The future of rugby union in Narrabri is as bright as ever following another sensational season of carnival footy, during which Narrabri Junior Rugby Club claimed the inaugural Central North under-12s Kookaburra Cup.
The junior Blue Boars played 18 games across nine carnivals during the 2025 campaign and they only lost three of them during what was a dominant season.
Two of those losses came against Scone, whom they also beat twice in their four matches in what was a friendly and competitive rivalry during the year.
The junior Blue Boars ended up with 78 points to earn the Kookaburra Cup as Scone fell two short on 76. Next best on 69 points was Quirindi.
The junior Blue Boars’ club president Will Winston-Smith told The Courier he was proud of the under-12s team and all of the players who chipped in to contribute to the team’s success throughout the season.
“It’s actually the first year they’ve ever done the Kookaburra Cup in the 12s, and after playing all of the games throughout the season, whoever has the most points wins,” Winston-Smith said.
“It’s taken a whole team commitment. They were all fantastic.
“I couldn’t be prouder.
“We probably didn’t have the best 15 on any given day, but we had a really strong squad, which is why we won it.
“To only lose three times all season is pretty good.
“The kids all chipped in and improved during the year, and the coaches really did a really good job too.
“The amazing thing about the 12s is they’ve been playing gala footy with each other for six to eight years, but after 12s, they all split. Some will move away, some might not play, and some will go on to the Friday night comp.
“There is a lot of camaraderie between the kids and the parents, and it’s quite emotional when it comes to an end.
“This was a nice way for it to end.”
Lorna Gleeson was the team’s manager this year, and she said it was an enjoyable season that ended in memorable fashion.
“There was only one game in it between us and Scone. It was very hard-fought,” Gleeson said.
“We played Scone four times throughout the year and we both won twice against each other.
“We played 18 games throughout the season. We won 15 of those games and only lost three.
“This was the first year playing for the cup and the first year of the 12s being competitive and keeping scores.
“It was special for our players to win the cup in the first year.
“We also had a really large number of players that represented at higher levels too. A lot of our success has come down to the fact that we had such a high representation in those teams. It shows the depth and the calibre of players we had.
“They are all a great group of kids. It was a really wonderful season and it was very special to be a part of.”
Adding to the junior Blue Boars’ success this year were plenty of individual representative honours as well. Those are as follows:
Under-11 Central North – Mac Winston Smith and Gus Collins.
Under-12 Central North development team – Lincoln Baird, Campbell Collett, Logan Gilmore and Thomas Eather.
Under-12 Central North girls – Lucy Booby.
Under-12 Central North State Championships team – Darby Cameron, Edward Carolan, James Gleeson, Archer Hunt and Toby Nairn.
School representative honours, competing at NSW PSSA rugby state championships:
Edward Carolan and James Gleeson (Polding), Lucy Booby (North West) and Archer Hunt (CIS).
