Sport
14 February, 2025
Green and Gold Younger Brigade Shine
Wattles home grown rugby league stars 19 year old Hamish Gartery and 18 year old Reagan McMillan have impressed of late with performances for the Western Clydesdales.
Reagan plays in the centres for the Harvey Norman Under 19 Girls line-up, while Hamish has been in shining form in the three-quarter line with the Mal Meninga Cup side.
He crossed for an eye-catching late try in his most recent game against the Ipswich Jets.
Both young Central Downs stars ran on in trials against the Ipswich Jets in Toowoomba and Easts Tigers in Brisbane in recent weeks warming up for the coming season.
Reagan and Hamish are no strangers to higher level league, and have consistently impressed throughout their promising junior careers.
Wattles top grade coach and club Coaching Director Travis Burns has been a keen advocate of blooding young players since his arrival in 2018, many of whom have progressed to form the nucleus of competitive first grade teams, a policy that has seen Wattles consistent TRL finalists in recent years and premiers in 2022.
Burns himself was blooded in Wattles top grade back in 2001 by then coaches Cameron Hamblin and Denis Comerford, taking the first step in what resulted in a glowing rugby league career on world stages.
Fresh out of the Wattles juniors dressing room last season Hamish Gartery ran on in Wattles A graders convincing 24 – 14 win over the Pittsworth Danes in a pre-season trial ‘friendly’ last year.
The match was played in front of a massive crowd prior to the Australian Legends vs Pittsworth Danes Allstars, Legends Of League Game at Club Pittsworth.
Burns was of course more than pleased with his team’s performance, especially the younger brigade highlighted by a sparkling effort by five-eight Gartery.
Hamish was playing in Wattles Junior Rugby League Club colours only months before, captain of the Under 17 line-up and eventual winner of the club’s best Under 17 back at the end of season presentations.
“To play in the match was an awesome experience” said Hamish who is hoping for more opportunities in the top green and gold line-up, “I learnt so much in what was my first hit out in an A grade game.”
Hamish was a key component in last season’s Cameron Hamblin coached Wattles Under 19’s who qualified for the TRL finals.
Glittering Memory!
The 2024 Toowoomba Rugby League season is a glittering memory for Reagon McMillan, the Allora/Nobby local’s impressive sporting career culminating as a member of the Highfields Eagles open women’s rugby league team that secured the 2024 Toowoomba Rugby League Grand Final 20 – 14 over the Gatton Hawks at Clive Berghofer Stadium.
A former Allora State School student and Sports Captain, Reagan attended Toowoomba’s Downlands College for her senior years, and is currently engaged in an employment role with the NRL.
She has played rugby league since age 12, and has also excelled in the Downlands College rugby union line-up.
It was a busy 2024 year for Reagan, revelling in a more than rewarding season with Highfields, early season appearances with the Western Clydesdales Under 19 team and donning the ‘green & gold’ of the Wattles Warriors Under 18 Girls Tackle line-up as a dual registered player.
Along with premiership honours, Reagan was named Toowoomba Rugby League joint ‘Top Try scorer’ in the Open Women’s premiership at the end of season TRL Gala Presentation Function.
While she loves playing for both Highfields and Wattles, and can’t speak more highly of the Highfields club, she would dearly love to run on in a Wattles open women’s team in the TRL premiership.
We’ll have to wait and see what the future brings.
While player numbers may be a challenge currently, we certainly have female talent in abundance within the Wattles jurisdiction with the likes of Reagan and outstanding back row forward Chelsea Middleton, a shining light for Toowoomba’s Brothers last season and another highly respected Western Clydesdales talent
-Glyn Rees
