THE 2026 NSW Rugby League Koori Knockout is heading coastward after Newcastle Yowies scraped home to beat Bourke Warriors 25-24 in a grand-final for the ages at Tamworth’s Riverside Sporting Complex on Monday.

With the score deadlocked 24-all, a late field goal less than two minutes from full-time by former Queensland Cowboys NRL player, Kyle Laybutt – making his first Koori Knockout appearance – sealed the game for the Yowies, who now have hosting rights to next year’s knock-out.

The Warriors led 20-12 at the break, and were chasing their first Koori Knockout win after putting away last year’s winners and knock-out hosts, Walgett Aboriginal Connection, 30-16, in the semi-finals.

With Bourke leading 20-18 midway through the second-half, a last-tackle bomb from half-back Isaiah Olsen set up a vital try for the Yowies.

The high, floating kick was collected by five-eighth Ngangarra Barker, who quickly offloaded to full-back Zac Miles.

Miles charged through unchallenged to score left of the uprights to give the Yowies a two-point buffer.

A successful conversion from Kyle Laybutt put the Yowies ahead, 24-20, with 15 minutes from full-time remaining.

A late try 10 minutes out and wide of the uprights by Bourke hooker Cameron Dennis, locked the score at 24-all.

Luke Walsh’s conversion attempt from the sideline and against the wind, just missed.

Kyle Laybutt kicked the match-winning field goal for Newcastle Yowies in the 2025 NSW Rugby League Koori Knockout at Tamworth on Monday.

With a golden-point scenario looming, Kyle Laybutt’s left foot one-pointer from just short of halfway sent the Ron Griffiths-coached Newcastle Yowies to a 25-24 lead less than two minutes from full-time.

With under 60 seconds of game time left, a short restart by Bourke allowed James Walsh to charge through, gather up the ball, and give the Warriors possession for the last 40 seconds of play – and one final crack at the tryline.

Oliver Pascoe got the ball out wide to Luke Walsh. The Warriors half-back flicked to five-eighth Tony Pellow, who in turn found fullback Jeremy Thurston out wide.

Thurston crashed through the Yowies defence but was held just short of the line by Yowies’ strongmen Oliver Pascoe, Luke Geary and Peter Lett.

For Bourke, it was a crushing way to lose a grand-final that went back-and-forth for a full 80 minutes – arguably the best grand-final in the knock-out’s rich 54-year history.

For the Yowies, established in 1993, Monday’s win was their fourth in the knock-out after collecting trophies in 2012, 2013 and 2017.

The Yowies collected four grand-final trophies at the carnival, all in honour of club matriarch Gwen Wright, who passed away six weeks ago.

Earlier, the Yowies women’s team beat Wiradjuri Aboriginal Rivers 14-nil – their second Koori Knockout grand-final win in three years – as well as victories in the under-17s girls and under-15s girls.

Under-15s beat Redfern All-Blacks 18-4, and under-17s bloused Bundjalum Sistas, 20-nil.