Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League: wrap, results, talking points from round four
From a playmaking masterclass to a speedster’s day out, some star performers shone in round four of the NRRRL, while one team managed to break a late curse for its first win.
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New-look rivals clashed in a fiery contest, a couple of standout performers led their sides to victory while one side managed to break a late curse to record its first win of the season in the NRRRL.
Elsewhere, one club has surged to the top in a remarkable start to the season while one speedster has jumped ahead in the race to be the leading tryscorer.
Catch up with a wrap of the weekend’s action and the main talking points from round four below.
FRESH FACES IN GF REMATCH
The grand final rematch between Cudgen and Ballina was one of the most of the anticipated matches in the early part of the season, however fans could have been mistaken for thinking eight years rather than eight months had passed as a very different set of players took to the field in round four.
Just 14 of the 34 who played in last September’s decider backed up at Ned Byrne Oval. And while Ballina had 10 from last season, remarkably just four Cudgen players – Alec Williams, Luke Toon, Caleb Ziebell and Zac Blattner – were involved in the game in what is a very new-look Hornets side.
But while there were plenty fresh faces there was still a lot of feeling in the game, with emotions bubbling over at various stages in the match.
Ballina fullback Zac Beecher was sent to the sin bin late in the first half after being judged to have struck Cudgen captain Parker Bryant with his forearm while trying to get up to play the ball. The Seagulls custodian was then taken from the field after being hit with a high shot in the first hit-up of the second half.
RED DEVILS RUNNING HOT
When it comes to strong starts to the season, it’s hard to go past Byron Bay, whose first grade side passed a major test on the weekend with an impressive 27-22 victory over Northern United at Red Devil Park.
It was Byron’s third win from as many games to see the side remain at the top of the table.
However it’s not just the first grade team who has gotten off to a flyer, with all Red Devils’ men’s sides riding high in 2024.
After three games each, the first grade, reserves and under-18s teams all remarkably have a perfect record of three wins in what has been a very impressive start to the campaign.
Cumulatively, the teams have scored 317 points and conceded just 116, which translates to an average score of 35.2 to 12.9, after back-to-back-to back clean sweeps against Murwillumbah, Lower Clarence and Northern United.
FULLER PUTS IN PLAYMAKING MASTERCLASS
Marist Brothers have gun halfback Shallin Fuller to thank after a playmaking masterclass from the number seven helped the team to its first win of the season against Tweed Coast at Crozier Field.
Whether with bombs, chip kicks, short balls or cut-outs, Fuller – who previously played for Burleigh in the Q Cup – set up four of his team’s five tries as they ran out 20-10 victors over the Raiders.
The pick of the bunch came midway through the first half when the playmaker put in a perfectly weighted chip for winger John Paden take the ball ahead of the oncoming Tweed Coast defence to score.
The victory over the Raiders caps off a strong start to the year for the much-improved Rams, who pushed heavyweights Ballina all the way in a narrow first-up loss, before earning a fighting draw against a strong Mullumbimby side.
SMALLMAN LIGHTS UP DERBY
It might have been absolutely bucketing down, but Bilambil’s Reiven Smallman lit up the Tweed derby against Murwillumbah with a stunning hat-trick in his first grade debut for the club.
The winger, who joined the club from the Tugun Seahawks in the off-season, scored two brilliant long-range efforts as the Jets won 36-6.
The first came on the stroke of halftime when, receiving the ball from a scrum 10m out from his own line, Bilambil half Alex Fitzhugh chipped the ball over to Smallman, who caught it on the full and ran 70m down the touchline to leave several sprawling Murwillumbah defenders behind and score.
His second came after a nice spread to the left, while Smallman once again showed his speed to complete his hat-trick, outpacing one defender, palming off a second and then beating another in a stunning 75m run.
MULLUM SHAKE OFF RUN OF DRAWS
You would have been forgiven for thinking that there may have been some nerves among Mullumbimby fans late in the team’s round four clash with Kyogle.
