They say winners are grinners, and there were plenty of broad grins at the Northern Rivers Hotel yesterday in North Lismore when the Marist Brothers Rams were still celebrating their first-ever NRRRL Premiership, and their first in 22 years.

The NRRRL shield had all the big names, mostly from the northern end of the Northern Rivers, like Cudgen, Bilambil, Murwillambah and even Ballina. The Rams were a noticeable omission until just after 5pm on Sunday evening when the Rams beat the Murwillumbah Mustangs 20-12 to etch their names in Lismore folklore.

It was a game that had momentum shifts in the first half, and one of the best defensive efforts in the second half from a determined and spirited Rams outfit in warm conditions that saw players suffer cramp towards the end of the Grand Final.

It should be noted that the Northern United Ladies Tackle Team also won the Premiership at Crozier Field on Sunday with a thumping 44-6 win over the Bilambil Jets.

As you would expect, the 2025 NRRRL Premiers hit the town on Sunday night, with the majority turning up at the Northern yesterday afternoon with a few hangovers, little sleep and still in their playing gear, some boots and all.

Rams Coach Darryl Butcher said he had a two-hour window this morning, but was enjoying the celebrations.

"It'll end at some point this week," he said with a smile. "I don't think it's like the old days anymore, though a few of the young ones will keep going for days, and most of us will be back on the tools and back in the workforce tomorrow. Back to reality. And then we've got our club presentation on Friday night, so that'll be a big celebration for the whole club. I'd say it'll flow on again on Friday night. We'll have a little bit of a spell somewhere in between."

When asked what has turned the Rams from a mid-table team into Premier's in three years, Darryl said it's local footballers coming up through the junior ranks that are tight-knit.

(The 2025 NRRRL Premiers soak up the presentation with coach Darryl Butcher holding the shield aloft. Photo: Kevin Hogan)

"To be honest, we've added a couple of key figures in, as everyone knows, but we still fielded 13 juniors out of our 17 yesterday. People forget that. They carry on about the people that we put in there that are obviously special, but we've got 13 juniors that have come through our junior system, which is a great thing. It's something that I'm really proud of, because I've done a lot of coaching through juniors.

"They're really tight, to be honest. Everyone says that, but there's a key group of them, about five or six of them, that all come through together since they've been eight years old, so they're obviously tight. And then there's another, older group that have played a lot of football together as well. As it was shown yesterday, they continually just turn up for their mate. To do it at the back end of that game for seven out of nine sets in a row. It was just so good. I had goosebumps as it was happening. I'm just so proud of where they're at."

The older group for the Rams includes Paul O'Neil Jr, Mitch Krause and Lennon Bartlett. These are guys in their early to mid-30s who have been playing for a decade or more to achieve the ultimate goal before they retire, and for Mitch and Lennon, that time may well be now, leaving their playing days on a high.

Lennon Bartlett reflected when he knew the Rams would win.

"When it was about two minutes left, you can never ease off in games. I think I looked at the clock, looked at the crowd, and just took it all in and just embraced it for a bit.

"I didn't know what to do for about two hours after the game. I think we're sitting there lying in the sheds, and I just didn't have a moment to process anything. But once we sat down and processed, the boys were ecstatic.

"I've lived in Lismore my whole life. I've played for the RAM since I was six years old, 35 now. So, just to get it done for these boys and my family.

Lennon had around 20 family and 20 friends at Crozier Field on Sunday to watch him stand on the podium.

At 35, will he go around again or leave on high?

"I don't know, I don't know. I'll go through preseason and see how I go. We might have to go back to back, hopefully."

Co-captain Mitch Krause had told those around him that this was his last game. But you never say never. Mitch was savouring the shield and not letting it go.

"They will have to kill me to get this out of my hands," he said with a grin. "It's been a big 18 hours post-game, but it's starting to sink in. It's a good feeling. We worked super hard for it, so it's well deserved. Great coaching staff, great team. Yeah, never in doubt, really.

"It never felt like we were going to lose. We were in control the whole time when we turned them away for those nine sets. Like, if they didn't score then, they weren't going to. It was a good defensive effort. We're a defensive team, but we can score points. So, yes, a good mixture."

The 22 years between Grand Final wins is not lost on Mitch.

"My old man was the last captain. He won the premiership in 2003, so this means a lot. This town's been through a lot, so has the club. We played at Oakes with no sheds, no hot water, no lights for like, a year and a half. So, man, there's been some dark days. But, we got here, mate. It feels good. It's just hard to believe, really, it is honestly hard to believe that it has actually happened.

"I think I'll end on a high. It's all well and good to be, like, one more year, one more year, but you play to win premierships. I won my first one. Yeah, two would be nice, but nothing's promised. I'll see how I feel in January. You never know, you never know.

"For now, I won one with my best mate, Paul O'Neill, job done."

The other Co-Captain, Paul O'Neil Jr, has also been training and playing for a decade to get to this moment, and it is a sweet reward.

"Every year you set out to, obviously, achieve that goal. We've been at it a long time, and it's great to finally get a result. You've got a lot of people, over a long period of time, that have been around and through the club that just stuck at it and kept the club alive. And, days like yesterday, you have this surreal feeling. So, it's been great.

"Lismore itself has always been a really strong sporting town, but obviously rugby league as well. So it's good. The town itself has been through a lot in the last few years, so this is something that everyone can celebrate a little bit, enjoy themselves and have a good time.

Paul is one of the older Rams playing group who will be putting the boots on again in 2026.

"I'll have another run around. I love footy, so I'll just keep doing it as long as I can. The body side of things is all good. It's just time. You know, family, business, all that kind of thing takes a little bit more out of your life these days. But, I'll try and do it as long as I can."

Anyone who knows about the Marist Brothers Rams knows Benny the Ram. He's been involved with the club for about 30 years, is the number one fan and has been waiting 22 years for this Premiership.

"My heart was racing, but we got there in the end. It's been a great feeling for us. I'm very stoked about our win. I just want to keep it going," Benny told the Lismore App. "We can go back to back and get quite a few wins."

With the Lismore Rams playing group so young, and some of the older players going around again, there is talk of going back-to-back.

"I guess so, obviously, that discussion will happen over the next week or so, where we're at and what we want to do," Coach Darryl Butcher said. "There's a couple of our coaching staff that won't go again, but, you know, we're not just going to win one and be done. We're going to put together some guys and go forward and keep these guys succeeding and the club succeeding."

For now, the Rams players, family, friends and the city can celebrate a win that shows further signs that Lismore is looking ahead and ready for growth.