Bella Barrett was presented with the SBRL’s Female Eagle Of The Year trophy by Sheree Prendergast

September 24, 2025

Players, team officials and proud family members celebrated the end of a very busy 2025 South Burnett Rugby League season with a barbecue and awards presentation ceremony recently at the Kingaroy Speedway track.

SBRL vice-president Scott Prendergast said it had been an extraordinary season but one that could not happen without the efforts of volunteers and parents.

He said having games in Toowoomba, Warwick, Goondiwindi and Bundaberg was “a big ask”.

“Thank you. It’s a great organisation and we’re very proud to be Eagles,” Scott said.

SBRL secretary Tee-Arna Doggett compered the afternoon.

Trophies were presented to South Burnett players from Under 10s through to A Grade.

Highlights for the 2025 season included the inaugural Beyond The Nest (BTN) training camp for girls which was held in Kingaroy.

A successful boys’  BTN camp was held as usual in Murgon.

The SBRL entered eight Eagles teams in the Toowoomba Junior Rugby League competition – U13s, U15s, U17s girls; and U13s, U15s, U15s Development, U17s and U19s boys – which created a heavy workload for team officials as well as parents.

As well, there were zone carnivals in Charleville, Roma and Lightning Ridge plus the Walker Weekend in Toowoomba.

In the local competition, the Nanango Stags were minor premiers and premiers in the Under 14s; while the Cherbourg Hornets were minor premiers and premiers in A Grade.

Footnote: A very big thank you to the SBRL and Scott Prendergast for recognising South Burnett Online’s support of rugby league. It was much appreciated!

SBRL Life Member Allan Trunks and Vice-President Scott Prendergast thanked SBRL secretary Tee-Arna Doggett for all her hard work this year
Scott Prendergast also presented Sandra Prain with a thank you gift … Sandra co-ordinated four junior teams this season and has also been fighting hard to keep the Zone carnivals happening
Aren’t these great? Some of the unique trophies handed out to the young rugby league players
A big crowd of players, their family members and friends filled the stands at the Kingaroy Speedway for the presentation afternoon

* * *

2025 South Burnett Team Of The Year

The South Burnett Team Of The Year is selected from the A Grade players from the four clubs which competed in the 2025 competition:

  • Fullback: Chris Bond (Kingaroy Red Ants)
  • Wingers: Johnny Walsh (Cherbourg Hornets) and Killian Klease (Kingaroy Red Ants)
  • Centres: Mitchell Bailey (Kingaroy Red Ants) and Sonny Weazel (Murgon Mustangs)
  • Five-Eighth: Sam Davis (Murgon Mustangs)
  • Halfback: George Fisher (Cherbourg Hornets)
  • Props: Adam Nightingale (Kingaroy Red Ants) and Joel Fewquandie (Murgon Mustangs)
  • Hooker: Lachlan Price (Kingaroy Red Ants)
  • Second Rowers: Barry Tapau-Fewquandie (Cherbourg Hornets) and Damien Alphonse (Wondai Wolves)
  • Lock: Harry Perrett (Kingaroy Red Ants)
  • Reserves: Matthew Springate (Kingaroy Red Ants), Karl Freeman (Kingaroy Red Ants), Jeremy Hobbs (Wondai Wolves), Keith Gadd Jnr (Cherbourg Hornets), Preston Mosby (Cherbourg Hornets) and Tarell Indich (Murgon Mustangs)
  • Coach: Marty McCracken
Allan Trunks, centre, congratulated the 2025 South Burnett Team Of The Year members including, from left, coach Marty McCracken, Lachlan Price, Adam Nightingale and Mitchell Bailey

* * *

Representative Eagles Awards

These awards are for players who showed great leadership both on and off the field.

  • Junior Female Eagle Of The Year is Jo-Kayla Hopkins who had a huge year playing in both Under 13s and Under 15s throughout the season. She also represented Wide Bay, was named Best Back at the Walker Weekend and earned a place in the Adrian Vowles Dream Team. Jo-Kayla could not be present at the awards because she was playing in Townsville representing Wide Bay at the Schoolgirls Carnival.
  • Senior Female Eagle Of The Year is Bella Barrett who played in the Harvey Norman Under 17s team, captained the Under 17s Eagles side, played in the Open Women’s Cherbourg Hornets team and captained the Murri Gummaz 18s in their recent tour of Samoa where she was recognised as the Most Valuable Player of the tour.
  • Junior Male Eagle Of The Year is Trent Sellin who was selected in the Adrian Vowles Dream Team, represented Wide Bay in the Under 15s Schoolboys, played for the Goannas at the Australian Secondary School Rugby League National Championships and has been named in the South-West Queensland Emus Schoolboy Rugby League team which will tour Fiji in November.
  • Senior Male Eagle Of The Year is Will Webber who was selected in the Wide Bay Schoolboys side and was vice-captain of the Wide Bay Bulls in the Cyril Connell competition.
Trent Sellin was presented with the Junior Male Eagle Of The Year trophy
Will Webber was presented with the Senior Male Eagle Of The Year trophy

