Strong start to the 2025 Group 4 campaign for the Wee Waa Panthers

The winning feeling is back at Cook Oval after Wee Waa Panthers’ reserve grade side kicked off the 2025 Group 4 Rugby League campaign with a two-point victory on Sunday afternoon.

The Panthers welcomed Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters to town for the round three clash and prevailed 26-24 after Zack Mallows dived over into the corner for the winning try late in the contest.

The Roosters did get the ball back before the siren sounded for one last set, but the Panthers were too strong in defence and forced them into a kick on halfway that they were able to defuse to secure the two points.

The score was 16-6 in Wee Waa’s favour at half-time after David Allen, Adam Gordon and Jayden Harradine all scored tries in the first half and Rodney Lamb converted twice.

Kootingal-Moonbi battled their way back into the contest and they took a 24-22 lead as their three tries and a Lamb four-pointer that Tom Bruce converted set up a thrilling finish.

Mallows’ match-winning try then ensured the Panthers started off the season on the front foot.

It was even more memorable for Wee Waa given their first grade men battled through the 2024 campaign without a win in the club’s first season back from a multi-year hiatus.

The Panthers’ senior men’s co-coach Kyle Trindall told The Courier that although there was no first grade game at Cook Oval on Sunday, a large crowd still turned out to support the reserve grade, women’s and 18s sides.

“It was a great turnout for the day, especially with everyone staying to watch the women’s game at the end of the day,” Trindall said.

“It was a big crowd and they were very supportive. It had a real good vibe to the day, and it wasn’t too stressful having the first game of the season at home as it usually is.

“Everyone chipped in to help, even the crowd picking up their rubbish after the games. It was a very pleasing day for us.

“In reserve grade, we were overwhelmed with the win, especially after the hardship the boys went through last year.

“A few boys have joined from other clubs this year and have strengthened things up for us in the middle but also especially on the edges, where we were lacking a bit of attack.

“Overall, it was exciting and good to watch. The crowd loved it.

“The boys got behind each other. We had two go down with injuries and we only had two on the bench after that, so the boys had to dig deep for each other.

“It was as we knew it would, being the start of the season. Bit sloppy at the start. But our defence and our scramble was pretty good overall and the front-rowers really held the front for us up the middle. If it wasn’t for them, it might have been a different score.”

Wee Waa Panthers reserve grade winger Zack Mallows dives over for the match-winning try at Cook Oval on Sunday afternoon. Photo: Tom Pattison

The contest was officially a round three clash, with round one games to be contested after the Easter long weekend on Saturday and Sunday, April 26 and 27, when the first grade teams line up for the first time.

Round two will then be held on May 3 and 4, and the first grade sides will then play their round three matches the following weekend at the NSWRL Magic Round at Scully Park.

The ladies’ tackle competition will run across three rounds ahead of semi-finals on Saturday, May 3, and the grand final on Saturday, May 10.

It was the ladies’ league tag match that kicked off the day on Sunday and the Roosters were victorious as they outscored the Panthers 34-4. Matilda Currey scored Wee Waa’s try in that game.

The under-18s were up next and a Panthers side with no players on the bench went down 60-0 against Uralla Tigers in a Northern Region Bulldogs Challenge match, however, Wee Waa picked up two points for the Group 4 ladder and they officially had the round three bye.

The ladies’ tackle competition game headlined the day after the reserve grade contest and the Panthers went down 28-20 after putting up a brave fight in their first match of the season.

Wee Waa led 20-18 late in the contest after two tries from Currey, one each from Briana Anderson and Tashanny Clark, and two Clark goals had the Panthers out in front.

However, two tries in the final five minutes saw the Roosters charge home to win by eight points.

Kootingal-Moonbi were boosted by the addition of Kaitlyn Armitage in the off-season, who was set to coach Narrabri’s women’s teams but was left without a side after the Blues pulled out of the 2025 campaign in February. Armitage scored the Roosters’ first try in the ladies’ tackle match and kicked four of five conversions, and she also chipped in with a try in the league tag match.

Wee Waa are back at home when the season resumes later this month when they host Boggabri in senior men’s and ladies’ games on April 27.