Red Devils gear up for 2026 season

The Gunnedah Red Devils began preparations for the 2026 Central North Rugby Union (CNRU) season on Tuesday of last week, as a group of male and female players had a game of touch football.

The low-key occasion provided the chance for participants to have a run, get their hands on the football, reacquaint with familiar faces, and enjoy a barbecue.

Training sessions are set to become regular on Tuesdays and Thursdays, before the season proper starts on April 11 when the Red Devils contest Quirindi at Quirindi.

It remains to be seen if the Red Devils have any pre-season fixtures, with a Tamworth Magpies knockout being among the possibilities.

Coaching staff have been locked in, with Daniel Martin continuing as first grade coach while Matt Hannay and Nemo Navata will be his assistants.

Josh Carter and Dave Donaldson have come on board as reserve grade coaches, after Andrew Jack and Daniel Martin guided the reserve grade team last year.

While this year will be the first time Carter and Donaldson have coached, they have been a part of the club for many years.

New to the club will be Aaron Moseley, who has been appointed coach of the women’s team following strong rugby union experience in the army.

While player recruitment is underway, the appointment of a first grade skipper is also unknown due to the absence of last year’s captain, Tim McDermott.

McDermott is not expected to return to the Red Devils until at least the middle of the year, due to a sabbatical in Belgium.

With Gunnedah topping the first grade ladder last year before falling short of a grand final berth while the women’s team was also one win shy of reaching grand final day, women’s players Madisan Rogers and Susie Pym said they looked forward to the upcoming season.

Rogers and Pym said it was always a case of “trying to build” from the previous year, and that they looked forward to the extra game time with a third round in the season.

Rogers and Pym said they were excited for further growth in the women’s team, as well as across the CNRU women’s competition.

While reigning premier Narrabri is expected to remain the front-runner in the women’s competition, Rogers and Pym said the Inverell team had grown and that the Moree team was getting stronger, while the Tamworth Pirates were set to welcome back a couple of players from a break.

In other news about the Red Devils women, Viliana Mikaele earned selection in the U18 NSW Metro development squad following eye-catching displays at a NSW youth development program in Bathurst.