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Bundaberg Rugby League - Round Four: Past Brothers Bundaberg vs Western Suburbs Panthers
Game 3 of Round 4 We saw Past Brothers take on the Western Suburbs Panthers, and once again it was a similar result to recent weeks for the Wests outfit. The Brothers pack dominated the middle, with their outside backs capitalising on the platform laid up front. Wests conceded plenty of points again this round and were dominated in multiple areas of the field. That said, they did show some improvement, managing to put a few points on the board themselves. However, their defensive efforts still need work—they looked a bit sloppy at times and lacked effort in key areas. They are improving week by week, but they’re still not quite at the standard of this competition. One thing you can’t fault, though, is that they never go away.…
Bundaberg Rugby League - Round four: Hervey Bay Seagulls vs Eastern Suburbs Magpies
Game 2 of Round 4 We saw the Hervey Bay Seagulls at home take on the first-place Eastern Suburbs Magpies. This game had all the ups and downs of a great contest, with plenty of heat between the two clubs. In the end, Easts came away with the win and continued their unbeaten run. Hervey Bay once again put up a strong performance and proved tough to beat at home. They played hard, aggressive football throughout the game and looked to have a game plan that troubled the Easts outfit at times. The standout player for me was Tallis Murray, who shut down one edge while also taking tough carries to get the Bay boys out of trouble. In the end, though, they just couldn’t put together a full 80-minute performance, but they showed clear glimpses of being a very competitive team.…
Bundaberg Rugby League - Round Four: Across The Waves Tigers vs Maryborough Wallaroos
Game 1 of Round 4 We saw Across The Waves Tigers host the Maryborough Wallaroos. This was my tip for game of the round-it had all the ingredients to be a cracker-but in the end, Waves were too strong for the Roos outfit. The Roos were down on a few key troops in this game but still looked to play the direct, hard football they pride themselves on and have shown can work throughout the start of the 2026 season. However, they missed the jump this time around. They were outmuscled early, with Waves piling on 30 unanswered points to take a 30-0 lead into halftime.The likes of Jordan Kemble and Bailey Robertson still played a big role in trying to grind their way back into the contest. They managed to set up a try, with Kemble crossing himself in the second half, but the Waves outfit proved too strong on the day. …
Bundaberg Rugby League - Round Three: Across The Waves Tigers vs Western Suburbs Panthers
Game 3 of Round 3 saw Waves Tigers take on the Western Suburbs Panthers. This game was a very one-sided affair, with Waves putting plenty of points on the Wests outfit. Waves looked dominant from the get-go. They tackled with aggression and ran direct, hard lines. The forward pairing of Lachlan Patterson and Kiya Schnable proved dominant once again, with multiple tackle breaks, and Patterson also crossing for a try. Marcus Tanner was also at his best, running rings around the Panthers outfit and showcasing his electric footwork and ball skills. There’s not much more to say about this game other than Waves were dominant and delivered a very solid performance. Wests looked to have lacked confidence from the start. They missed the jump, and after the last few games, they seem to have gone backwards. It’s been a very tough start to the season for this Wests team, as they have only been able to score a handful of tries while conceding over 200 points already this season. It’s going to be a long season if they continue like this. However, as we all know, Wests are one team you can never count out—they always show up and remain committed to their club. They will stick it out all year, and I’m sure we’ll see some strong performances from them in the near future.…
Bundaberg Rugby League - Round Three: Eastern Suburbs Magpies vs Maryborough Wallaroos
Game 1 of Round 3 saw a top-of-the-table clash between the Eastern Suburbs Magpies, who played host to the Maryborough Wallaroos. This was my game of the round, and rightly so - with both sides undefeated and in red-hot form, it was shaping up to be a fantastic contest. The Roos were eager to get on top early and looked to shock the Easts pack with their physicality, aiming to set the tone from the outset. They played their usual hard, direct style of footy, but this game proved very different from their first two outings. Easts, one of the stronger teams this year, didn’t take a backward step. They muscled up in defence and forced a few errors from the usually steady Roos outfit. The Roos looked slightly out of rhythm, and the absence of front-rower Seth Laherty highlighted the importance of their middle. Despite not being at their best, they can take positives from the performance. The 12–8 scoreline - and the fact it could have been 12–12 if not for two missed conversions - shows they can match it with the competition’s top sides. Easts played their typical direct brand of footy. With back-rowers like Trent Seeds and Tyrell Howard, it’s hard not to attack early down their lethal edges. They caused problems from the start and were difficult to handle, sending plenty of traffic at the Roos’ halves, which paid off multiple times. Tyrell also crossed for a try, further proving he’s a real weapon and someone to watch when coming up against Easts. While Easts got the win, they wouldn’t have been overly impressed with their errors and, at times, giving the Roos too much possession. Still, they managed to grind out the result and will know there’s an even better performance in them. …
