Brothers Rugby Club Sydney Season 2026 Wrap-Up

RUGBY NEWS

Well, the season has come and gone, and the most notable achievement was the re-establishment of the Seniors side for the first time since the onset of COVID. It has taken a number of years and a lot of effort and would not have been possible unless we had the assistance of Wakehurst to allow us to survive.

The team didn’t win a game but we also never forfeited a game which, along with bonus points we picked up along the way, kept us off the bottom of the table. It was always going to be tough the first year back, but we learnt a lot and, most importantly, blooded a great bunch of Colts who stepped up when asked to do so.

The Women’s team and the Colts played the first third of the season in a Halligan-style competition, which we knew would be the case as we sought to build the foundation for next year before we had to fold them given absences, injuries and the normal issues that keep players away from playing.

Just prior to the last game, Karl Houghton announced that it was to be his last game, and he scored a try and got the referee’s best and fairest for the match for good measure. We hope it is a temporary retirement, but having played more than 250 games for us and been President for six years, we can only thank him for his considerable service to the club.

Presentation night is around the corner, and planning is already underway for Season 2026, where we want to field a Women’s, Colts and Seniors team. We would ask that everyone connected to the club be an active recruiter for us, as word of mouth is still the best way to attract new players.

BASKETBALL & CRICKET

As well as rugby, Brothers also has a mixed basketball team under the leadership of Bernadette Brannan, and anyone who has a hankering to play, please drop us a line at play@brothersrugby.com.au. Games are on Tuesday nights at North Sydney right next to Crows Nest metro station, so easy to get to.

And there is the potential to re-enter the world of cricket. There is a proposal for a competition involving T20 games and two-day (consecutive Saturday) games run by the NSW Churches/Inner West Harbour cricket associations.

The competition would go from mid-Sep to the start of March (break over Christmas/New Year). Games would be played from 1-4 pm on Saturdays, and for the two-day games there would be a roster of 15 players so the team could change from one Saturday to the next depending on availability. It sounds quite flexible, and the associations are gauging interest before they commit.

No age or experience limits and players don’t need to be part of the rugby club, but the team will be Brothers and wear our tops. To that end, if anyone may be interested, please send an Expression of Interest to president@brothersrugby.com.au by COB Wednesday 26 August so the organisers can see if the concept is feasible.

BROTHERS IN THE CITY

Last Friday saw around 140 guests attend the annual lunch at L’Aqua at Darling Harbour on a stunning day.

It was a great chance for everyone to catch up and listen to a speech from former Wallaby Sam Scott-Young, who flew down from Brisbane for the event. Many thanks to Ian Meers for leading the organisation of the event and to Adrian Brannan for his great work as Master of Ceremonies.

The club relies on the event as our major fundraiser for the year, and this was the most successful in thevvpost-COVID era. Well done to all.

80 YEARS YOUNG (1947-2027)

Next year is the club’s 80th anniversary, so watch out for some future announcements about how we’ll celebrate the event.

AGM 2026

With the AGM coming up soon (date TBA) I would ask that people attend the meeting to find out about the club’s performance and its plans, and to volunteer to come onto the committee in an executive or general capacity. Many hands do make light work, and there is so much experience and wisdom out there that we would love to draw on to help the club continue to survive, operate, and prosper.

Please think about nominating when the time comes. Volunteering can be very rewarding.

ZUMBA ZUMBA ZEY!