Brothers and Bears savor Grand Final glory at TRL Stadium
TRL Stadium was the scene of a memorable day of rugby league on Saturday, September 12, with four Darwin rugby league grand finals producing contrasting contests, dramatic finishes and some outstanding individual performances.
A strong breeze blowing diagonally across the stadium added another layer of difficulty for players throughout the day, but it did little to diminish the quality of the football as the 2026 season reached its conclusion.
Brothers complete an unbeaten season in style
Darwin Brothers saved their most emphatic performance for last, defeating the Palmerston Raiders 42-0 to claim a third consecutive DABSCO Men's Premiership. It was the perfect conclusion to an unbeaten season and a campaign in which Brothers transformed their already formidable attacking reputation by developing a defensive resilience that proved just as important.
Palmerston entered the grand final full of confidence following a strong finals campaign and matched Brothers for intensity during a brutal opening 20 minutes. The Raiders' defence was particularly impressive early, absorbing repeated pressure from the Brothers forwards and refusing to concede an easy opening.
The deadlock was finally broken when Player of the Match Nick Yarran entered the contest and immediately provided the spark Brothers needed. His footwork from acting half exposed tiring defenders and he opened the scoring. From there, the floodgates opened.
Brothers found their rhythm and added six more unanswered tries to race away to a 42-0 victory. Elijah Coombes and Kyro Ahmat were outstanding up front, while Drew Tobin provided a huge workload through the middle. Elijah Urirau was another tireless performer, working relentlessly in the back row.
The spine of Northam, Kurnoth, Caulton and James continually threatened the Raiders' defence, with Jarrod Northam's service from acting half giving Brothers' runners the timing and space to exploit defensive weaknesses. Aaron Kurnoth and Bradley Hansen produced a memorable individual battle that reflected the grit and determination of both teams, while the Brothers bench again proved decisive.
Yarran's impact was particularly telling, exploiting tired defence and providing the injection of energy to open the scoring. Emil Jawai's powerful runs through the middle, Jonas Niki's hard-hitting work and Connor Williams' versatility further underlined the depth of the premiers.
For coach Leon Cleal, the victory marked another chapter in the remarkable Brothers era and their third straight DABSCO title. After an unbeaten season, a dominant points differential and a grand final clean sheet, the Brothers finished 2026 as undisputed champions.
Sisters make it five straight
Darwin Brothers continued their extraordinary dominance of the Tru-Flow Services Women's Premiership, defeating the Nightcliff Dragons 36-6 to claim a fifth consecutive title. The resurgent Dragons entered the grand final with plenty of confidence after rising to second place during the season and were the more threatening side during the opening exchanges.
Courtney Tamati led Nightcliff forward, while Mere Rasaku appeared to have crossed the line before being held up. But against the run of play, Brothers struck. Margie Dau intercepted a Nightcliff pass and raced almost the length of the field to open the scoring.
The Dragons responded through Cecilia Misob, who finished under the posts after a strong run. From there, however, the Sisters began to impose themselves.
Brothers established momentum when Liana Niki twice charged through the middle to cross the line. Captain, Ellie Niki, was influential throughout, while Zoe Kurnoth again produced a superb performance in both attack and defence. Kurnoth added a try of her own before Jessie Duncan, Ellie Niki and Talia Corrie down the left edge completed the scoring in the second half.
Nightcliff continued to fight until the final whistle, but Brothers had done enough to secure another championship, going through the season undefeated under Coach Ronnie Mareko and further cement their status as the benchmark team of the competition. Zoe Kurnoth was named Player of the Match.
Kris delivers Gatley Shield drama
The Gatley Shield produced arguably the most dramatic finish of the day, with Darwin Brothers edging the Litchfield Bears 11-10 in a contest that went right down to the final moments. Two clubs with enormous history, rivalry and depth fought out a gripping battle, with Brothers also having to contend with the challenge of squad depth as both their senior men's teams featured in grand finals.
For Litchfield, Jacob Penhaligon again proved a threat on the left edge after scoring twice in the previous week's preliminary final against Palmerston. Brothers answered through Jonas Higglet and Naiama Mau, both players with significant DABSCO experience, as the scoring remained locked at 10-10. Then came the decisive moment.
Richard Kris, playing his 150th game for Brothers, stood 40 metres from the posts and, with the cross-stadium breeze making the task even more difficult, calmly slotted a remarkable field goal to put the Brethren ahead.
Litchfield were handed one final opportunity when a penalty gave them an opportunity to kick for the win on the stroke of fulltime, but the breeze again proved influential and Brothers held on to secure the Gatley Shield for a second consecutive year under coach Willie May. Brothers’ Ankin Lewis was named Player of the Match.
Bears roar back to claim Under 18 title
The Litchfield Bears produced a stirring second-half comeback to defeat the combined Katherine Cowboys and South Darwin Rabbitohs 34-22 and claim the Under 18 Boys premiership.
The contest showcased some of the emerging talent of Northern Territory rugby league, with Litchfield's DABSCO Premiership highest try-scorer and Rising Star Eligh Pomroy among the players to watch, while Katherine Souths' George Rosas entered the decider having swept the Under 18 awards for Best and Fairest, Highest Point Scorer and Top Try Scorer. Jayln Priestly, Jack McGlinn, Russell Charleston and George Tekopua also added plenty of class across the park.
With the breeze behind them in the opening half, Katherine Souths capitalised on their opportunities and appeared to have established a strong position at halftime. But Bears coach Terry Moore's halftime instructions sparked a remarkable response. The Litchfield forwards, led by Levi Stevens, William Cridland, Doug Moore and Benson Kimani, lifted their intensity, while halfback Deacon Summerville helped steer the Bears back into the contest.
The Bears produced a second-half performance befitting a grand final, overturning the deficit to secure the 34-22 victory. Douglas Moore was named Player of the Match.
