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It’s still mid-summer but rugby league is back with the the Nines Premier League returning on the Gold Coast this weekend and featuring a host of NRL stars past, future and present.
Watch the Nines Premier League Sat Jan 25 & Sun Jan 26 on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo?Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
Rugby league fans will get their first footy fix for the year with the event — now in its third year — to be held at Tugun Leagues Club on Saturday and Sunday.
The 2025 9PL will feature a star-studded line-up of players, including Dally M winners, Origin representatives, and international stars:
Big-name former NRL stars such as James Maloney, Alex Glenn, Matt Bowen, Corey Norman, Jordan Kahu, Josh Hoffman, Andrew Fifita, Blake Austin, Matt Moylan and Ben Barba are among those taking the field.
International teams from New Zealand and Papua New Guinea will join teams from the Gold Coast, Queensland, and New South Wales in the dynamic 9-a-side format.
“It’s been exciting to bring this concept to life over the past three years,” tournament director Anthony Mitchell said.
“It’s grown each year and we are certain players and fans will have a great time over the weekend with high quality footy, a festival and atmosphere all the family can enjoy and more.”
One of the main attractions of the tournament will be Bowen.
The former Cowboys legend enjoyed a decorated career which included 10 appearances for the Maroons and four for Australia on top of 270 NRL games.
The man they call ‘Mango’ says he’s looking forward to catching up with old NRL sparring partners at the Nines.
“I’m looking forward to it. It’s always nice to see boys that went through the NRL with you and see how they’re doing,” he told foxsports.com.au.
“You look at the teams that lined up last year, there are plenty of star-studded line-ups. It’s going to be very competitive though. Most of us who play in the NRL don’t lose that competitive streak.”
Meanwhile, the tournament will mark Maloney’s rugby league comeback — 18 months after his last game.
The 38-year-old left the NRL at the end of 2019 to join Super League side Catalans Dragons.
After retiring from professional rugby league, Maloney laced up the boots to play for semi-professional French side, Lezignan XIII before returning to Australia ahead of the 2024 season to join the North Queensland Cowboys’ coaching staff.
Maloney, who will feature for Southern Sharks, was all set to play in last year’s tournament but the arrival of tropical cyclone Kirrily shut down Townsville airport and ultimately forced Maloney to throw out his plans.
Maloney has thrown himself into a three-week training regime, which he told foxsports.com.au includes “staying off the p**s and training most days” as he prepares for his comeback.
While he may not be as physically ready as some of the other players, the two-time premiership-winning playmaker hasn’t lost his competitive edge.
“I think for me, it’ll be fun… but I just know that once I get there I’ll be too competitive. It’ll p**s me off if we lose,” he laughed.
There are high expectations for Maloney given he’s joining a squad that have only known winning after claiming back-to-back titles in this tournament.
“I haven’t played for them yet, so that’s put a bit of pressure on me this year. If we lose, that’ll be no good at all,” he said.
Maloney is just one of the many big-name ex-NRL players that will line up over the weekend. But he’s not too focused on the guys with the impressive resumes — it’s the youth that he’s worried about.
“It’s awesome having guys with so much NRL experience and exposure for the competition,” he said.
“But I reckon the danger is probably the young guys that are playing, from all around Queensland and New South Wales that are playing A-grade level.
“They’re a lot younger and it’ll be the young, quick guys that will be the biggest test.”
FORMER CHAMPIONS
The third edition of Nines Premier League will feature 16 teams competing to join the Southern Sharks as the only winners of the Nine Premier League to date.
The Southern Sharks are the back-to-back defending champions, but will face stiff competition from a host of sides that will be stacked with former NRL stars and exciting new talent.
