Day 1 Recap | 2025 National League - Melbourne Invitational

The first round of the 2025 Wheelchair Rugby National League, the Melbourne Invitational, kicked off today in Caroline Springs with nine teams taking the court across two divisions.

Game 1 – Division 1 – UQ vs Hunter Wildfires

After narrowly missing out on the three-peat last year, UQ were looking to make a statement in the opening contest of the 2025 National League. Steelers captain and player/coach, Chris Bond, led the team from the front to take an early lead. In his first outing since debuting for Australia, Cooper Blackwood continued to impress as the key high pointer for Hunter. NZ import Rob Hewitt and Ash Treseder provided stability in the mid-points to give the Red Heavies a run for their money. Ultimately, UQ were too strong winning 2025 season opener.

UQ 50 defeated Hunter Wildfires 37

Game 2 – Division 2 – SA Sharks vs VIC Thunder

The opening Division 2 match of the Melbourne Invitational saw SA face off against VIC. Despite having a number of debut players, both teams came out firing with an edge of competitiveness and vastly improved gameplay. SA's young talents were bolstered by the support of Zak Robertson and Dane Kinder, while Natalie Miller, fresh from the Emerging Talent Camp, formed a promising partnership with Jacob Cremin-Darkin for VIC. Ultimately, South Australia's cohesive play saw them take the win.

SA Sharks 40 defeated VIC Thunder 31

Game 3 – Division 1 – Bond University vs Box Hill RUFC

In a nail-biting Division 1 encounter, Box Hill and Bond University were evenly matched from the start. Box Hill made history by fielding the first-ever all-female classification lineup in a National League round, featuring Jacinta Richardson, Robyn Lambird, Shae Graham, and Maia Marshall-Amai. Despite their strong efforts, Bond University were too strong with Brayden Foxley-Connolly showing improved leadership on the court, leading his team to a narrow victory.

Bond University 50 defeated Box Hill RUFC 47

Game 4 – Division 1 – Sydney University vs Melbourne RUFC

With AJ Holloway and James McQuillan showing composure under pressure, Sydney Uni steadily extended their lead in the opening periods. Melbourne RUFC stayed in the contest with strong support from their low pointers, as Jake Howe and Will Taheny worked tirelessly to keep the scoreboard close. Despite their efforts, Sydney University’s consistency proved the difference, sealing an eight-point win in this hard-fought victory.

Sydney University 61 defeated Melbourne RUFC 53

Game 5 – Division 2 – SA Sharks vs QLD Cyclones

In the closest game of the day for Division 2, number 10 seemed to be lucky with both Zak Robertson (SA) and Keaton Rennie-Kay (QLD) stepping up for their respective teams. Rhiannon Bellette also impressed coming off of the emerging talent camp, displaying leadership well beyond her years. Despite going one for one for most of the match up, the QLD Cyclones held on for the win.

QLD Cyclones 35 defeated SA Sharks 34

Game 6 – Division 1 – UQ vs Box Hill RUFC

UQ took an early lead in the afternoon’s match up. UQ veterans, Damien Mortaud and Ryan Boyd were steadfast as they finished the first quarter with a 6-point lead. Despite the disappointing start, Box Hill clawed their way back with Antonio Vecchio and NZ import, Keenan Alexander showing defensive prowess keeping the latter three quarters dead even. However, Box Hill was unable to make up for the first quarter loss, going down by 6-points.

UQ 51 defeated Box Hill RUFC 45

Game 7 – Division 1 – Hunter Wildfires vs Melbourne RUFC

In one of the closest contests of the tournament so far, Melbourne RUFC edged out Hunter Wildfires by just one point in a thrilling finish. The match remained tight from start to finish, with neither side able to break away. Player/coach Richard Voris provided invaluable leadership for the Wildfires, guiding his team with a wealth of experience and expertise. Meanwhile, New Zealand import Hayden Barton-Cootes was tremendous for Melbourne, making a significant impact to help his side secure the narrow victory in the dying minutes.

Melbourne RUFC 47 defeated Hunter Wildfires 46

Game 8 – Division 1 – Sydney University vs Bond University

In the match of the day, both Sydney University and Bond University were coming off first match wins, looking to head into day 2 undefeated. The consistency of veteran national league players from both teams kept the scores level until the final 4 minutes of the match. The combination of Brayden Foxley-Conolly and Conor Tweedy proved too strong with Bond scoring 4 points in a row to take the late lead.

Bond University 59 defeated Sydney University 56

Game 9 – Division 2 – VIC Thunder vs QLD Cyclones

In the final Division 2 match of the day, QLD dominated the early minutes of the match up, with player/coach Naz Erdem guiding the Cyclones new and emerging talent to 12-point half time lead. However, the Victorians were not giving up yet, thanks in part to the grit and never-ending determination of players like Brydee Moore. Despite an impressive third-quarter appearance, QLD stepped up when it mattered.

QLD Cyclones 42 defeated VIC Thunder 28

Competition continues tomorrow from 9:30am at Caroline Springs Leisure Centre. Come watch live or catch the Court 1 livestream here: https://www.dsr.org.au/melbourneinvitationalwheelchairrugbylivestream

Match ReviewsKelsey Singh28 February 2025National LeagueComment