{"id":369813,"date":"2026-03-05T18:10:33","date_gmt":"2026-03-05T08:10:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=369813"},"modified":"2026-03-06T20:45:01","modified_gmt":"2026-03-06T10:45:01","slug":"red-ants-start-a-new-tradition","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2026\/03\/05\/red-ants-start-a-new-tradition\/","title":{"rendered":"Red Ants Start A New Tradition"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
Matt Ballin returned to Kingaroy – and the Red Ants – for the inaugural Matt Ballin South Burnett Cluster Day for young players<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

March 5, 2026<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kingaroy Red Ants rugby league club attracted a good crowd to its first big rugby league day for the year at T.J. O’Neill Oval in Kingaroy.<\/p>\n

Saturday morning was filled with junior games for the inaugural Matt Ballin South Burnett Cluster Day, while in the evening senior players from Kingaroy, Dalby and Wynnum-Manly took to the field.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The Matt Ballin South Burnett Cluster Day – for Under 7s, Under 9s and Under 11s – was organised by Red Ants president Toby Broomhall in honour of former NRL player (and Kingaroy Red Ant) Matt Ballin.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Ballin is currently part of the Brisbane Broncos coaching staff after a career which included stints at the Manly Sea-Eagles, Wests Tigers and Queensland Maroons.<\/p>\n

Matt, who returned to Kingaroy for the day, said it was great to see young players from Kingaroy, Nanango and Blackbutt in action in a grassroots rugby league heartland.<\/p>\n

The Red Ants now hope the Cluster Day can become an annual event.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Last year’s grand finalists, Kingaroy Red Ants, had an encouraging start to their 2026 rugby league campaign with a strong win over the Dalby Diehards in their pre-season trial game.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Dalby brought two teams across to T.J. O’Neill Oval for pre-season workouts.<\/p>\n

The Red Ants defeated Dalby’s B Grade side 30-10 in an afternoon game played across four quarters.<\/p>\n

Kingaroy try scorers were Marcus Jensen (3) Lachlan Price, Andrew Champney and Aiden Cavanough.<\/p>\n

A Wynnum-Manly Brisbane RL Reserves team then downed Dalby A Grade in an easy win under lights.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n

The first of the special South Burnett Rugby League Under 15s pre-season games will be played from\u00a06:00pm on Friday night (March 6) at Fred Kassulke Oval in Nanango.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Under 15s Stags will take on a mixed team.<\/p>\n

Entry is free and the canteen will be open.<\/p>\n

The Under 15s will be in action again next Friday (March 13) at T.J. O’Neill Oval in Kingaroy; and on March 20 at Wondai Sportsground.<\/p>\n

All Under 15s interested in playing rugby league this year have been urged to contact their local club.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Marcus Jensen scores for the Kingaroy Red Ants on Saturday … one of three tries he scored on the day; he also kicked two conversions<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Andrew Champney scores for Kingaroy in the last quarter of the trial game against Dalby<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Dalby Diehards and Wynnum-Manly after their game under lights in Kingaroy (Photo: Wynnum-Manly JRLFC)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kingaroy Red Ants rugby league club attracted a good crowd to its first big rugby league day for the year at T.J. O’Neill Oval in Kingaroy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":369815,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16,237,3,82,6],"tags":[1140],"yoast_head":"\nRed Ants Start A New Tradition - southburnett.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Kingaroy Red Ants rugby league club attracted a good crowd to its first big rugby league day for the year at T.J. 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