Cody Bell, Kaidan Bell, Tristian Eldridge and Toby Dasey.
In the heart of Wentworthville’s Ringrose Oval, where the roar of the crowd echoes off the suburban skyline, three young guns from the sleepy town of Gundagai, New South Wales, stepped into a cauldron of rugby league royalty over the weekend.
Toby Dasey, Cody Bell, and his brother Kaidan Bell – a trio bound by childhood mud-caked fields and unbreakable mateship – traded the dusty ovals of the Riverina for the electric buzz of the Wenty Leagues Sydney Qualifier in the Nines Premier League (9PL). Their mission? Punch through a field stacked with NRL legends to snag a golden ticket to the Gold Coast’s $50,000 grand final spectacle.
“It was great playing alongside my brother and our good mate Toby Dasey,” Kaidan said of the reunion. “Having three of us from Gundagai in the squad was special, and it was a great feeling to see all of us manage to cross the try line over the week end.”
The 9PL, now in its third electrifying year, is more than just a tournament; it’s a fast-paced revolution in rugby league, compressing the raw intensity of the 13-man code into blistering 9-a-side clashes with 9-minute halves.
Launched in 2023 by former NRL star and Indigenous All-Star Anthony “Ant” Mitchell, the event was born from a vision to bridge the gap between grassroots footballers and elite pros.
“We started 9PL two years ago, and each year has been a step up,” Mitchell told Sporting News ahead of the 2025 edition.
What began as a modest festival on the Gold Coast’s Australia Day weekend has exploded into a national phenomenon, drawing crowds of over 10,000 annually and broadcasting live on Kayo Sports.
With qualifiers in Sydney and Brisbane feeding into the January showdown at Tugun Leagues Club – re-branded for 2026 as the Yourhub Nines Premier League – the stakes have never been higher. Prize money has ballooned from $30,000 in its inaugural year to $50,000 this season, luring a who’s who of retired NRL guns looking to relive their glory days in a format that rewards speed, skill, and unyielding fitness.
The Sydney Qualifier, proudly sponsored by Wenty Leagues Club – a Western Sydney institution with roots tracing back to 1963 through its affiliated Wentworthville Magpies – unfolded on November 29 and 30 at Ringrose Park.
Hosted for the second straight year by the club that’s long been a feeder for NRL talent via its Parramatta Eels partnership, the event transformed the oval into a festival of footy frenzy. Families picnicked under the summer sun, kids tested their mettle in NRL development clinics, and VIPs rubbed shoulders with stars in the Wenty Events space, where the official live draw had kicked off the hype weeks earlier.
Enter the Southern Steelers, a group of players selected for their own individual skillsets, brought together to be a powerhouse assembled from the southern districts’ finest. Coached by former NRL forward Dan Hunt, a journeyman prop with stints at the Bulldogs, Dragons, and Raiders, the Steelers were a classic 9PL melting pot: hardened bushies rubbing shoulders with ex-pros hungry for one more hit.
Hunt, known for his no-nonsense defensive masterclasses in over 100 NRL games, brought tactical nous honed from years grinding in the trenches.
“We’re here to compete, not just participate,” Hunt had declared on the 9PL Podcast earlier this month, chatting with host Ant Mitchell about the team’s grassroots ethos. But the real X-factor was Brad Abbey, the Kiwi-born fullback who’d terrorised NRL defences for the Warriors, Titans, and Broncos across 50-plus games.
Abbey, with his explosive pace and try-scoring instincts, anchored the back-line like a veteran conductor. The Gundagai lads slotted in seamlessly. Toby Dasey, the 21-year-old speedster with a solid frame and a stride that’s evolved into a weapon, lined up on the wing. Cody and Kaidan Bell, brothers forged in friendship and connection from backyard footy to first grade alongside Dasey, manned the engine room – Cody’s bulldozing runs complementing Kaidan’s sharp half-back vision.
Their inclusion wasn’t luck; it stemmed from a deep dive by team manager Jimmy Graham.
“Jimmy actually contacted my brother Kaidan first,” Cody revealed to the Gundagai Times post-tournament. “He mentioned on his podcast that he did a deep dive into the BarTV footage, researching the top players in the Canberra Cup and reviewing a significant amount of highlight reels to build the squad.”
Kaidan confirmed the rigorous recruitment process, noting the validation it brought to their hard work in the bush.
“Jimmy Graham did his research through BarTV footage and by looking at the competition’s top point scorers,” Kaidan explained. “To be recognised and asked to join such a talented squad shows that we are doing the right things and heading in the right direction with our football.”
Graham’s eye for talent turned whispers into reality, pulling these Riverina players into the spotlight.
Day one dawned with nerves crackling like static. The Steelers drew the short straw: a pool opener against the eventual qualifier winners, a Sydney heavyweight loaded with NRL pedigree. Jarryd Hayne, the 2013 Dally M Medalist and dual Golden Boot winner with 268 NRL games under his belt, led the charge for the Campbelltown Saints. Flanking him were Tim Lafai, the Tongan international centre with 230+ NRL outings for the Dragons and Rabbitohs; Curtis Scott, the towering back-rower whose journeyman career spanned Melbourne, Manly, and Canberra; and Ken Sio, the speedy winger who’d notched 100 tries across NRL and Super League stints.
