The Newcastle Rebels have injected some youth into their Men’s Country Championships (MCC) side for the 2025 competition, which gets underway on Saturday 22 February.
The defending champions can achieve a three-peat this year having won the MCC titles in 2023 against the Riverina Bulls and in 2024 against the Monaro Colts.
Former NRL Gold Coast Titans coach, NSW Under 18s, Newcastle Jersey Flegg and UNE Harold Matthews Cup coach – Garth Brennan – has adopted a new strategy this time.
“It’s a different sort of squad this year,” he told nswrl.com.au
“I’ve brought in a lot of younger guys as I’m looking towards the future on this one.
“The squad last year had players like (former NRL regulars) Blake Ferguson, Will Smith, Peter Mata’utia.
“But now I’ve picked younger guys who performed well in the Newcastle local comp last year and not guys on name and reputation.
“There’s just a different vibe around the team although I also have a group of guys who have been part of the last two (MCC titles). The new guys being blooded are hungry.”
Seven clubs are represented with some familiar faces from last year’s winning side, including Player of the Match fullback Cameron Anderson, 2023 MCC Player of the Year Chad O’Donnell as captain, five-eighth and goal-kicker (pictured above, Photo: Bryden Sharp), along with hooker Luke Huth, centre Matthew Soper-Lawler, winger Honeti Tuha, and prop James Taylor.
“They are tracking well because they train with their clubs a couple of times a week, then they have Rebels training and they have work commitments.
“It’s a tight schedule for them but we’ve managed it.
“They are ahead of where I wanted them to be at this stage. It’s going to be exciting.”
The squad came together in late January and last weekend played a trial against finalists from the past two grand finals of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, the North Sydney Bears.
“It was a really good hit-out for us – we won four tries to two as there was no goal-kicking,” Brennan said.
“To come together and put on a result like that was really pleasing. I asked everyone last week to give me a defensive effort and they did.
“Norths scored one try from an intercept and the other was early in the game, which was a shock to our system but for the majority our guys held them out.
“There was a set with a minute to go when the Bears were attacking our line, and although the game was already won and it was only a trial match, they scrambled, forced an error, and saved the try.
“That was very pleasing because they put that extra effort in, when they didn’t have to.”
The Rebels have a bye in Round One and will play Round Two on Saturday 8 March.