Bundaberg Rugby League - Round Three: Hervey Bay Seagulls vs Past Brother Bundaberg
Game 2 of Round 3 saw the Hervey Bay Seagulls take on Past Brothers Bundaberg in a fantastic, physical match that had plenty of ups and downs - so let’s get right into it! Hervey Bay were looking to defend their home turf in their first home game of the year. Despite being hit with a handful of injuries, you wouldn’t have known it — they put in a 100% effort and were competitive throughout the game. The Seagulls did struggle early, dropping the ball and conceding a few silly penalties, which allowed Brothers to get on top. However, they found their rhythm late in the first half, crossing for a try just before halftime. By that stage though, Brothers had already managed to put on a few tries of their own. In the second half, Hervey Bay looked much improved and took control for periods, scoring again and threatening a comeback. Unfortunately, they fell just short, with Brothers’ defence proving too strong in the end. There are plenty of positives for the Seagulls. Once they get a few of their injured players back, they’ll be a very tough side to beat on their day. My standouts for Hervey Bay were Max Shorter and Tallis Murray - both were outstanding with strong carries and aggressive defence.…
Bundaberg Rugby League - Round Two: Western Suburbs Panthers vs Eastern Suburbs Magpies
Game 3 of Round 2 saw a cross-town derby, with Western Suburbs Panthers taking on Eastern Suburbs Magpies. Wests, coming off a very tough Round 1 loss, were looking to improve and needed to put pressure on Easts from the start. Easts, on the other hand, were aiming to put Wests to the sword and prove they are the number one squad. Wests came out with a lot more energy this round, holding their own against a very strong Easts outfit. They weren’t afraid to put their bodies on the line and rolled up their sleeves to take some tough carries. At times, however, they looked a bit out of place and lacked direction, forcing players into one-out runs that became easy pickings for the Easts forwards. Despite this, they managed to hold Easts to a relatively slow start, with the halftime score sitting at 22-0. It was in the second half where the floodgates truly opened.…
Bundaberg Rugby League - Round Two: Maryborough Wallaroos vs Hervey Bay Seagulls
Game 2 of Round 2 saw the Maryborough Wallaroos host the Hervey Bay Seagulls in what was expected to be a great contest. With both teams coming off Round 1 wins, they were eager to build momentum. Hervey Bay named a very different outfit compared to their Round 1 side, with several players out due to injury, but it was still a strong squad nonetheless. Discipline hurt the Bay boys early, conceding the first four penalties, which led to four Roos tries. That immediately put them on the back foot. Handling errors also crept into their game, and they looked a bit flat, lacking intensity. There were some positives late in the first half and early in the second, with a few nice set plays orchestrated by Charlie Roberts. These led to tries for Jayden Shepard and young debutant Tyson Saunders. However, they never quite looked like the same team from Round 1. Michael Smith was the standout for Hervey Bay, making countless tackles and producing some crafty runs. In the end, the game was effectively decided in the first 25 minutes. Maryborough came out ready to dominate from the outset - and that’s exactly what they did. They played hard, direct footy and showed they mean business this season.…
Bundaberg Rugby League - Round Two: Across The Waves Tigers vs Pasts Brothers Bundaberg
Game 1 of Round 2 saw Past Brothers Bundaberg take on reigning premiers Across the Waves Tigers Bundaberg. This game had it all - ups and downs, plus a thrilling comeback win. With both sides coming off Round 1 losses, they were eager to get points on the ladder. Brothers came to play, and although they didn’t come away with the win, they’ll take plenty of positives out of the match. The young halves pairing of Zander Evans and Dawson Hess showed they can match it with the best, setting up some silky set-piece tries for outside backs Mitchell Sly and Chris Robinson. Sly was at his best this game, breaking multiple tackles and finishing off attacking plays with a double. Brothers’ forwards started strongly, with tough carries from front-rowers Royce Blair and Thomas Akers helping them gain early momentum. It looked like this caught the Waves outfit off guard, as they appeared a bit out of rhythm early on. Late in the second half, when the game tightened up, Marcus Tanner took over. He showed exactly why Waves signed him, breaking tackles, making electric runs, and scoring a double of his own.…