After conceding late tries to draw their opening fixtures against both Casino and Marist Brothers, the Giants were in danger of being pulled back for the third week in a row when Turkeys five-eighth Ryan Walker skipped over for a try to make it 20-14 with seven minutes to play.
But while some fans might have been reading the bad omens, Mullum skipper Cody Nelson said there were no nerves out in the middle.
“Not really, in all honesty. The few weeks before we’d obviously had those draws but they’d scored late and were games that were out of reach of losing.
“It didn’t really feel like that on the weekend, it was more a matter of, ‘We’ve done it for two weeks in a row and thrown it away, so now we’ve learned from our mistakes.’ I felt really confident in those few minutes against Kyogle.”
Nelson proved to be justified as a Jyde Dwyer try on the bell – the front-rower’s third of the game – sealed a 24-14 victory.
It was the team’s first win of the season but could well have been its third, after conceding a length-of-the-field intercept with the last play of the game to draw 30-all with Casino and letting in a try with five minutes to go to end up 12-all with Marist Brothers.
“I don’t think anybody would argue that we should have won those games,” said Nelson. “The Casino game we literally threw away on our own and Marist Brothers, to their credit, they did dig in and hold us out long periods of time, but we didn’t do ourselves any favours in that game – I think they were pretty lucky to get away with a draw.”
And while frustrated that they didn’t ice their first two games, Nelson said the team is happy with its performances so far this season.
“We’re still undefeated and that’s all that matters. When you go into a season you don’t want to lose games and we haven’t lost yet, so we’re doing really well.”
After recording four wins and a draw in what was a competitive 2023, Mullum has returned bigger and better this year, with former NRL premiership coach Chris Anderson taking on the first grade coaching job.
“I said at the start of the year that we’d be a really tough and resilient team, and that teams just wouldn’t be able to walk over the top of us like they have in recent years,” said Nelson.
“And just with those few new inclusions like Jyde Dwyer and Matty Parata in the forward pack, we’re dangerous everywhere now and it’s really troubling teams. Every one of them has come off the field saying, ‘They’ve never been hit like that.’ Teams just don’t expect that physicality from us and it’s showing.”
Speaking of forwards, Nelson – who has been playing hooker in 2024 – had a blinder for the Giants on Sunday, scoring two tries and setting up another two in a masterful dummy-half performance.
“I was a little bit underdone going into the season,” he said. “I was away on holidays and hadn’t been training that much, so on the weekend I really felt like I was back playing footy again.”
And after filling in anywhere from five-eighth to centre, back-row and hooker last year as captain-coach, Nelson said he’s happy to stay in the number nine jersey for now.
“That’s sort of what happens when you end up being the coach of the team at the same time that you try to play: you just play where you can’t fit other players. I’m pretty comfortable about playing hooker at the moment, so until Chris decides that he wants to change something up, I’ll stay there.”
Looking to extend its unbeaten run, Mullum take on last year’s premiers Cudgen at home this weekend in what looms as the team’s biggest test of the season so far.
“Cudgen have been that team that have sort of bullied us for a few years, they’ve always had a really big forward pack and have gone after us, so the roles may be reversed this year and it’ll be interesting to see how it goes on Sunday,” said Nelson.
MILTON SURGES AHEAD IN TRYSCORERS’ RACE
Speaking of those who know how to find the tryline, Evans Head centre Torben Milton has taken the early running in the race to be become the leading tryscorer in the NRRRL.
After bagging a second half double against Lower Clarence, Milton moved to six tries from just three games, two clear of Mullumbimby’s try-scoring prop Jyde Dwyer on four.
In terms of points, Byron Bay’s Jack Rogers is out in front on 37, with Northern United’s Hezekiah McKenzie behind on 30 after just two games.
ROUND FOUR WRAP
It was grand final rematch time in the NRRRL as Cudgen and Ballina faced off for the first time since last year’s grand final.
Elsewhere, a couple of teams bounced back with their first wins of the season, while another ended its run of draws with a hard-fought victory.
