Corowa Cougars were well represented in the Goulburn Murray Storm Premiership Country team with Kenz Winnell, Bridgette Lee, Eboni Clifton, Georgia Farrington and Leesa Hawking all featuring in the 30-4 win.
The Corowa Cougars celebrated a successful bye weekend as six of their players starred in the annual City v Country representative matches, with the women’s team securing a commanding 30-4 victory while the men’s side fell 82-6 to their metropolitan counterparts at Glenrowan Recreation Reserve.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Women’s representative success
The representative fixture provided the perfect showcase for the talent emerging from the Goulburn Murray Storm Premiership, with the Cougars contingent playing crucial roles in the comprehensive victory over the Melbourne-based City squad.
Kenz Winnell delivered the standout performance of the match, earning Player of the Match honours for her exceptional display in the halves.
Her ability to read the game and create opportunities for her teammates was instrumental in Country’s success, with her tactical kicking and distribution controlling the tempo throughout the contest.
Bridgette Lee made the most significant individual impact on the scoreboard, opening and closing the try-scoring for Country with two perfectly executed finishes.
Playing at fullback, Lee showcased the pace and power that has made her a key player for the Cougars, demonstrating her ability to create scoring opportunities from the back and finish strongly when presented with chances close to the line.
Eboni Clifton added to the Country tally with a well-taken try, showing her trademark ability to spot gaps in the defensive line capitalise on opportunities.
Her vision and quick thinking allowed her to find space at the line and power through for a crucial score that helped establish Country’s dominance.
Georgia Farrington continued her strong form with another try, demonstrating excellent positional play on the wing.
She held her space perfectly and finished clinically from a well-timed pass from Leesa Hawking, showcasing the combination play that has been a feature of the Cougars’ attacking structure.
Leesa Hawking brought her characteristic pace and elusiveness to the representative stage, using her speed to trouble the City defense throughout the match.
Her ability to fly through defensive lines and create opportunities for herself and teammates was evident in another impressive display.
The Corowa Cougars girls showed off their talents in the commanding win.
Men’s representative challenge
While the women’s team dominated their encounter, the men’s Country side faced a much sterner test against a strong City outfit, eventually falling 82-6 in a match that highlighted the depth and quality within the Melbourne competition.
Billy Nicholls provided the sole bright spot for the Country men’s team, crossing for their only try of the match in what proved to be a challenging afternoon.
Despite the difficult circumstances, Nicholls showcased the skill and versatility that have made him such a valuable player for the Cougars over his 100-plus games with the club.
Behind the scenes
The success of the Country team was guided by familiar faces from the Cougars organisation, with 2025 representative women’s coach Tash Johnson and assistant coach Brenden Johnson leading the preparation and strategy.
Despite being unavailable on match day, the coaching foundation laid by the Johnson duo ensured the team was well-prepared for the challenge.
CSU Muddogs’ Bill Channells-Bentley stepped in to coach the Country squad on the day.
In addition to the absentee coaches, the Corowa Cougars also saw Chevy Parker run water for the Country women and Sophie Lee running as a touch line judge.
Club pride
Having six players selected for representative duty demonstrates the quality and depth of talent within the Cougars organisation, while their individual performances showed they belonged at this elevated level of competition.
The success comes at an important time for the club as they prepare for the final rounds of the regular season and the approaching finals series.
The confidence and experience gained from representative football will be invaluable as the Cougars players return to club competition with enhanced skills and renewed motivation.
The club’s representation in both coaching and playing roles demonstrates the comprehensive contribution the Cougars are making to the broader rugby league community, building on their long-standing commitment to developing players and maintaining the sport’s presence in border country.
