A huge crowd is expected to pack into Coolah’s Bowen Oval this Saturday to watch the action between the Kangaroos and the Narromine Jets in the opening round of the 2025 Christie and Hood Castlereagh League competition.

The home side will also be out to retain the Boronia Cup – in what will be their sixth defence of the time-honoured piece of silverware – and to extend its unbeaten record from 2024 on the ground, as well as get its 2024 premiership defence underway in a positive fashion.

Whilst not too much can be written into pre-season knockout form, the ‘Roos looked impressive in claiming back-to-back Castlereagh shields a fortnight ago at Warren, scoring 56 points in their three games and only having six scored against them.

The Jets opted not to play in the knockout, instead hosting a trial game at Narromine, and they are an unknown quantity going into the 2025 season. Most certainly, though, they will be out to erase the memory of their last trip to Bowen Oval which saw the curtain come down on their 2024 season with a 28-10 loss to the ‘Roos in last year’s preliminary final.

The League Tag fixture between the Coolah Flyers and the Jets should also be an intriguing game as it is a replay of the 2024 Grand Final which was a a high-quality and close tussle between the two top sides, with the Jets coming-away with the premiership after claiming a hard-fought 14-10 victory.

Warren’s Victoria Park is also expected to be jam-packed when the Warren Bulldogs make their return to the playing field after an extended absence. If the hometown support shown for the Doggies at the recent Castlereagh knockout at the same ground is anything to go by, then the Cobar Roosters can expect a loud and boisterous reception.

Though the home ground will certainly be an advantage for the Bulldogs, they are up against a top-shelf Cobar side that was beaten in last year’s grand final and one that will be out to make a statement about their intentions to go one better in 2025.

Other games will be played at Coonamble, Coonabarabran, and Baradine. At Coonamble, the Bears will play host to the resurgent Dunedoo Swans.

The Grizzlies are always a tough nut to crack at home, but the Swans would be buoyed by their promising display at the knockout, one which saw them make it through to the final, and this game could go either way.

Similarly, the clash at Coonabarabran between the Unicorns and Bull Terriers presents itself as an even and unpredictable contest with both teams seemingly in a rebuilding phase with plenty of youth throughout the teams.

At Baradine the Pink Panthers will fly the Gilgandra flag against the Baradine Magpies.

Christie and Hood Castlereagh League Round One

Coolah versus Narromine, Warren versus Cobar, Coonamble versus Dunedoo, Coonabarabran versus Gulgong, Baradine versus Gilgandra.

Round Two Saturday, May 3

Coonabarabran versus Warren, Gulgong versus Baradine, Narromine versus Dunedoo (Jessica Skinner Challenge Cup), Coolah versus Cobar, Gilgandra versus Coonamble.

Check with local media and club socials for game times.