Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League: all the action and key takeaways from round two

There were early try of the season contenders, more former NRL stars returning home, while one club broke a 640-day drought during round two of the NRRRL.

There was plenty of action during round two of the NRRRL over the weekend, with points galore, some spectacular footy and nailbiting finishes capping off an exciting around across the Northern Rivers.

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1) Premiers go back to back

After last year’s premiership victory, Bilambil have kicked off 2023 with back-to-back wins. Photo: Bilambil Jets RLFC.

Defining premiers Bilambil has picked up right where it left off with two impressive wins to kick off the season.

After downing local rivals Tweed Coast 26-24 in a thriller at Les Burger Field in round one, it was another local derby on Sunday as the Jets welcomed Cudgen to the Valley.

Bilambil were too strong for the Hornets, running in four tries to one to win 24-4 and ensure that they’ll head into this weekend’s grand final rematch against Evans Head with their confidence high.

2) Early try of the season contenders

The Jets’ win over the Hornets also saw an early contender for try of the season, with winger Blake Forder’s incredible solo effort getting the home crowd going.

Catching an offload 30 metres out from his own line, Forder used his speed to scoot down the line before stepping in to beat a would-be Hornets defender. With the Cudgen fullback approaching, the young winger chipped the ball over the top and then received a friendly bounce to score in the corner ahead of the chasing defenders.

That wasn’t the only magic try of the weekend, with Murwillumbah responsible for plenty of razzle dazzle in its match against Tweed Coast.

Arguably their best came midway through the second half, when a swirling Aaron Booth bomb landed in no man’s land. Mustangs interchange player Byron Jones caught the bouncing ball and passed it off to Jordan Best, who gave two Raiders’ defenders the old hit and spin before putting it through the hands for winger Blake Marrison to score in the left corner.

3) 10-try thriller doesn’t disappoint

Speaking of the Murwillumbah-Tweed Coast game, there must be something about these two teams after both were involved in their second successive thriller.

After the Raiders narrowly went down to local rivals and defending premiers Bilambil 26-24 in round one and the Mustangs played out an action-packed 20-all draw with Byron Bay, both sides threw all they had at one another in the 10-try thriller.

In the seesawing clash, Tweed Coast raced out to an 18-6 lead inside 20 minutes, before the home side turned the tables with four unanswered tries of their own to lead 28-18 with 20 to go.

But the Raiders weren’t done with, scoring two tries in the final stages to lead 30-28.

Murwillumbah had a chance to clinch a draw in the dying stages after receiving a penalty near the sideline, however Aaron Booth’s attempt went wide and the Raiders held on for a famous victory.

4) Another former NRL star returns home

A 13-year-old Ryan James (centre) with Bilambil teammates back in 2004. Pic: Brad/Wagner - sport rugby league

Yet another former NRL star was spotted strapping the boots on over the weekend, with former Gold Coast, Canberra, Canterbury and Brisbane forward Ryan James donning the red and green of Bilambil.

James came off the bench in what was his first game for the Jets since 2008, when he played in the under-17s as a 15-year-old.

James, pictured here with local juniors in 2018, is a life member of the club and played his first game for the Jets since 2008.

The 31-year-old, who finished up at the Broncos last season, is one of a slew of former professionals turning out for their junior clubs in this year’s NRRRL, with Cody Nelson (Mullumbimby), Luke Douglas (Lower Clarence) and David Mead (Marist Brothers) among those running around in the competition this season.

5) Marist Brothers’ Jekyll and Hyde show

Mead’s team Marist Brothers joined Bilambil and Ballina as the only sides to win two from two with a 34-20 victory over Casino at Queen Elizabeth Park.

The Rams put on somewhat of a Jekyll and Hyde performance, with three players sent to the sin-bin before an incredible 15-minute period turned the game on its head.

Emori Nawasala, Henry Lee and Mitchell Krause were all given 10 minutes to cool off for separate incidents as the Cougars took a 10-4 lead into half-time.

However in what was a match-defining period, Marist Brothers scored four tries in a crazy 15-minute burst to take the game away from Casino and set up their second-straight victory.

They will host fellow undefeated side Ballina at Oakes Oval in Lismore this weekend.

6) Women’s tackle comp kicks off

There wasn’t just action in senior men’s footy over the weekend, with the NRRRL women’s tackle premiership kicking off in Yamba on Saturday.

Six teams will contest this year’s competition, an increase on the four that competed in 2022’s inaugural season, reflecting the sharp rise in female participation.

In the opening round Tweed Coast were too strong for Casino, winning 42-4, while Northern United edged out South Grafton 18-14. Unfortunately for home side the Lower Clarence Magpies, they will be forced to wait another week to get their season started after Kyogle forfeited their first-up clash.

