The championship men’s coxless four at the Queensland State Championships promises to be a good race with plenty of state team and national championship medalling experience among the field. There is no shortage of expertise in this line-up of athletes.
Toowong Rowing Club
The first of two Toowong Rowing Club crews entered in this event showcases some of Queensland’s top youth rowers. Mitchell Bridge, Moss Murphy and Nicolas Barlow raced in an U23 men’s quad at the 2025 Australian Rowing Championships, coming away with a silver medal in the event. Mitchell Bridge also won the U21 men’s single scull, as well as being a member of the Queensland U21 youth eight.
Toowong Rowing Club Two
The second Toowong crew entered in the event features half of the 2025 Queensland Penrith Cup four, with Thomas Daly and Sam Parry. Sam also raced in the open lightweight men’s quad and open lightweight men’s eight, coming away with a bronze in both events.
University of Queensland
This crew from Queensland University includes some of the state’s top youth and senior athletes. Martin raced to a silver in both the U23 men’s pair and four at the 2025 Australian Rowing Championships. He also proved his calibre at the state level by being in the Queensland Kings Cup crew that came third alongside fellow crewmate L Tucker, who was also in the silver medal-winning U23 men’s four. S Forbes won the U21 men’s pair, came second in the U21 men’s coxed four, and competed in the U21 Queensland youth eight. All four members of this crew attended a national potential U23 training camp and raced in Penrith just before Christmas. With a lineup like this, this Queensland University four will be sure to be in contention for the number one spot.
University of Queensland/Adelaide University
This Adelaide University and University of Queensland composite crew includes Henry Belcher and Joe Thynne from the South Australian Youth eight and Queensland Youth eight. Belcher doubled up in 2025 in the SA King’s Cup crew, also. Both these boys also represented their states at the 2025 Oceanic Games Regatta at West Lakes. Joe was also in the 2023 Brisbane Boys’ College eight that went to Henley Royal Regatta, getting knocked out by the mighty St Paul’s on day four. These are some big boys, and the raw power alone in this crew puts them in a good position to be fighting hard all the way to the finish line.
Prediction
My prediction for the top three championship men’s fours at the Queensland State Championships is as follows. In third place, the Toowong Rowing Club crew of Murphy, Petrie-Repar, Bridge and Barlow. In second place, the University of Queensland and the University of Adelaide composite. The winner of the championship men’s four, however, will be the University of Queensland. With the number of medals from the 2025 Australian Rowing Championships in this boat, it is hard to see them not coming away with the win