And while it’s still only round four, one side has emerged as an early competition frontrunner after prevailing in a heavyweight thriller.
BALLINA GETS GF REVENGE
Ballina has taken some revenge for last year’s grand final loss with a 28-14 victory over defending premiers Cudgen at Ned Byrne Oval.
A dominant second half, which included a spectacular double to rookie winger Noah Waldock, saw the Seagulls pull away to win after a tight opening 40.
While only four of the 17 Hornets who lifted the premiership last September lined up for Cudgen, the game had plenty of feeling in it, with Ballina taking a 10-8 lead halftime before asserting its dominance after the break with three tries to one.
It all started in just the fourth minute when an early Cudgen knock-on gave Ballina excellent field position. The Seagulls took advantage straight away as Michael Dwane charged over from dummy-half.
Midway through the half it was Cudgen’s turn to capitalise on a full set on Ballina’s line when a looping cut-out ball from five-eighth Jacek McLaurin found winger Alec Williams, who squeezed over in the corner to lock things up at 4-all.
However a Cudgen mistake from just the second hit-up after the kick-off gave Ballina another golden opportunity, and a shift to the left put centre Liam Green over to make it 10-4.
There was plenty of niggle in the game and the contest took another turn almost straight away, when Ballina fullback Zac Beecher was ruled to have struck Cudgen skipper Parker Bryant with his forearm while trying to get up to play the ball and subsequently sent to the sin bin.
The Hornets then got their second shortly after when a high mid-field bomb from Max Liles landed in no man’s land and took a favourable bounce for centre Shaun Anderson, who took the ball and bumped off his opposite number Kel Sheather to score and make it 10-8 at halftime.
The second half started with a bang, with Beecher hit high in the first tackle of the half and subsequently taken from the field.
And while the bounce of the ball went Cudgen’s way for the Hornets’ second try, it fell in Ballina’s favour 10 minutes into the second half.
With Cudgen in possession, five-eighth McLaurin put in a dangerous-looking chip for his outside men, however the ball almost dribbled along the ground, evaded the chasing Hornets and sat up perfectly for Ballina winger Noah Waldock, who showed a clean pair of heels to run 70m to score. Hamish McClintock then drained the conversion from the sideline to put his side ahead 16-8.
The try gave the Seagulls some breathing space and they went even further ahead midway through the half with a brilliant, long-range try.
Receiving the ball inside his own 40, Ballina half McClintock cut through the Cudgen defence before finding Jared Lofts in support, with the five-eighth grubbering the ball forward for Waldock to score his second in quick succession and put Ballina up 22-8.
The Hornets gave themselves a fighting chance 10 minutes from time when McLaurin scored a fortuitous try after picking up a loose ball, however the Seagulls ensured the two points would be going home with them when young prop Will Bates crashed over under the sticks with three minutes to play to seal a 28-14 victory.
Ballina 28 defeated Cudgen 14
MARIST TOO GOOD FOR TWEED COAST
Marist Brothers have continued their strong start to 2024 by knocking over Tweed Coast 20-10 at Crozier Field for the team’s first win of the season.
A playmaking masterclass from Rams halfback Shallin Fuller proved to be the difference as a first-half blitz was enough to see the side over the line.
After a fighting first-up loss to Ballina and a gutsy draw with Mullumbimby, the Rams opened the scoring on eight minutes with a somewhat fortuitous play.
Picking up the ball on the last after a sloppy pass from dummy-half, Fuller laid the boot into it up field. Finding green space, the ball took a dramatic bounce that allowed Rams centre Mitchell Krause to take the ball and score.
The halfback was in the thick of the action again eight minutes later as Marist attacked the Raiders’ line, putting in a perfectly weighted chip kick for winger John Paden to swoop through ahead of the Tweed Coast defenders and put his side up 10-0.
Fuller was having a field day and set up Marist Brothers’ third shortly before halftime with a lovely cut-out ball for Paden to cross for his second and give the Rams a 14-0 lead at the break.
