Group 2 Rugby League: Wrap, results, standouts from the June long weekend catch-up games

Year-long droughts were broken and the form guide was thrown out as local rivals clashed during a wet weather catch-up round in Group 2.

Coffs Harbour had a big weekend in Group 2. Picture: Leigh Jensen

Year-long droughts were broken and local rivals clashed during a wet weather catch-up round in Group 2.

Check out a wrap of the action below.

MACKSVILLE STUNS NAMBUCCA IN LOCAL DERBY UPSET

Macksville flipped the script to defeat Nambucca in a local derby. Picture: D Wigley

Macksville has proven the old adage that you should throw out the form guide for a local derby as the Sea Eagles defeated their rivals Nambucca Heads 26-18 at Allan Gillett Oval.

Coming into the game on the back of three-straight losses, Macksville shot out to an early lead and always kept the Roosters at arm’s length as it handed the defending premiers their first loss of 2025.

Despite having won just one of their four games this season heading into the clash, Macksville started brightly and enjoyed some early ball on Nambucca’s line.

The pressure paid off in the eighth minute when some nice work from halfback and new recruit Romain Pallares and an offload from Bradley Southan put prop Billy Cockbain over to open the scoring.

A huge charge from Ulysses Roberts straight from the kick-off kept the momentum going as the Sea Eagles surged up field. They went 80m in the first five tackles and looked like going all the way when Clay Saville made a break on the last, however the centre dropped the ball as he attempted to plant it down.

It was an uncharacteristically sloppy start from Nambucca, who invited more danger after failing to find touch from a penalty.

The home side kept the pressure on and extended its lead when hooker Zane Doolan crashed over from dummy-half to make it 12-0 after 14 minutes.

Zane Doolan helped get the Sea Eagles off to a quick start. Picture: D Wigley

Quick play-the-balls were wreaking havoc as Macksville charged up field yet again.

The Sea Eagles were relentless and forced an error deep in Nambucca’s end when centre Joe Borg came firing out of the line to land a huge hit on Dwayne Roberts Jarrett.

The Roosters had spent much of the opening stages defending in their own half but created a chance for themselves out of nothing when Jay Melrose stole the ball in a one-on-one strip. A few plays later five-eighth Tyreece Sines went over from dummy-half to make it 12-4.

A penalty a couple of plays after the kick-off helped Nambucca up field, and after a repeat set the visitors went over again as Logan Jones crashed over from close range.

Despite dominating the early stages, Macksville had seen its lead slashed to just two points in the blink of an eye.

However the Sea Eagles hit back again shortly after with an unexpected play. Running the ball on the last, the team went to the blind side, with Borg making a break and finding Pallares back in the inside to make it 18-10 five minutes before halftime.

Tyreece Sines was dangerous for Nambucca. Picture: Leigh Jensen

It was then Macksville’s turn for a double-shot, with a penalty helping the team up field and Doolan once again catching Nambucca napping close to the line to dive over for his second and hand the home side a 24-10 lead at the break.

The defending premiers had well and truly been second best in the opening 40 but wasted no time getting going after the restart.

The team made good yards in the first set of the half before Sines went to the skies on the last. Macksville allowed the ball to bounce, with Nambucca regathering possession and Sines firing a beautiful cut-out ball to Roberts Jarrett to score in the corner just 64 seconds into the second half to cut the deficit to 10 points.

The game continued to go from end to end as Nambucca looked to further eat up the lead and Macksville sought to put the game out of reach.

At one stage the Roosters were attacking down its dangerous right edge before a knock-on saw Macksville to turn defence into attack.

Joe Borg was strong in both attack and defence. Picture: D Wigley

Wezley Brown put the ball on the toe and then offloaded to Borg to run 80m up field. A penalty a few plays later allowed the Sea Eagles to extend the lead to two converted tries, with Pallares throwing over the goal to make it 26-14 with 18 minutes remaining.

Macksville went close to putting the game to bed in the very next set, with a grubber from Pallares just going over the dead-ball line.

But Nambucca showed just how dangerous a team it is, with yet another lovely ball from Sines down the right putting Roberts Jarrett into space and Jake Saunders finishing off the try in the corner. Toby Batten pushed his conversion attempt wide to crucially leave his side eight points behind with 12 minutes to go.

