Pre-season has well and truly started over in the Magpies Nest. Plenty of new faces and seasoned ones.
Check out this bunch of legends, if you’re keen to give play, head up and meet the Parkes Spacemen at training.
The coaching staff and committee are extremely proud of the U16s girls’ efforts.
Lachlan District U16s are 2025 Premiers.
Coached byTroy Gosper from Parkes, the team is made up of Parkes and Forbes predominantly with some Condobolin girls as well.
The Club was started three yearas ago with a rising number of girls within the area who wanted to play rugby league especially with the growth of the NRLW.
The women’s rugby league is a fast growing sport especially in our area, Club Secretary Stevie Jackson said “This year we had over 41 players registered to play just in our u12s development side, proving how strong the growth is.”
“The U16s team have played together for a long time, half of the team have made representative teams for Lisa Fiaola teams for Western Rams, as well as Forbes Ruby Coote who has been listed for Illawarra Steelers, and Forbes Sarah Price for the Canberra Raiders.
In the grand final the girls went up against a very determined Vipers team who both came out strong.
“Our girls scored a try within the first 10 mins and vipers were quick to reply by scoring. The rest of the first half was extremely intense. As the second half kicked off it was a back and forth game, but then with 10 mins to go our girls kicked it up another gear with Laila Hartwig scoring a try and our amazing kicker Katie Galvin converting.”
“The Vipers kicked off and straight into the hands of Ruby Coote who took off and scored a try, again we got the conversion.
It was this second gear that the girls found that led them to victory, and finishing the season undefeated.” said StevieThe Western Women’s comp kicks off in September each year. For anyone keen to follow the club, go to facebook page Lachlan District Woman’s Rugby League.
The moment captured when Elixabeth MacGregor flew over the line for her first of two tries on debut with the CanterburyBankstown Bulldogs NRLW team.
Parkes local Elizabeth MacGregor is the youngest member of the Bulldogs’ inaugural squad, at only 18 years of age, the fullback earned an NRLW call up in Round 4 and scored a double on debut.
We spoke to Elizabeth about her football journey: “I have played football for as long as I can remember, most of it being club football up until I was 16 when I played representative footy for Western Rams and NSWCCC through school.
“At 17 I began training with the Sydney Roosters under 19s Tarsha Gale team and played my first year of under 19s with them.
This involved a lot of travel to and from Sydney three times a week in order to live my dream of playing football as well as still living in my home town and completing school.
“Halfway through 2024 I received a phone call and it was an offer to be in the Bulldogs top 24 squad. At the time I was on bed rest after having ankle surgery so I couldn’t believe it. Fast forward to the start of 2025 and I played my second year of 19s with Bulldogs and when that season finished I continued training with the NRLW team.
“When Brayden (NRLW coach) told me I would be making my debut against the Roosters I was quite nervous, but he has instilled a huge amount of confidence in me which helped with my preparation significantly.
“Going over for my first try was so surreal.
The first half didn’t go well for our team so to score our first try was amazing but the cutout pass from Ash Quinlan was unreal to get me over in the corner. Everyone in the team was so happy for me and I couldn’t ask for more supportive team mates. I was happy with one try but the second one just topped it all off, looking over at my family and friends cheering for me, some even crying. It was unreal and I feel so blessed to have people who care about me and my success in rugby league.
“I had so many family and friends at the game to support me and lots of people watching from home. I can’t thank them enough for all their support, especially my parents for all the effort, especially the travel, they have put in to get me to where I am today.”
After such a thrilling debut, its no surprise that Elizabeth came out scoring first for the Bulldogs in her second game. Her stats speak for themselves – four tries in just two appearances, eight tackle breaks and four line breaks and only one missed tackle.
Elizabeth was personally identified by Head Coach Blake Cavallaro in Parkes, NSW as a 15-year-old, and despite being just 18 years old, Cavallaro believes the fledgling fullback will have plenty of impact on the Club’s inaugural NRLW squad. “Elizabeth is six-foot, she’s fast and she’s athletic,” Cavallaro said.
“She can play anywhere between fullback, wing and centre and her arrival to the squad will help to inject a spark that will positively influence her teammates.”
President of The Parkes Spacemen RLFC Tony Dwyer said of Elizabeth: “She’s a terrific girl, she deserves every success she gets because she trains very hard.
She’s put so much time and effort into getting to where she is, we’re so proud of her, and she’s just a terrific person too.”
Elizabeth pictured with her extremely proud parents Paul and Charlene.