Tweed Coast needed to come out of the blocks quickly in the second half and they did just that, with fullback Mesiah Ngatuere putting Owen Fredericks through a gap with a lovely no-look short ball before the back-rower found Oliver Blood in support to score just one minute after the restart.
While the Raiders were building pressure, it was that man Fuller who helped restore the Rams’ lead and in essence put the game to bed 15 minutes from time with his fourth try assist of the afternoon. Attacking the Tweed Coast line, he fired a ball away to centre Henry Lee, who burst through the Raiders’ defence to make things 20-6.
And while Tweed Coast hit back with a try to Darcy Earl with just over 10 to go, that wasn’t enough as Marist held on for their first win of the season.
Marist Brothers 20 defeated Tweed Coast 10
JETS RUN RIOT AGAINST MUSTANGS
A stunning hat-trick from Bilambil debutant Reiven Smallman has helped the Jets to a 34-6 thumping of Murwillumbah at the Bilambil East Sports Complex.
The winger highlighted a memorable first day in green and red with three tries, including two stunning length-of-the-field efforts, to help the team to its first win of the season in what was Old Boys Day at The Valley.
Smallman, who joined the club from the Tugun Seahawks in the off-season, scored his first on the stroke of halftime with a brilliant try.
With a scrum 10m out from his own line and his team leading 12-6, halfback Alex Fitzhugh chipped the ball over for his winger, who caught it on the full and then ran 70m down the touchline in pouring rain to put his side up 16-6 at the break.
Smallman had his second five minutes into the second half after a nice spread to the left put him over in the corner and then completed his hat-trick with a brilliant full-field effort with 20 to go.
Picking up the ball on his own 10m line, Bilambil fullback Chanse Perham hit the line, made a half break and then found Smallman on the wing, with the flyer once again showing off his speed by beating one, palming off another and then overcoming a third defender down the flank to score a brilliant try.
It highlighted an excellent day for the Jets, who recorded their first win of the season in what was just their second game of 2024.
After going try for try early with the Mustangs, Bilambil pulled away midway through the half with a try to prop Jacob Hind before Smallman gave the team a 16-6 lead at the break.
It was all one-way traffic in the second as the Jets ran in four unanswered tries in their big 28-point win.
Hooker Tom Rowles was outstanding with two assists and a try of his own, while five-eighth Alex Fitzhugh claimed a double.
Bilambil 34 defeated Murwillumbah 6
MULLUM DOWN KYOGLE TO REMAIN UNDEFEATED
Mullumbimby has recorded its first win of the season and in the process maintained its unbeaten record after a 24-14 victory over Kyogle at New Park.
Hooker Cody Nelson put on a dummy-half masterclass for the Giants with two tries and two assists while prop forward Jyde Dwyer claimed a hat-trick in the five-tries-to-three victory.
Coming off back-to-back draws against Casino and Marist Brothers, Mullumbimby found themselves under the pump early as Kyogle had several sets on the Giants’ line before crossing for the first try of the match after 10 minutes.
However Mullum hit back shortly after when Nelson dummied and dived over from close range to put his side up 6-4.
The Giants then surged further ahead when Nelson once again caught the Turkeys off guard from dummy-half and put Dwyer over with a nice short ball to give his side a deserved 12-4 lead at the break.
The hooker was having a blinder and continued that just four minutes after the break when he crashed over for his second to put his side up 16-4.
Brock Westerman pulled one back for Kyogle after a nice run down the right wing, however Mullum had been enjoying success around the ruck all day and Nelson once again had his hands all over it as he ducked out of dummy-half and found Dwyer with another short ball for the front-rower’s second to put his side 20-8 ahead with 12 to play.
While Mullum were on top the Turkeys weren’t going away, with Ryan Walker showing all his guile with a nice step and dummy to make it a six-point ball game with seven to play and set up a grandstand finish.