The game had swung back and forth all game and the final stages echoed this as both teams had opportunities on their opponents’ line.

But despite Nambucca’s best efforts, Macksville held on to record a crucial derby win that keeps it in touch with the top four.

The loss leaves the Roosters in third ahead of a grand final rematch with Woolgoolga next weekend.

Macksville 26 (Doolan 2, Cockbain, Pallares tries; Pallares five goals) defeated Nambucca Heads 18 (Sines, Jones, Roberts Jarrett, Saunders tries; Batten one goal)

COFFS SNAPS 321-DAY DROUGHT

James Hartley crossed for a try as the Comets recorded their first win since July last year. Picture: Leigh Jensen

Coffs Harbour has broken through for its first win of the season after firing out of the blocks to down the Grafton Ghosts 28-18 in the rescheduled round four clash at Geoff King Motors Oval.

Three tries in a blistering opening 20 minutes proved to be critical for the Comets, who broke a 321-day drought to get on the board for 2025.

In a game between two sides still looking for their first success of the season, the Comets started brightly as four minutes in a Jett McCarthy bomb forced an error out of the Ghosts and allowed fullback Macauley Dawson to swoop through to pick up the scraps and score the opener.

The high ball was causing all sorts of problems early as Grafton invited more danger with yet another knock-on.

Coffs was dominating the early stages and went in through winger Lachlan Smith in the 12th minute to extend their lead to 10.

Jett McCarthy had a hand in everything early on. Picture: D Wigley

The Comets were on a roll and continued their dominance in the very next set, when a break helped the team up field before James Hartley crossed to make it 16-0 after 18 minutes.

Stung by the opening blitz, the Ghosts pulled one back almost immediately with an excellent solo try to Cooper Woods that saw the halfback put a grubber in behind the line before toeing the ball past the Coffs fullback to score out wide.

After a frenetic opening, some errors started to creep into the game as the dewy conditions made ball handling difficult.

Coffs continued to go to the air and almost went in again after Grafton failed to cleanly take the ball.

However it was the Ghosts who scored next when Austin Cooper crashed over from close range late in the half to make it 16-12 at the break.

Grafton might have had the momentum at the back end of the first half but it was the Comets who came out of the sheds brighter, with McCarthy finding some space on the left edge and slicing through for his side’s fourth try just four minutes after the restart. He then slotted the conversion to make it 22-12.

Just as they’d done earlier in the game, the Ghosts rebounded strongly and went close to hitting back within minutes when Woods grubbered out to winger Liam Bloomer, however he couldn’t quite get on the end of it.

The Ghosts worked their way back into the game. Picture: Nambucca Heads Roosters RLFC

Grafton continued to have the better of possession and field position, and when a break up field got the team on the front foot it shifted the ball right for Bloomer to finish the business. Woods then drained the conversion from the sideline to make it 22-18 with 15 minutes to play.

The Ghosts now had all the momentum and earned back-to-back repeat sets directly from the kick-off on the back of some strong carries and clever kicking.

And while they were knocking on the door, the Comets managed to hold them out.

After having spent long periods defending, Coffs compounded the pressure by turning the ball over and opening the door for Grafton.

However the Ghosts failed to capitalise on their opportunities with some poor kicking options and errors of their own.

The win snaps a five-game losing streak for Coffs and breaks a 321-day drought for the side. Picture: D Wigley

And then when they failed to diffuse a Coffs bomb deep in their own end, the Comets took full advantage, with Lewis Hall powering over with what proved to be the final play of the game to seal the win.

The victory snapped a five-match losing streak that stretched back to round 12 of the 2024 season, with Coffs Harbour last tasting success on the 21 July last year. After a competitive start to the season that nevertheless began with three losses, the two points keeps the side in touch with the mid-table sides.

Meanwhile the Ghosts remain rooted to the bottom of the table and still on the hunt for their first victory after a four and zero start to the campaign.

Coffs Harbour 28 (Dawson, Smith, Hartley, McCarthy, Hall tries; McCarthy four goals) defeated Grafton Ghosts 18 (Woods, Cooper, Bloomer tries; Woods three goals)

The other wet weather catch-up fixture between South Grafton and Woolgoolga was once again postponed due to the state of the ground at McKittrick Park.