Wyaralong Dam always adds some extra spice to a race; with potential rain on the way for this year’s competition, it will be no different. While this field for the championship men’s eight is smaller than those of previous years, it will certainly still be an interesting watch, with the University of Queensland Boat Club (UQBC) looking to defend their title. Additionally, there will be plenty of intraclub rivalry, with UQBC entering two crews, and Toowong Rowing Club (TRC) entering one and a composite. This year’s race will not just be a Brisbane competition either, with a composite crew from Rockhampton Fitzroy Rowing Club, meaning seven clubs in total are represented from all across the country.
University of Queensland Boat Club – Lane Ten
Definitely the more experienced of the two UQBC crews, this crew has more than a little bit of experience under its belt, with five of its members returning from the crew that won this event in last year’s championship. In the ensuing year, this crew has certainly been busy, with Monty Martin and Drew Weightman representing Australia at the U23 World Rowing Championships, and almost all the crew wearing Queensland maroon at the national championships in both the youth and men’s eights. Additionally, Morgan Hodgson has represented Australia in coastal rowing. A very similar crew gave a strong showing at the Head of the Yarra in November, and with no Kand Rowing Club this year, they will be the crew to beat. Another note is that five of this crew attended school together at Brisbane Boys College, forming part of the school’s three successive victories in the Queensland GPS competition in 2021-23; such a longstanding connection surely is a factor.
Toowong Rowing Club
This year’s Toowong crew is a mixed bag, with several recent school leavers and some more experienced athletes at the club level, who delivered strong performances at last year’s national championships. Much the same crew won the B-Grade at the Head of the Yarra, edging out a crew only slightly different to the second UQBC crew now stroked by Oliver Wright. They are now joined by some of those who won the C-Grade at the Yarra, so this is a crew with some experience winning, even if in lower divisions.
University of Queensland – Lane Eight
Very much the young-gun entry from UQBC this year, much like the crew from Toowong, this crew is full of recent school athletes, with many graduating as recently as 2024 and 2025 from the schoolboy first VIII’s in the Brisbane GPS competition. There is, however, a firm spine of experience in the crew, with Patrick Murphy winning silver and bronze in the club double sculls and U23 quadruple sculls respectively at 2025’s national championships.
Prediction
1st – University of Queensland Boat Club – Lane Ten
2nd – Toowong Rowing Club
3rd – University of Queensland – Lane Eight
With the sheer weight of experience in the UQBC crew stroked by Martin, it is hard to see them not coming out on top. The rest of the field is less specific. Toowong’s full crew and the second UQBC crew will fight it out for the remaining places, in my opinion, and while it will surely be a close competition, I think Toowong will prevail once again, though this race will probably be the competition to watch. Toowong’s and Rockhampton Fitzroy’s composites are a bit more uncertain, and while it will be exciting to see what they can do, I don’t see them finishing on the podium.
