Red Devils duo relishes Rugby Shield experience

Gunnedah Red Devils men’s captain Tim McDermott and Red Devils women’s player Jean Littlewood made the most of their opportunity at the recent Australian Rugby Shield (ARS) event in Newcastle.

McDermott skippered the NSW Country Cockatoos while Littlewood played for the NSW Country Corellas, with the Cockatoos finishing runners-up in the men’s division while the Corellas finished fifth in the women’s division.

McDermott and Littlewood usually lined up in the second-row, while both also made an appearance off the interchange bench.

The Cockatoos began with a 29-13 win over the QSRU Subbies, before McDermott scored a try in a 75-12 belting of the Tasmanian Jack Jumpers.

The Cockatoos went on to beat the Hunter Wildfires 15-7, before the Queensland Country Heelers won a fluctuating decider 39-31.

NSW Country led 3-0 early on before trailing 26-3 at half-time, and 34-10 at one stage in the second half.

Three tries in 10 minutes – including a five-pointer to McDermott – enabled the Cockatoos to trail 34-31 and eye a remarkable come-from-behind win, before the Heelers sealed the result with a late try.

McDermott also played in the Cockatoos team which lost last year’s decider 31-19 to the Heelers at the Sunshine Coast.

Gunnedah’s skipper said he thoroughly enjoyed this year’s campaign, while it was fun to spend six days with the team and form some great bonds with teammates from across the state.

“Newcastle was just as nice as the Sunshine Coast the year before and we definitely made the most of the beaches for game prep and recovery,” he enthused.

McDermott said he was happy with his form and was surprised to receive the captaincy, while it was “an amazing honour” to lead the Cockatoos.

“There were so many leaders out there from their own clubs throughout the state, which made it a lot less scary,” he said.

“Getting our team on the same page and connected was definitely the main focus for such a short campaign, and I think that showed through the effort we showed during games.”

McDermott and Moree’s Duncan Woods were the only Central North Rugby Union (CNRU) players in the NSW Country men’s teams, with McDermott saying he enjoyed playing with Woods who was “a great lad and was damaging (on) both sides of the ball” at No. 8 in his maiden Cockatoos’ campaign.

McDermott said the first game against the Subbies “was very scrappy, as to be expected from our first time playing together”.

“(There were) definitely some teething issues that we sorted out prior to the game against the Tasmanian Jack Jumpers where we had a very strong performance, particularly in attack and were able to capitalise on many line breaks,” he said.

McDermott said the Wildfires were new and provided “a huge test, with the team sprinkled with Shute Shield talent in an organisation that had played together week in week out”.

“We really aimed up physically and played probably our best game of the tournament,” he said.

Interestingly the Wildfires interchange bench included Henry Johns and Archie Waerea, both formerly of Gunnedah.

McDermott said it was disappointing to again lose the Battle of the Boarders trophy to Queensland Country, after the Cockatoos “let them dictate the game in the first half before playing some really good footy in the second half”.

“There was just too much of a deficit to make up,” he said.

“(I) was really proud of the fightback we showed in the second half, getting within three points but was obviously very disappointing once the final whistle went.”

Littlewood and her teammates meanwhile had losses of 24-15, 24-8 and 14-5 to the ACT and Southern NSW Kestrels, Queensland Country Orchids and Sydney respectively, before defeating the QSRU Kelpies 39-3 in the play-off for fifth.

Littlewood had played for the Corellas for several years, with this year’s results not as favourable as recent years with the Corellas having been runners-up in 2022, winners in 2023 and third last year.

After recently completing her first season with the Red Devils following a stint with the Dubbo Kangaroos, Littlewood said she thoroughly enjoyed playing in the ARS.

“There is literally nothing better than representing the country alongside women from all over,” she said.

“It was also so great to play 15s rugby again after a season of 10s.”

Having not played with any of the CNRU players beforehand, Littlewood said “it was such an exciting opportunity”.

“CN (Central North) is such an up-and-coming zone for women’s rugby, and having the talent playing at that level and going back to clubs is so good,” she said.

“I was also very happy that I wasn’t being tackled by them anymore!”

Littlewood said she felt “very excited and privileged just to be a part of the squad”.

“I got a lot of time playing, two full 70-minute games and then two halves which was way more than I was expecting, so (I was) very chuffed.

“Unfortunately there were a few one percenters that needed improvement in our first games.

“We were also up against some pretty tough competitors who had a lot more time together.

“To our credit, the margins weren’t huge in all of our games and certainly wasn’t a reflection of some of the talent on our team.”

Littlewood said “finding your groove in this kind of competition can take time” while the Corellas had a lot of new and younger players this year, especially in the backs.

“In my first time at Country in 2018 I only played 10 minutes and I was so nervous for it,” she said.

“Looking back it’s nice to see how it gets better and you can help others move through it, just as the team did over the tournament and it shows in the last game.”

As for the difference this year after the Corellas had better results in recent years, Littlewood said, “I think it is a combination of the Australian Rugby Shield gaining a bit more traction, and teams training for the tournament which improves the overall standard.

“I certainly think there were some new-look parts about the team and younger girls coming through.

“A lot of the teams we played also had players who are already playing at the Super W level or are in wider squads for the Tahs, Reds and Brumbies so that certainly adds another element.

“It’s great for the girls to get this exposure on this stage in front of selectors for these teams too.”