THE YEAR THAT WAS: 10 biggest rugby league moments in Toowoomba

RUGBY LEAGUE: The TRL board didn’t anticipate having to make the biggest decision in a century.

Toowoomba Rugby League have cancelled all fixtures for the 2020 season.TRL Chairman Rex Zeeman. Photo Bev Lacey

RUGBY LEAGUE: The TRL board didn’t anticipate having to make the biggest decision in a century.

That was put on their plate in a rollercoaster year for league that saw local senior football sit on the sidelines for the first time ever.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom however, as we look back at the 10 biggest rugby league moments in Toowoomba in 2020.

10. COVID CRUELS MUSTANGS BID

Just as the Western Mustangs bid for inclusion in the 2021 Intrust Super Cup looked to be building momentum, COVID hit and they felt the full force.

This year’s ISC was cancelled, pushing their hopes to return to the elite Queensland level back until 2022 at the earliest.

9. FIRST WOMEN’S GAMES PLAYED/MUSTANGS ENTER QRL

While the TRL’s open women’s competition was unable to commence this year, teams were able to get some trials away in a great step forward for the game on the Downs.

It was also announced that the U19s Mustangs will field a side in the QRL’s statewide competition next year.

Gus Mati during the Volunteers Cup. Photo: Nev Madsen

8. VOLUNTEERS CUP

Some senior league was able to be salvaged in 2020, with the formation of the Volunteers Cup between the TRL and Ipswich.

Gatton, Southern Suburbs and Valleys joined three teams from Ipswich to compete over 10 rounds, giving both districts some sense of normality.

7. TAYLOR FINDS HIS FORM

Brothers half Ash Taylor has gone through his battles since making the top grade, but his finish to the 2020 season produced some of the best form we’ve seen from the talented playmaker.

He looked right at home, helping the Titans to string together wins to finish the year and head into the new year with plenty of confidence.

6. JUNIORS PLAY ON

While the seniors enjoyed time on the sidelines, the Toowoomba Junior Rugby League opted to push on with a modified season.

Determined to give kids in the region an outlet to play, a modified competition was able to be conducted, going off without a hitch and keeping kids engaged in the sport.

5. CROFT DONS THE BRONCOS JERSEY

The season didn’t go to plan for Brisbane, but there was a sense of pride as Highfields junior Brodie Croft returned to Queensland and wore the famous Broncos jersey.

Croft had his ups and downs throughout the season, and will be looking to silence critics next year.

4. FERMOR’S DEBUT SEASON

Dalby junior Beau Fermor made his long-awaited NRL debut this season for the Titans, and the back-rower made the most of the opportunities given.

Playing in eight games in 2020, Fermor made a big impression on debut against Cronulla with two big line breaks, before scoring the match winning try in round nine to beat the Warriors.

3. THE RISE OF CIESIOLKA

With the Rugby Sevens year on the back burner, Shenae Ciesiolka made the switch to rugby league.

What a decision it turned out to be, with the winger forcing her way into the Broncos starting line-up, before playing her role in Brisbane securing its third-straight NRLW title.

She capped off the season with a call-up to the Maroons before signing a contract with the Valleys Diehards for the 2021 BHP Premiership season.

2. HANCOCK RETIRES A WINNER

The evergreen Steph Hancock scored her first Queensland victory since the interstate rivalry was rebranded as State of Origin, and she has opted to go out on top.

The Killarney forward announced after the win on the Sunshine Coast that she would retire from the Maroons, ending a stretch of almost two decades.

In a way that only she can, Hancock went out with a try to her name, getting into dummy half and barging her way over.

1. TRL SEASON CALLED OFF

It was an inevitable decision, but still the biggest made by administrators in over 100 years of the Toowoomba Rugby League competition.

The 2020 season was officially abandoned at an extraordinary general meeting on May 25, with clubs deeming it too hard to get a season underway.

The major sticking point was the interpretations of crowd limits imposed on sporting grounds across Queensland, making the season unviable.