Rugby League Jamaica (RLJ) staged its annual New Year 9’s festival at the UWI Mona Bowl in Kingston last Saturday.

Nineteen teams turned up to contest four categories, including Wigan-Leigh College from England.  

Tries from Kenneth Walker (2), Marvin Thompson, Jade Harrison and Akel Jenson led Duhaney Park Redsharks to a 24-12 win over Washington Blvd Bulls in the men’s final.  

For the Bulls, Oshane Edie (2) and Linval Green replied with tries. Jamaica Defence Force shutout St Bess Sledgehammers 24-0 for third, while St Catherine OB Thundercats and Liguanea Dragons finished 5^th and 7^th respectively, topping West Kingston Hyenas and Spanish Town Vikings. 

The Women’s final was a hotly contested affair between Redsharks and Sledgehammers. Shanique Smith and Allison Frazier rushed the winners to 8-0 lead before Sledgehammers came roaring back through scores from Yanique Days and Yianna Wilson. It needed sudden death extra time to settle the affair, and it was Smith who produced a brilliant solo break to settle the matters. 

In Boy’s Academy U19 finals, Jamaica Hurricanes Academy A edged English outfit Wigan-Leigh College 12-8.  Scorers for Jamaica were Damoy Palmer, Tyreke Hutchinson and Shevaugh Smith, the latter scoring in extra time. Both Wigan tries came from Toa Bayliss. The win marked the first ever by a Jamaican domestic team over an English team in any format of the game. Meanwhile, in the High School U19 Category, BB Coke High school got the better of The Cedar Grove Academy 12-8.

Director of Romeo Monteith commented, "RLJ is extremely pleased with the execution of the tournament, we had competitive games all round and Wigan-Leigh added an excellent international flair to this staging."

Duhaney Park Red Sharks won their seventh consecutive National Club Championship men’s (NCC) Grand Finals, and ninth overall after a hard-fought 32-20 win over Washington Boulevard Bulls at the UWI Mona Bowl on Sunday.

The champions had an early scare when play maker Chevaughn Bailey departed the game after only two minutes with an injury. However, they still managed to go into the half-time break with a narrow 10-4 lead after tries from Ryan Grant and Joseph Shae, Grant with the conversion.

Bulls’ first half points came from a try form winger Javon Lewis.

The Red Sharks surged further ahead 20-4 early in the second half with tries from Shaqueil Pollack and Adrian Thomas, Grant kicking one of the two conversion attempts.

The Bulls then narrowed the gap to 20-14 with tries from Orlando Messado and Reinhardo Richards, Mohenjo Thompson kicking one of the conversions.

With 15 minutes remaining, the Red Sharks made it a two-score game when hooker Akeem Murray burrowed over from close range, Grant again converting.

However, the Bulls again found a response, this time through Shamoy Stewart, Thompson again converting to leave the game in the balance at 26-20.

With five minutes remaining and the Bulls pushing for the equalizing score, a drop ball from Kahil Green in their own half gifted the Red Sharks possession.

 Prop Owen Linton then went on a thundering charge up the middle and scored under the sticks, Grant again slotted home the conversion to seal the 32-20 victory for the champs.

 Winning Head Coach Roy Calvert while happy for the win praised their opponents’ effort.

“Hats off to the Bulls, they were determined. The conditions were not perfect and both teams had a hard time holding on to the ball,” Calvert remarked.

“I’m proud of my team though, we have ended the season unbeaten, so it’s another historic moment for us. I was really pleased to see the growth of some of our young players and to end with a win in the Grand Finals is the perfect ending to the season.”

Oshane Edie coach of the Bulls expressed his pride at how his team performed in the losing effort.

“It was a good final. We lost momentum in the first half, got back in it the second but we failed to capitalize on our opportunities. I’m proud of the boys, it was a very intense game and congrats to the Red Sharks on their victory.”

In the third-place playoff, Western Hyenas ran out 32-12 winners over Liguanea Dragons.

Community club rugby league returned to Jamaica for the first time in over two years with the playing of the Rugby League Jamaica Summer 9s at the Cedar Grove Academy on Saturday.

Nine community teams participated, and Washington Blvd Bulls came out winners with a hard fought 8-6 win over West Kingston Hyenas in the final. 

The tournament saw two new teams make their rugby league debut, Portmore Rugby League Club and Young Crocs Academy.

Young Crocs made it all the way to the main draw semi-finals before losing to the Hyenas 1-24, meanwhile, Portmore did themselves proud by advancing to the consolidation semi-finals before losing to Duhaney Park 16-18. 

The other teams in the tournament were Liguanea Dragons who lost 8-20 in the consolidation semi-finals and St. Bess Sledgehammers who lost 6-16 in the main draw semi-finals to the Bulls. 

In the consolidation bracket final Duhaney Park Redsharks edged the Jamaica Defence Force Warriors 18-14

Director of Rugby Romeo Monteith commented on the restart of domestic club rugby league.

"The rugby league family is overjoyed to return to community play, this game means a lot for the physical and mental wellbeing of so many and it is good to be back playing," Monteith said. 

"It was a great turnout of community teams, match officials and fans and we hope to build on this momentum as we look to launch our National Club Championship on June 6," he added.