Sport
12 January, 2026
2025 Sport in review
2025 was a big year for local sports people who showed their best on local, national and international stages.
JANUARY
Local sailor Breanne Wadley claimed a national title at the ILCA 4 Oceania and Australian National Championships after six days of intense competition in Brisbane. She competed against a record-breaking fleet of 96 boats, including international contenders, and displayed great skill across her 12 races.
FEBRUARY
The Mareeba Gladiators set another record at their annual Jersey Auction Night – raising an incredible $53,325. The best-backed jersey was skipper Caleb Dally’s number 10, which went to Far North Concreting Pumping with a $4,500 bid.
MARCH
Tolga’s Bronte Grose was highlighted as one of the exciting up-and-coming netballers by Netball Australia after competing as the youngest player in the International Pacific Australia Netball Series. The young local represented the PNG Pepes and was deemed the player with the “highest hops” in the competition.
The Atherton Roosters started their season off well after taking down the Mareeba Gladiators 30-16 in a local derby Round 1 opener.
A Pink Day celebrating and encouraging women in the sport of golf was held by the Atherton Golf Club. A group of 24 women enjoyed a pink ball stableford competition, with Shelley Broadley, Gail Gard and Judy Newlands making up the winning team.
APRIL
The Mareeba Gymnastics Club was pleasantly surprised after receiving the 2024 Movement Community Small Club Award.
ANZAC Round was a try frenzy for the local league sides, with the Gladiators boasting a 74-0 win over Edmonton Storm and the Roosters claiming a 48-12 victory against Yarrabah Seahawks.
MAY
A challenging course made for some close competition for the 30-plus paddlers who turned out for the 15th annual Barron River Challenge in Mareeba. The 50km race was taken out by John van Ryt – just 32 seconds ahead of Steve Jenje in second place. Meanwhile, the 20km race went to Atherton farmer Tony Marnane.
JUNE
Kuranda’s karate kid Hunter Thomson was selected to represent Australia at the ITF Taekwon-Do World Championships in Italy.
The Atherton Roosters thrashed the Mossman Sharks 56-6 in a special memorial game that celebrated 50 years since Atherton overcame Mossman in the 1975 Grand Final.
Ravenshoe’s Betta Gianasi captained North Queensland’s long range rifle shooting squad, which won the National Championship for the second consecutive year.
JULY
The Gladiators hosted the Roosters for an epic local derby clash, with Mareeba winning all three games. The Under 19 Gladiators scraped through with a 28-26 victory, the Reserve’s with a 24-20 win, while A Grade delivered a triumphant 30-22 win.
The Mareeba Rodeo hosted another successful event, again seeing a record number of attendees turn out to witness all the action. The All Round Cowboy and Cowgirl went to Josh Barnett and Lorraine Wellby respectively, while the Open Bullride was taken out by Brumby Brandenburg.
AUGUST
The Atherton Roosters Women stunned its competition, claiming an emphatic 48-24 Grand Final win against a physical Yarrabah Seahawks side.
Mareeba gymnast Ollie Hampton brought home a silver and bronze medal after representing Queensland at the Australian Gymnastics Championships.
Charlie Bewick achieved the ultimate golfer’s dream by scoring his very first hole-in-one – after 35 years of playing the sport.
SEPTEMBER
After a stellar season, the Atherton Roosters senior sides were all knocked out in the Preliminary Final round. However, the club celebrated a few achievements at the annual FNQ Rugby League Gold Medal awards dinner. A Grade winger Regan Herd picked up the Top Try Scorer of the Year award, while Jackson Clark was named the Under 19s Player of the Year. The Roosters also took out the 2025 Club Champions award.
The annual Cops and Robbers Charity Golf Day was again a huge success, with more than 100 players enjoying a match and raising over $24,000.
In soccer, the Atherton Eagles Men’s Division 1 side and the Mareeba Bulls Under 14s were crowned double champions for the season, with both taking out the Minor Premiership and Premiership.
OCTOBER
Team Mareeba Boxing’s Matt Carroll returned to the ring in spectacular form to claim a Queensland Champion belt at the Sunstate Queensland State Titles. The young boxer fought above his weight class in his two bouts and was later voted the Senior Boxer of the Tournament.
Young track star Lucas Kattenberg just about burned holes through his soles after breaking records at a Peninsula track and field event. The Atherton local set blistering times of 49.73s in the 400m and 1m 56.23s in the 800m.
Braydon Wellby wowed a crowd of 5,000 at the Great Northern Bullriding Series, which was held on the first night of the Savannah in the Round music festival.
Young bowling sensation Emily Starkey struck it big when she was selected in the Australian tenpin bowling team.
NOVEMBER
Mareeba bull rider Kurt Shephard was riding high after his PBR Australia grand final win. The local cowboy claimed the championship, earning himself a gold buckle, a $100,000 cheque, and a moment he’ll never forget.
Braydon Wellby claimed the Open Bullride championship at the Great Northern Bullriding Series finals in Atherton after a dominant year of riding.
DECEMBER
Atherton Cricket Club’s Brandon Green stepped up during the club’s game against the strong Mulgrave side – scoring an impressive 110-not-out, which proved instrumental in the team’s win.
The Atherton Roosters entered an ongoing partnership with the North Syndey Bears, whereby the club’s Under 19 Player of the Year gets the chance to travel down and train with the club’s senior squad for two weeks – a game-changing avenue for young footballers.
