The Warwick Cowboys could have set a new record this season with 11 sets of brothers in the club’s three teams in the Toowoomba Rugby League. Four played in A-grade against Dalby in Dalby this season in what is believed to be a first in the TRL for more than 50 years. Sullivan, Byrne, McGrady and Bell siblings were in the team of 17.
After a lot of phone calls by the Town and Country Journal recently, the only other likelihood for A grade was Wattles in the late 1960s and early 1970s with Gleeson, Platz, Meara and Fogarty brothers. It is definitely a record for the Cowboys club which was formed for the 1986 season and possibly for predecessors Eastern Suburbs and Collegians. Past Collegians, Cowboys and Papua New Guinea coach Bob Bennett said he hadn’t heard of four sibling groups playing in the same game in A grade.
Here are details of each set of siblings.
Sullivan
Ben Sullivan said it is fun to play rugby league with his little brother Harry as they still have the combination from the backyard.
They played home matches with third sibling Billy, all three played A grade together for Warwick. Ben won three premierships with Collegians as a junior.
Ben first played Cowboys in the U18 grade and A grade the same year before playing Queensland Cup and premier grade for Brisbane Norths for five years.
He then returned to the Cowboys and plays in the halves, hooker or lock.
“Harry and I are competing against each other for one spot at hooker but coach Col Speed often uses one at lock.
Harry played 10 years of juniors at Collegians and then went to Marist Brothers Ashgrove as a boarder.
He was inside centre in the First XV and made the AIC representative team. Harry was best player at a Queensland U16 carnival and made the state team.
After rugby union finished in year 12, he returned home to the Cowboys in 2015 and hasn’t missed a season, except during Covid.
Byrne
Morgan Byrne, 22, is in his fifth season of A grade with the Cowboys.
He played centre for two years ago but is now a middle forward which he prefers.
Morgan played for Collegians juniors from the age of six to 16 and made Warwick and District and South West Mustangs representative teams.
One year, he played in the same State championships as Tom Bell.
He works as a motorcycle mechanic and auto electrician at Top Two in Warwick.
Last weekend, he was the Cowboys best player in the win against Valleys.
Cody Byrne, 25, works for former Cowboys player Brooke Croft in Brisbane as an apprentice builder.
He returns home to train most Friday nights and for weekend games.
At times, the Byrne brothers are the two props for Warwick.
Cody played 10 years of juniors for Collegians and U18s and A grade for Warwick before taking three years off.
McGrady
Brandon and Mal McGrady won a premiership last season for Warialda in northern New South Wales but are in Warwick Cowboys colours for the important last two months of the season.
The brothers were in the centres when Goondiwindi won the 2021 TRL grand final against Highfields.
Brandon is one of the main kickers in general play for Warwick.
He works in Toowoomba at Harristown State High School and travels to Warwick for training and games.
Brandon has played for the South West Mustangs.
His main positions are halfbacks and centre but he isn’t worried as long as he is on the field.
Mal, 27, played in Cessnock, in the Newcastle area early in the season before returning home to Goondiwindi and linking with the Cowboys.
He is an accomplished goalkicker but doesn’t want to kick anymore.
“Warwick is a happy club and I want to win another premiership,” he said.
Bell
Tom Bell has played for the Cowboys for the past five years after a junior career with Collegians.
He has played under-20s representative footy and was part of the Toowoomba Clydesdales team which won the 47th Battalion divisional carnival last season at Kingaroy.
Tom was the Cowboys most consistent in A grade last season after winning a best player award when he was in the U18 competition.
He has always been a forward playing mainly second row in recent seasons.
In the past two weeks, his younger brother Martin has joined him in A grade.
Martin made his debut off the bench two weeks ago in Dalby, the first time the brothers had been on the field at the same time.
After playing halfback, centre and hooker down the years, Martin came on for the Cowboys and played prop.
In their first game they combined for one tackle.
Both won junior premierships for the Collegians club. They played their first footy in Stanthorpe.
Other brothers who have played together this season.
Will and Dan Howard – Reserve grade
Lance and Logan McGrady Dennison – Reserve grade
Chris and Matt Watt – Reserve grade
Nate Davies (A grade) and Cohen Davies (Under 19)
Sam and Riley Wainwright – Under 19
Xavier and Taj Cusack – Under 19
Carge and Chase Martin Brown – Under 19