That’s a wrap for Nations of Origin 2025. Shout out to those young people who competed over the four thrilling days of competition.
Nations of Origin 2025 was held on 14-18 July in Western Sydney. The event held each year in conjunction with NAIDOC week, sees teams compete in four sports, over four days.
This is the second year the Parkes PCYC has competed and they took two boys and one girls rugby league teams, two basketball teams and two gymnastics teams.
Parkes PCYC Club Manager Kimberlly Sherrit said, “Nations of Origin isn’t just an event – it’s a program, the lead up is just as important as the main event.
“Children have to meet the criteria to attend, for example they must have 80% attendance at school, so it’s a great incentive to keep these young people on track.
“In regional towns like ours, it’s important to have these opportunities for our youth, for some it could just be the only opportunity of its kind they are presented with. It’s all about learning, empowering our youth, building strong relationships and embracing culture.”
The kids also got to have a bit of fun and went to aqua golf and an amazing cultural night held at the zoo in Sydney.
“This event was to showcase the many nations coming together and they were all given the opportunity to bring something from their culture from art, to dance to didge playing. Tyrese Robinson represented Parkes PCYC by playing the didge” said Kimberly.
EOI’s will go out again for participants and coaches, Kimberly said “We try our best to get to as many businesses as possible for sponsorship but it was incredible to have some reach out to us. We were thrilled to have 2025 as the first year of our major sponsor Evolution Mines. Without this sponsorship we would not have been able to attend the event or deliver the program the way we did.”
Congratulations to Lachie Thomas on making his first grade debut on 22 June.
Congratulations to Sonny MacGregor on your first grade debut on 18 May.
Girls tackle football has become incredibly exciting in recent years, and last weekend history was made for Forbes Magpies Junior Rugby League. We saw our first ever full girls tackle teams take the field, and what a show it was.
Their sportsmanship on and off the field was truly impressive, the encouragement of their teammates, and positive attitude is contagious. Bring on round 6!
This Sunday will be the first time that Forbes have opened the season with an Anzac round against Parkes. Magpies Coach Cameron Greenhalgh said, “Training has been really good happy with our fitness levels and there has been plenty of high energy in our ball sessions.”
“The players are ready to play, pre-season is over I think the whole community is ready to watch some local footy.”
“Obviously our spine 1,6,7,9 will have a big influence on the outcome, as well as our forwards it will be tough, I don’t expect us to play our best footy for a while but we hoping for a solid start to the year.”
Forbes and Parkes are wearing special Anzac Day guernsey’s on Sunday. The Forbes guernsey’s will be auctioned off at the Forbes Inn after the game and the Parkes auction will take place at The Coachman Hotel. All grades will be playing with the girls kicking off at 10.30am. Head along and cheer on your local team!
The U15’s Boys and Girls Touch Football teams competed in a Western Gala Day in Mudgee this week.
Both teams displayed outstanding effort in their games, demonstrating a high level of school pride.
Well done to all of the students that competed.
Ben participates in Ambassador work through GOAL College working with year 11 and 12 students.
Ben was part of the NRL Roads to Regions tour visiting schools in Port Macquarie and Forster.
Ben recently visited Brewarrina alongside Latrell Mitchell, Shaquai Mitchell and Jack Wighton. Representing the Winmarra foundation founded by Latrell, the boys spent time engaging with the local community and assisting at-risk youth.
Former Parkes Spacemen and current South Sydney Rabbitohs player Ben Lovett has been nominated for the The Ken Stephen Medal – Man of the Year, which recognises the efforts of an NRL player who has not only achieved on the field, but has committed time off the field to community projects. A player is nominated by their NRL club for going above and beyond in their involvement in charity work, youth development or community support.
The 2024 Ken Stephen Medal – Man of the Year nominees form the NRL Community Team of the Year. Fans have the chance to vote for their favourite nominee and we are urging everyone to vote for former Parkes local Ben Lovett who was selected as a nominee from South Sydney Rabbitohs. Souths have won the award for the last two years, in 2023 with Latrell Mitchell and in 2022 with Cody Walker. Lets help Ben make it three in a row
Ben had this to say about being nominated: “I’m honoured to be nominated for an award that represents something bigger than football. Giving back to the community and inspiring kids to achieve their dreams has always been my passion.
“I am grateful for Parkes, the Spacemen and the Rabbitohs for giving me the platform to make a difference, and for their support throughout.”
To vote for Ben go to: www.nrl.com/community/awards/ken-stephen-medal/