Welcome back for Season 2026!

I hope all our members had an enjoyable holiday period. It is hard to believe that February is almost over and Super Rugby is already underway.

Congratulations to all Brothers representative players, especially Fraser McReight, who makes his Reds captaincy debut, and Vaiuta Latu, who makes his Super Rugby starting debut. We also congratulate all of the Brothers cohort selected in the NextGen Under 20 Series — a fantastic achievement and a strong reflection of our development pathways.

At Brothers, our players have been training hard for some time now. We allowed our fields at Crosby Park additional rest to ensure they return to their best for the season ahead. Thank you to our GM Mitch and Greenway for preparing the fields in such excellent condition.

More recently, pre-season training has been held at Windsor Park, with strong reports from the playing group that the change of venue has worked well. All our senior teams are looking forward to big seasons ahead, and we have recruited some quality new Colts who we are excited to see take the field.

Our Junior program is set for a big season ahead. We kick things off with Sign On Day at home on 28 February — meet the coaches, connect with families, test your skills, and say hello to some of our senior squad and visiting Reds players.

Our U6–U9s return to the Metro Hub format after last year’s success, while U10–U16 teams launch preseason next week, supported by welcome BBQs for new and returning families. Junior Colts begin their Lightning Series campaign as they look to defend their title.

We’re shaping up for another outstanding year on and off the field — plenty of hard work, strong connection, and great memories to come.

Touch Football has also started strongly for the year, with 100 boys playing on Wednesday afternoons in the Boys Term 1 competition. We currently have 650 girls registered for the Season 1 Girls competition, which kicks off next week.

I would like to acknowledge all of our sponsors, especially Seymour Furlong Lawyers, who join us as our new Principal Sponsor for 2026. I would also like to recognise long-time club sponsor Rohrig Constructions, who were appointed last year to finalise the design of our new change room facilities. Construction will commence following the season, ensuring no disruption to home games this year. Thank you to all of our sponsors for your continued and valued support of our club.

Thank you also to our staff, coaches, managers and volunteers for their significant efforts in preparing the club for the season ahead. Our club simply could not operate without you.

The costs of running a sporting club like Brothers — as with most organisations — continue to rise. This season we have worked hard to maintain junior and senior rugby subscriptions at the same level as last year. While there have been increases in recent years, it is important to understand that the club does not generate profit from subscriptions, with the majority of costs passed through directly, including insurance and QRU fees.

Touch fees have increased slightly in line with the extended playing season offered this year. We thank all our touch players and families for their continued support.

We will soon be advertising several key club events, including our annual Test Lunch. We greatly appreciate member support of these events, which play an important role in bringing our community together.

Finally, we encourage all members to renew their memberships and invite supporters to join our club community. You can purchase a 2026 membership from our online shop https://brothersrugby.com/product-category/memberships/

Thank you again for your support of our great club in 2026. We look forward to a fantastic season ahead.

Tony Lalor

Club President