7) Lower break 640-day drought

Sunday’s 10-point win was Lower’s first A-grade victory since the 2021 season (pictured). Photos: Adam Hourigan

The Magpies’ first grade team had a happier weekend though, breaking a 640-day drought by downing Kyogle 28-18 at New Park.

The win was the club’s first A-grade victory since beating the Turkeys 40-26 back on 25 July 2021, and comes after they pulled out of the first grade competition halfway through last season.

However with former NRL star Luke Douglas at the helm as captain-captain, they Magpies have seen a string of local juniors return to the club this season, and will be hoping they don’t have to wait so long for their next victory.

Round two wrap

After getting over the line with a narrow victory over Tweed Coast in round one, Bilambil took on local rivals Cudgen at home, Ballina met last year’s grand finalists Evans Head, Northern United kicked off their season in Mullumbimby against the Giants, Murwillumbah hosted Tweed Coast, Lower Clarence travelled to Kyogle to play the Turkeys and Casino had its first home game since returning to the first grade competition, welcoming Marist Brothers.

Bilambil outguns Cudgen

Defending premiers Bilambil have made it two from two to start the season with a 24-4 victory over local rivals Cudgen at the Bilambil East Sports Field.

After taking on Tweed Coast in the opening round of the season, it was two local derbies in the first two weeks for the Jets, who kicked off the scoring in spectacular fashion through a brilliant try to winger Blake Forder in the 18th minute.

Catching an offload 30 metres out from his own line, Forder used his speed to scoot down the line. He then stepped past a Hornets defender before chipping over the top of the incoming fullback. Forder led the chase and received a friendly bounce to regather the ball and score in the corner for what is one of the early contenders for try of the season.

Fourteen minutes later the Jets found success on the other wing, with Lachie Hallard getting on the end of an overlap to score. Oliver Regan added the extras to give Bilambil a 10-0 lead.

Going into the sheds 10-0 down, the Hornets needed to answer first in the second half. And that is exactly what they did just six minutes after the break, with Jackson Rohweder scooting out of dummy half and powering over to cut the lead to four points.

While Cudgen stayed within striking distance until the final 10 minutes, Bilambil put the game to bed with tries to Hallard and Forder, who both picked up doubles, in the 74th and 78th minutes, respectively.

Seagulls down the Bombers

Ballina has joined Bilambil with a perfect record from the opening two round after a hard-fought 26-22 victory over last year’s grand finalists Evans Head.

While the Seagulls got the points, it was the Bombers who got off to a flyer, with Zach Roberts crossing in the corner in the fifth minute after latching onto a beautiful cut-out ball from halfback Trevor Bolt that just evaded the fingertips of the Ballina defenders looking for an intercept.

The Seagulls hit back 10 minutes though, with centre Tim Cassidy running a great line to burst through the Bombers goal line defence and even things up at 6-6.

The game was one of tit-for-tat, and with just over six minutes before half-time, Bolt put the Bombers ahead again, dummying from acting half and then burrowing over close to the line to make it 12-6.

Not to be outdone, Ballina hit back again on the stroke of half-time, with Rhys Riches finishing off a nice backline move on the right edge to score in the corner and ensure the teams went into half-time locked up at 12-all.

There must have been something in the Seagulls’ magic water, because they came out of the break firing, with tries to Tom Milton and a second to Riches inside the first seven minutes giving the side a 22-12 lead.

Evans Head hit back through a Zane Gaiter try with 20 minutes to go to bring the scores to 22-18 and set up a grandstand finish, however Jordan Lee’s four-pointer with four minutes remaining sealed the win for the home side.

Northern kick starts season

Northern United kicked off its season with a win over Mullumbimby. Photo: Northern United RLFC.

Northern United kicked off its season in style with an 18-10 victory over Mullumbimby.

After sitting out last week with the bye, Northern opened the scoring through Hezakiah McKenzie after 23 minutes, before the Dirawongs raced to an 18-0 lead thanks to a double punch either side of half-time.

Allan McKenzie crossed just before the break, pouncing on a Giants knock-on close to their own goalline to score, while some fancy footwork saw Northern cross early in the second half to set up the convincing lead.

The home side wasn’t done with though, with young Cooper Nelson getting on the end of a grubber to score in the corner and Tommy Gibson scoring from dummy half to set up an exciting finish.

However it wasn’t to be for the Giants, with Northern United holding on to record a victory in their first game of the season.

Tweed Coast edge Murwillumbah in 10-try classic

With both sides backing up from cliffhangers in round one, the Tweed Coast Raiders and Murwillumbah Mustangs once again put on a show in round two as the Raiders edged out the Mustangs 30-28 in a seesawing thriller in Murwillumbah.