TEAMS
SOUTHERN SHARKS
Key Players: James Maloney, Patrick Herbert, Dane Chisholm
Staff: Jeremy Latimore
James Maloney.Source: Getty ImagesDAWGS
Key Players: Brayden Musgrove, Sam Clune, Jacek McLaurin
Staff: Jack Bostock, Kurt Donohue, Max Plath
Brayden Musgrove.Source: Getty ImagesREBORN
Key Players: Chase Stanley, Kane Evans, Nu Brown, Zane Tetevano, Dean Whare, Will Smith, Joey Leilua, Manu Ma’u
Joey Leilua.Source: AAPLEGACY
Key Players: Alex Glenn, Anthony Milford, Corey Norman, James Segeyaro, Gerard Beale, Jordan Kahu, Josh Hoffman, Drumayne Dayberg-Muir, Jordan Marshall-King, Adam Blair, Daniel Vidot
Corey Norman.Source: News Corp AustraliaUNITED SC
Key Players for United SC: Andrew Fifita, David Fifita, Blake Austin, Ben Barba, Ken Sio, Peter Mata’utia
Staff: Cody Walker
Andrew Fifita.Source: News Corp AustraliaSALTY PIGS
Key Players for Salty Pigs: Jesse Marschke, Ben Marschke, Ben Thomas, Kyle Laybutt
Staff: Victor Radley, Brandon Smith
Victor Radley.Source: News Corp AustraliaNORTH COAST MARLINS
Key Players: Campbell Pirihi, Will Hobbs, Kurtis Rowe
Jordan Scott and Kurtis Rowe.Source: News Corp AustraliaRLPA
Key Players: Matt Moylan, Kevin Naiqama, Sione Mata’utia, Tyrone Peachey, Mitch Rein, Chris McQueen, Justin Horo, Aidan Guerra
Matt Moylan.Source: Getty ImagesACTV
Key Players: Michael Burgess, Cheyse Blair, Cory Blair, Jordan Simi
Watch the Nines Premier League Fri Jan 25 & Sat Jan 26 on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo?Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
Cheyse Blair.Source: News Corp AustraliaARTHUR BEETSON FOUNDATION
Key Players: Donald Malone, Wes Conlon, Jack Beetson, Jake Beetson, Treymain Spry
Support Staff: Petero Civoniceva, Preston Campbell, Willie Tonga, Andrew Walker, Shaun Berrigan, Sam Tagatese
Treymain Spry.Source: SuppliedCMBT
Key Players: Cody Nelson
Staff: Greg Bird, Dan Conn
Greg Bird.Source: News Corp AustraliaEZ SQUAD
Key Players: Tyrone Roberts, Matt Bowen, Joseph Tomane, Sam Kasiano, Kenny Edwards, Joesph Paulo, Marmin Barba, Tuli Talanoa, Bodene Thompson
Staff: Zeb Taia, Eddy Pettybourne
Matt Bowen.Source: SuppliedKNUCKLE DUSTERS
Key Players: Josh McGuire, Justin O’Neill, Jarrod Wallace, Job Reuben, Matt Milson, Carlin Anderson
Jarrod Wallace.Source: Getty ImagesMAKATESI (NZ)
Matakesi Rugby is a touring invitational Rugby 7s club based out of Bay of Plenty New Zealand that was founded in 2020 by Conor and Sarah Hirini with the aim of gathering players from different clubs, backgrounds and regions by giving them an opportunity to compete in tournaments across NZ and overseas while embracing the on and off field.
Key Players: Fletcher Carpenter, Tamairo Armstrong, Brad Armstrong, Waisake Salabiau, Taine Craig Ranga, Waymin Kapia, Eila Dina, Peni Lasaqa, Matt Landsdown, Leigh Hotham.
PAC BAABAAS
Key Players: Sean Farrell, Poma Fou,
Sean Farrell.Source: Getty ImagesPORT MORESBY VIPERS (PNG)
Key Players: Tom Butterfield
Staff: Rod Griffin, David Mead, Luke Page, Johhny Wilshere, Marcus Bai
Tom Butterfield.Source: News Corp AustraliaTOURNAMENT STRUCTURE
Draw
Teams will be drawn randomly into 4 pools of 4 teams.
Each team will play 3 round games against each team in their pool.