* * *

Junior Eagles Rep Teams

Sandra and Nathan Prain presented the trophies to the Under 10 Zone 5 team which competed at Charleville and came home undefeated!
Sandra and Nathan Prain presented the trophies to the Under 12 Zone 4 team which competed at Roma and were also undefeated!
Under 10s Open Weighted team members also represented the South Burnett in games
Zone 5 Under 43kg team competed at Lightning Ridge and were runners-up in the carnival and tug-o-war champions

* * *

QRL Competition Players

Jason Webber with South Burnett players who took part in the Under 17s Cyril Connell Challenge … Lawson Braithwaite, Kaiden Weston, Ryan Wallace, Will Smith, Jacob Rattey, Damon Cooper, Will Webber and Taryk Fitzgibbon (not in order & not all present)
Ben Jeffs presented the trophies to the South Burnett players who took part in the Under 17s Harvey Norman competition … Charlie Whitbread, Bella Barrett, Chloe Sippel, Zoe Hall and Draysharn Arnold (not in order)

* * *

47th Battalion Carnival

South Burnett competed for the first time as a stand-alone Eagles side in the 47th Battalion Carnival; they recorded two wins and won the Plate Final for the third year in a row … players were Steve Walsh, Jonathan Walsh, Joey Alberts, Dominique Sandow, Killian Klease, George Fisher, Lachlan Price, Harry Perrett, Elwyn Fewquandie, Fletch Prendergast, Adam Nightingale, Anthony Gray, Connor Sullivan, Joshua Peterson, Asofono Lemalu, Mitchell Bailey, Joel Fewquandie, Tiai Tuiloma and Iona Varomusu (not in order, not all pictured)
  • Best Back – George Fisher
  • Best Forward – Fletch Prendergast
  • Coach’s Award – Harry Perrett
  • Best & Fairest – Connor Sullivan

Marty McCracken presented the 47th Battalion “Best Forward” Eagles trophy to Fletch Prendergast

47th Battalion “Best & Fairest” Eagles trophy was presented to Connor Sullivan

* * *

SB Eagles TJRL Teams

The South Burnett Eagles Under 13s Girls won their Toowoomba Junior Rugby League Grand Final just a day earlier, defeating Toowoomba Valleys 16-14

UNDER 13 GIRLS

  • Best Back – Alirah Tewes-Smallwood
  • Best Forward – Gertrude West-Sandow
  • Most Improved Back – Tiahnee Baker
  • Most Improved Forward – Ruby Beil
  • Players’ Player – Jo-Kayla Hopkins
  • Best & Fairest – Tameka Ninness
  • Eagles Spirit Awards – Evie Ogden, Mackenzie Ninness and Pippa Kunde
Scott Baker presented the Under 13s Best Back Award to Alirah Tewes-Smallwood
Under 13s Most Improved Back was Tiahnee Baker
Tameka Ninness received the Best & Fairest award
Mackenzie Ninness received an Under 13s Eagles Spirit award
Pippa Kunde received an Under 13s Eagles Spirit award

* * *

UNDER 15 GIRLS

  • Best Back – Murraya Buckley
  • Best Forward – Georgia Hart
  • Most Improved Back – Eleanor Whitbread
  • Most Improved Forward – Monique Stanley
  • Players’ Player – Murraya Buckley and Ella Stanton
Richard Greeff presented the awards to the Under 15s Girls … the team were Minor Premiers in the TJRL competition

* * *

UNDER 15 BOYS

  • Best Back – Trent Sellin
  • Best Forward – Levi Madigan
  • Most Improved Back – Dallas Cooper
  • Most Improved Forward – Liam Goodrich
  • Players’ Player – Jaxon Branch
  • Best & Fairest – Jack Schulz
  • Eagles Spirit Awards – Jayden Arndell, Tyler Fuller-Sandys, Matty Reddacliff and Patterson Braithwaite
John Dalton presented the awards to the Under 15s Boys team which were undefeated Minor Premiers in their TJRL competition and played in the Grand Final, unfortunately defeated 16-8 by the Dalby Devils

* * *

UNDER 15/16 DEVELOPMENT CUP 

  • Best Back – Keno Murray
  • Best Forward – Seth Kropp
  • Most Improved Back – Robbie Ashcroft
  • Most Improved Forward – Cruz Landman
  • Players’ Player – James Meagher
  • Best & Fairest – Charlie Ashcroft
  • Eagles Spirit Awards – Linkin Magor, Hunter De Jong and Elijah Langton
Gary Landman presented the trophies to the Under 15/16 Development Cup team which also played in the Toowoomba Junior Rugby League competition

