Three Narrabri Touch teams through to grand final night

Three teams won their way through to grand final night and three more sides were eliminated when Narrabri Touch hosted the 2025 mixed season semi-finals at Hogan and Leitch Ovals on Monday night.

Hammertime (A-grade), Banksia Babes and Blokes (B-grade), and Livewires (C-grade) all won their respective major semi-final fixtures to qualify for the June 23 grand finals, while Win Or Booze (A-grade), RSL Pelicans (B-grade), and Touch n Go (C-grade) lost their respective minor semi-finals to bow out of the 2025 campaign.

Hammertime and the Sprayerbarn Spinouts met at Leitch Oval in the A-grade major semi-final and it was an upset as Hammertime prevailed 7-4.

The Spinouts had gone through the entire regular season undefeated with nine victories and a draw, while Hammertime placed third following six wins, a draw and four losses. One of those Hammertime losses was by six tries against the Spinouts last month, but they have managed to find another gear in the finals series after beating second-placed Cougars 10-5 in the qualifying final a week earlier.

Hammertime duo Tom Nolan and Frazer Penberthy bagged doubles in Monday’s major semi-final and their teammates Lidia McCauley, Hamish Nolan and Linton Grumley all scored one try each. Sprayerbarn’s Lincoln Saunders crossed for two tries for his team and their other two tries were scored by Connor Hill and Nick Anderson.

The minor semi-final at Leitch Oval saw Cougars comfortably defeat Win Or Booze 9-3 to advance to the third week of the finals series. Chris Clark claimed a hat-trick for Cougars, Jordan Harvey went over for two tries, and the other four were shared between Clifford Toomey Jr, Jaylan Sharpley, Andrew Wallace and Angie Knox. Matt Hamblin scored twice for Win Or Booze and Keegan Richardson chipped in with a try as well.

A new-look four-team B-grade comp entered week one of its finals series on Monday after the two five-team divisions kicked off their post-season a week earlier, however, the major semi-final was not contested after the JWG Hounddogs were forced to forfeit to Banksia Babes and Blokes after they had just four players, including only one female player, available to start the match.

The minor semi-final at Hogan Oval saw KT Civil eliminate RSL Pelicans after prevailing 7-4. Kurt Wallace, Rowan Keeler and Martin Taylor all bagged doubles for KT Civil and their other try was scored by Andrew Weber, while RSL Pelicans’ four tries were shared between Lachie Coffey, Leisa Eather, Tianne Parker and Nathan Dicks.

The C-grade major semi-final at Hogan Oval saw Livewires cruise through to grand final night with an 8-1 victory over The Kerrigans. Daniel Rowe crossed for two of the Livewires’ eight tries and the other six were claimed by Bernard Gabbott, Elsie Bennett, Elsa Gabbott, Mark Boney, Baxter Gabbott and Patrick Hubbard, while Peter Haire scored The Kerrigans’ lone try.

The C-grade minor semi-final at Hogan Oval was won 9-3 by One Hit Wonders over Touch n Go. One Hit Wonders’ Waldo Botha claimed one of the two hat-tricks scored across the six games on Monday, while his teammates Matt Hall and Jack Oxley both bagged doubles, and Connor Parkes and April Smith registered a try each. Lennon Simmons scored twice for Touch n Go and Caitlin Evans claimed their other try.

While the minor semi-final losers have now all been eliminated from contention, the losers of the major semi-finals will have another chance to qualify for their respective deciders when they meet the minor semi-final winners in the preliminary finals.

Those matches will be played on Monday, June 16 after the June long weekend bye this Monday.