark in what was a tough season for South Grafton.
At Woolgoolga, Ethan Duncombe won plenty of fans after stepping up to fill the shoes of Joel Collinson, whose season finished early due to injury, while Mason Graham and Zane Doolan were strong performers for their sides.
FRONT ROW
The big boys up front. There was no shortage of power in the front row over the course of the season with some of the teams’ top performers lining up in the middle.
At Sawtell, Sam Johnstone was brilliant as he led the Panthers as captain-coach while Woolgoolga’s Jake Elphick once again showed off his silky ball skills with some wonderful link play in the middle.
Khan Jarrett was the rock behind Nambucca’s fairytale season, duly earning man of the match in the grand final, Joel Cooper was tough as nails for Macksville, while Grafton’s Oliver Percy and Coffs Harbour’s Alex Bunt were among the best for their teams throughout the year.
SECOND ROW
There were some serious matchwinners in the back-row.
In his return season to football, Todd Johnson was a standout for Sawtell, with teammate Dean Wearing provided plenty of strike on the edges for the Panthers.
With plenty of size and explosiveness, Brody Simon was a key cog in Nambucca’s season, while 17-year-old Gus Single emerged as one of the most promising young forwards in the Group for Macksville.
Putting his team before the preservation of his body, Emanuel Sutton had a stormer of a year for Woolgoolga, Jake Martin was one of Grafton’s biggest attacking threats, finishing the season as the team’s top tryscorer with 10 and Justin Hull was strong for Coffs Harbour as the Comets missed out on the finals.
LOCK
There is plenty of talent in a crack field at lock.
Whether going through the middle or popping up on the edge, Jay Melrose was a constant attacking threat for Nambucca as he crossed for 12 tries, including one in the grand final, to guide the side to a premiership.
Meanwhile his grand final opponent Michael Curnow enjoyed one of his best seasons for Woolgoolga, putting in the hard yards and toiling away in the middle.
Elsewhere, Matt Hyland once again showed his class and quality by leading Macksville to the second week of the finals and Adam Slater was one of the Ghosts’ best.
And while it was a tough season for both Coffs Harbour and South Grafton, Macauley Dawson and Rich Roberts certainly held their heads high with campaigns for their sides.
UTILITY
They might not always have been in the starting 13 or played in the same jersey every week but arguably some of the competition’s most valuable players were the versatile utilities who plugged gaps and filled holes over the course of the year.
In his first season in Australia, French forward Morgan Andral was excellent value for Sawtell, playing either at lock or hooker and keeping things tight in the middle.
At Grafton, Jordy Gallagher was one of the Ghosts’ best, lining up either in the back row or in the halves, while over the river it was a similar story for Brian Quinlin-Randall, who was one of the Rebels’ most consistent players despite playing as far and wide as wing, centre, back row and in the halves.
Elsewhere, the competition got a look at one of the most talented juniors coming through the ranks in Toby Batten. Normally a half, the 17-year-old showed his versatility by coming off the bench at hooker for Nambucca and showed a maturity well beyond his years with some excellent performances.
ROOKIE
Junior teammates and halves partners for the North Coast Bulldogs rep side, Macksville’s Rielly Laverty and Nambucca’s Toby Batten both showed why they are so highly regarded with breakout seasons.
Batten was all class as he filled in at hooker for the Roosters, remarkably winning the under-18s and first grade grand finals at just 17 to put an exclamation mark on an exclamation mark on an excellent season.
Meanwhile at Macksville, first playing in the top grade in the rescheduled round four clash against Woolgoolga in early June, Laverty capped off a dream debut by scoring the winning try in the thrilling 18-16 victory before going on to solidify his spot at five-eighth for the rest of the season.
Another young Sea Eagle to impress was back-rower Gus Single, who as a 17-year-old well and truly handled the rigours of senior football with a brilliant season in the forwards.
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