We shine light on TRL men’s and women’s premiers of last decade
BEST OF THE BEST: With the Eagles and Hawks reigning supreme in 2024, we’re now casting an eye back over the TRL premiership winners of the past decade to see how they compare.
Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Toowoomba Rugby League has been treated to some true grand spectacles in the past decade.
With Highfields Eagles women and Gatton A-grade men wrapping up the 2024 season we’re looking back at the premiers of the last decade.
Who do you think was the best premiership winning side of the past decade?
Highfields Eagles women 2024
The Eagles will forever be remembered as the first team to stop the Gatton Hawks juggernaut.
Before the 2024 decider Gatton had won every single trophy on offer in the three year history of the Toowoomba Rugby League women’s competition.
With history and seasoned campaigners like Sarah Hoger, Kim Dore, Caitlin Nolan and Courtney Robinson on their side the Hawks went into the final as slight favourites.
The Eagles, led by inspirational skipper and Western Clydesdales prop Katelyn Collie, had the formula to beat the Hawks with two wins earlier in the season.
With Collie bending the line, Jess Fitzgibbons pulling the strings at five-eighth and a ‘next player up – team first mentality’ the Eagles won 20-14.
The Eagles were near on unstoppable in attack in 2024 with Lucy Davis, Reagan McMillan and Morgan Prentice finishing among the competition’s leading the try-scoring ladder.
Hooker Abbey Markey also finished as the leading points scorer.
With a healthy mix of young guns and experienced stars the Eagles could be a force for years to come.
Gatton Hawks women 2023
The Hawks secured their third straight premiership with an impressive 32-16 win over rivals Newtown Lions.
Newly crowned Hancock Edwards Medal winner Natalia Webb got the Hawks off to a flyer scoring in just the third minute of the game.
Webb’s try sparked a frantic half-hour of play with the two sides trading blows, but the Hawks always seemed to have the edge.
The 2023 Hawks squad is arguably the best of their four with Webb, Sarah Hoger, Bonnie Zappa, Ashlea and Caitlin Nolan, Kim Dore, and Bridie Gray all seasoned campaigners by this stage.
Throw in the likes of Nicole Gusman and Rikki-Lee Boney and you had a team with very weaknesses and loads of attacking threat.
The Hawks dropped just one game all season and scored 448 points in 12 regular season games.
Gatton Hawks women 2022
Courtney-Lee Nolan was the star of the grand final and the season in the Hawks second premiership win.
Nolan, who scored 25 tries in the regular season, crossed the line three times in the Hawks 42-12 demolition of Lions.
The Hawks No. 9 was well supported by Courtney Robinson who scored a double in the lopsided final.
Barnstorming props Tara Reinke and Ashlea Nolan also crossed the line for Gatton.
Hawks (530 regular season points scored) and Lions (454 points) were the competition benchmarks in 2022 finishing the regular season in first and second respectively
Hawks however were a class above in the decider.
The Lockyer Valley outfit ran the ball hard and tackled even harder in a dominate display.
Lions had no chance with the Hawks regularly finding and creating holes in their defensive line.
Gatton Hawks women 2021
The team that started it all – securing the first ever Toowoomba Rugby League women’s premiership in style.
Shaking off a 16-12 major semi-final loss to Warwick, the Hawks soared in the decider beating the same opposition 30-10.
Playing in her first grand finals Hawks hooker Courtney-Lee Nolan showed signs of just how important a player she would be for the club – scoring a hat-trick.
Interestingly power running Western Clydesdales and NRLW forward Tara Reinke started on the wing for the Hawks in the decider.
The squad also included a number of now veteran Hawks players in Courtney Robinson, Tahlia Sudhaus and Kim Dore.
Gatton Hawks men 2024
It will be a long time before the smile leaves Cameron Bundock’s face.
The Gatton Hawks young gun stole the show in a golden point thriller – running away to cap off a length of the field play to score the try that sealed a thrilling 24-20 win for his side.
Bundock was mobbed by his teammates and Gatton faithful following the try in a moment which he will forever cherish.
“Unbelievable, just to win the GF (grand final) for the boys like that,” he said.
Despite losing just one game in the regular season, the Hawks managed to fly under the radar for most of the year.
A near perfect blend of veteran experience and bright young stars – the squads never give up attitude was key to their premiership win after they trailed by 12 point to Valleys Roosters.
Dalby Diehards men 2023
He was a force to renowned with all season and the 2023 decider only confirmed why Chris Woodbridge is one of the most exciting players to line up in TRL in recent memory.
Heading into the final as the newly crowned Webcke Price medallist, Woodbridge was everywhere in the Diehards gripping 20-14 defeat of Valleys.
The electrifying fullback kicked three conversions, a penalty goal and scored two tries in a best on ground performance.
Diehards win wasn’t a one man show though with skipper Steve Franciscus rightly pointing out the valuable contributions of role players Blake Mara, Daniel Wassell, Max Brady and Noah Brady.
Wattles men 2022
Not even the most passionate Wattles fan would’ve predicted the final score in the 2022 grand final.
Trailing Gatton Hawks 16-12 at halftime Wattles stormed home to secure an emphatic 51-20 win.
Living up to his standing as one of TRL’s greatest ever playmakers, Matt Duggan orchestrated the second half masterclass.
With the strikepower of Matthew Christensen and Jackson Green in the side alongside veterans Travis Burns, Dale Perkins and Ryan Duggan Wattles were always a chance of a comeback.
The second half however was not just any comeback, Wattles were near on unstoppable scoring at will right across the park.
