Hornets shape side around junior base in NRRRL

BUILDING around club juniors is paying dividends for Cudgen, with the Hornets among the premiership contenders in Northern Rivers Regional Rugby League this season.

The club will welcome back brothers Caleb and Connor Ziebell from representative duty with the NSW Country team when they play Tweed Coast this weekend.

Fullback Jye Barton and halfback Elliott Speed also return after playing for the Queensland University side.

Cudgen has been strategic in its roster management since an exodus of players after it won the grand final in 2023.

It brought in a host of club juniors last season and is operating well within the NSW Rugby League player points index system.

The points system was introduced in 2022 and rewards clubs who rely on club juniors and long-term players. Teams that bring in players from other clubs or at a higher level from state leagues and NRL attract a higher number of points.

“We’re not even affected by the points system at all this season,” Cudgen coach Wayne Forbes said.

“Most of our team are club juniors and they’ve come into their own over the past few seasons.

“Even our older guys who have been here for a while have come through our junior ranks.

“The average age of our starting side is about 22, which is one of the younger teams.

“About eight of them came from our under-18s team who won the competition a few years ago.”

Centre Jye Barton, five-eighth Harvey Moase, hooker Chaz Bond, fullback Jett Forbes and second rower Ethan Schultz were part of the under-18 teams.

The club also has plenty of depth in reserve grade with Jake Sands at fullback and Sam Grant in the halves.

Cudgen has already defeated defending premiers Ballina in first grade and will be eyeing off Tweed rivals Bilambil ahead of when they clash in July.

“Bilambil are probably the team to beat at the moment and there are other sides that look good on paper that aren’t necessarily getting the results,” Forbes said.

“I’m sure there will be some more surprises along the way, but we’re pretty happy with how we’ve started the season.”