THE Mighty Bullants Under 10s came to Griffith with high hopes for the season ahead. Combining with Albury and not a huge off season they were ready to take on Grenfell/West Wyalong.
In the first half the boys were still getting over the long trip and let a few quick tries in. But after a break and a quick drink the boys started to play some good football with Gus Corbett running hard and Harry Lustenberger tackling hard it led to a try from Ethan McGuffie. But the team could not be reeled in and Grenfell/West Wyalong took out the first game 30 to 10. Best on ground was Ethen McGuffie.
In the second game of the day Tumut/Albury under 10s took on Wagga Green. We started strong with Ned Dromgold taking big hit ups through the centre and Isabella Dodd stealing the ball off Wagga. This set up Ethan McGuffie up for his second try for the Day. But an elbow took out our main player Ethan. From there Gus and Harry kept up the good tackles and hard running. However, Wagga were too strong taking the game 35 to 15. Best on ground was Harry Lustenberger.
The under 12 Bullants made the long drive to Griffith with the best numbers ever for the three-hour trek.
With Supercoach Will Reynolds away assistant John Roche took the reins and was delighted with the commitment from his young passionate rugby crew.
The first game was a hard-fought affair versus the Temora Tuskers and our team shared players to the opposing side in the true spirit of rugby, including one of their try scorers in Mason Mouat who continued his 2023 form with a speedy effort on the wing.
For the Bullants there were many stars, especially defensively when under pressure in the first half. Kruz Annetts and Bill Roche making a series of cover tackles to thwart many raids from the Temora team. They were also supported by James Lustenberger out wide and the interchanging wing to loose forward pair of Primrose Corbett and Lachie Hargreaves.
Going into half time at 15-0 the Bullants adjusted well and kept the Temora side scoreless in the second half and were unlucky not to cross the line on several occasions through some powerhouse running by captain Henry Roche and fellow forward Alfie Carney.
Tidying the ball up nicely in the rucks were front rowers Chriso Campbell and Rueben Matthews. In her first game of rugby ever Lucy Porter shook off pre-match nerves to fit right in and looked more and more comfortable as the game went on.
In the second game after a lengthy delay (and perhaps too much sugar) the Bullants were slow to start against a well-drilled West Wyalong outfit. The Bullants handing over a couple of players as well in this match showing great sportsmanship again.
Racing away to a 25-nil lead the Tumut crew rallied well through some clever kicking from fly half Charlie Shannon. Shannon showed a cool head on several occasions to boot the crew out of trouble and led the kick chase every time.
He received great service from halfback Eric Chapman; all day and they looked a strong combination on several occasions. Lineout thrower Liam McGuffie looked strong with some solid defence and with Izzy chasing down players at the breakdown and chiming in with some strong runs. Second rower Henry Piper had a super strong game with the ball carrying a number of Wyalong players for a ride a few times and gained great possession at the breakdown.
A great team effort in both games, leaving the coaching staff lots to work with in the coming weeks before heading to Wagga Wagga in a fortnight.
The highlight players for the day were Henry Roche, pulling off two massive hits, and Alfie Carney who worked the entire day. Kruz Annetts with his dangerous running and the high Rugby IQ of Charlie Hannan. A massive thanks to the parents and carers that made the trip.
The Under 14s Steaming Bullants (an amalgamation between Tumut Bullants and Albury Steamers) played the first of two games against the Temora Tuskers.
With some of the players having only met each other an hour or so before kick-off, a shaky start wasn’t to be unexpected. However, against the run of play Brad Beavan found himself in some space and raced away to score, something that would become a regular feature over the two games. Brad scored again a few minutes later, with Sam Robson slotting both goals, the Steaming Bullants led 14-0, after eight minutes.
Temora wasn’t about to give up that easily, with them peppering the Steaming Bullants line for the next several minutes. Despite some resolute defence led by Louie Bax, the Tuskers finally broke through to score out wide – 14-5 at half time.
It wasn’t long after the half time oranges and Brad was racing over for his third try. Carter Hood followed this up with a long range try off turnover ball to take the Steaming Bullants out to a 26-5 lead. Brad crossed for his fourth and final try of the game, to finish the scoring, with a 31-5 win to the combined side.
The second game of the day was against the Wagga Crows. Despite appearing lethargic in the warm-up, the boys started well, with an early try to Brad, with Sam following this up, with a determined run, beating at least six tackles, before crossing the line. The Steaming Bullants were up 10-0 within the first five minutes.