Competition points for the qualifying rounds will be awarded as follows:
Win: 2 points
Draw: 1 point
Loss: 0 points
Finals Structure
Teams will be ranked 1-4 in each pool at the conclusion of the round games.
Teams will be ranked in the following order:
Competition Points; if tied
For & Against Differential; if tied
Points Scored; if tied
Coin Flip
The top 2 teams of each pool at the conclusion of the round games will progress to the
trophy quarter finals.
The bottom 2 teams of each pool at the conclusion of the round games will progress to the
shield quarter finals
FIXTURES
Round 1
Date (Time) Fixtures
Jan 25 (TBC) Reborn vs. Vipers
Jan 25 (TBC) A.B Foundation vs. RLPA
Jan 25 (TBC) United SC vs. Marlins
Jan 25 (TBC) CMBT vs. Sharks
Jan 25 (TBC) Legacy vs. ACTV
Jan 25 (TBC) Salty Pigs vs. Matakesi
Jan 25 (TBC) Knuckle Dusters vs. EZ Squad
Jan 25 (TBC) Dawgs vs. Pac Baabaas
Round 2
Date (Time) Fixtures
Jan 25 (TBC) Reborn vs. A.B Foundation
Jan 25 (TBC) RLPA vs. Vipers
Jan 25 (TBC) Sharks vs. Marlins
Jan 25 (TBC) CMBT vs. United SC
Jan 25 (TBC) ACTV vs. Salty Pigs
Jan 25 (TBC) Legacy vs. Matakesi
Jan 25 (TBC) Pac Baabaas vs. EZ Squad
Jan 25 (TBC) Dawgs vs. Knuckle Dusters
Round 3
Date (Time) Fixtures
Jan 25 (TBC) Vipers vs. A.B Foundation
Jan 25 (TBC) RLPA vs. Reborn
Jan 25 (TBC) Marlins vs. CMBT
Jan 25 (TBC) United SC vs. Sharks
Jan 25 (TBC) Matakesi vs. ACTV
Jan 25 (TBC) Salty Pigs vs. Legacy
Jan 25 (TBC) Knuckle Dusters vs. Pac Baabaas
Jan 25 (TBC) EZ Squad vs. Dawgs
Trophy Finals
QF1 – 1st Pool A v 2nd Pool B
QF2 – 1st Pool C v 2nd Pool D
QF3 – 1st Pool B v 2nd Pool A
QF4 – 1st Pool D v 2nd Pool C
SF1 – Winner QF1 v Winner QF2
SF2 – Winner QF3 v Winner QF4
GF – Winner SF1 v Winner SF2
Plate Finals
QF1 – 3rd Pool A v 4th Pool B
QF2 – 3rd Pool C v 4th Pool D
QF3 – 3rd Pool B v 4thPool A
QF4 – 3rd Pool D v 4th Pool C
SF1 – Winner QF1 v Winner QF2
SF2 – Winner QF3 v Winner QF4
GF – Winner SF1 v Winner SF2
Prize Money
Trophy Winners – $30,000 (10% donated to their chosen charity)
Trophy Runners Up – $7,500
Trophy Semi Finalists – $1,000 Deposit for 2026 Competition
Shield Winners – $500
RULES
2) Official Game Rules
9PL is conducted in accordance with ‘Rugby League Laws of the Game International Level’
with specific modifications for the 9PL Tournament.
2.1 Match Length
Each Match will consist of two equal halves of nine (9) minutes with a three (3) minute half
time.
2.2 Squad Size & Players on Field
The total number of players on the field in each team will not exceed nine (9).
Each 9PL team may register a maximum of eighteen (18) players. The bench compromising
of nine (9) players may be used on an unlimited interchange basis throughout the match
(including Extra Time). A maximum of three (3) players may be interchanged at any one time
2.3 Scrums
All scrums shall be formed with a maximum of five (5) players from each team (three (3)
players in the front row and two (2) in the second row). There shall be no more than four (4)
players of each team acting as backs.
At the scrum, the attacking team shall have the loose head and feed, and can elect which
side of the scrum the ball shall be fed.
