Toowoomba Rugby League: The star male and female players to watch on TRL grand final day

FINALS FEVER: We name the 30+ male and female stars and the X-factor heroes to watch in every TRL senior grand final clash. Find out who from your club made the list here.

They battled their way through the regular season and now Toowoomba Rugby League’s top teams have their sights set on premiership glory.

Ahead of grand final day The Chronicle Sport team has run the rule over every team in action to identify the 32 male and female stars to watch.

We also asked every coach to name the ‘opposition stars’ they need to shut down if they want to get their hands on silverware.

Under-19: Highfields v Valleys

Highfields

Coach: Steve Haywood

Declan Ryan: Ryan is one of the go-to players in the side and his leadership at five-eighth

makes him a pivotal member of the spine.

Western Clydesdales rep Declan Ryan is a key man for Highfields Eagles. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Riley Wockner: A natural leader who co-captains the side alongside Ryan and

knows what is needed to win big games.

Carter Blades: A classy fullback who rises to the occasion.

Shannon Elara: Elara is a try-scoring hooker who poses a threat to any defence.

Valleys danger player

Braiden Driscoll: Driscoll was the player of the year and is a dangerous player who is well-

respected across the board.

Where the game will be won and lost: “The game will be decided by discipline and playing hard football.”

Coach’s comment: “I have coached this team two years in a row now and we have been grand finalists. Last year we won the premiership but we didn’t beat Gatton all year until the grand final. Valleys is similar this year, we got them once in a regular season game and they have beaten us the rest of the time so it’s a big occasion and good players rise to big occasions.”

Valleys

Coach: Jesse Martin

Aaron Hinch: Hinch is an explosive fullback and one of the fastest players in the competition. He has been a weapon on offence with 15 tries and 70 points this season. Along with his rapid pace, Hinch is also deceivingly strong for a fullback.

Braiden Driscoll of Valleys. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Jack Stenzel on the move for Valleys. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Braiden Driscoll: Driscoll has been a pivotal half for Valleys and was the league’s best and

fairest.

Jack Stenzel: Stenzel is one of the form halves of the competition and has also boasts A-

grade experience this campaign.

Kael Tremain: A workhorse front-rower capable of playing big minutes through the middle.

Valleys players celebrate a try by Kael Tremain (centre) against Dalby. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Highfields danger players

Bailey Nash: Nash is a terrific player with a big future. Nash’s defensive work is worrying for opposing attackers and he is very hard to beat one-on-one.

Declan Ryan: A natural leader and an experienced winner.

Where the game will be won and lost: “The game will be won and lost in the middle, so it will be the forwards who decide the game.”

Coach’s comment: We’re very pleased with how we have gone, only losing one game so far this season but it doesn’t count for anything if we lose the big one.”

Women: Gatton v Newtown

Gatton

Gatton players (from left) Kimberley Dore, Natalia Webb and Courtney Robinson celebrate their win against Oakey. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Coach: Dominic Haak

Natalia Webb: Webb was the Hancock-Edwards Medallist and had a dominant year at

fullback which included a competition-high 24 tries.

Courtney Robinson: An experienced forward who has Women’s Origin experience and is a player who her teammates look towards.

Kim Dore: Dore is a veteran in the second row who is a natural leader.

Emily Young of Gatton. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Emily Young: Young is an exciting halfback who has been in impressive form over the past

month.

Newtown danger player

Rosie Gibbs: Gibbs steers the team effectively and possesses one of the best general-play

kicking games in the competition.

Where the game will be won and lost: “The game will be won in the second half. Whoever stays calm and handles the occasion the best will win in the end.”

Coach’s comment: “We have been really good but it’s probably only in the past month we have started to play some really good footy when we have had all of our players. I think we have only had all our players once this year, but we should be full-strength on Saturday. It has been really good the last month, just how all the girls have started to click and play to our game-plan and our strengths.

Newtown

Assistant coach: Kieren Gibbs

Paige Edwards for Newtown and Tara Reinke for Gatton. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Rosie Gibbs goes between the posts for Newtown. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Paige Edwards: Edwards is an exciting attacking weapon at fullback who is capable of

scoring from anywhere.

Rosie Gibbs: A natural leader at five-eighth with one of the best kicking games in the competition. Along with being a threat on and off the ball she is very strong and is a

reliable player defensively.

Katelyn Anderson for Clydesdales. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Katelyn Anderson: Anderson is a workhorse at lock who puts in all the hard yards with

countless hit-ups and hard runs.

Aleah Peckham: Peckham has elite vision and her strong passing game provides a solid

platform for Newtown.

Aleah Peckham of Newtown. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Gatton danger player

Natalia Webb: Webb was the Hancock Edwards Medallist and was a standout performer at

fullback.

Where the game will be won and lost: “The game will be won and lost in defence. Both teams can attack very well but if you have a five or 10 minute period where you struggle in defence and give away penalties it will be costly. If you can defend solidly for the 60 minutes, that will win you the game.”

