Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League: Wrap, results, standouts from round seven
The shock return of a former NRL star has helped Byron Bay spectacularly snap an 11-game losing streak and break a 340-day drought in the NRRRL.
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It was a weekend of supreme drama in the NRRRL as a host of games went down to the wire in round seven.
From draws to thrilling comebacks, the round was full of nailbiting contest.
Catch up with a wrap of the action below.
CARNEY INSPIRES BYRON TO BREAK 337-DAY DROUGHT
The return of former captain-coach and NRL star Todd Carney has inspired Byron Bay to snap an 11-game losing streak and break a 340-day drought with a 24-14 victory over Tweed Coast at Red Devil Park.
Playing in his comeback game after retiring at the end of last year, Carney provided the team with great direction and a try assist as the Red Devils were forced to defend set after set during a first-half onslaught before running in three tries after the break to record the club’s first A-grade win since June 30 last year.
Tweed Coast came out of the blocks firing and had the better of the early running with a string of sets on the Byron line.
And while they couldn’t break through early on, the Raiders had another chance 15 minutes in when five-eighth Stevie O’Connor took an intercept and charged up field. He passed on to centre Ethan Ferguson, however he was run down by the chasing Red Devils.
A couple of plays later the visitors were turned away again when young Byron halfback Finn Spencer held Tweed Coast winger Jake Ryan up over the line.
Despite being put under the pump, the Red Devils held firm, forcing a knock-on out of Raiders winger Abele Atunaisa as he attempted to plant the ball down.
After having spent much of the opening 20 minutes defending their own line, a Tweed Coast error opened the door for the home side. Forward Jyde Dwyer went close but was penalised for double-movement.
In what was a story of missed opportunities in the opening half an hour, Raiders lock Owen Fredericks become the next player denied a try for obstruction.
Byron would have been happy to see the scoreline remain at 0-0 after a difficult opening, but things got better in the 34th minute when Dwyer charged over from close range to give the side an unlikely 6-0 lead.
Stung by going behind, Tweed Coast thought they had hit back through Dominic Murray after a clever blind side raid, however the referee ruled that there had been a knock-on in the lead-up and the Red Devils took their six-point lead into the break.
The second half started in very much the same vein as the first, with Tweed Coast putting plenty of pressure on the Byron line.
However 13 minutes after the restart the game took a turn when backrower Tom Welman plucked a Riley Lack cut-out ball out of the air and showed enough toe to race away and put his side ahead 12-0.
Things were starting to fall in Byron’s favour, with the Raiders putting their kick-off out on the fullback and a string of penalties giving the side repeat sets.
Then when Michael Goldsmith burrowed over from dummy-half, the Red Devils suddenly had a commanding 18-0 lead with 23 minutes remaining.
The home side now had a proper roll on, with winger Lachlan Offley making a break up field just a couple of plays after the kick-off. From here, Carney showed his class by putting Welman through a gap on the right edge to put the Red Devils 24 points clear and seal the match.
The triple-punch stirred the Raiders into action.
Backrower Jayden Martens crashed over to get his side on the board before Luca Todd went through just a few minutes later to bring things back to 24-10 with eight minutes to go.
And while Tweed Coast went over again at the death through Murray, it was just a consolation as Byron held on for a 10-point win.
There were plenty of smiles at the full-time whistle as the Red Devils recorded their first victory since June 30 last year when the side, then on top of the ladder, defeated Cudgen 30-18.
After losing its last six games of 2024 to miss out on the finals altogether, Byron started the current campaign with five straight losses, with the victory snapping an 11-game losing streak.
Byron Bay 24 (Welman 2, Dwyer, Goldsmith tries; Spencer four goals) defeated Tweed Coast (Martens, Todd, Murray tries; Murray one goal)
CASINO EDGES KYOGLE IN EPIC LOCAL DERBY
There were send-offs, sin bins, huge shots and a thrilling finish as Casino defeated rivals Kyogle 16-14 in a pulsating local derby at New Park.
Played on a quagmire that resembled a mud pit more than a rugby league field, the two sides ripped into each other with some ferocious contact in a fiery clash that saw the Cougars finish the game with 12 players on the field and Kyogle just 11.
With the game played in testing conditions, a penalty in the first set of the game put Casino on the front foot. A good kick and chase then forced an error as the Cougars applied early pressure.