This wasn’t just a team; it was a Hall of Fame reunion tour, stacked with players whose combined NRL experience could fill a history book.
“Our first match was against the Campbelltown Saints, which featured a lot of ex-NRL talent, including Jarryd Hayne,” Kaidan said. “It was a fantastic experience to be part of that tournament and test ourselves against that calibre of opposition.”
The Steelers, outsiders punching above their weight, met the challenge head-on. In a see-saw affair that had the Ringrose faithful on their feet, Gundagai’s grit shone through. Dasey terrorised the edges, his post-school speed burst – a transformation he credits to a “more powerful stride” – carving open gaps in the nines’ wide-open spaces.
“I wasn’t particularly fast in school; it’s only since I left school that, for whatever reason, I’ve picked up a good amount of speed,” Dasey admitted later, eyes alight with the weekend’s adrenaline.”
He currently runs in the 11s for the 100 metres. Cody Bell’s highlight? A barnstorming break that linked with Dasey for a morale-boosting try, their on-field celebration a snapshot of bush brotherhood.
“It was the first time I’ve played with Toby since the Dindima Nines last January,” Cody grinned.
“Celebrating that moment on the field was a great feeling.” But this was Hayne’s circus. The Eels icon, absent from NRL fields since 2018 but still a magnetic force, orchestrated a late surge. The Saints edged the Steelers by a mere four-point squeaker that left jaws on the floor.
“We faced the eventual competition winners in our first game,” Cody reflected. “There were definitely some nerves going up against a team with ex-NRL players, but we held our own.”
The loss stung, but it galvanised the southerners. “Dane was out standing,” Cody said. “I’d say he and Tommy (Watego) were our top performers.”
For the Gundagai trio, the qualifier wasn’t about silverware; it was a masterclass in elevation. Thrust into a format that amplifies the nines’ chaos – faster ball movement, endless space, and lungs-burning sprints – they absorbed lessons from the elite.
“All the teams we played against had an amount of physicality that we don’t see all the time out in the bush, so it was a unique experience in that way, but a great experience as well,” Dasey told the Gundagai Times, his voice still hoarse from the weekend.
“Being around all the boys, as well as players who’ve spent so much time in and around the game, was a great opportunity for a lot of us younger players. I believe that one of the better aspects of it was the chance to improve our game and learn from some quality players.”
The shift from 13-man rugby to nines hit like a revelation, particularly for play-maker Kaidan. “I played a lot of touch football growing up, so I draw on a mix of skills from touch, league tag, and the Pub Nines at Tumut,” Kaidan said.
“The Nines format really allows you to play ‘eyes-up’ football, which offers a lot more freedom compared to the structure required in the 13-man game.”
“The speed of the game is much faster, and you can find yourself running out of petrol pretty quickly,” Dasey elaborated. “As a back, I loved it – there was more space to roam around and more holes to try and capitalise on.”
Cody echoed the sentiment, marvelling at the pro-level intensity. “We competed hard and punched well above our weight against some of the big boys of the competition.”
Their bond, forged on Gundagai’s Anzac Park where the Tigers have been Group 9 benchmarks for over a decade, proved the ultimate glue. Dasey, a product of the club’s youth pipeline alongside the Bells, had already tasted first-grade blood in 2023, debuting amid a resurgence that saw the Tigers challenge for silverware.
The Bells had a breakout year at neighbouring competition, Canberra where they played for Yass Magpies. Kaiden, too, earned his stripes in reserve-grade grand finals, while Cody’s raw power drew Graham’s podcast praise.
“As a team, I wouldn’t say I was surprised with how well we went,” Dasey added. “I knew we had some great players amongst the team, but to make it as far as we did was a massive achievement.”
As the sun set on Ringrose, the Gundagai lads reflected on futures as uncertain as the Riverina rains. Dasey, eyeing a Wollongong move, shrugged off contract talks: “I’ve got no clue where I’m playing next year… Got no idea what’s going on. I’m planning on moving, so… not really sure, just depends what comes my way.”
Cody remains equally open to offers. “I haven’t locked in anything for next year yet. I am currently open to offers from clubs and looking to see what opportunities come my way.”
Kaidan, coming off a strong season with Yass, is also weighing up his next move, with his performance on the weekend opening new doors.
“I have recently bought a house in Tumut with my partner, so playing locally in Tumut is definitely an option, Kaidan said.
However, since the Nines tournament, the Bells have received interest from clubs down the coast, and others in the Canberra competition, many see them as a package deal after the Magpies stint in 2025.
Now, with 9PL footage circulating on BarTV and Graham’s endorsement ringing in their ears, Dasey, Cody, and Kaidan stand on the cusp. The nines format, with its global roots in the 2019 Rugby League World Cup 9s at Sydney’s Bankwest Stadium – where nations like New Zealand and Australia clashed in inaugural glory – has democratised the game. No longer confined to 13-man marathons, talents like these can explode on a national stage.
– Tully Potts
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