Tarell Indich opens the scoring in the nail-biting Preliminary Final between the Murgon Mustangs and the Kingaroy Red Ants, played under lights at Cherbourg last Saturday
August 29, 2025
It’s Grand Final time! The South Burnett Rugby League will be wrapping up its 2025 season with a big day of footy action on Saturday at Cherbourg.
At 1:30pm, the Chinchilla Bulldogs will take on the unstoppable Nanango Stags in the Under 14s Grand Final.
At 3:00pm, the Cherbourg Hornets will be facing down the Kingaroy Red Ants in a reprise of the 2023 Grand Final.
In their last Grand Final clash, the Red Ants came out victors 28-12 at T.J. O’Neill Oval in Kingaroy, but this time around, the Hornets will be playing in front of their own home crowd!
Earlier in the day, the crowd will be entertained by two Under 12s exhibition games: at 11:15am, Murgon v Cherbourg; and at 12:05pm, Wondai v Nanango.
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A Grade Preliminary Final
The Red Ants earned their Grand Final spot after downing the Murgon Mustangs by just two points in a nail-biting Preliminary Final played under lights at Cherbourg last Saturday.
Both sides scored six tries apiece but Kingaroy slotted home one more goal.
Murgon were first to score with two tries by Tarell Indich within the first five minutes.
But then the Mustangs’ luck changed with a restart error and then a player sent to the bin for 10 minutes.
Tua Peti took advantage of Murgon being a player short, crossing to take the score to 10-6 after Christopher Bond’s conversion.
Bond kicked six from seven on the day, including a penalty goal.
Murgon’s Jayden Tewes-Smallwood managed five from seven, again including a penalty.
The Mustangs increased their lead to 14-6 with 26 minutes left in the half when Sonny Weazel scored.
Both sides then swapped tries.
With 17 minutes left in the first half, Aidan Cavanough scored. Bond’s conversion attempt hit the posts but went over, narrowing Murgon’s lead to 14-12.
Tewes-Smallwood than added more points for Murgon, converting his own try before Peti secured his second for the afternoon for Kingaroy, again narrowing the margin to two points, 20-18.
A successful penalty goal after the half-time siren blew meant the Mustangs went into the break leading 22-18.
The arm-wrestle resumed in the second half with tries to Kingaroy (Connor Sullivan), Murgon (Indich – his third for the day) and Kingaroy (James Stanley).
Stanley’s try levelled the score at 28-all but the conversion attempt was unsuccessful.
With 15 minutes left, the Red Ants hit the lead for the first time when Mitch Bailey scored under the posts, setting up an easy conversion for Bond.
About three minutes later, Murgon gave away a penalty in front of their posts, setting up another easy kick for Bond to extend Kingaroy’s lead to 36-28.
However, the Mustangs weren’t giving up and in a fiery last few minutes of the game, Tre Stanley crossed, Tewes-Smallwood converted, and Kingaroy’s lead was cut to 36-34.
Sadly for the many Murgon fans present, this ended up being the final score.
Kingaroy try scorers were Tua Peti (2), Aidan Cavanough, Connor Sullivan, James Stanley and Mitchell Bailey. Christopher Bond kicked five conversions and a penalty goal.
Murgon tries were scored by Tarell Indich (3), Sonny Weazel, Jayden Tewes-Smallwood and Tre Stanley. Tewes-Smallwood kicked four conversions and a penalty.
Connor Sullivan forces his way to the line to score for the Kingaroy Red Ants
Tarell Indich dives to score the second of his three tries for the Mustangs
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Under 14s Preliminary Final
Hudson Demner scores his second try for Nanango against the Mustangs in the Under 14s Preliminary Final
Minor Premiers Nanango Stags charged into the Under 14s Grand Final with a strong win over the Murgon Mustangs earlier in the afternoon at Cherbourg.
At half-time, Nanango led 14-4 in the Preliminary Final.
Mustangs’ defence then foiled the Stags until the last 15 minutes of the second half, when Nanango piled on back-to-back tries taking the final score to 24-4.
Nanango try scorers were Hudson Demner (2), Lachy Ennis, Dion Sullivan and Richard Cunningham. Mac Smith kicked two conversions.
Murgon’s try was scored by Rhys Gscheidle just before half-time.
Richard Cunningham sprints away to score in the corner for the Nanango Stags in Under 14s
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BJRL Open Women
At Bundaberg, the Cherbourg Hornettes defeated the Hervey Bay Seagulls 30-12 in the Preliminary Final of the Bundaberg JRL women’s Open competition.
Try scorers included Nickie Geysing (2), Sadie Langton, Summer Sullivan and Heather Sandow.
This weekend, the Hornettes will be taking on Across The Waves in the Grand Final, to be played at Salter Oval in Bundaberg.
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Other Results
Alexis Sanders scores for the South Burnett / Brothers in their Under 17s Girls game against Gatton on Saturday in Cherbourg
In was a big day of rugby league last Saturday at Cherbourg with six South Burnett Eagles’ teams also taking on opposition clubs in the last round of the regular season of the Toowoomba JRL competition:
Under 15 Girls – South Burnett Eagles def. Valleys 20-10
Under 15/16 DC – Valleys def. South Burnett Eagles 32-22
Under 15 Boys – South Burnett Eagles def. Valleys 58-8
Under 16 Boys – Valleys def. South Burnett Eagles 38-4
Under 17 Girls – South Burnett / Brothers def. Gatton 58-10
Under 17 Boys – Valleys def. South Burnett Eagles 26-10
Montrehl Tewes-Smallwood scores for the South Burnett Eagles Under 17 Boys against Toowoomba Valleys
At Toowoomba:
Under 19 Boys – Brothers def. South Burnett Eagles 34-18
Three South Burnett teams finished on top of their respective ladders and will play in Major Semi-Finals this week for a chance to earn a Grand Final spot.
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This Week’s Games
At Cherbourg:
11:15am – Under 12s – Murgon v Cherbourg
12:05pm – Under 12s – Wondai v Nanango
1:30pm – Under 14s – Chinchilla Bulldogs v Nanango Stags – Grand Final
3:00pm – A Grade – Cherbourg Hornets v Kingaroy Red Ants – Grand Final
At Toowoomba (Diamond Oval, Glenvale):
10:50am – Under 13 Girls – South Burnett Eagles v Valleys – Major Semi-Final
11:40am – Under 15 Girls – South Burnett Eagles v Chinchilla – Major Semi-Final
12:40pm – Under 17 Girls – South Burnett / Brothers v Highfields – Minor Semi-Final
4:00pm – Under 15 Boys – South Burnett Eagles v Dalby – Major Semi-Final
At Bundaberg (Salter Oval):
2:45pm – Open Women – Cherbourg Hornettes v Across The Waves – Grand Final
The South Burnett Eagles Under 15s Boys went through the regular season undefeated and will playing for a Grand Final spot this Saturday in Toowoomba (Photo: SBRL)