Sport
9 January, 2026
BEST OF 2025: Galahs grab first win of 2025
First published July 17, 2025. The Gular men headed to Coonamble for their Ladies Day clash against the Rams on Saturday, July 12 with one goal in mind, to come home with win number one of the 2025 Western Plains Rugby Union first grade season.
By The Pink Parrot
With a squad of 21 (and a few battling illness), the group knew it was time to turn all their hard work into results.
The message before kick-off was clear: start strong, play with heart, and leave it all out there.
Gulargambone achieved their ambition, defeating Coonamble 19-10.
The opening 15 minutes were tight, with both teams locked into a physical battle. Big hits, strong carries, and no easy metres.
Gular were first to break through, thanks to a brilliant bit of backline play. Zac Mills made a line break before linking with Dylan Ryan, who shifted it to Jake Peart, then out wide to Darcy Neeves. Darcy finished well near the posts and Zac converted to make it 7-0.
Some unforced errors and ill-timed turnovers saw Coonamble hit back with two tries before the break, sending Gular into half-time trailing 10-7. The chat at half-time was all about digging in, staying composed, and backing each other.
The second half was a different story. The Gular forwards turned up the pressure and completely dominated the scrums, rattling Coonamble and giving the backs a perfect platform to build from. Tim Bowman was central to the forward effort, rock-solid in the lineouts and constantly disrupting Coonamble at the breakdown with a number of key turnovers. Mitch Graham also made a strong impact off the bench in his return from injury, bringing tough carries and physical defence that helped lift the intensity across the park.
Darcy Neeves crossed again after another sharp passage of hands down the edge, grabbing his second try of the day.
Zac’s conversion narrowly missed, but the momentum was well and truly with Gular.
Smart kicking from Zac Mills kept Coonamble pinned in their own half, and it paid off when one of his kicks sat up perfectly for Aiden Walker to scoop and score. Zac added the extras, pushing the lead out to 19-10. Zac’s control of the game both with ball in hand and boot was a standout all afternoon.
There was a bit of tension late in the match when Nathan Harland was denied a try and was sent to the bin for some choice words.
Down to 14 men, Gular were tested right to the final whistle, with Coonamble hammering the line through repeated pick and drives.
But the Gular defence held strong and saw the game out. Maverick Hutchison was enormous in this final stretch, producing tackle after tackle and refusing to let anyone through. Steve Owens also threw his body on the line repeatedly, making tough carries and always being the first man up in defence.
Throughout the pressure, captain Jack Bradley and Will Bowman kept the group composed and focused, leading with calm heads in crucial moments.
It was a well-earned and much-needed win, the first for the year and a huge confidence boost for the squad.
Three points went to Zac Mills, two points to Tim Bowman, while Maverick Hutchison and Darcy Neeves both received one point each. Player’s player went to Zac Mills.