And although there were some nervous moments for the Giants, who were run down late in their previous two games, Dwyer put the cherry on top of Mullum’s first win of the season with an excellent solo run to claim his hat-trick on the bell.
Mullumbimby 24 defeated Kyogle 14
BYRON EDGE OUT DIRAWONGS IN THRILLER
Byron Bay has further boosted its credentials after an early competition frontrunner after a thrilling 27-22 victory over Northern United at Red Devil Park.
Five-eighth Jack Rogers was a standout for the home side with two tries, an assist and a field goal as Byron shot out to an early lead before holding off a stirring late comeback from the Dirawongs to win its third game from as many starts this season.
In what was a sign of things to come, Rogers got things started for the Red Devils with a try eight minutes in. Attacking the Northern line, the big five-eighth evaded the rushing defence and then palmed off another player to crash over and score.
Four minutes later it was Rogers’ halves partner who showed off his flash hands, with Toby Marks absolutely selling the Dirawongs’ defenders down the river with a beautiful dummy and step to stroll over and put his side up 12-0.
Northern United hit back on 27 minutes when a nice cut-out ball from former NRL playmaker Tyrone Roberts helped put Damon Coldwell over in the corner, however shortly after a former Dirawong came back to haunt his old side when centre Clarence Kelly crashed over on the left edge for Byron’s third try.
Rogers then slotted a field goal on the stroke of halftime to give his side a 19-4 lead at the break.
The five-eighth had his hands in everything and carved Northern up again just four minutes after halftime by laying on a nice short ball for Lachlan Jones to crash over.
Trailing 23-4, Northern were in danger of letting the game slip away and needed something fast. Thankfully for the Dirawongs, fullback Hezekiah McKenzie delivered with the team’s next use of the football, doing incredibly well to catch a Byron kick on the run, before speeding down the right touchline to evade some diving defenders and score a brilliant 90m effort.
McKenzie was front and centre 15 minutes later when he collected a beautiful chip kick from Roberts, went round the fullback and scored an excellent try under the sticks to make it 23-16.
The momentum was well and truly with the Dirawongs and they struck again in the very next set, with Theo Hippi smashing through the line and finding that man McKenzie in support for the fullback’s third try in 18 minutes as Northern made it a one-point ball game with 15 minutes to play.
Both sides muscled up and put on some huge hits in defence as the intensity lifted and atmosphere picked up.
And while both teams had chances to score again, it was fitting that Rogers had the final say, using his big body to charge over and score with five minutes to play to seal a dramatic victory for the Red Devils.
Byron Bay 27 defeated Northern United 22
EVANS HEAD OUTGUN LOWER WITH SECOND-HALF BLITZ
Evans Head has recorded its second win of the season and bounced back from a last-start loss after defeating Lower Clarence 36-12 at Stan Payne Oval.
Centre Torben Milton bagged a double as the Bombers overcome a tight opening period to run away with the game in the second half.
Playing in front of their home crowd, Evans Head wasted no time making an impact as a lovely ball from Jordan Sly cut the Lower defence open and led to a Brody Waters try after just two minutes.
Soon after the Bombers were in again as Lachlan Kennedy charged over from close range to put his side up 12-0.
It was a rather frenetic start and Lower got in on the action after 12 minutes when hooker Callan Hollis burrowed over from close range.
Then when some smart work out of dummy half from Luke Douglas put Vincent Williams over, scores were suddenly locked at 12-all with less than half an hour played.
However normal service resumed shortly before the break when Jordan Sly finished off a break down the right to put his side ahead 18-12 at halftime.
The game was still in the balance as both teams came out of the sheds, and while the Magpies were looking to apply some early pressure, some brilliant anticipation from Evans Head winger Brandon Anderson saw the winger take an intercept and run 70m to score just three minutes after the restart to give his side a crucial 12-point lead.
From here it was all one way as Milton snagged a late double to secure a second victory of the season for the Bombers.
Evans Head 36 defeated Lower Clarence 12
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