Bundaberg Rugby League - Round One: Eastern Suburbs Magpies vs Across the Waves Bundaberg
With a clash between the two top teams from the 2025 season, this was the talk of the BRL and with both sides naming very strong lineups, this game did not disappoint. From the opening whistle, the tension between the two squads was electric. It was a physical start, with neither side willing to take a backward step. The Waves boys were fired up, clearly motivated by departing players, and made sure every tackle counted. Early penalties saw momentum swing both ways, but it was ATW who struck first. A barnstorming run from captain Kiya Schnabel saw him crash over to open the scoring. With the conversion successful, ATW jumped out to a 6-0 lead. Easts responded through strong defence, which helped swing momentum back in their favour. That pressure paid off, with crafty dummy-half Lukas Blair darting over for Easts’ first try of the season. The conversion locked things up at 6-6 with only minutes remaining in the half. Tensions boiled over several times, showing just how much this game meant to both sides. A few controversial penalties had the crowd vocal, but at halftime, the scores remained locked at 6-6 in a gripping contest.…
Bundaberg Rugby League - Round One: Western Suburbs Panthers vs Hervey Bay Seagulls
This game saw two teams looking to prove that they are here to compete this year and improve on their 2025 season. It turned into a very dominant performance from one side and a lacklustre showing from the other. Western Suburbs Panthers hosted the Hervey Bay Seagulls in Round 1. The Bay squad named was very strong and refreshed, with a mix of new players and returning talent. Wests, unfortunately, were unable to name a full squad, which put them on the back foot from the start. From kickoff, Hervey Bay looked like the more dominant team, charging through the Western Suburbs forward pack and showing their intent to start fast and physical. They didn’t take a backward step, and it showed, with the Bay posting five tries in the first 25 minutes. Most of these came from strong forward runs setting up slick backline movements. Tries were scored by Rahcine Doyle, Tallis Murray, Villiami Tulahe, and a first-half double to Brock Shepard. However, Hervey Bay struggled with conversions, kicking just one from their first five tries to make it 22-0 with 15 minutes remaining in the half. Wests looked defeated early, falling off multiple tackles and at times not even attempting to complete them. It was a tough watch, as they were also ineffective in attack, offering very little threat to the Hervey Bay line. Before halftime, Hervey Bay added another 22 points. Tallis Murray grabbed his second try, Heath Peel crossed from halfback, and further well-executed set plays saw Jayden Shepard and Jordan Hislop both score. This took the halftime score to 42-0, with only two successful conversions. It was one of the most dominant and clinical halves from Hervey Bay in recent memory. The second half began much like the first, with an early try completing a hat-trick for winger Brock Shepard off another smooth set play. With 35 minutes to play, the score moved to 46–0. While it had been a first half to forget for Wests, they showed more fight after the break, with improved effort and energy, though it didn’t last long. Rahcine Doyle broke four tackles to score his second try of the afternoon, and with a successful conversion, the score reached 52-0 with 25 minutes remaining.…
Bundaberg Rugby League - Round One: Bundaberg Brothers vs Maryborough Wallaroos
Game 1 saw Past Brothers take on the Maryborough Wallaroos in an up-and-down affair. With both Brothers and the Roos looking to improve on last year’s results, both teams were out to prove they’re ready for the 2026 season — and they did just that. Each squad fielded a well-rounded lineup, showing strong attack while maintaining solid defence. The game started as a real back-and-forth contest, with neither side willing to give in to the pressure. Both teams were happy to play conservative footy early. It wasn’t until a lapse in the Roos’ defensive line that Brothers lock Bryden Blair struck first, putting his side up 6–0 with plenty of time left in the half. That sparked a response from the Roos, who executed a sharp set play to send Will Dwyer over for their first try of the season. With 16 minutes to go, the successful conversion locked things up at 6–6. But the action didn’t stop there. Maryborough went back-to-back, with crafty hooker Damien Otto crossing to give the Roos the lead. Luke Waters converted to make it 12–6 with under 10 minutes remaining in the half.…