
The CRRL is excited to welcome two teams to the 2025 George Tooke Shield (GTS), the Snowy River Bears and the newly established Googong Goannas.
Fresh off their 2024 Group 16 premiership victory, the Snowy River Bears have opted to make the switch to the GTS in 2025.
Meanwhile, the fast-growing Monaro-region town of Googong has formed a rugby league club, with the Googong Goannas RLFC set to compete in the GTS Men’s Tackle and Women’s League Tag competitions.
With the Cootamundra Bulldogs returning to Group 9, the GTS will feature nine teams in Men’s Tackle, while Women’s League Tag may expand to nine teams, with Snowy River working to establish a side.
Goannas secretary Tracy Morgan said establishing a rugby league club in Googong had been a long-time ambition.
“Simon Morgan (Goannas president) had done a lot of the groundwork in 2016, but around the COVID epidemic, it was put on hold,” Morgan said.
“As a resident of Googong, he noticed there was a need for the town to have its own sporting clubs. Since then, we’ve seen other codes get up and running and be successful.”
Now, the Goannas are making that vision a reality.
“It’s really amazing and a little bit surreal,” Morgan said.
“Googong has grown so much, and with other sporting clubs having great success, not just on the scoreboards but with the community involvement, we knew it was the right time to try and see what happens.”
The Goannas will call Duncan Fields home, a venue that will bring the community together on game days, with strong support already established for the club.
“It’s such a great spot, and we hope it will bring a lot of people down to watch some Saturday footy,” Morgan said.

“We already have a lot of people interested in playing and also in volunteering.
“We’re so appreciative of the support we’ve received from CRRL, sponsors, and the community – we couldn’t have done it alone.”
The CRRL also acknowledges the generosity of Geoff Young, president of the Monaro Panthers Football Club, for his willingness to share the grounds for both soccer and rugby league, further strengthening the close-knit community of Googong.
With a solid foundation and passionate supporters, the Googong Goannas are ready to make their mark on the GTS and contribute to the region’s rugby league future.
Meanwhile, the Snowy River Bears’ move to the GTS comes after a challenging period of trying to field both Firsts and Reserves in Group 16, coupled with the departure of several key players.
“We have been struggling to fill two grades for the past few years, and many of our First Grade players have moved on to other clubs or competitions after winning the Group 16 premiership,” club president Jason Dyball said.

“As such, we would have been unable to continue within Group 16, and there was potential that our club may have had to fold.”
The switch to the GTS provides a fresh start, allowing the Bears to field just one team and focus on developing young local talent.
“Moving to the GTS will benefit our club by allowing us to focus on a single team and most of all, will allow us to develop our local younger players into quality footballers through mentorship from some of our more seasoned veterans,” Dyball said.
The Bears have brief history in the GTS, having competed in the 1997 and 1998 seasons. Now, more than two decades later, their return marks an exciting new chapter for the club.
Their inclusion also supports CRRL's efforts to develop a hub for junior rugby league in the Snowy Monaro Region, covering Cooma, Jindabyne, Bombala, and surrounding areas.