The Macarthur Bulls police rugby league football club, which has been around for more than 50 years, has won the 2022 NSW grand final.
An emotional Bulls coach, the former Bulldogs NRL player [chief inspector] Mitch Newton said after their 8-6 effort over rivals Easts Wombats: “It’s the best win of my life”.
The Bulls started with a loss in their opening game at the annual NSW Police Rugby League carnival held in Tamworth in April.
They went down 16-6 in a physical clash against Country South Steelers, but Macarthur learned some lessons and went on to beat Parramatta 10-0 and Penrith 22-0 to progress to the finals.
Then, in a true fibros versus silvertails battle they beat a strong Manly side 16-8 to set up a grand final redemption against arch rivals Easts Wombats, the team that beat our boys in the 2021 decider.
The Bulls went in as big underdogs, but with a quick try to centre Johno Palmer, converted by Nathan Calman, the Bulls went into half time up 6-4.
In a man of the match performance, Calman took Easts to task through the middle with a couple of breaks leading to a penalty in front of the sticks with three minutes to go.
He calmly slotted it and the boys walked away as the NSWPRL 2022 Premiers.
This was the seventh title for the Bulls, while Rhys Neil, playing in the front row, was awarded the player of the finals series.
In 2022, the Bulls welcomed their first ever women’s team, who also competed in Tamworth.
The team played out of their skin to win their first game 8-0 against Easts Wombats, with flying winger Tara Bloxsome scoring their first ever NSWPRL women’s try.
The Bulls tried hard but went on to lose the following games 4-0 to Country North Cowboys, 6-4 to Country South Steelers and 4-0 to eventual premiers Bankstown Giants.
“Most of the girls had never played rugby league before so for them to go out and do what they did was amazing,’’ said Bulls committee member Sgt Larry Barrington of Campbelltown Police.
“They really worked hard for each other.”
In other rugby league news from the weekend, the Group 6 blockbuster between East Campbelltown Eagles and Campbelltown City Kangaroos was postponed because of ground closures.
The game has been rescheduled for July, which means the two big clubs in Campbelltown will play each other on consecutive weekends.
In the games played Picton Magpies defeated new boys Campbelltown Collegians 44-12, Camden defeated Oakdale Workers 20-18, The Oaks Tigers defeated Mittagong Lions 26-10 and the Thirlmere Roosters won 34-16 over Narellan Jets.
And finally, Wests Magpies have won the under 16 representative competition, the Harold Matthews Cup, after defeating Cronulla 42-16 in the grand final.
This one was for the history books, because it was the first time a Wests team had won the competition.
