Mcmillan brothers enjoying their time in the top grade together in 2023

Dubbed the ‘baby Blues’ in 2023, the Narrabri Rugby League Football Club first grade side has a youthful flavour to it after several experienced players from previous campaigns moved on to other clubs or into retirement.

When you look closely though, there is nothing baby-like about the young men that are pulling on the Narrabri Blues jerseys week in and week out as they continue to rise to the occasion and punch above their weight.

Two of those young guns are Kalab and Daniel Mcmillan.

The two Blues brothers have always been highly-touted prospects, having both played for the Greater Northern Tigers in the junior ranks from 16-18-years-old.

The eldest of the two, 21-year-old Kalab, has already played almost 30 first grade games for the Blues after debuting for the club as a 17-year-old back in 2019. He featured heavily in the club’s 2021 first grade minor premiership-winning side and is currently lining up for the Blues at lock.

18-year-old Daniel, a front-rower, is the younger of the two boys. He made his first grade debut in round one of last season and has now played 11 games in the top grade.

The Mcmillan brothers both have an abundance of proud memories as rugby league players, their first grade debuts and Tigers appearances being right up there.

But what they are both most proud of is playing alongside one another in the top grade, something they have always wanted to do.

They have now played six matches together, and they are loving every minute of it.

“It’s pretty good,” Kalab said.

“We’ve been waiting a long time to do it.”

“I have always looked up to him,” Daniel said of his older brother.

“I’ve always wanted to play with him and play better than him, and now I’ve finally got a chance to do that.”

Sunday’s round five game at Jubilee Oval in Boggabri was the sixth time the brothers have lined up together, and it was one they will not forget any time soon.

Although the Narrabri Blues went down 46-22 after trailing 22-16 at half-time, the Mcmillan boys produced one of the highlight plays.

It was just after the 20-minute mark as the Kangaroos were developing good field possession during a quality attacking set off the back of a brilliant Jack Gillham run and offload that was followed by a powerful Matt Gillham run. Jeff Harvey brought the Boggabri skipper to ground with a powerful tackle, and then Toby Morris took the next hit up. He was met by Kalab and Daniel, who drove him back into the turf and forced a knock on. The brothers jumped up and hugged one another, proud of what they had accomplished, and the Narrabri Blues supporters voiced their excitement.

“I think it’s the first time we’ve ever done a tackle like that together. It was good,” Kalab said.

“It was pretty special,” Daniel added.

Making that huge tackle even more special was the fact that they did it in Boggabri, the town where they first played rugby league back in their junior days.

The boys were Boggi juniors, but they relocated to Narrabri to play when the Boggabri junior club disbanded and its players went to Gunnedah when Kalab was about nine-years-old.

That tackle was actually Daniel’s second big hit of the year. His first came back in round two when the Blues hosted the Moree Boars and the young front-rower took down former Blues prop and one of the Group 4 competition’s toughest stars, Daniel Jobson, a player he always looked up to as a junior.

It was a warning shot, the Narrabri boy told The Courier.

“Straight off the kick-off, I got him pretty good,” Daniel said.

“I was trying to cement my spot, so if he ever comes back, he knows that it’s going to be hard to take it off me.

“I’ve always looked up to him and Brodie Rumsby. Those boys are who I based my game around.”

The Blues are yet to win a game this season, but they have a great chance this weekend when they travel to take on fellow winless side, the Gunnedah Bulldogs, on Sunday.

Despite the 0-5 record, the Mcmillan brothers are enjoying the season.

“Everyone is young and still learning, and we just can’t get our heads down,” Kalab said.

“We are going to get better as time goes on.

“We’ll definitely get a few wins and when we do win, it’s going to be good.

“Everyone’s laughing and everyone is having a good time.

“It’s good to win footy, but it’s also good to have fun.”

“Josh’s coaching has been really big for myself and a few of the other boys coming out of 18s,” Daniel said of his captain-coach, Josh Trindall.

“The way he has mentored us at training has turned our game into what it is now, when we’re out there playing against men.”

Kalab agreed. “Josh is great,” he said.

“Obviously, no coach likes losing, but he’s not a sore loser. He gives us positive feedback on the game and looks more at the ups than the downs.

“I hope we can keep building for the next few years.”