With a fresh set on the Kyogle line, Casino went left where centre Tim Torrens crashed over for the opener after just four minutes.
The Turkeys hit back shortly after with a play orchestrated by a debutant. Playing in his first game of A-grade, young five-eighth Lynton Close created an overlap with a nice cut-out ball to see the home side go ahead 6-4.
The atrocious state of the ground made ball-handling difficult as both sides coughed up possession regularly. At one stage there were three knock-ons within the space of a minute.
Amid the errors Kyogle went close midway through the half when Deon Bianchetti was held up over the line.
Both teams were lining up some big shots in the local derby and tensions spilled over 25 minutes in when almost all players on the field came together for some push and shove.
Completion rates were incredibly low as the muddy ball and wet ground created a perfect storm.
This resulted in both sides charging up the middle. In a game full of big hits, one of the best came late in the first half when Kyogle’s Hayden Pratt landed a huge shot on Isaiah Freeburn that knocked the ball loose, much to the delight of the home fans.
And while the Turkeys weren’t able to break through for their second try, a late penalty to Close gave the side an 8-4 lead at the break.
While the first half had been an arm-wrestle, a couple of moments really pushed the contest in Casino’s favour in the second.
Firstly, a Kyogle knock-on deep in its own end handed the ball over before a fortunate bobble landed in the arms of Cougars hooker Roy Bell, who dived over for a try just three minutes after the restart.
Errors were proving to be absolutely critical, and when Turkeys winger Shannon Walker spilled the ball just 10m out from his own line, Casino’s Eddie Walker-Williams picked the scraps and scored to give his side a decisive 16-8 lead with half an hour to play.
As it had been all game, holding onto the ball was incredibly challenging, with both teams knocking it on a combined three times in four plays during one particularly difficult period.
Casino was ahead but the game took on a very different complexion 20 minutes from time when the Cougars had a player sent off for a nasty high shot on Lachlan Crawter.
With an extra man, the Turkeys went close as James Torrens bounced off four defenders before being held up over the line.
But Kyogle persisted and had its reward shortly after when Blake Davies charged over to score. Close then slotted the conversion to make it 16-14 with just 15 minutes to play.
With an extra man and the vocal crowd fiercely behind them, everything seemed to be going Kyogle’s way. However yet another flashpoint erupted to shift the nature of the contest yet again.
After knocking the ball on in the play-the-ball, Davies, who just minutes before had scored a try to get his side back into the contest, pressed his head against the head of an opponent. While it wasn’t hard enough to cause injury, the referee sent Davies off and both teams were reduced to 12.
Tensions kept boiling over as players threw themselves into tackles with gusto.
However the emotion seemed to be getting to the Turkeys’ heads as Thomas McGrady was sent to the sin bin, making it 12 on 11 in Casino’s favour.
And while the home side continued to chance their arm, Casino held on for a famous local derby victory.
Casino 16 defeated Kyogle 14
CUDGEN EDGE SEAGULLS IN TWEED DERBY
Cudgen has gone seven from seven to kick off 2025 but not without a fight as the Hornets saw off a stubborn Tweed Seagulls side 18-12 at Ned Byrne Oval.
The home side was forced to overcome a halftime deficit and two men being sent to the sin bin as they scored three second half tries to grind out a gritty victory.
Flying high at the top of the table, the Cudgen thought they were over nine minutes in when Luke Toon crashed over, only for the team to be penalised for obstruction.
After turning the ball over a few times early on, the Seagulls started to complete better and were helped with some repeat sets and penalties.
They made the pressure count in the 14th minute when winger Micah Laupepe Perkins finished off an excellent backline move to score the opener. He then slotted the conversion from the sideline to make it 6-0.
Tweed was playing with plenty of energy, however when the side was penalised in possession for an infringement in the play-the-ball, the Hornets took full advantage as Jett Forbes got on the end of an Elliot Speed grubber 20 minutes in.
Shortly after the Seagulls were handed another blow as forward Liam Robinson was sent to the sin bin for some laying his forearm into the head of a Cudgen player in the ruck.
Despite being down a man, the visitors were remarkably the next to score when halfback Tom Neale slid through on the right edge to make it 12-4 after half an hour.
