Sport
3 April, 2025
Wattles Pursue Rod Frahm Trophy in Season Opener
Coach Travis Burns and his A grade Warriors are out to make amends this Sunday after stumbling in the recent pre-season Barrett Family Shield clash against an impressive Warwick Cowboys unit, the Warriors finishing on the end of a 16 – 34 loss.
The 2025 and 105th Toowoomba Rugby League fixture season kicks off for Wattles this weekend at the Dalby Rugby League Club, up against the highly rated local Diehards outfit.
While premiership points are vital to start the season on a positive note, the match will see the prestigious Rod Frahm Memorial Cup contested in it’s eighteenth year by the two A Grade teams.
The trophy is named in honour of late Darling Downs business and rugby league identity Mr Rod Frahm.
Mr Frahm is a former Wattles player, A and reserve-grade coach, committee member, generous sponsor and along with wife Janette a life member, as well as being a former director of the Toowoomba Clydesdales Board.
The Cup currently sits in the Dalby Diehards trophy cabinet, after the Diehards overcame an early match deficient last season to outgun the Warriors 29 – 22 at a wintery Platz Oval.
Dalby have dominated the Cup contests since it was introduced, with an impressive eleven successes in the prestigious award’s seventeen-year history.
The Diehards were convincing victors in the end last season, largely due to their gifted fullback Chris Woodbridge, a more than convincing winner of the player of the match honours.
Will ‘o’ wisp Woodbridge amazed the shivering crowd with his lightning speed and aerial high flying, running in four touchdowns and kicking four goals for a personal match haul of 24 points of the Diehards overall 29-point total.
The Diehards have certainly provided challenges for Wattles top grade line-ups in recent seasons, the two contenders last clashing in last years TRL Elimination Final at Platz Oval, with Dalby dropping the curtains on the Warriors season winning 24 – 22 in a desperate battle.
Wattles last held the Rod Frahm Memorial Cup aloft back in June 2022, after outlasting the Diehards in anything but inviting Platz Oval weather in a grinding seesawing encounter eventually winning 20 – 16.
Wattles coach Travis Burns volunteered “we were beaten by a better team on the day in the recent Barrett Family Shield”. But Burns’ troops were without some key faces that should make their presence felt in their return to the green and gold against Dalby.
While Wattles preparation for their season opening games has been hindered with works under way at Platz Oval with the installation of new field lighting, the mentor says “we’re ready to go, bring on 2025”.
The state-of-the-art lighting is set down to be officially opened at a gala ceremony on April 25th when the Warriors meet the Highfields Eagles in the home side’s ANZAC Day commemoration.
The Warriors spine has taken on a different appearance in 2025, and while the fullback slot is still being considered, the talented Jack Duggan is filling the hooker roll with halves Tom Hatch in ‘7’ and classy five eight Dwayne Duncan.
Hatch proved more than capable in the hooker role in his initial year with Wattles in 2024.
The impressive performer as a playmaker against Warwick has Burns confident, Hatch can step into the yawning absence of veteran champion half Matt Duggan.
Hatch teams up with a player who can boast plenty of back line brilliance in Dwayne Duncan.
Duncan was co-captain of the Valleys side that finished behind Gatton in last year’s TRL Grand Final in extra time.
A former Redcliffe Dolphins State League player, other honours include being an Under age Queensland representative and a long-term Toowoomba Clydesdale who has led the team as skipper.
Burns is looking to his halves for the vital direction for a backline dripping with talent, and the ability to link with a forward pack with plenty of genuine size, respect and go forward.
Back-rower Jackson Shelswell is another new face to Wattles pack who was performed admirably at TRL top shelf level for Valleys, and showed against the Cowboys he will be a key performer in the green and gold engine room.
Book end giant Ryan Kelly-Payne who lived a dream recently competing in the NRL Nines Carnival in Las Vegas, was looking very settled with his new club against Warwick, while another man mountain in Wattles colours in 185 cm Adam Tuimavave-Gerrard has much to bring to Wattles right across the park.
New Zealand born Tuimavave-Gerrard comes to Platz Oval with a resume of note, with experience with the NRL clubs the New Zealand Warriors and the St George – Illawarra Dragons along with Wynnum Manly in the Queensland Hostplus Cup and a stint with the Sunshine Coast Falcons.
Toowoomba Rugby League Round 1 - Wattles Warriors v Dalby Diehards - Dalby Rugby League Club. A Grade (2.30 pm), Reserve Grade (1.00 pm), Under 19 (11.30 am).
- Glyn Rees
