Meet the young guns making their mark in Walker Weekend Challenge

With the Walker Weekend Challenge drawing some of the best under-13 rugby league players in the Darling Downs, we reveal stories behind the stars of the competition.

Toowoomba Valleys Roosters junior rugby league player Izabella Randall at the 2024 Walker Weekend Challenge.

She may only have two years of rugby league experience under her belt, but Valleys Roosters lock Izabella Randall already has her sights set on one day playing for the Western Clydesdales.

While there are several superstar players in the Clydesdales top teams, there is one player who has had a greater impact on her rugby league aspirations than any other.

“I really look up to my brother Patrick, he plays for the Western Clydesdales, he has just always really inspired me,” she said.

“He has really inspired me to be the person I really want to be and when I chose to play rugby league, I found something I have a good passion in.”

Randall is striving to continue her brother’s legacy when she is older, by playing at lock for the Clydesdales.

“That would mean a lot to me, it would be my dream if I could play for the Western Clydesdales,” she said

“He has given me a lot of pointers because he plays the same position as me.”

Along with following in her brother’s path, Randall also loves the tackling opportunities that come with playing in the position.

“I can do a lot of tackling and I can share the ball around,” she said.

“I like the contact in it and being a part of a team and sharing a friendship with everyone, it is pretty good.”

As for her hopes for this season, Randall believes her Roosters side are set for a stellar season if they continue to improve on the defensive end.

“I am very confident, I think we can make a great season, we are all amazing players, we just need to learn a few more skills,” she said.

“We have to give our best in defence, we know that our tries will just come but we know that our defence we need to work on a little bit more.

“We just need to get up off the line and work as a team and help everyone out.”

Nevaeh Horswood of Dalby charges Jaylah Weatherall of Valleys. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Lock leads Dalby’s defensive charge

Nevaeh Horswood is the type of player every player wants in their side.

A tough, no nonsense and passionate player, Horswood leads the defensive and can tackle anything that moves.

“I really love tackling and getting stuck in in defence,” she said.

“I just want to do my best to get better at everything as well.”

The young lock forward has been playing league for seven years – following in her dad’s footsteps and enjoying the chance to play alongside her friends.

Throughout the Walker Weekend Challenge she regularly set the tone in the Dalby Diehards defensive bringing down hard running opponents which effective round the legs tackles.

The Diehards were one of the form teams across the weekend and Horswood, 13, said it was all because of team work.

“It’s really important to work as a team,” she said.

“When you work as team it makes the game a lot easier.”

Highfields junior rugby league player Molly McKellar.

Young half helps Highfields to hard-fought win

Highfields halfback Molly McKellar played a key role in the Eagles’ gusty win in their first game of the competition.

“It was good to get a win early on,” McKellar said.

McKellar has excelled at halfback and is well-aware of the responsibilities she carries every time she laces up.

“You get to organise stuff and set up lots of tries for your team,” she said.

She also had a major focus on working with her forwards during the game as well as her fellow backs.

“I get the first three balls to our forwards so we can run and organise our backs so we can let the forwards get a break.”

After some early positive signs during the carnival, McKellar has a goal of making the grand final this year.

“I am pretty confident, we’ve got a good bunch of girls this year and I’m ready,” she said.

One of the biggest challenges throughout her career has been when she has played against boys’ teams, but it has been a challenge which she has taken in her stride and is an extra motivator for her when takes to the field.

“I play boys and girls, in boys I play halfback but last year I was hooker for the girls,” she said.

“(The hardest thing is) getting used to how they play, they don’t like it when girls are in their game.”

Souths junior Harrison Briese.

Hard-hitting hooker ready to make his mark

Souths hooker Harrison Briese is relatively new to the sport, with just the one year of experience under his belt.

After taking up the sport after previously playing soccer, Briese was excited to take on the challenge of rugby league – a sport he has always been a fan of.

“It was good, it was tough at first but it was fun once I got the hang of it,” he said.

The young hooker looks up to Origin star Harry grant and aspires to one day make some of the highest level teams in the region.

“I want to get into Darling Downs or Clydesdales,” Briese said

His hunger to one day break into one of those sides is clear as he already is working on the weaknesses in his game to make himself a more complete player.

“Passing definitely, I cant pass spirals to the right and I need a bit of work on my defence,” Briese said.

“I have been training on them a bit.”

Briese also has high expectations of his team and believes they have strength across the park.

“I think we have a good chance at winning it, we got good chemistry and we have good forwards and defence,” he said.

Powerful forward causing havoc in the middle

Toowoomba Brothers junior Hudson Wilson.

Brothers front rower Hudson Wilson has a simple yet extremely effective game.

He gains metres like there is no tomorrow and loves nothing more than making a bone-rattling tackle.

“(My favourite thing is) probably just going out on the field, having fun and putting big tackles on,” Wilson said.

Having played for more than half a decade, he is one of the most experienced players in this carnival and he uses that experience to its max and his crashes his way through the middle with countless hit-ups.

Wilson is looking to use this carnival as an opportunity for him to increase team chemistry and match fitness ahead of what is set to be a big 2024.

“We are getting a little bit better, we just need to get our ball skills up and our fitness and then we will be all right,” he said.

“(I am) hoping to make the grand final and win it too.”

Consistency will be the key for Brothers this year as they showed glimpses of their potential last season, but couldn’t put it all together.

“We did all right, we lost a couple, won a couple, it was just back and forth,” Wilson said.

South Burnett junior rugby league player Georgia Forest at the 2024 Walker Weekend Challenge.

Young gun relishing move to lock

South Burnett forward Georgia Forest has made the switch from prop to lock in 2024 and is excited to take her game to the next level in her new role.

This is my third year of rugby league, I played prop but I have moved to lock,” she said.

“It is pretty good, I tackle like a lock so I am happy to be there.”

One of the things she loves most about playing for South Burnett is the strong team culture and playing environment.

“I love just getting together with everybody, having a go and then meeting up with so many different people,” Forest said

“(There are) a lot of cool girls and a mad coach.”

With such a strong team culture, there have been several players and officials who have helped take Forest’s game to where it is today.

“I can’t really pinpoint one particular person, there’s a heap of the boys when I first started that have been so supportive,” she said.

“Then coming in with the girls it has been good to have the girl crew around us.”

One of the highlights of her playing career came while playing against boys, where she showed she is not afraid to leave the opposition in her dust.

“Playing against the boys, I had a few cracker runs and all of the mums were cheering from the sideline which is always awesome,” Forest said.

“If you don’t get on top of them, they will try and run over you, so you’ve got to stand your ground and whack them.”

Playing as a lock, Forest takes pride in her defensive work and helped keep her opponents scoreless in the first game of the carnival.

“The key part that I play is just the tackling and I have been working on my running,” she said.