* * *

UNDER 16 BOYS

  • Best Back – Corey Campbell
  • Best Forward –  Taryk Fitzgibbon
  • Most Improved Back – Isaac Hauritz
  • Most Improved Forward – Levi Steinhardt
  • Players’ Player – Caleb Cattell
  • Best & Fairest – Mitchell Prain
The Under 16s Boys tied for 4th position in the TJRL competition

* * *

UNDER 17 GIRLS (with Toowoomba Brothers)

  • Best Back – Miah Drennert
  • Best Forward – Isla Erbacher
  • Most Improved Back – Rihanni Miller
  • Most Improved Forward – Poppy Jeffs
  • Players’ Player – Bella Barrett
  • Best & Fairest – Bella Barrett
  • Eagles Spirit Awards – Jayla Solomon, Chloe Sippel and Anna-Maree Christensen
The South Burnett Under 17s Girls played in a combined team with Toowoomba Brothers, which made training together difficult!

* * *

UNDER 17 Boys

  • Best Back – Will Webber
  • Best Forward – Kaiden Weston
  • Most Improved Back – Jacob Rattey
  • Most Improved Forward – Dekota Hetherington
  • Players’ Player – Riley Gleich
  • Best & Fairest – Lawson Braithwaite
  • Eagles Spirit Awards – William Smith, Zac Harris and Darryl Ugle
Under 17s Boys had some very close games against their Toowoomba opponents, including Valleys which eventually took out the premiership

* * *

UNDER 19 Boys

  • Best Back – Rowan Gordon
  • Best Forward – Sebastian King
  • Most Improved Back – Liam Irwin
  • Most Improved Forward – Corey McIntyre
  • Players’ Player – Dustin Ramke
  • Best & Fairest – Will Esen
  • Eagles Spirit Awards – Mathanial Cuthbertson
Coach Matt Jones had just three days to get an Under 19s team together and on the field … many Under 17s players stepped up to help
Will Esen was presented with the Under 19s Best & Fairest Award by Matt Jones and Bobby Cuthbertson

* * *

Ken Mills Toyota Referees Awards

  • Encouragement Award – Emaleigh Huth
  • Most Improved Junior Referee – Cohen Webb
  • Junior Referee – Blade Frahm
  • Senior Referee – Sitha Mead
  • Referees’ A Grade Best & Fairest Award – Keith Gadd Jnr
Sitha Mead was presented with the Senior Referee of the Year Award by Allan Trunks

* * *

Ken Mills Isuzu Ute Awards

  • Senior Top Try Scorer – Johnny Walsh (Cherbourg Hornets)
  • Senior Top Goal Scorer – George Fisher (Cherbourg Hornets)
  • Senior Top Points Scorer – George Fisher (Cherbourg Hornets)
  • Senior Player Of The Year – Killian Klease (Kingaroy Red Ants)

* * *

Beyond The Nest Awards

  • Blake Mara Staff Appreciation Award – Matt Jones
  • Allan Trunks South Burnett Values & True Spirit Award – Dekota Hetherington
  • Bobby Cuthbertson Pride & Passion Award – Sebastian King
Allan Trunks presented the Blake Mara Staff Appreciation Award to Matt Jones; Matt was also nominated as Volunteer of the Year at the TJRL awards
Dekota Hetherington was presented with the Allan Trunks South Burnett Values & True Spirit Award … Dekota volunteered at every Eagles’ event this year
Bobby Cuthbertson presented his Pride & Passion Award to Sebastian King

* * *

Community Awards

  • Club Person Of The Year – Toby Broomhall (Kingaroy Red Ants)
  • Volunteers Of The Year – Ben Jeffs and Janelle Greeff
  • Bill Oliver Delegate Of The Year – George Fisher Snr (Cherbourg Hornets)
Allan Trunks presented the Club Person Of The Year Award to Toby Broomhall, who took over the role of president of the Kingaroy Red Ants Club during the season
Volunteers Of The Year were Janelle Greeff and Ben Jeffs who worked tirelessly for the girls’ rugby league competitions

* * *

Club Awards

  • Club Champions – Kingaroy Red Ants
  • Best Performing Team – South Burnett Eagles Under 13s Girls
  • Under 14s Premiers – Nanango Stags
  • A Grade Premiers – Cherbourg Hornets
Toby Broomhall accepted the Club Champions Shield on behalf of the Kingaroy Red Ants from Allan Trunks
A new award for this year was the Best Performing Team … Casey accepted the award on behalf of the South Burnett Eagles Under 13s Girls
Charlie Johnston and Blake Cullen accepted the plaque on behalf of the Under 14s Nanango Stags

  

 

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