LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Newcastle Yowies have achieved what few teams have, mirroring the accomplishments of the Brisbane Broncos by claiming both the men's and women's major titles at the 2025 Koori Knockout.
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The Yowies men's team secured a thrilling victory with a late field goal, earning a dramatic one-point win over the Bourke Warriors.
The match was intense, with Bourke ahead at halftime with a score of 20-12 before Newcastle came back to clinch the win.
Bourke opened the scoring with a try from Tony Pellow, who successfully kicked for his brother Colby Pellow.
However, just five minutes later, the Yowies broke through Bourke's strong defense. Newcastle Knights' 2025 rookie of the year, Jermaine McEwan, scored a try, which was converted by PNG international and Indigenous All Stars player Kyle Laybutt.
As the match reached its climax, the scores were tied at 24-all when Laybutt made a crucial field goal from over 30 meters.
"It's such a special group of boys, and we dug deep. I'm so proud of each and every one of the boys here," said Yowies player Rhys Williams.