The Seagulls had all the running and were asking plenty of questions of the Cudgen defence as they made good yardage up field.
They were then given another boost five minutes before halftime when Cudgen centre Cooper Cambey was sent to the sin bin for back chat, which now gave Tweed a numerical advantage as they took an eight-point lead in the break.
While the Seagulls came out of the sheds up on the scoreboard and with an extra man on the park, they opened the door to Cudgen early with a knock-on deep in their own end.
The Hornets, stung by conceding with their numerical advantage in the first half, then repaid their rivals the favour three minutes after the restart as Connor Ziebell beat two and then carried three defenders over the line to score a brilliant try to bring things back to 12-10.
Now Cudgen was in the ascendancy and in the 52nd minute it took the lead when winger Jamie Ball dived over in the corner to put the team ahead 14-12.
While the home side had surged in front, the ill-discipline continued as Caleb Ziebell was sent to the sin bin for a professional foul after holding back Tweed hooker Jordan Lewis as he made his way out to the 20m line for a set restart.
Despite being down a man for the second time in the game, the Hornets reacted brilliantly by controlling possession well and forcing errors out of the Seagulls to ensure that they didn’t give up any genuine attacking opportunities during Ziebell’s absence.
Then with 13 on 13 again and the clock ticking down Cudgen started banging on the door, with Ethan Schultz held up after a powerful run.
With just two and a half minutes to go they delivered a hammer blow by shifting it to the left and putting Ball over for his second to stretch the lead out to six and seal the win.
Cudgen 18 (Ball 2, Forbes, Ziebell tries; Speed one goal) defeated Tweed Seagulls 12 (Laupepe Perkins, Neale tries; Laupepe Perkins two goals)
EVANS, MULLUM PLAY OUT THRILLING DRAW
There were contested tries, disputed penalties and plenty of big shots as Evans Head and Mullumbimby played out an entertaining 18-all draw at Stan Payne Oval.
In a seesawing contest between two top-six sides, the Bombers stretched out to an early lead before Mullum came charging back, with late penalties and a disallowed try ultimately proving crucial as both sides shared the points.
After an even opening, the Giants had the best chance of the opening stages when Kodi Alcorn burst through a gap. He passed to Jack Murphy in support, but the fullback put the ball down with clear air in front of him.
With the game played in slippery conditions, the high ball loomed as a key weapon and it paid dividends for Evans Head 11 minutes in when Mullum failed to take a towering bomb from Bombers halfback David Gibbons, allowing centre Jonathon Robinson to pick up the scraps and score the opener.
On the quarter-hour mark the home side then received a stroke of luck to extend its lead.
The team was defending its line as the Giants shifted the ball right from an attacking scrum. Just as Mullum centre Tyrone Harding looked to flick the ball to his outside man, it appeared to strike the hand of Evans Head winger Malakai Ferguson as he attempted an intercept.
While the Mullum players stopped, expecting the referee to call a knock on, Ferguson simply got up to his feet and ran 80m to score under the sticks and put his side up 10-0.
As with most games played over the weekend, the wet conditions resulted in plenty of errors. An Evans Head knock-on gifted Mullum the ball in an attacking position and Harding appeared destined to score until Bombers fullback Kiedan Hartley came across with a dramatic trysaving tackle.
However the Giants kept knocking and had their reward 23 minutes in when Alcorn once again shot through a gap and found halfback Jacob Miller on the inside to slash the deficit to just four points.
On the back of a couple of penalties and repeat sets, Mullum enjoyed a period of dominance and the team went over again on the half-hour mark when Chanse Perham put Murphy through a gap to lock things up at 10-all.
A bit of feeling started to creep into the game as both sides pulled off some big hits in defence. However things remained all square at halftime.
Mullum made a bright start to the second half and put itself two points clear after receiving a penalty for a high shot.
An Evans Head error from a Mullum kick then presented the Giants with an enticing attacking opportunity. Using his speed, Tommy Gibson shot out to the short side from the back of the scrum and put Harding over to make it 16-10 with 25 to play.
The teams had gone tit for tat all game and that continued midway through the second half when Bombers hooker Jesse Beauchamp spotted a gap in the line and darted out of dummy-half before putting Robinson over for his second to once again level things up at 16-all.
With every point at a premium, Evans took a chance to go to ahead after Gibbons was hit late, but he put his attempt wide and things remained locked up.
