A SECOND generation of the McVeigh family from Freestone will have the chance to play in a TRL A-grade premiership win this season after an interval of 25 years.

George McVeigh was hooker for the Warwick Cowboys in its 1987 and 1988 A-grade premiership wins and is now a co-coach of the Gatton Hawks team which has qualified for the September 1 TRL grand final. His son Aaron won the Gatton player of the year award last season and is again hooker this season.

"It is very exciting to be playing in an A-grade grand final, a lot of players don't make one in their whole careers," Aaron said.

"There is a great feeling in Gatton about the team. Dad has told me about being part of the Cowboys wins."

Aaron was eight months old when his father played in the 1987 Cowboys grand final win against Pittsworth.

There is a strong Southern Downs connection in a Gatton club which joined the TRL in 1986 along with the Warwick Cowboys and Stanthorpe Gremlins, a club now playing in the BRL.

Stanthorpe-based player Jason Wilmot is playing halfback for Gatton and is the leading points scorer in A grade.

He is a regular in A grade along with prop Dale Perkins, of Stanthorpe, and hooker Aaron McVeigh.

Props Brendan Perkins and Kyle Marsh from Stanthorpe and former Warwick junior, hooker Wesley Murray, are in the Gatton reserve-grade side which is still in premiership contention.

After the resignation of Lee Wharton mid-season, George McVeigh and former Wattles halfback Sam Achilles are sharing the A-grade coaching role with strong support from captain Aaron Werth, son of former Warwick cricketer Maurie Werth.

Maurie played representative cricket for Warwick in his three years in the town in the 1970s and is a long-time volunteer for the Hawks.

On Sunday, Gatton beat Souths 36-24 in the major semi final to book a spot in the grand final. Souths play Valleys in the preliminary final this Sunday.

Finals program

Preliminary finals

Sunday, August 25

11.30am U18 Dalby v Valleys

12.55pm Reserves Gatton v Souths

2.30pm A grade Souths v Valleys

Grand finals

Sunday, September 1

First game tentatively at 10.30am

U18 Warwick v winner of prelim final

Reserve grade Pittsworth v winner of prelim final

A-grade Gatton v winner of preliminary final

A Clydesdales U20 game will be on the program