The defending Scrum Halfback must also take up a position on the same side of the scrum as
the ball is being fed. All defending players not involved in the scrum (other than the
defending Scrum Halfback) must retire five (5) metres from their last row of forwards. (This is
as per International Laws) Scrums will only be formed in the event of a double knock on or a
mutual infringement.
In all other circumstances play will restart with a handover to the non-offending team,
including where kicks find touch in general play. The handover will be provided to the nonkicking team ten metres infield opposite where the ball crossed the touch line.
In the event of a successful 40/20 kick, play will recommence with an ‘optional tap kick’ to the
kicking team 20 metres in from where the ball crossed the touch line. There will be no quick
tap taken as part of a successful 40/20 kick however if the referee deems the defending team
to be of foul play by taking more than reasonable time to be onside, the referee can send
players off.
2.4 Point Scoring
A try shall count for four (4) points except for those tries scored in a
defined area known as the ‘Bonus Zone.
The ‘Bonus Zone’ is a clearly marked box, located in the in-goal area between the goal posts
at each end of the playing field. In the event of a try being scored in the ‘Bonus Zone’, such
tries shall count for five (5) points (5 point try).
The referee will signal that a “5 point try” has been scored by raising his hand into the air,
extending his fingers to indicate that the try counts for five points.
If the ball is placed partly on the ‘Bonus Zone’ marking and the remainder of the ball in goal
(except the dead ball line) the try will deemed to have been scored in the ‘Bonus Zone.’
All try conversions shall be taken by way of drop-kick in line with where the try was scored
and will count for two (2) points.
All penalty kicks at goal shall be taken by way of a drop kick from the point at which the
penalty is awarded and will be worth two (2) points.
A field goal in general play shall be awarded as one (1) point
Players will have 30 seconds to take conversion & penalties at the referees discretion.
2.5 Restarts
All kick offs to re-start play, shall be taken by way of drop-kick which must travel ten (10)
metres forward and land in the field of play.
All ‘Drop-Kick Off’ restarts shall be taken by the scoring team.
The kick off to commence each half shall be taken by way of drop-kick which must travel ten
(10) metres and land in the field of play
2.6 Sin Bin/Send off – Temporary Suspension
The sin bin period shall be five (5) minutes or, in the event that a match is completed within
this period, the period of temporary suspension shall be until the completion of the match.
The period of send-off shall be for the remainder of the game. If a player is sent off, he may
also be suspended from future games at the discretion of the 9PL Tournament Director.
2.7 Tackle Count – 5 Tackle Sets
A team in possession of the football shall be allowed four successive play the balls.
A handover shall occur after the fourth play the ball when the team is
tackled for the fifth time, or they commit a breach or held up in goal.
2.8 Injuries & Stoppage Time
In the event of an injury, the time clock will not be stopped.
In the event of a serious injury taking place in the first half and less than one (1) half of the
game has been played during the allocated 25-minute time slot, the remaining time will be
played at 9:00am Saturday morning prior to finals beginning.
Finals Games – time will be stopped for injury at the referee’s discretion.
2.9 Extra Time – Golden Try
For Round matches, in the event of a match ending with the scores equal after regular time,
the match will finish as a draw and both teams will be awarded 1 point each.
For Finals matches, in the event of a match ending with the scores equal after regular time,
the following process shall determine the winner of the match:
The match referee shall conduct a coin toss in accordance with the laws of the game.
The winner of the match will be determined by the team which scores the first try in this
period of play. The match will immediately be concluded with this try.
Field Goals in general play and penalty goals shall carry no points value during this period.
The extra time period will last until a try is scored.
TICKETS AND EVENT DETAILS
Join us at the Tugun Leagues Club for a weekend of unforgettable action and entertainment:
Dates: Saturday, January 25th, and Sunday, January 26th, 2025.
Location: 44 Boyd St, Bilinga QLD 4224
Tickets: General Admission Tickets, VIP Marquee Tickets
For more information, visit www.9pl.com.au or follow us on Instagram at @ninespremierleague.