Goondiwindi Boars men 2021
Covid lockdowns cruelled his NSW Cup hopes with the Newcastle Knights, but David Armstrong made the most of his return ‘home’ with the Goondiwindi Boars.
Stopping the flying fullback in 2021 was about as easy as catching lightning in a bottle.
He scored 38 tries in the regular season and while he didn’t get on the scoresheet in his side’s major semi-final win, he was the star in the grand final.
Armstrong’s first half hat-trick was ultimately the difference in the decider with the Boars holding off a fast-finishing Highfields to secure a 26-20 win.
The ever present Travis Waddell was a key figure throughout the year – giving the Boars the drive forward they needed.
The McGrady connection – Malcolm, Brandon, Glenn and David – were also key figures in the final.
Valleys Roosters men 2019
With a powerhouse pack leading the charge Valleys Roosters flew home late to secure a 24-16 win over Warwick Cowboys.
John ‘Cracker’ McDonald medal winner Drew Jackson paired expertly with Dexter Buchanan to give the Valleys halves the room they needed and they went to work.
Cory McGrady’s kicking game was on point and outside backs Denzel and Gerome Burns were a threat every time they touched the ball.
Credit must also go to coach Matt Schulze.
He stepped into the role mid-season after the departure of Brett Seymour and produced to perfect plan to get all his players firing.
Valleys Roosters men 2018
Kalemb Hart and Brett Seymour broke Wattles hearts in a grand final thriller.
Hart’s late try and Seymour’s subsequent conversion with less than two minutes left in the match sealed a 24-22 win for Valleys.
Valleys were cruising early in the first half racing out to a 16-0 lead through tries to Jarryd Dodd, Hugh Sedger, Dexter Buchanan.
Ex-NRL playmaker Brett Seymour was a key figure for Roosters but Cory McGrady was the real star.
McGrady, who earned the John ‘Cracker’ McDonald medal, locked down the back of the field with his defence and regularly defused dangerous kicks.
Dalby Diehards men 2017
Pittsworth never had a chance with the Dalby Diehards juggernaut crushing their premiership dreams in less than half an hour of play.
Leading 32-0 after just 27 minutes, Dalby went on to win their inaugural premiership beating the defending premiers 48-4.
Diehards captain Colin Green hammered the Danes line all game, as he did to opposition defences all season, and he was well supported by brothers Xavier and Dan Manley in the forward pack.
There wasn’t a bad Dalby player on the field, but Corey Blades shone the brightest.
The veteran fullback picked up the John ‘Cracker’ McDonald medal thanks to a four try haul.
Pittsworth Danes men 2016
The Danes celebrated their 50th year in TRL in perfect style – beating Warwick Cowboys 18-12 to win the Hutchies-Chronicle Cup.
The country rivals traded blows for nearly the full 80 minutes with Pittsworth forced to defend their try line as Warwick pushed desperately for an equaliser.
Second rower Mitchell Carpenter was a standout scoring a try and Danes playmaker Thomas O’Sullivan capped off a breakout season with the John ‘Cracker’ McDonald medal
Wattles Warriors men 2015
Wattles defended the title they won in 2014 in emphatic style beating Dalby Diehards 52-26.
The match was only seconds old when Wattles hooker Mark Gordon eased through from a passing rush close to the try line for his side to take an early 6-0 lead.
Wattles extended their lead to 18-0 after just 12 minutes with tries to back-rower Aaron Scheid and centre Joel Koina before Dalby answered in the 19th minute.
Leading 30-12 at halftime Wattles eased out to 48-12 lead with 20 minutes and comfortably held on for the win.
Wattles dominant win was built on the back of excellent team play with three try hero Brodie Ciesiolka winning the John ‘Cracker’ McDonald medal.
Wattles Warriors men 2014
In a sign of just how strong TRL was at the time – Wattles became the third different champion of the past three years when the beat Gatton 36-12.
The two sides traded blows early with Brodie Ciesolka’s mazey run securing a 4-0 lead for Wattles at the 10 minute mark.
Gatton captain Aaron Werth scored five minutes later and Jason Wilmot’s conversion gave the Hawks a 6-4 lead.
It would however be the first and only time Hawks held the lead with Wattles holding a 10-6 advantage at halftime.
Both sides battled throughout but Wattles simply had too much class.
Duggan brothers Matt and Ryan were standouts alongside but Joel Koina stole the show.
Koina scored a second half double despite spending 15 minutes on the sideline in the first half after a knock dislocated his shoulder.
UNVEILED: Toowoomba’s next generation of tennis stars
We shine a light on the future stars of tennis in the Garden City. Check out which young guns have been making their mark here.
Father-daughter duo ready to lift game at premier strongman comp
Meatstock is set to return to the Garden City in less than a month. Meet the father who will compete in the prestigious strongman event alongside his daughter next month.
Club rivals: The stars to watch in Clydesdales City vs Country clash
Clubmates will become rivals this weekend when the Western Clydesdales City and Country squads go head-to-head. Here’s our look at the stars players to watch.
Teen star reveals secret to 35+ medal and PB athletics season
Recording countless personal bests and winning more than 35 medals from the local to national level, Xanthee Watts had a 2024 athletics season to remember. Now the 15-year-old has revealed the secret to her success.
Named: The Origin stars who will play in Toowoomba NRL trial
The Broncos and Titans have named star-studded teams for their Toowoomba pre-season showdown this Sunday. Find out who will line-up at Toowoomba Sports Ground here.
League star in induced coma after rural Queensland car crash
A 20-year-old Queensland rugby league star is fighting for life after a car crash left him with severe head and chest injuries. Here’s how you can support him and his family.