By Ross Kendall
The Ballina Seagulls won the first-grade premiership, and the Byron Bay Red Devils were runners up in reserve grade, but also collected a championship in the U/18s, at the Northern Rivers Rural Rugby League grand finals.
They played at Ballina’s Kingsford Smith Oval last Sunday.
In the first-grade grand final, the Bilambil Jets got off to a good start, with Kalani Hensby scoring a try in the first minutes. But the home side bounced backed and took the lead, when Anthony Coleman scored a converted try inside ten minutes.
The game stayed tight, but a converted try to Bilambil before half time give them a 10-8 lead into the break.
The Ballina Seagulls, however, got over the line with a converted try to Jordan Lee, as well as a penalty to Hamish McClintock, who kicked four from four.
With 15 minutes to play, and just six points in it, Bilambil were in it all the way, but Ballina’s defence proved up to the task, and they won the 2024 premiership after losing last year’s grand final.
‘Considering we lost eight players from last year’s grand final side, we had to promote under 18’s to first grade and the team came together quickly – we were the team to beat all year,’ Ballina’s coach Greg Barnes said.
Reserve grade
In the reserve-grade championship decider, Tweed Heads Seagulls got off to a strong start scoring two tries in the first five minutes against Byron Bay.
Byron soon rallied and put Patrick Thornton over for their first try inside 10 minutes and followed up with another to Russel Asser.
But Tweed returned the dose just before half time and went to the break 14–12 in front. In the second half, they pulled clear with three tries, only matched by one form Red Devil Brady Fuhrmann.
Tweed Heads claimed the silverware with a 30-18 win.
U/18s
Byron Bay did collect a premiership earlier in the day when their U/18s side took on the Bilambil Jets.
The Red Devils traded tries with the Jets in the early in the first half, but Bilambil scored a pair late giving them a 20-10 advantage at half time.
Noah Vakararawa got the momentum back for Byron Bay with a quick second half try, which set up four more in short time, with Elliott Farrell crossing twice in five minutes.
The flurry handed them a seven tries to five, 36–28 victory.
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