Former Blues boys help guide Moree Boars to Group 4 Rugby League premiership

Three great mates became premiership-winning teammates alongside one another on Sunday when the Moree Boars downed the Gunnedah Bulldogs in the Group 4 Rugby League first grade grand final.

Narrabri boys Daniel Howe, Sam Sadler and Daniel Jobson all lined up for the Boars in their 32-16 victory in front of a home crowd at Boughton Oval as Jobson celebrated his second premiership and the other two former Narrabri Blues boys played their way to their first.

Moree took the lead in the third minute when Steven McIntosh opened the scoring and Adrian Smith added to extras to make it 6-0.

Gunnedah’s Dylan Lake then crossed in the 14th minute and Ezra Gibson converted to lock it up at 6-all, but tries to Jake Tighe in the 36th minute and Alex Barker in the 39th, both of which Smith converted, put the Boars ahead 18-6 at the half-time break.

Tighe added his second try of the contest just six minutes into the second stanza as the score became 24-6 following Smith’s conversion, and Moree started to run away with it in the 58th minute when Kaedyn Smith scored their fifth to make it 28-6.

Gunnedah’s Callum Hayne crossed for a try that Gibson converted in the 64th minute, and Jared Heinrich scored the Bulldogs’ third in the 74th minute to make it 28-16.

The visitors were still a chance at that stage as it was a two-possession game, but the Moree men wrapped up the premiership when Tighe scored his third of the day to make the score 32-16.

It was an unusual lead-in to the grand final for the Boars, and they were lacking match fitness, having played just two matches in five weeks before the big dance, but they worked hard in the heat and got the job done.

For Jobson, who was part of the Moree team that beat Boggabri 40-18 in last season’s grand final to break a 22-year drought for the club, Sunday’s victory was extra special as he won a premiership alongside two of his great mates.

“It was a good game, but I don’t reckon we ever looked like losing,” the prop told The Courier.

“We stuck to what was working and stuck to what we’d trained for, and it paid off for us.

“I’ve got no words for how we played. We just did everything that we prepared for.

“Winning a premiership; that’s what you play footy for. All the hard work we put in during the season finally paid off with that win.

“It makes it a bit more special, winning it with those two boys (Howe and Sadler). You always want to win grand finals with your mates.

“I’ve been at Moree since 2023 now. They are a great club, a very family-oriented club, and they will have a place in my heart for the rest of my life, I’d say.”

For Sadler, the 2025 season was an enjoyable one as he regained his love for the sport after a tough 2024 campaign with the Narrabri Blues.

The three Narrabri boys all live in town and carpool together to training sessions and some games, and the Moree club made him feel right at home. Sunday’s grand final win topped it all off in the best way possible for the gun back-rower.

“It was my first grand final win, ever. It was awesome,” Sadler said.

“It was a tough game. They never stop coming, Gunnedah. We were nearly always in the lead, but we never had it sealed. They were always coming at us.

“The scoreline didn’t really reflect the game, I don’t think.

“They were good, but we defended really well and kept them out most of the game. We’ve been big on defence all year really. It’s been one of our main focuses.

“Everyone just did their job for us.

“It was a bit of relief when Jake scored that last try. We knew we’d won it then.

“It was pretty special to win it with those boys (Howe and Jobson). That was the main goal in going over to Moree this year; making the grand final and winning one together.

“It was a pretty big year. Jobo had a pretty big injury and missed five or six weeks from it, but ended up coming back from it, and Howey had probably the best year I’ve ever seen him have, to be honest.

“They were both really good in the grand final. Both so consistent.

“It was a big crowd there and heaps of people from home made the trip to support us too.

“It was a great year. Moree is a really, really good club. There’s a real good club culture there.

“Toddy Mitchell (Moree’s president) is unreal. He would do anything for you. He runs a real good ship.

“The first grade crew is a tight group too. It’s a real good crew.”

For Howe, who like Jobson was one of Moree’s props this season, he did not expect to be playing in 2025 after he initially retired last year. He said he was thankful he decided to play on at the Boars.

“That’s my first premiership in first grade. It hasn’t really sunk in yet. It’s a good feeling but it’s still sinking in,” Howe said.

“It was a tough game and it was hot. I went into a scrum and my lungs were blowing, and I looked up to the clock and we were only 12 minutes in. She was a warm day.

“Gunnedah had a good crack. I never felt like we were going to lose the game, but it never felt like we’d had it locked up or sealed. It was a really tough game.

“It was awesome to win with those two boys (Sadler and Jobson). That’s why we went up there.

“I obviously retired last year, but I got spoken to by a few of the boys and had a meeting with Toddy, and I said to (Sadler and Jobson), that if they signed, I’d sign too, and we did.

“We always had the mentality that we could win the grand final, and it was so good that we did.

“It was probably one of the closest seasons I’ve seen in Group 4, especially the top five.

“We had a few new players in the group and we probably needed another trial under our belt to connect a bit better, but by the midway point, I thought we were a real good chance and we just needed a few things to go our way for the minor premiership, and they did.

“Moree are awesome. It’s a very welcoming club. Being new, people could have looked at us like we’re not from there, but they were all very welcoming.

“It’s a great club and they run a really good ship up there.”