However before the Giants could take the 20m dropout the referee blew a penalty for back chat and this time Gibbons made no mistake as he put the Bombers ahead 18-16 with 10 to go.
Just moments after taking the lead Evans Head gave Mullum a golden opportunity for points of their own when Ferguson landed a high shot on Harding while he was on the ground. Cooper Nelson slotted the goal to once again tie things up with five minutes on the clock.
Both sides were pushing hard to for a winner and the Bombers thought they had it when Hartley crashed over. The players were celebrating what they thought was a dramatic late winner, but he was ultimately penalised for double-movement.
It proved to be the last play of note as the spoils were shared in an entertaining clash.
Evans Head 18 (Robinson 2, Ferguson tries; Gibbons three goals) drew with Mullumbimby (Miller, Murphy, Harding tries; Murphy two goals, Nelson one goal)
BILAMBIL EDGES MARIST IN SEESAWING THRILLER
Bilambil has kept its unbeaten start to 2025 alive but not without an almighty scare as the Jets defeated a gutsy Marist Brothers side 26-22 in a seesawing thriller at Crozier Field.
In what was an early contender for match of the season, Bilambil flew out to a 16-point lead before the Rams staged a stirring comeback to surge ahead themselves, only for a couple of moments of brilliance to turn the game back in favour of Bilambil, who held on for a dramatic win.
In a game played in wet conditions, ball handling proved to be difficult for both sides, particularly under the high ball.
Marist’s Wally Kelly and Bilambil’s Michael Pokia both put down early bombs as both sides were forced to defend their line.
Despite the heavy attention, Jets fullback Kai Smallwood didn’t flinch under the pressure, collecting a Marist kick half a second before being cleaned up in a heavy tackle from Andrew Ferguson-Fitzgerald.
No team had been able to break through over the course of the opening quarter of an hour but Marist opened the door to their opponents shortly after when winger Damon Coldwell dropped the ball in his own end.
With a fresh set on the Rams’ line, Bilambil shifted the ball left and Smallwood got on the outside of his opposite man to cross for the first try in the 17th minute.
The try sparked the Jets into action. After a penalty helped the team up field and a repeat set gave it another crack, forward Lane Ticehurst crashed over shortly after to make it 12-0.
Bilambil was now well and truly on top, and when halfback Harry Fitzhugh put on a brilliant step, dummy and then laid a chip onto the chest of winger Blake Graham, suddenly the visitors were up 16-0 after half an hour.
Marist seemed shell-shocked by the onslaught but thought they had pulled one back on the stroke of halftime when Shallin Fuller grubbered in behind the line for Jack Elmore. However the backrower knocked the ball on as he attempted to ground it and Bilambil a 16-point lead into the sheds.
After a disastrous half, the Rams needed a quick start to the second and they got just that after Smallwood spilled a bomb from Fuller, with fullback Wally Kelly pouncing on the scraps to score within two minutes of the restart.
Shortly after another knock-on after a fortuitous bit of play gave Marist a fresh set on Bilambil’s line. Latrell Hampton picked the ball up from the back of the scrum and slipped through the defence to suddenly make it 16-12 in the 52nd minute.
The high ball causing all sorts of errors and when Bilambil put another one down under serious pressure, Marist was gifted another set. They made it count as Elmore crashed over to lock things up at 16-all with 25 minutes to play.
After being dominated in the first 40, the Rams had stormed back into the contest and had all the momentum.
Fuller, in particular, had a hand in everything, forcing yet another error with a clever kick, while Henry Lee was then caught in a high tackle.
The pair combined in the ensuing set when Fuller put the backrower through a gap on the right edge to score and dramatically take the lead. Wally Kelly slotted the goal to remarkably put the side ahead 22-16 with 17 to play.
Conditions were becoming more difficult as the rain came down, however Bilambil five-eighth Aaron Hill took matters into his own hands with a clever chip and chase before being brought down just one metre short of the line.
A few plays later Hill was even more decisive, stepping and offloading for Tyson Donnelly to score next to the sticks to lock things up at 22-all with 10 on the clock.
After having been well and truly on the backfoot for the second half, the try seemed to give the Jets a second wind.