The crowd was treated to plenty of free-flowing football as both sides scored five tries a piece, with goal kicking ultimately proving the difference.

Coming off a narrow two-point loss to Bilambil last week, the Raiders came firing out of the blocks, scoring twice in the first eight minutes to take an early 12-nil lead.

The Mustangs hit back 10 minutes later, with Aaron Booth once again showing his speed to get his side on the board.

Just 20 metres out from his own line, the halfback darted out from the back of a scrum, finding a gap in the Raiders’ defensive line before passing off to backrower Jordan Best, who held off the chasing Tweed Coast defenders to run 60 metres and score under posts.

However the Raiders hit back shortly after, with centre Zion Kamana crashing over in the corner to make the scores 18-6.

Just when it looked like Tweed Coast were on top, the Mustangs flipped the game on its head, scoring two tries in three minutes through Byron Jones and Zach Johnston to lock the scores up at 18-all at half-time.

Booth’s kicking game was causing the Raiders all sort of troubles and led to the Mustangs’ next two tries – their third- and fourth-straight of the match – to set up a 28-18 lead with 20 minutes to go.

But just as it looks like the home side might run away with it, Tweed Coast interchange forward Daryl Brooks charged over to score from close range with 15 minutes to go to set up a grandstand finish.

Then, with just under six minutes remaining and the Raiders attacking the Mustangs goal line, five-eighth Brayden Evans jumped into dummy-half, put on a sharp left-foot step and then stretched out to plant the ball on the white to level the scores at 28-all.

With the clock ticking down, Raiders backrower slotted the conversion home from 15 in from touch to give his side a thrilling 30-18 victory.

Magpies clip the Turkeys

Lower Clarence has recorded its first win of the new season, putting on a strong second half performance to down Kyogle 28-18 at New Park.

With both sides coming off first-up losses, it was the Magpies who struck first, with Cooper Many collecting a Vincent Williams grubber to score under sticks.

The Turkeys struck back eight minutes later, with powerful centre Brock Westerman finishing off a nice backline play to lock scores up 6-all.

The tit-for-tat nature of the game continued, with Lower taking the lead again through Many, before Kyogle winger Harry Waddington scored in the corner to make it two tries a piece and 10-all.

The Turkeys then took the lead just before half-time, with Jack Nicholson scoring in the corner to make it 14-10 at the break.

While it might have been reasonably even in the first half, the Magpies certainly took control after the break, scoring four consecutive tries – including three in a 10-minute period – to take control of the game and lead 28-14.

Although the Turkeys scored with 15 minutes to go through Philip Bundock, it was merely a consolation as the Magpies ran out 28-18 victors.

Crazy 15-minute burst gets Marist Brothers home

Marist Brothers became the third team alongside Bilambil and Ballina to make it two from two after a four-try spurt inside 15 minutes helped the Rams to a 34-20 victory over Casino at a very wet Queen Elizabeth Park.

Winger Campbell Harvey opened the scoring for the Lismore side after 20 minutes, putting the ball down just inside the sideline after a spread on the right edge.

Casino fought their way into the match and Marist Brothers’ outside back Emori Nawasala was sent to the sin bin five minutes before half-time for holding down in the ruck while the Cougars were peppering the Rams’ goal line.

The home side duly exploited the numerical advantage with some smart work from Eddie Walker-Williams down the blind side to put Harrison Cusack over for a try.

Things went from bad to worse for Marist Brothers who were reduced to 11 when Henry Lee was sin-binned for a late challenge on Cusack as he scored the try, with the Cougars taking a 6-4 lead into half-time.

Casino kept up the pressure early in the second half, with second rower Nick Morrissey charging over to make it 10-4 after Cusack made a break up the touchline.

Just when it looked like things couldn’t get any worse for the Lismore side, they turned the match on its head with a remarkable burst of four tries in 15 minutes

It started in the 50th minute when halfback Jye Davis stepped his way around a couple of sloppy Casino defenders to score close to the posts.

Five minutes later is was Nawasala, making up for his earlier indiscretion, who latched onto a lovely grubber kick to put the ball just inside the touch line to help put the Rams back in front 16-10.

But Marist Brothers weren’t done yet. With the help of back-to-back penalties, the Rams went the length of the field in the first set after the kick-off, with star recruit David Mead burrowing over from close range.

Mead then had a double a couple of minutes later, finishing off a clever Davis grubber to score his second to extend the lead to 28-10.

And although Casino scored two tries to one in the dying stages, the damage had already been done, with Marist Brothers securing their second victory of the season.