We reveal the 10 biggest rugby league talking points of 2023

LEAGUE TALKING POINTS: From racism and cup returns to massive try scoring feats we reveal the 10 biggest Darling Downs rugby league talking points of 2023. SEE THE LIST.

From the Western Clydesdales Hostplus Cup return to a third-straight Gatton Hawks TRLW premiership rugby, league across the Darling Downs captured the attention of fans far and wide.

There was plenty to celebrate with lots of scintillating individual performances, some of our young stars edging closer to realising their NRL dreams and more than a few fantastic team efforts.

Unfortunately there were also a few low points with the junior competition marred by an ugly racist incident earlier this season.

Here’s our look at the 10 biggest moments of the rugby league year.

Melino Fineanganofo takes on the PNG Hunters in the Western Clydesdales first home game of the 2023 season. Picture: Nev Madsen.

10. Clydesdales back

After more than a decade out of the game the Western Clydesdales returned to the Hostplus Cup this year.

Lead by coach Jason Alchin the Clydesdales finished in 13th – a respectable result considering their shortened preparation compared to the already established teams.

The Clydesdales were competitive in stretches, played gritty and at times exciting football and could’ve finished higher up the ladder if not for some close defeats.

9. Historic grand final

For the first time in Toowoomba Rugby League history, grade finals were played on a Saturday night.

The initial decision did divide sections of the league community but it was generally considered a success with big crowds packing out Toowoomba’s Clive Berghofer Stadium.

Gatton players (from left) Kimberley Dore, Natalia Webb and Courtney Robinson celebrate the win against Oakey in TRL President's Cup A-grade women's final. Picture: Kevin Farmer

8. Webb wins

Natalia Webb ‘schooled’ more than a few footballers this season with her deft footwork and pace.

The secondary school teacher and Gatton Hawks fullback had a season to remember picking up the TRLW minor premiership, premiership and the Hancock Edwards Medal as the competition’s best player.

Her stellar efforts over the past three years for Gatton have also been rewarded with a Western Clydesdales BMD Premiership contract.

7. Abdo shuns Clydesdales

The Western Clydesdales Hostplus Cup return was celebrated by league fans across the state, but not everyone was pleased.

Leaked emails provided to this masthead reveal Australian rugby league boss Andrew Abdo has abandoned one of the country’s most fruitful talent nurseries and sparked an ugly fallout within its own ranks.

“The ARLC, as you are aware, has not approved the participation of the Western Clydesdales in the QRL Hostplus Cup and does not consider that such participation is in the best interests of the game as a whole,” NRL chief executive Abdo said in a recent email to the Queensland Rugby League.

Fortunately the greater community slammed Abdo’s comments with politicians, former players and NRL supercoach Wayne Bennett showing their support for the club.

NRL CEO Andrew Abdo.

6. Hawks three-peat

There were plenty of new faces in the Gatton women’s line-up this year, but the end result was the same.

The Hawks have played in and won all three TRLW premierships – securing their third title with an emphatic 32-16 defeat of rivals Newtown Lions.

Gatton lost just the one game this season, their first defeat in three years of competition, proving they deserve to be the benchmark by which every club measures themselves.

5. BMD Premiership win

Less than a year after the Clydesdales men made their historic Hostplus Cup return, the club announced another major win for the game.

At the start of November Queensland Rugby League named the Clydesdales as one of two BMD Premiership expansion clubs for 2024.

The Clydesdales marked the announcement with a massive ‘coup’ by naming NRLW, State of Origin and Australian stars Ali Brigginshaw, Shenae Ciesiolka, Tara Reinke and Jessikah Reeves as their first four major signings.

4. TJRL racism

Toowoomba Junior Rugby League was rocked by a shocking case of racism earlier this year.

Clubs officials and players were penalised after allegations a 15-year-old boy and his Indigenous teammates from South Burnett were the focus of racist abuse during a match between Gatton and South Burnett on Saturday, June 10.

In a shocking turn of events the TJRL opted not to publicise the nature of the penalties handed down despite outrage from large sections of the Toowoomba and Darling Downs rugby league communities.

Declan Ryan for Clydesdales.

3. Generation Next

The Darling Downs and South West Queensland regions have long been considered as the beating heart of Queensland rugby league.

Some of the game’s true legends first played the game here before going on to star at the national and international level.

Declan Ryan, Jai Purser, Bailey Nash and Bud Smith could be the next NRL stars from the region with the young guns signing SG Ball and Jersey Flegg deals with NSW NRL clubs.

The quartet are further evidence of just how important the region is to the future of the game in Australia.

2. Wonderful Woodbridge

There is no question Chris Woodbridge’s move to Dalby Diehards changed the Toowoomba Rugby League landscape.

Woodbridge had arguably the most dominant season in TRL A-grade history after swapping Goondiwindi Boars for Dalby – the club his father played senior footy for.

The electrifying fullback scored 46 tries in just 21 games and amassed 416 points in total during Dalby’s run to a second Hutchinson Builders A-grade premiership.

Wattles flyer Austin Jennings was the next best tryscorer with 23 and Goondiwindi’s Malcolm McGrady finished with 180 points to his name.

Woodbridge fitting picked up Webcke-Price Medal at the end of the season.

1. Golden point Ryan

With one final swing of his boot Declan Ryan wrote ensured his place in TRL and Highfields folklore in the under-19 grand final.

Just minutes after his side held out a determined Valleys Roosters to send their U19 grand final into extra time, the skipper and five-eighth kicked the match winning field goal.

“I haven’t hit them well all year at training,” Ryan told The Chronicle on grand final day.

“We have been practising and I have been skewing them to the right, but to get that one, it was a pretty surreal moment.”

Aside from lifting the premiership the boot was Ryan’s last act in an Eagles jersey with the young star penning a Jersey Flegg deal with the Canberra Raiders earlier this year.

Highfields beat Valleys 27-26 in the final to defend the title they won last year.