The Smuggler's Comp Trail: A New Season Fires Up, and a Kiwi Crew Holds the Top Spot
⚓ SMUGGLER'S LOG — ENTRY No. 469
Dated this 7th day of October, 2026.Position: somewhere between Tailem Bend and the Tasman, following the smoke. Conditions: a new season's just cleared the harbour.
The old ledger closed out weeks back and I thought the Comp Trail would go quiet for a spell. Instead the first ships of a whole new season are already firing up the coals, and there's a trans-Tasman scrap brewing in New Zealand that's too good not to log.
Australia — a new season fires up
The 2025–26 Heat Beads® Pitmaster Championship closed out FINAL weeks back, Dusty Que taking the overall crown on 416.95 points from Smooth N SmOakey Salad Dodgers (409.11) and Butterbeard BBQ (399.89). That leaderboard is locked and won't move again.
The 2026–27 season has already opened its account: BBQ @ The Bend in Tailem Bend, SA ran 2–4 October — this weekend, as it happens — with $20,000 on the table across brisket, pork shoulder, chicken and ribs. Results weren't live on the ABA site as this went to print, so I won't guess at a Grand Champion. Check back and I'll confirm it properly once the ink's dry.
Two more are already locked in: the Low N Slow Smoke Off at Gerogery, NSW runs its SCA-sanctioned steak cookoff this Friday 9 October, and the National BBQ Championships Forbes takes over Grinstead Oval on 17–18 October for a full weekend of competition and demos.
New Zealand — a Kiwi crew holds the top spot
Across the Tasman, the NZBA's National Championship Leaderboard is still reading "After Cambridge" — and BEERS Championship BBQ is still sitting on top with 43 points, having leapfrogged Cook Cartel (41) a fortnight back off the strength of a Reserve Grand Champion finish at Meat Noosa, on Australian soil. Rum and Que — whose Intensify rub lives on our own shelf — sit third on 39, right in the hunt as the board heads toward its next event.
Three teams inside four points at the top of a national board, with a season still to run. That's the kind of trail worth following on both sides of the Tasman.
The recipe — Trans-Tasman Skewers
One rub from each side of the ditch, run head to head on the same skewer.
Serves 4 · Prep 15 min (plus 30 min marinate) · Cook 10 min · Total ~55 min
Gear: metal or soaked bamboo skewers, hot grill or BBQ plate
Ingredients
- 500g beef rump or sirloin, cubed
- 2 tbsp Butchers Axe Bullseye Beef Rub (AU)
- 500g lamb leg, cubed
- 2 tbsp Rum and Que Intensify All Purpose Rub (NZ)
- 2 tbsp olive oil, divided
- 1 capsicum and 1 red onion, chunked
Method
- Toss the beef cubes with the Bullseye rub and half the oil; toss the lamb cubes with the Intensify rub and the rest of the oil. Keep them in separate bowls.
- Rest both, covered, for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
- Thread beef onto one set of skewers and lamb onto another, alternating with capsicum and onion. Keeping the two meats on separate skewers means you can pull each off the grill at the right time.
- Grill over high heat, turning regularly, 8–10 minutes for medium, resting 5 minutes before serving side by side.
Darryl's tip: bloom both rubs in their oil for the full 30 minutes before they go anywhere near heat — it's the difference between a dusty coating and a rub that's actually started working on the meat before the grill does.
The Smuggler's Secret
Bloom Bullseye and Intensify together, half and half, in warm oil before you rub anything — the two profiles merge into a dipping sauce neither rub manages on its own. Keep it off the official scoresheet, strictly for the esky out back.
Grab the gear
Both rubs that built this skewer live on the Rub Hub shelf — Butchers Axe Bullseye Beef Rub and Rum and Que Intensify All Purpose Rub.
Reader level: Everyone — no matter where you are on the journey, we've got you.
Log closed. Trail's still open, and the next ship's already loading.
— The Rub Smuggler ⚓ The whole haul's at the Rub Hub →