The lack of energy and urgency from the Steaming Bullants saw the Crows hit back with two tries of their own to take a 12-10 lead at half time. Another quick try straight after the break to the Crows, saw them stretch the lead to 22-10.
With Nash Fife and Carter leading the way in tight and Louie Bax tacking anything that moved, Brad was able to score his sixth try of the day, following some good lead up work from Toby Crouch. The Steaming Bullants were down 22-15 with only a few minutes remaining to force a draw. However, it wasn’t to be, as the Crows regained the ball after the kick off and denied the chance of a comeback. The Crows were able to score on full time, taking the win 29-15.
For a side to come together as they did, with many of the players new to the game, the boys put in a terrific effort. There is plenty to work on, but also plenty to be excited about as well.
The Under 14s girls combined with Albury to play two hard games in the first round at Griffith last Sunday. Tumut had 11 girls keen and raring to go in their combined Albury-Tumut team. Included in the team are many returning players and some who were playing their first ever game of rugby.
Big shout out to Harper Bolestra, Olivia Burke, Bailee Skein, Harriet Nickols and Millie Hutchinson – amazing first games! All the girls gave their all and showed incredible courage and determination in both games, on what was a very warm day for rugby.
Tumut’s first opponents were West Wyalong, who were a little short on numbers, so they matched and played 10-a-side.
Thanks to Claudia Redfern for being a great sport and pulling on the jersey to help her adopted team – she even scored a try! The girls were off to a great start, scoring an early try thanks to a long run from Harper. There were also some strong performances from Myah Clarke and Brooke Mouat. All the girls pulled together and did their best to defend strongly for most of the game, making the most of the ball when it was in their hands.
In the second game against Temora, Tumut came up against a very well drilled and experienced team.
Despite being behind on the scoreboard, our girls again showed some amazing grit and spirit to never give up. Highlights were some amazing ‘never give up’ defence from Harriet Nickols and Harper Bolestra. Some good contributions from Isabel Goodwin and Sophie Heath helped their momentum, plus some fast metres around the ruck from Arabella Thompson.
The newly combined Tumut/Albury Under 16s Rugby Union team launched their 2025 campaign on Sunday with back-to-back games against Griffith and Wagga Wagga.
Meeting for the first time just an hour before taking the field, the boys had no time to gel – yet they pulled on the same jersey with pride and purpose.
Game one was a baptism by fire, facing a well-drilled and talented Griffith outfit. With only 15 players available, the odds were stacked, but Tumut/Albury charged into the contest with determination.
The opening kick-off was received cleanly, but Griffith’s intensity quickly showed, jackaling possession and crossing early for a try. Unfazed, Tumut/Albury fought back with grit. Tumut’s Josh Swan stood out early, driving the ball forward and contesting nearly every breakdown. Despite their resilience, Griffith extended their lead to 12-0.
A breakthrough seemed near when Tumut/Albury powered within five metres of the tryline, but a held-up call by the referee forced them into a reset. They kept pressing but couldn’t crack the line before halftime. With oranges, lollies, and a spirited team talk, the squad returned with renewed fire. Though Griffith extended their lead, Tumut/Albury showed flashes of cohesion and heart. The final score was 31-0, but the experience laid a strong foundation.
Refusing to dwell on the loss, Tumut/Albury bounced back for game two against a depleted Wagga Wagga side with only 14 players. In a strong show of sportsmanship, Tumut/Albury matched numbers. From the first whistle, it was clear this was a different team. Phase after phase, they pushed forward. Tumut’s Ollie Bax sliced through the defence and sprinted away for the team’s first try of 2025 – conversion successful, 7-0.
Momentum surged. Albury’s Rollo Nikolas capitalised on a penalty with a quick tap-and-go to score next, and Bax followed up with two more explosive tries before halftime, securing a first-half hat trick and sending the squad to the breakup 24-0.
The second half resumed with the same fire. Tumut/Albury continued pressing, extending the lead to 29-0. However, discipline began to fray. After repeated infringements, Josh Swan was sent to the bin for five minutes following an illegal tackle. Down a player, the team didn’t falter – instead, they rallied to score two more tries, even before Swan returned. The final whistle sealed a dominant 39-0 win.
The day was more than a split result – it was a statement. From strangers to teammates in just one morning, the Tumut/Albury Under 16s showed resilience, heart, and flashes of brilliance. There’s plenty of work ahead, but this squad has already proven they won’t be a team to underestimate this season.
