Brisbane Hustlers Archives - Wavell Heights News

Brisbane Hustlers Bring International Rugby To Wavell Heights Home

Photo Credit: Brisbane Hustlers/Facebook

The Brisbane Hustlers will take to their home fields in Wavell Heights as both hosts and competitors when the 2026 Bingham Cup brings international inclusive rugby to Norths Rugby Club.

Norths Rugby Union Football Club at Hugh Courtney Oval, 150 Shaw Road, will serve as the primary tournament location for the Bingham Cup and Amanda Mark Cup, with match play running from 20 to 23 August.

The setting gives the Brisbane Hustlers a particularly local role in the tournament. The club normally trains and plays at Norths and will now compete there as teams from around the world arrive in Brisbane for the international event.

For Wavell Heights residents and the wider community, all rugby games at the tournament playing complexes will be free to attend, allowing spectators to watch the Hustlers and visiting teams across four days of competition.

Hustlers Take To Their Wavell Heights Home Ground

Norths Rugby Club will host matches on each competition day, beginning on Thursday, 20 August.

The Wavell Heights venue will share match duties with Bulimba Playing Fields on the opening day and with Ballymore Stadium on 21 and 22 August. Norths will then host finals day on Sunday, 23 August.

For the Brisbane Hustlers, the tournament follows years of competing in inclusive rugby events in Australia and overseas. The club finished third at the Bingham Cup in Rome in 2024 and won the Purchas Cup in 2025.

The Hustlers were founded in 2004 as Queensland’s first gay and inclusive rugby union team before re-forming in 2012 after a hiatus. They also compete in the Queensland Suburban Rugby Union competition.

The club has won the Purchas Cup in 2014, 2017 and 2025 and has launched what is described as Australia’s first openly gay and inclusive women’s rugby team.

International Competition Arrives At Norths

Brisbane will host the Bingham Cup for the first time in 2026, with the tournament having previously been staged in cities including Sydney, Dublin, Amsterdam, Ottawa and Rome.

The competition began in San Francisco in 2002 and is named in memory of rugby player Mark Bingham, who was aboard United Airlines Flight 93 on 11 September 2001.

Running alongside the Bingham Cup will be the Amanda Mark Cup, International Gay Rugby’s women’s championship. The competition was announced in Amsterdam in 2018, made its full debut in Ottawa in 2022 and returned in Rome in 2024.

The wider Brisbane program will begin on 16 August, while training sessions are scheduled at Bulimba Training Fields and Norths Devils Rugby League Club in Nundah from 17 to 19 August.

At the playing venues, tournament planning includes changing facilities, disability-accessible toilets, warm-up areas and access to water, along with food and beverage options.

From 20 August, attention will shift to the competition itself, with the Brisbane Hustlers playing on home turf as Norths Rugby Club becomes one of the key gathering points for the tournament before hosting the finals on 23 August.

Published 16-August-2026

Brisbane Hustlers Mourn Founding Team Member Brett Barakat

Photo Credit: Georges Azzi/Facebook

The Brisbane Hustlers rugby club has announced the death of founding team member and committee contributor Brett Barakat, with tributes shared by teammates and friends online.

Club Rebuild And Committee Work

The Brisbane Hustlers said the club rebuilt in 2012 after a hiatus, with Barakat among those who helped re-establish the team. The club described him as a committee member who supported the group’s work as it moved toward early Purchas Cup campaigns and preparations linked to the Bingham Cup.

The club said Barakat was often the first person new players met at training, regularly checking in and helping newcomers feel included.

Support For Events And Fundraising

In its tribute, the Brisbane Hustlers said Barakat threw himself into club activities including open days, a new players night, boot camp, awards nights, Rugger Bugger events, and the club’s first trivia night in 2014.

The club also said he helped manage the team at the Bingham Cup in Sydney in 2014 and led an outdoor cinema night on the oval screening Scrum, raising funds needed to get two teams to the tournament.

community tributes — *Photo Credit: Christine Manfield/Facebook*

Wider Community Connections

Barakat had also spent time living in Sydney and was involved with community groups there, including helping put together the first Arab float in Mardi Gras, according to accounts shared in tributes.

A separate tribute described Barakat as an organiser who brought Arab LGBTQIA+ people together through regular gatherings and performances, and also recalled time spent with him in Lebanon.

Brett Barakat — *Photo Credit: Ewan Samway/Facebook*

Gathering Details And Funeral Plans

An informal gathering in Sydney has been announced for Saturday 20 December, from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m., at the Beauchamp Hotel, 265 Oxford St, Darlinghurst.

Updates shared online stated the Barakat family will hold a funeral service on Friday 9 January 2026. A further update said the funeral is scheduled for 10:30 a.m. Queensland time at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 50 Fairway Drive, Clear Island Waters, with additional burial and wake information shared separately. A Sydney memorial Mass is planned for mid-January 2026.

Brisbane Hustlers — Photo Credit: *Tamara McKee/Facebook*

Next Steps

Those organising the Sydney gathering have encouraged people to share memories and photos, with ongoing details about events to be circulated through a family-linked WhatsApp update group.

Published 17-Dec-2025

Inclusive Rugby Champions: Brisbane Hustlers Bring Home the Purchas Cup

Photo Credit: Brisbane Hustlers/ Facebook

The Brisbane Hustlers, a gay and inclusive rugby club from Wavell Heights, sent a powerful message to the rugby world by conquering their fiercest rivals for the first time to win Oceania’s prestigious Purchas Cup in Auckland, positioning them as serious contenders ahead of hosting a global tournament.

A Trophy and a Statement

The club secured the 2025 Purchas Cup in a gripping final against the Sydney Convicts on a wet afternoon at Western Springs Stadium. The tense match ended with a 7−5 scoreline in favour of the Brisbane side.

This victory was a milestone for the Hustlers, marking not only their first win under the tournament’s new two-division format but also the first time in their history they have defeated the formidable Sydney club. According to team president Steve Bevan, they managed to beat their long-time rivals twice during the competition.

The Heart of a Champion

The win was the result of a long and difficult journey for the club. Mr. Bevan, who has been with the Hustlers for six years, expressed that he was almost speechless with emotion following the match. He noted the team went into the final carrying several injuries but praised the squad’s immense resilience. He said that not a single player gave up during the entire game, especially in the final ten minutes when they successfully defended their line from a relentless attack.

Celebrating a United Community

The Purchas Cup, Oceania’s premier gay and inclusive rugby tournament, brought together six clubs and eight teams in a celebration of the sport. While the Hustlers claimed the top prize, other clubs also had their moments of success. The Sydney Convicts walked away with the second-division Purchas Shield after a convincing 14−0 win against a determined Perth Rams team.

The Rams’ coach, Jeb, conveyed immense pride and gratitude for his players’ spirit. Though the Melbourne Chargers did not secure a trophy, their captain, Mac Gosewisch, received the personal honour of being named the Best and Fairest Player of the Tournament.

The World is Coming to Brisbane

This victory comes at a crucial time for the Hustlers. The club, which holds its home games at Norths Rugby Club on Shaw Road, is preparing to host the 2026 Bingham Cup, the world’s foremost inclusive rugby tournament. Mr. Bevan revealed that he had told his team they would win the Purchas Cup to show international teams what they will be up against next year in Brisbane. With this historic win, they have made that goal a reality and are eagerly preparing to welcome the world.

Published Date 17-September-2025