Sport
24 July, 2025
Wattles Player Stocks Blooming
With the 2025 Toowoomba Rugby League season commencing its downward slide towards the business end of local league proceedings being the finals series, Wattles A Grade coach Travis Burns is adjusting his sights more intently on having his squad best positioned for a chance of hoisting the silverware that matters on September 20th at the Toowoomba Sports Ground.
Success would present the Warriors with their sixth TRL top grade premiership since joining the competition in 1967, their last moment of glory in 2022.
Burns’ already impressive line-up is looking even more healthy by the day with key players names returning to the club selection table, some having recovered from long term injury.
Club captain and former Toowoomba Clydesdales back-rower Ty Gardner along with speed machine three-quarter Austin Jennings are among that group having taken the field in reserve grade in recent weeks.
Gardner was Wattles Club ‘Player of the Year’ in 2022, while Jennings abundant speed saw him named Toowoomba Rugby League A Grade Top Try Scorer in 2022.
Burns has increased stocks of players with first grade ability by blooding young talent across his eight years at Wattles coaching helm, and 2025 is certainly no different.
Classy 19-year-old centre Mason Watson ran on in his debut match in the Warriors last outing against Southern Suburbs, a former Toowoomba Valleys junior who headed Wattles way this year.
Under 19 front-rowers Thomas Fenwick and Sebastian Hepner have also debuted for Wattles in top grade this year after exceptional performances since arriving at the Warriors den.
With just a single Wattles first grade match under their belts earlier this season, Sebastian and Thomas received the call up to an injury affected Warrior’s Madsen-Rasmussen line-up.
Fenwick had tasted the challenges of first grade last year with the Valleys Roosters, and ran on against the Dalby Diehards back in the opening Round of the 2025 season in his initial Wattles top grade outing.
A Toowoomba based apprentice plumber with the Wattles aligned Henry Project Group, and a graduate of famed rugby league school St Mary’s in Toowoomba, Fenwick is a former Valleys junior and has been the Warriors Under 19 outstanding forward this season.
The barn storming bookend has gelled ideally with a Wattles’ colts’ outfit, which is littered with talent but still working to establish consistency, under highly experienced coach and former player Cameron Hamblin.
Similarly, Fenwick is keen to gain as much knowledge as he can harvest from respected first grade coach in former NRL back Travis Burns.
His no-nonsense relentless go forward has impressed Burns, as has Hepner’s size, class and courage; both players more than handy to fill impact seats on Wattles bench when needed.
A graduate of Toowoomba Grammar School, it’s rugby union hatchery and the famed O’Callaghan Cup, the long serving Toowoomba Bears rugby union forward Hepner, was blooded in top grade league against Pittsworth back in Round four.
While somewhat remote from Platz Oval given he resides at Redcliffe, amiable giant Seb brings a new employment field to Wattles ranks, as he fills in his working week as a deckhand on a whale watching boat.
Wattles Call Out Bears
Wattles first and reserve grade teams challenge the Oakey Bears this Sunday at Platz Oval, while the Under 19’s face up to South Burnett.
Tavis Burns will be looking for a higher level of discipline against their opponents.
While the A Graders walloped the Bears 52 – 18 back in Round 2, Wattles star back Dwayne Duncan sustained a lengthy suspension after involvement in a melee mid-way through the game.
Oakey will be high on confidence after dishing out a one-sided 50 – 26 hiding to Goondiwindi last Saturday, while Wattles relaxed with a bye Round.
A positive result will set the Warriors in the right frame of mind to take on the third on the ladder Brothers Leprechauns the following week.
Brothers shook Wattles foundations with an unexpected 24 – 50 loss at Glenholme Park in their June Round 9 clash.
Burns is impressing on his charges this week the need for 80-minute football and adherence to match plans.
The Warriors have proven they have the ability and fire power to make the 2025 first grade premiership their own, but some less that full game performances this season has seen vital contests slip from their grasp.
Toowoomba Rugby League Round 14
Sunday 27-07-2025 Platz Oval, Clifton
10.30 am - Oakey V Highfields (TRL Women’s Challenge)
11.30 am - Under 18 (Wattles v South Burnett)
1.00 pm - Reserve Grade (Wattles v Oakey)
2.30 pm - A Grade (Wattles v Oakey)
- Glyn Rees