A penalty helped the team up field before some excellent work from centre Caleb Nicholls put winger Blake Graham over in the corner to put his side up by four just seven minutes from time.
The game had ebbed and flowed back and forth all afternoon and the Rams weren’t about to lie down.
Some strong carries gave the team good field position while some clever play earned repeat sets. And while Marist threw everything at the Bilambil line, they weren’t able to put one more twist in the tale as the Jets held on for a thrilling four point win.
The victory extends Bilambil’s record to five wins from five as it keeps pace with ladder leaders Cudgen, while Marist now has a record of one win, one draw and one loss from its three games.
Bilambil 26 defeated Marist Brothers 22
MURBAH, BALLINA SPLIT POINTS IN GRITTY DRAW
There were dropped balls, heavy hits and an hour-long points drought as Murwillumbah and Ballina played out a nailbiting 8-all draw at a very wet Stan Sercombe Oval.
After 58 minutes of scoreless football both sides finished in a flurry with two tries each as they finished all square to share the points.
There was drama from the outset for Ballina, with prop Simon Pratt injuring his shoulder and being taken from the field in the first set of the game.
The wet ground and greasy conditions made it difficult for both sides as errors built up and neither side was able to break through.
As the half went on Ballina begun to enjoy possession in decent territory, with the kicking game of halfback Tyrone Roberts helping to build pressure.
The Seagulls kept pressing and came closest to scoring when backrower Anthony Colman was held up over the line.
Both teams continued to struggle with execution as the opening half an hour went by without any points.
The high ball was proving to be a key weapon and when Ballina fullback Oliver Regan put down a Shannon Gardiner bomb, the Mustangs were presented with a crack at their opponents’ line.
The home side managed to put the Seagulls under pressure but a wonderful scrambling tackle from rookie Jett Flatley forced the ball loose and kept things even.
Then with just a couple of minutes to go in the half, Murwillumbah’s Lachlan Adamson put a kick out on the full to open the door late for Ballina.
And while Liam Green planted the ball down in the corner, Colman’s pass in the lead-up went forward and things remained locked at a very rare 0-all at the break.
The second half continued in much the same vein as the first. Although Ballina was in the ascendancy, the wet ball made things difficult as both teams knocked the ball in key attacking areas.
The game was approaching the midway point of the second half and there were still no points. However a good old fashion charge changed that.
After his team received a penalty to help them up field, Murbah prop Cooper Wolf went on a barnstorming run that saw him power over the line and plant the ball down for the opener in the 58th minute. Kade Hill pushed the conversion wide to give the Mustangs a 4-0 lead.
After more than an hour without points Ballina remarkably hit back almost instantly.
A big hit in defence from Damian Sironen forced the ball loose in Murbah’s end, with Tyrone Roberts once again going to the air and forcing an error out of Murbah, with Liam Green picking up the scraps and passing on to Jess Perry to score in the corner to make it 4-all.
Ballina was getting a roll on and the high ball was causing all sorts of trouble. After another Mustangs knock-on, Green almost went over but was pulled up short before knocking the ball on.
The game had suddenly come to life as both sides started to click.
A smart kick from Murbah halfback Kade Hill and great chase from Jack Bishop forced a dropout. From the ensuing set the ball made its way out to backrower Sam Saville, who beat three defenders on the right edge to barge over the line and score an excellent try. Hill missed conversion as the Mustangs led 8-4 with nine minutes to go.
Despite going behind again, Ballina kept fighting. Half Jess Perry forced an error in defence and some nice work from Regan put winger Kai Saric into space, with Murbah centre Adam Walker chasing him down to make a trysaving tackle.
A couple of plays later some absolute brilliance from Roberts saw him put a delicate chip over the top of the defence and onto Saric’s chest for the young gun to score in the corner and lock things up at 8-all with five minutes to go.
The star playmaker then had the chance to put his side ahead but missed with his conversion attempt to leave things all square.
And while both sides charged up the middle and put the ball up high to try and get close enough for a shot at a field goal, neither got the chance and the points were shared after a thrilling 80 minutes if football.
Murwillumbah 8 (Wolf, Saville tries) drew with Ballina 8 (Perry, Saric tries)
In other results in what was a thrilling round seven, Byron Bay recorded its first win of the season, downing Tweed Coast 24-14, and Lower Clarence defeated Northern United 24-16.
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