GUNNEDAH lawn bowlers took home the spoils on Monday when Sam Pryor and Dillon Eather fought out the final of the Moree round of the 2026 Australian Indoor Singles Lawn Bowls Qualifiers at Moree Services Club.

Pryor, playing for Gunnedah Services and Bowling Club, utilised long ends in the latter stages to outgun Eather, who hails from Gunnedah but represented Kurri Kurri Bowling Club at the weekend.

The competition drew 18 bowlers from across the New England and north-west, all vying for a spot in the Australia Indoor Championships at Tweed Heads in August.

Pryor, who made it to the indoor championships’ semi-finals last year when beaten by eventual winner Corey Wedlock, said a tactical change midway through yesterday’s final proved beneficial.

“Dillon was beating me on shorter ends, so I tactically changed it to long ends, and that seemed to change the game a bit,” Pryor said.

“Long ends means you’ve got to take a bit more grass – it’s a bit trickier – and that turned the game in my favour, which I capitalised on.

“It was a good, close-fought game – it could’ve gone either way.”

Pryor praised Moree Services Club’s under cover lawn bowls complex, which will host the 2026 NSW Aboriginal Bowls Tournament over the Australia Day long weekend in a few days’ time.

“This is the first time I’ve played here. It was a good experience, and I’ll be back next year for sure,” Pryor said.

Runner-up Dillon Eather, named Gunnedah Services and Bowling Club Bowler of the Year in 2017, said Pryor was too strong in a desperately close game.

“Sam was just too good – the long ends got to me a little bit. I’m good on the short ones, but just couldn’t win enough ends, unfortunately,” Eather said.

“This is my second time playing at Moree. It’s a good venue – the greens are beautiful.

“Sam now goes to Tweed Heads for the last 32, so maybe next year might be my turn,” he smiled.

The ladies competition wrapped up on Saturday, with Tamworth bowler Linda O’Reilly also booking her spot at Tweed Heads. Read about Linda’s win here: Linda O’Reilly heading to Australian nationals after winning indoor singles qualifier at Moree.

Moree Magpies club president Wayne Tighe, who along with Paul Adams and Terry Thorne represented Moree Services Club in qualifying sections with one win and one loss apiece at the weekend, said competition was strong, with some of the best players in New South Wales out on the Moree greens.

“The weekend was great – four big days actually, starting Friday  and ending Monday – and really good for the club,” Tighe said.

“Everybody played well, and some games were very challenging for some bowlers new to the venue.

“Sam went through and won well. He played exceptional bowls,” he said.

The Australia Indoor Championships, last year won by Corey Wedlock in the men’s singles, with Kelsey Cottrell claiming the women’s singles – both defending champions after winning in 2024 – will see the best 32 bowlers from across Australia compete in best-of-three sets of nine ends each, with a three-end tiebreak if needed.

“It’s a tough competition and to have a qualifying round here was huge for the club – and a first for lawn bowls in Moree,” Tighe said.

The club is now preparing to host the 2026 NSW Aboriginal Bowls Tournament at Moree Services Club this weekend, January 24-25.

With $20,000 prize money, the tournament has drawn bowlers from across New South Wales.

The tournament received a funding boost through the NSW Aboriginal Land Council’s 2025-2026 Regional Events Grants Program, with sponsors including Roger and Gail Fletcher of Fletcher International Exports, NSW Government, Aboriginal Affairs, BCIB Insurance Brokers, Pius X Aboriginal Corporation, Moree Services Club, Bowls NSW, Jukes and Son Tyre Service, Gaertner Associates Accountants, Kitchens of Distinction, Reado’s Meats, TKT Mowing, Tighe Contract Spraying and West Coast Bowls.

“We’ve got 20 teams of four coming from across New South Wales, with 16 teams of two playing pairs on Friday to open the weekend,” Tighe said.

“We expect bowlers to start arriving in Moree on Thursday – there’s a big weekend ahead, with a dinner and calcutta planned for Friday night as well.”

Words and Images: Bill Poulos