Sport
13 July, 2026
Walsh shines as Bulls Under 23s close in on top spot
THE Mareeba United Under 23s are quietly emerging as one of the competition’s genuine premiership contenders, with a string of impressive performances putting them within touching distance of top spot.
Under the guidance of coach Allan Prizmic, the young Bulls have developed into a disciplined and confident outfit capable of matching it with the competition’s best. Recent victories over several of the league’s high-flyers have reinforced the belief that Mareeba has what it takes to mount a serious challenge for the 2025-26 premiership. While the team continues to impress as a collective, one player has emerged as a standout success story.
Seventeen-year-old Colin Walsh has enjoyed a remarkable transformation this season after making the switch from striker to centre back following an injury to one of the club’s key defenders. It was a bold decision by Prizmic, but one that has paid handsome dividends.
Walsh has embraced the role with maturity well beyond his years and has quickly established himself as one of the competition’s most promising young defenders. His calmness under pressure, excellent first touch and outstanding ball control have given the Bulls confidence when playing out from the back, while his ability to read the game has made him a difficult obstacle for opposition attackers.
Rather than simply clearing danger, Walsh consistently looks to build attacking play from defence, an approach that has become a hallmark of Mareeba’s style this season. His rapid development has been one of the driving forces behind the Bulls’ rise up the ladder.
That improvement was again on display at Borzi Park last Sunday as Mareeba produced a commanding 5-1 victory over Marlin Coast Rangers. The visitors struck first in just the seventh minute when Jonnie Dempsey found the back of the net, momentarily silencing the home crowd.
Despite creating numerous opportunities, the Bulls struggled to convert their chances before finally finding the breakthrough in the 39th minute through Cummings. The equaliser sparked Mareeba into life. Pendenza gave the Bulls a 2-1 lead just before half-time, allowing the home side to head to the sheds with the momentum firmly in its favour.
The second half belonged entirely to Mareeba. Cummings grabbed his second goal of the afternoon before Evan Lemonnier stole the show with a superb brace during a devastating 15-minute spell that sealed an emphatic 5-1 victory. The result leaves the Bulls just two points behind the competition leaders and full of confidence as the premiership race reaches its decisive stages.
With emerging talents such as Colin Walsh continuing to flourish under Allan Prizmic’s guidance, the Bulls appear well placed to challenge for championship honours. Mareeba will look to continue its outstanding run when it travels to face the Leichhardt Lions on 1 August in what shapes as another crucial encounter in the race for the premiership.
