THE Tumut Blues’ 2025 Group 9 campaign has received another boost with the return of premiership-winning forward Jacob Sturt.
Surt, who has been playing with the Redcliffe Dolphins in the Queensland Cup, caught up with the Blues and arranged to return the club, which he last played for when they won the 2023 grand final over Wagga Kangaroos.
“He’s going to go travelling for a month or two and he will be back by March,” Tumut captain-co-coach Zac Masters said.
The Group nine competition is likely to kick off around mid-April.
Sturt was born and bred in Tumut and came up through the Tumut Minor League system to the Blues first grade. He has played for the Canberra Raiders as well as Wynnum-Manly and Redcliffe in the Queensland Cup.
Masters said Sturt, who plays front row or elsewhere in the forwards, was a “massive part” of the team which lifted the 2023 premiership trophy.
Sturt’s return comes straight after the announcement of the return of players Michael Fenn, Mitch Ivill, Todd Broad and Parrish Bellette.
These players will give the Blues the one thing they sorely lacked in 2023 – depth.
“The depth of both first grade and reserve will be bolstered,” Masters said.
The Blues lost 15 players in the 2023-24 off season, depleting both these grades, and giving them little chance of successfully defending their premiership.
Both grades were often competitive during 2024 games but were overwhelmed towards the end due to the lack of fresh replacements. These five signings will go a long way towards fixing this.
Veteran five-eighth Jacob Toppin might be calling time on his playing career with Tumut, but other than him the Blues haven’t suffered any player losses.
They are set to resume training in the second week of January, with players likely to be notified on social media.