Coach’s comment: “It’s been a really good year, we lost some very good players from last year and we had a lot of new girls come in with no footy experience. As a group, us being here is unreal. The other girls had to learn a lot through the year and the whole 24 girls we used have contributed and done so well, so as a group, we are so happy to be competing on Saturday.

Reserve grade: Dalby v Valleys

Dalby

Coach: Ben O’Callaghan

Travis Babington of Dalby. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Travis Babington: Babington is the main leader of the side and is Dalby’s main attacking

outlet with the ability to create something from nothing.

Kris Barry: Barry is a lock who puts in a strong shift in the middle defensively.

Tim Sheehan: Sheehan is a hooker who dictates the tempo of the contest and brings the

energy to the side.

Jed Bryers (centre) of Dalby against Wattle. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Jed Bryers: Bryers is one of the veterans in the line-up who controls the game and possesses

great calmness under pressure.

Valleys danger player

Bryce Whale: Whale is a dangerous hooker who is calm with the ball in hand and is a proven threat in attack.

Where the game will be won and lost: “The game will be won and lost in the middle. In the semi-final Valleys did the damage in the middle.”

Coach’s comment: “We’re very proud. I don’t think Reserve grade has been in the semi for five years and not many people expected that from us this year and we have been underdogs the whole time.

Valleys

Coach: Shaun Weatherall

Harry Tombs looks for options for Valleys. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Joel Currie for Valleys. Picture: Nev Madsen.

Harry Tombs: Tombs is a strong and versatile member of the forward pack.

Joel Currie: Currie is an experienced halfback who has featured at A-grade level this year.

Jaren Bender: Bender is a big-game five-eighth and kicked the winning field goal in the

Roosters’ victory over Wattles in the qualifying final.

Lindsay Power: Power is an experienced contributor in the Valleys’ powerful forward pack.

Dalby danger player

Travis Babington: Babington can score a try from anywhere and is elusive when he has the

ball in his hands.

Where the game will be won and lost: “Our forwards are going to be the ones that are going to help us win the game. We have a big forward pack and our rotation or our forwards off the bench is going to be a positive influence.”

Coach’s comment: “We’re very happy with the season. A-grade was hit with a few injuries in the mid-season, so we had to work with them with players moving up and for us to be where we are right now, it just shows the great depth across the club, so I am proud of the boys, they have really dug in throughout the season.” 

A-grade: Valleys v Dalby

Valleys

Co-coach: Matthew Schulze

Dwayne Duncan of Valleys. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Dwayne Duncan: Duncan directs the side around the field and helps Valleys get on the

scoreboard through his work at five-eighth.

Sam Betros: Betros is the starting halfback who is also versatile enough to play at hooker

when needed. His poise on the ball allows him to control the game and is a prominent

attacking option.

Chris Gesch: Gesch is a powerful forward who brings plenty of experience and can tighten

up the middle defensively.

Matthew Waites of Valleys. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Matthew Waites: Waites is a dangerous attacking option at centre, who is also a vital player

in defence.

Dalby danger players

Chris Woodbridge: Woodbridge is a talented fullback who can score a try from almost

anywhere on the field.

Blake Mara: Mara controls the play and gets his hands on the ball regularly. He is a regular

contributor in attack and is often involved in the lead-up to tries scored for his side.

Where the game will be won and lost: “The game will be won and lost in defence. The last time these two sides played it was 38-34, so both teams are more than capable of scoring but whoever can control the ball and defend better will come out on top.”

Coach’s comment: “Stoked, we are really happy at the club. We finished sixth last year and it was only the reserve grade that made finals and they got knocked out pretty early. So as a club we are really proud and happy with where we are and where we have been able to get to this year it has been a win for us. It would be great to capitalise on the position we are in and get a couple of grand final victories, but we are really happy with where we are.”

Dalby

Coach: Jason Connors

Chris Woodbridge: Woodbridge was awarded the Webcke-Price Medal after a stellar campaign which included a mammoth 44 tries and 400 points in 2023. The lightning quick fullback can produce something out of nothing and can score tries from anywhere.

Steven Franciscus of Dalby. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Steven Franciscus: Franciscus is a calm and experienced captain who leads by example in

the big moments.

Sione Palavi: Palavi is a natural leader in the front row who teammates look to.

Xavier Manley: Manley is a powerful front-rower who has been in fine form and was named

in the Toowoomba Rugby League’s team of the year.

Xavier Manley for Dalby against Valleys. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Valleys danger players

Dwayne Duncan: Duncan is a quality half who has formed a strong partnership with Sam

Betros. Duncan has been a consistent performer and has scored the most points for Valleys

this season.

Sam Betros: Betros is an experienced player who is a leader in the Roosters’ spine.

Chris Gesch: Gesch is a strong front-rower who is a key player in defence.

Dylan Chown: Chown is a try-scoring fullback who is one of Valleys’ main attacking outlets.

Where the game will be won and lost: “The team that completes and executes the best will win the game.”

Coach’s comment: “We have been pretty consistent all year, we had a rough patch through the middle of the year, but we have really hit our straps late in the season. We have a team full of workers who put in 100 per cent each week, so there are no individuals.”