Cougars women Chelsea Goodall, Naomi Robb, Erin McGregor and Eboni Clifton.
The Corowa Cougars Rugby League Football Club celebrated their 2025 season with two events - the club’s own awards night held at Club Corowa on Friday, September 26, and the Goulburn Murray Storm Premiership (GMSP) competition awards night at Atura Albury on September 13.
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These celebrations provided a fitting conclusion to a season that saw the club compete as a genuine force in the Goulburn Murray Storm Premiership with the women’s league tag team reaching consecutive grand finals and the men finishing second on the competition ladder.
The recognition extended across all levels of the game, from club excellence to representative honours and competition-wide acknowledgment.
Peter Francis and Stephanie Johnstone.
Corowa Cougars Presentation Awards
Women’s Awards
The women’s awards showcased the depth of talent that carried the team to back-to-back grand finals - with just one point separating the top three in the vote count.
Kenz Winnell was rewarded the Best and Fairest award, with Eboni Clifton earning the Runner Up Best and Fairest honour.
Sophie Lee’s outstanding season was further recognised with both the Players Player and Best Forward awards.
Womens award winners: (Back): Camryn Andracchio, Sophie Lee, Kenz Winnell and Bridgette Lee. (Front): Chevy Parker, Georgia Farrington, Leesa Hawking and Eboni Clifton.
Positional excellence was acknowledged with Leesa Hawking taking the Best Back award, while coaching recognition went to Camryn Andracchio with the Coaches Award.
The Jean Sharp Medal for Best in Finals was presented to Bridgette Lee, acknowledging her performances when it mattered most during the team’s final campaign.
Women’s league tag team.
Men’s Awards
The men’s awards reflected the competitive standards that saw them finish second on the ladder.
Domenic Marzano capped his season receiving the club’s Best and Fairest award, while Corey Cannon and Stevie Williams shared the Runner Up Best and Fairest honours in recognition of their consistent contributions throughout the season.
Brenden Johnson, Bridgette Lee, Tash Johnson and Sophie Lee
Positional awards saw Jarrod Ballhause claim Best Back and Billy Nicholls take Best Forward, while the Players Player award was shared between Karyan Silva and Blade Parker.
Parker was further recognised with the Coaches Award, demonstrating his impact both on and off the field.
Inaugural Legacy Award
Ella Webb, Daniel Webb and Montana Hargreaves with the inaugural Chook’s Legacy Award.
A highlight of the evening was the inaugural presentation of Chook’s Legacy Award, presented to Laurie ‘Chook’ Webb himself in recognition of his enduring contribution to the club.
The award will each year acknowledge someone who understands that rugby league is won in the tough moments, shows unwavering loyalty to teammates and demonstrates the resilience that defines a true Cougar.
Like Chook, recipients will inspire others through their actions, lead by example when the going gets tough, and understand that some legacies live on through the people they inspire.
Volunteer recognition and community appreciation
The evening also recognised the volunteers and community members who make the club’s success possible.
Erin McGregor was honoured as Club Person of the Year, representing the countless volunteers who form the backbone of the Cougars organisation.
Mitch Huggins and Lachie Scales (there to carry all their partners trophies home).
Special thanks on the night were also extended to Colin Fleming, Wayne Shaw, Naomi Robb, Marg and AJ McGregor, and Greg Provost, whose dedicated service throughout the season exemplified the volunteer spirit that drives the club.
The Corowa Cougars is proudly volunteer-led, and the club would be lost without the people who turned up all year and put in the work.
From committee members who guide the club’s direction to sports trainers who keep players healthy, from bench managers and water runners who support match day operations to canteen and gate volunteers who create the welcoming atmosphere, every contribution matters.
Behind the scenes, photographers capture the memories, line markers prepare the fields, maintenance crews keep facilities in top condition, and social media managers share the club’s story with the wider community.
Each role, whether seen or unseen, contributes to the success that both teams enjoyed throughout 2025.
Representative honours
The club’s representative success throughout the season was a source of immense pride, with multiple players and coaches earning selection in 2025.
Tash Johnson’s appointment as women’s 2025 representative coach for Country highlighted the coaching expertise within the club, with Brenden serving as assistant representative coach.
Their leadership guided the Country women’s teams through both the pre-season Boorowa Regan Cup campaign and the historic City vs Country fixture in July.
At playing level, Bridgette Lee, Tash Johnson, Kenz Winnell, Leesa Hawking, and Georgia Farrington represented Country in the Boorowa pre-season campaign, while Bridgette Lee, Kenz Winnell, Leesa Hawking, Georgia Farrington, and Eboni Clifton were selected for the City vs Country clash that delivered Country’s first-ever victory in the women’s fixture.
Billy Nicholls continued his representative career with selection in the men’s Country squad for the second consecutive year, earning his place at hooker and contributing as Country’s only try-scorer in their encounter with City.
The breadth of involvement across both coaching and playing ranks in 2025 is a testament to the representatives and the club.
GMSP awards night
Men’s Team of the Year
From the Cougars men’s team, Domenic Marzano and Uluak Taufa earned team of the year recognition at the GMSP competition awards night.
Marzano’s inclusion celebrated his attacking contributions throughout the season, while Taufa’s selection acknowledged his tireless work in the forward pack during their competitive regular season campaign that saw them finish second on the competition ladder.
Women’s Team of the Year
The women’s league tag team saw sisters Bridgette and Sophie Lee both selected in the competition’s team of the year following their consecutive grand final campaign. Bridgette and Sophie’s selections reflected their instrumental roles in the team’s attacking structures throughout the season, with both players proving to be game-breakers in crucial moments.
Having four players recognised across both men’s and women’s teams of the year demonstrates the competitive standards both squads maintained throughout their respective campaigns.
Looking forward
The presentation nights provided an opportunity for the entire Cougars community to acknowledge the contributions that made this season possible, from players and coaches to supporters and volunteers who have helped build the club’s continued success.
The club now looks ahead to its Annual General Meeting which is to be held at the Corowa Cougars ground on Sunday, November 2 at 11am.
Anyone interested in being involved in the 2026 season is invited to attend.
