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‘Huge success’: Thousands descend on Junee for bumper rugby league weekend

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12 hours ago

August 4, 2026

MORE than 2,000 junior rugby league players and thousands more family members, coaches, officials, volunteers and supporters descended on Junee over the weekend for the 81st Riverina Schoolboys Football Carnival and 9th Riverina League Tag Carnival.

Held under brilliant winter sunshine, the two carnivals transformed Junee into the heart of country rugby league, with more than 300 matches played across two days of competition.

From Laurie Daley Oval to Burns Park, Loftus Oval and the Junee Showgrounds, the town’s sporting precinct came alive with football jerseys, cheers and colour in a celebration of grassroots rugby league.

Teams travelled from across southern New South Wales and the ACT, while thousands of spectators lined the sidelines to cheer on the next generation of rugby league talent.

Despite coinciding with the NRLW Magic Round in nearby Wagga, both carnivals attracted another outstanding turnout, underlining the enduring popularity of Junee’s flagship junior rugby league weekend.

81 years of tradition

Saturday’s 81st Riverina Schoolboys Football Carnival attracted 143 teams across 10 age divisions, with more than 1,700 junior players contesting 212 matches across 18 playing fields.

Picture-perfect weather, with cloudless skies and temperatures reaching about 16 degrees, created ideal conditions from the opening whistle through to the final siren.

The youngest age groups again proved the most popular, with the Under 6s, Under 7s and Under 8s each attracting more than 20 teams.

Numbers were only marginally lower than last year’s milestone 80th anniversary carnival, with around 10 fewer teams nominating.

The Under 15 competition was unable to proceed after only one team nominated, while the older age groups again battled for the carnival’s coveted pennants.

Mrs Allamby said the carnival continued to enjoy enormous support from junior rugby league communities across Group 9, Group 10, Group 20, and Canberra, with those competitions scheduling general byes each year to allow clubs to attend Junee’s annual carnival.

“I’ve already had people asking for next year’s dates,” she said.

SATURDAY PENNANT WINNERS

Under 16: Albury Thunder Junior Rugby League
Under 14: Leeton Junior Rugby League
Under 13: Leeton Junior Rugby League

The carnival’s success was the culmination of months of planning and an extraordinary community effort involving sporting clubs, service organisations, volunteers, businesses and government agencies.

Mrs Allamby said the event simply would not be possible without the unwavering support of the Junee community.

“Junee has believed in this carnival and supported it for 81 years,” she said.

“It has created many wonderful memories for so many people and that support is what keeps bringing everyone back.”

In the days leading up to the event, NSW Corrective Services personnel assisted with line marking and installing goal posts, while Junee Shire Council prepared the precinct to accommodate thousands of visitors.

Mrs Allamby paid tribute to Phil Cummins, Alex Deacon and Nick Lehmann, who coordinated the mammoth task of setting up the precinct with the assistance of NSW Corrective Services personnel.

She said preparing the precinct had become an enormous undertaking as the carnival had continued to grow over the years.

Across the precinct, local sporting and community groups kept thousands of players, families and volunteers fed throughout the day.

Canteens were operated by the Junee Diesels, Junee Junior Rugby League Club, Junee Jaguars Soccer Club, Can Assist Junee, Junee Lions Club and the Junee RSL Sub-Branch, while coffee vans kept players, families and volunteers fuelled from sunrise until late afternoon.

The Junee Show Society again staffed the entry gates, while Junee Rotary, the Junee RSL Sub-Branch, Alex Deacon, Anthony Hargraves and Kerri Walker coordinated raffle sales throughout the day.

Junee’s Jason Ferrario once again kept the atmosphere alive as carnival ground announcer, stepping in to cover the role alone after Wiradjuri Rabs was unable to attend because of illness.

“Jason is incredibly community-minded and always willing to help,” Mrs Allamby said.

“He’s greatly appreciated by everyone involved.”

Mrs Allamby also acknowledged the close working relationship between the carnival committee, the Junee Diesels and Junee Junior Rugby League Club.

“David Holt, Mitch Sweeney and Adam White have joined the committee and we’re now working together as one to make sure the carnival continues to succeed,” she said.

Behind the scenes, New South Wales Rugby League again provided valuable support, with eight representatives attending throughout the day to help ensure the carnival ran smoothly.

Coordinating 49 referees across 212 matches was NRL Referee Development Officer Tim Bailey, who was supported by Pat Walsh and Wayne Prosser, both travelling from Harden to assist.

Mrs Allamby said NSWRL’s ongoing commitment had been instrumental in helping the carnival thrive.

“We couldn’t have reached 81 carnivals without people believing this event is worth supporting,” she said.

She also praised NSW Rugby League’s Cody Hodge for his assistance behind the scenes.

“Cody Hodge was on speed dial whenever I had a question I couldn’t answer.”

Mrs Allamby commended the behaviour of players, officials and spectators, saying the grounds and amenities were left in excellent condition throughout the day.

To further strengthen medical coverage, organisers also introduced a doctor and nurse on site for the first time this year.

League tag carnival ‘biggest yet’

While many visitors packed up after Saturday’s carnival, hundreds more teams rolled into Junee on Sunday for the 9th Riverina League Tag Carnival, which organisers hailed as the biggest in the event’s history.

The carnival attracted 65 teams, with around 100 matches played across nine fields at Laurie Daley Oval, Loftus Oval and Burns Park.

Once again, competitors were greeted by brilliant blue skies and ideal playing conditions, with temperatures climbing to around 18 degrees.

One of the weekend’s biggest milestones was the introduction of girls tackle football, marking another significant step in the continued growth of the female game across the Riverina.

The inaugural tackle competition featured 13 teams across the Under 12, Under 14 and Under 16 divisions, with organisers reporting strong interest from clubs keen to expand the competition in 2027.

Junee Junior Rugby League Club president Mitch Sweeney thanked everyone involved in delivering another successful carnival.

“Thank you to all the players for the outstanding sportsmanship shown throughout the weekend,” he said.

“The weather was amazing. This year, we were excited to introduce girls tackle, and we can’t wait to watch this part of the game continue to grow in the years ahead.”

“A huge thank you to all the JJRLFC volunteers who gave their time across the weekend – our coaches, canteen and BBQ crews, ground management, sports trainers, and setup and pack-up teams. This carnival simply wouldn’t be possible without your dedication and support.”

SUNDAY PENNANT WINNERS

Under 16s Girls Tackle: Razorbacks
Under 14s Girls Tackle: Cowra
Under 16s League Tag: Leeton Raiders
Under 14s League Tag (Pool A): Leeton Raiders
Under 14s League Tag (Pool B ): Tumba/Batlow

Mr Sweeney also acknowledged referees, NSW Rugby League staff, sponsors and the club committee for their contributions, describing the event as a true community effort.

“To everyone who played, volunteered, officiated, supported or cheered from the sidelines, thank you for making this year’s carnival such a fantastic event. We can’t wait to do it all again next year!”

More than football

For many, the weekend was about much more than wins and losses.

It was another chapter in a tradition stretching back to 1943, when just six teams contested the inaugural Riverina Schoolboys Football Carnival.

Today, generations of Riverina families continue to return to Junee each winter, with parents and grandparents who once ran onto the same grounds now watching proudly from the sidelines as sons, daughters and grandchildren pull on the jersey and create memories of their own.