New first grade ladder leaders in the Group 4 Rugby League competition

There is a new ladder leader and a new team in the top four following the fifth round of the Group 4 Rugby League first grade campaign.

The North Tamworth Bears entered the weekend on top of the table with seven points following three wins and a draw across the first four rounds, but they were ahead of both Gunnedah Bulldogs and Werris Creek Magpies only on for and against difference.

Werris Creek welcomed Norths to David Taylor Oval on Saturday and the two undefeated sides produced the competition’s third golden point thriller in as many weeks.

The Magpies and the Bears had both been involved in golden point games during the NSWRL Magic Round at Scully Park in round three, and their respective games against Gunnedah and the Boggabri Kangaroos ended as draws after 90 minutes.

It was 24-all at full-time in Werris Creek after both sides scored four converted tries in regulation time, but this time there would be a winner. The Magpies had levelled up the score in the 75th minute and they then struck in golden point when Mitch Doring nailed a field goal to secure a 25-24 victory that sent his side to the top of the table.

Their stay at the top only lasted 24 hours though as they were dethroned by Gunnedah the following day. The Bulldogs hosted Wee Waa Panthers at Kitchener Park and prevailed 66-6 in a match that finished midway through the second stanza due to the 60-point mercy rule.

That victory saw the Gunnedah men join Werris Creek on nine points but go ahead of them on for and against difference at the top of the ladder.

Norths are third on eight points after securing a point for losing in golden point, and just behind them ranked fourth are the defending champions, Moree Boars.

The Boars had been outside the top four all season following two losses in their first two games, but they have since won three on the trot. They hosted Boggabri Kangaroos in the grand final rematch at Boughton Oval on Sunday afternoon and scored a 46-12 victory to overtake the Roos in fourth place.

The Boggabri men were sitting first after the top four all drew their Magic Round contests in round three, but back-to-back losses to Werris Creek and Moree have seen them slip to fifth on the ladder, highlighting just how quickly positions can shift in a tightly contested Group 4 first grade comp in 2025.

The other round five contest was played at Kootingal Sports Ground on Saturday where the Dungowan Cowboys scored their first win of the campaign as they beat the Kootingal-Moonbi Roosters 38-32. That saw Dungowan join Kooti on two points but go above them into sixth on for and against difference.

Those two teams are both three points behind Boggabri and two wins outside the top four, while Wee Waa are still sitting last with no points.

Round six will kick off at Kitchener Park this Saturday with a blockbuster derby between Gunnedah Bulldogs and Boggabri Kangaroos. Gunnedah will be playing to stay on top of the table in that one, while Boggabri are looking to make ground on at least two sides in the top four, given that the other match on Saturday sees Norths host Moree at Jack Woolaston Oval.

Sunday’s matches will see Wee Waa go searching for their first win of the year when they host Dungowan at Cook Oval, while Werris Creek look to climb to the top of the table or at least remain level with Gunnedah when they host Kootingal-Moonbi.

It was losses all round for the two Narrabri Shire clubs on Sunday.

Boggabri lost 32-14 in reserve grade against Moree and the club’s ladies’ league tag team had a bye.

At Kitchener Park, Wee Waa went down 48-0 against Gunnedah in the ladies’ league tag game and 60-0 in under-18s. The Panthers’ reserve grade side forfeited their round five fixture against the Bulldogs.