More than 500 youngsters line up at Narrabri Junior Rugby Club gala day | PHOTOS

It was a welcome return to the field for more than 500 junior rugby union players on Sunday as Narrabri Junior Rugby Club hosted a massive action-packed gala day at Cooma Oval.

With the 2025 season impacted by wet weather and flooding, leading to several carnivals being postponed or even cancelled, the youngsters had not lined up in their club colours since June 29, when they travelled to Quirindi.

The Narrabri Junior Blue Boars were joined by players from Moree, Gunnedah, Tamworth, Coonabarabran, Walgett, Coonamble, Barraba, Quirindi, Inverell, Armidale, Walcha and Scone at their home carnival as almost 530 keen future stars took to the field.

There were 50 players in the under-6s, 15 teams in the under-8s, 10 teams in the under-10s, 10 teams in the under-12s, and 44 players across four teams in the all-girls’ program.

Narrabri was well represented, with 10 of the under-6 players, two under-8s teams, a team in each of the under-10s and 12s divisions, and 12 of the 44 all-girls program players.

Narrabri Junior Rugby Club’s under-6s players - Morgan Jones (coach), Brooklyn Hughes, Hugo Jones, Billy Brooker, Ella Carrigan, Tim Brooker (coach), Lydia Brooker, front, Jack Bell, Maverick Tapscott, Hamish Sharp, Jono Lewis, Harriet Stoltenberg and Walter Eveleigh. Narrabri Junior Rugby Club’s under-6s players - Morgan Jones (coach), Brooklyn Hughes, Hugo Jones, Billy Brooker, Ella Carrigan, Tim Brooker (coach), Lydia Brooker, front, Jack Bell, Maverick Tapscott, Hamish Sharp, Jono Lewis, Harriet Stoltenberg and Walter Eveleigh.

Narrabri Junior Rugby Club’s under-8s players - back, Fletcher Brown, George Stoltenberg, Scott McMahon, Lenny Hibbens, Elliott Sharp, Henry Eveleigh, Milo Tapscott, Cooper Lewis, Huxley Ward, Jack Sharp (coach), front, Lincoln Thorn, Arkie Egan, Campbell Duggan, Myles Carrigan, Chester Burgmann, Fred Lampe, Callan Ward and Charlie Eather. Narrabri Junior Rugby Club’s under-8s players - back, Fletcher Brown, George Stoltenberg, Scott McMahon, Lenny Hibbens, Elliott Sharp, Henry Eveleigh, Milo Tapscott, Cooper Lewis, Huxley Ward, Jack Sharp (coach), front, Lincoln Thorn, Arkie Egan, Campbell Duggan, Myles Carrigan, Chester Burgmann, Fred Lampe, Callan Ward and Charlie Eather.

Narrabri Junior Rugby Club’s under-10s players - back, Liz Eather (manager), Drew Eather (coach), Campbell Carvell, Albert Cameron, Aiden Eather, Charlie Wilson, Gus Booby, Harry Cameron, Nayte Thompson, Sammy Redfern, Boston Hughes, Dustin Harris, Thomas Seccombe, Ian Fox (coach), Dan Gillmore (coach), front, Dustin Swain, Hunter Bell, Walter Currall, Cohen Simpson, Lawson Whan, Kenwood Burgmann, Riley Knight, Jimmy Johnstone, Hunter Gillmore and Ayden Thompson. Narrabri Junior Rugby Club’s under-10s players - back, Liz Eather (manager), Drew Eather (coach), Campbell Carvell, Albert Cameron, Aiden Eather, Charlie Wilson, Gus Booby, Harry Cameron, Nayte Thompson, Sammy Redfern, Boston Hughes, Dustin Harris, Thomas Seccombe, Ian Fox (coach), Dan Gillmore (coach), front, Dustin Swain, Hunter Bell, Walter Currall, Cohen Simpson, Lawson Whan, Kenwood Burgmann, Riley Knight, Jimmy Johnstone, Hunter Gillmore and Ayden Thompson.

Narrabri Junior Rugby Club’s under-12s players - back, Steve Gleeson (coach), John McMahon, Harry Freeman, Coen Harris, Archer Hunt, Logan Gilmore, Lucy Booby, Darby Cameron, Campbell Collett, Henry Wilson, Toby Nairn, Arthur Currall, Matt Collett (coach), Jock Cameron (coach), front, Tommy Eather, Mac Winston-Smith, Gus Collins, Ned Pile, Cody Burford, Lincoln Baird, Edward Carolan, James Gleeson, George Brown, Ashton Neesom, Harry Crossing and Weston Burgmann. Narrabri Junior Rugby Club’s under-12s players - back, Steve Gleeson (coach), John McMahon, Harry Freeman, Coen Harris, Archer Hunt, Logan Gilmore, Lucy Booby, Darby Cameron, Campbell Collett, Henry Wilson, Toby Nairn, Arthur Currall, Matt Collett (coach), Jock Cameron (coach), front, Tommy Eather, Mac Winston-Smith, Gus Collins, Ned Pile, Cody Burford, Lincoln Baird, Edward Carolan, James Gleeson, George Brown, Ashton Neesom, Harry Crossing and Weston Burgmann.

The Narrabri Junior Rugby Club girls that took part in the all-girls’ program - back, Ashanti Woodley, Zara Lampe, Neve Eather, Molly Winston-Smith, Tayla Thompson, Eden Gordon, Will Winston-Smith (coach and club president), front, Harper Greentree, Pip Gleeson, Gracie Tully, Jamelia Hynch. Absent from photo: Ava Hunt and Lucy Booby. The Narrabri Junior Rugby Club girls that took part in the all-girls’ program - back, Ashanti Woodley, Zara Lampe, Neve Eather, Molly Winston-Smith, Tayla Thompson, Eden Gordon, Will Winston-Smith (coach and club president), front, Harper Greentree, Pip Gleeson, Gracie Tully, Jamelia Hynch. Absent from photo: Ava Hunt and Lucy Booby.

Narrabri Junior Rugby Club’s president Will Winston-Smith said that he and his committee were delighted with how the day ran and with the number of smiles on faces as the youngsters finally got to run around with their teammates again.

“It was just what junior rugby needed. It was a beautiful day and the fields were great. It all went to plan.

“There was lots of really good footy played, and there were heaps of kids having fun after so many weeks of cancelled gala days,” Winston-Smith said.

“The day was what the kids wanted, and it delivered. As a committee, we were thrilled with how the day went.

“It was a huge carnival. For the canteen, if it wasn’t a record day, it would have had to have been close.

“The Westpac Rescue Helicopter guys were on the barbecue and cooked all the food. They were exhausted and they did a great job.

“The whole Narrabri junior rugby community all chipped in. Some people provided things like cakes and slices and jelly cups, and people got themselves on rosters for things like the canteen.

“It was a big effort from everyone involved in the club.

“The committee would like to thank the rugby community. A carnival like this just doesn’t happen without the backing of the town, in particular our sponsors and the council.”

Winston-Smith commended the junior players on their patience following many washed-out weeks, as well as the improvement they have shown in 2025.

“The improvement from the start of the year to now has been pretty impressive,” he said.

“They’ve all grown in their skills and also their teamwork, and it’s been good to watch.”

There are now three more gala days to contest in 2025, which Narrabri’s junior Blue Boars are expected to travel to in great numbers. Those include Moree this Sunday, Inverell on Sunday, August 31, and Armidale on Sunday, September 7.

Tamworth and Coonabarabran’s carnivals last month were both called off due to flooding and were unable to be rescheduled due to the junior rugby calendar having no free weekends until the completion of the season.