Across The Waves coach Peter Bock remains confident of defeating hosts and Whitsunday Coast Conference champions Magpies Crusaders in the sixth round of the nation-wide Australia Cup in Mackay tomorrow night, despite being without two of their best players, goal keeping sensation Sam Collinson and prolific scoring striker Bryce Hibberd.
“Unfortunately, Sam is out with a foot injury from last weekend (in Cup fifth round victory over Frenchville), and another very important young player in our formation, Bryce, is also out due to work and study commitments,” Peter said.
“But we have Hayden Lobegeier, Luke Leggett and Sam Meyer back from missing last week,” Peter said.
“Our Reserve goal-keeper Alec Rohdmann will be in the cage – he was our Division 1 goalkeeper ‘til two years ago when Sam came back in – basically he’s been our Under-23 keeper, but he’s got very very huge boots to fill – missing your No. 1 goalkeeper, it is very hard to replace him, but Alec will do the job.”
A spot in the National Round of 32 is up for grabs, and Peter said his players are on a mission to progress on in the competition.
“No team from Wide Bay has ever gone this distance, but we’ve had two good sessions this week – Tuesday night was light because we still had heavy legs, but last night was a good session, and we added a bit polish on what we need to do for this weekend’s game,” he said.
“I’ve been studying and watching them – they’re in that higher division for a reason and are a really good side with quality players, but if we do the simply things right, I believe we’ve got a really good opportunity to beat them – Frenchville did the same thing last year and went up and were only beaten 1-0 in extra-time.”
The team will travel up to Mackay early tomorrow morning, with an anticipated arrival time around lunchtime.
The match will be live-streaked on Football Queensland TV, and Waves Sports Club will also live-stream it in their Sails Function Rum, with Doors open at 6pm for a 7pm kick-off, with All players, supporters, and members welcome.
Team – ATW: Callum Hiller ©, Luke Leggett, Dylan Leggett, Cory Leggett, Simon Quik, Alec Rohdmann, Zac Nicholas, Nykodah Smith, Matt Twyford, Josh Mason, Brendan Davis, Sam Meyer, Myles Jacobsen, Preston Cox, Hayden Lobegeier, Aden Simms.
Meanwhile, there is just one match in Bundaberg in the Football Queensland Premier League Wide Bay Men’s division tomorrow, with SC Corinthians taking on Doon Villa at Martens Oval at 6pm, while United Park Eagles (UPE) travel to Fraser Coast Sports Precinct to meet the Flames.
In the FQPL WB Women’s League, there are two games at 8.30pm tonight, with UPE out to douse the Flames at Fraser Coast Sports Precinct, and Waves to duel with Sunbury Blues at Federation Park Maryborough, which is also the venue for the 6pm tomorrow shoot-out between Tinana and Diggers.
RUGBY LEAGUE: Fresh from their shock drought-breaking victory over Past Brothers, Wallaroos will go into their Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership Round 9 home clash with form side, second placed Waves Tigers at 5pm tomorrow at Eskdale Park Maryborough with a near-full strength side and renewed confidence.
But they will have to improve further against a Tigers side which roared loud and clear 40-6 when they last met on April 23, and is on a roll after successive victories over heavyweights Easts Magpies 22-4 and Wests Panthers 28-16.
At Salter Oval on Sunday, Wests will attempt to bounce back against competition leaders Hervey Bay at 1.30pm, but they too can take great confidence after inflicting the Seagulls’ only defeat so far this year, 38-24 at their Stafford Park fortress, also in round four.
Then at 3pm, 2021 grand finalists, two-times defending champions Past Brothers and early season title favourites Easts will both be desperate to avoid hat-tricks of losses, with the Brethren having been plucked by the Seagulls 54-16 a fortnight ago, before alarm bells rang after they were ambushed by Roos.
In the Northern Districts League, Avondale Tigers will have home ground advantage when they attempt to snap a three-game losing streak when they take on the win-less Gin Gin at Tegege this Sunday at 2.45pm, but if they can field a full complement of players for the first time this season, the Hawks will be hard to beat as they have been very competitive in all their matches so far, with only weight of numbers costing them dearly.
Earlier at 1pm, it will be a top of the table blockbuster between the unbeaten South Kolan Sharks and Miriam Vale Magpies, who have won their past three games since a 24-22 defeat at the hands of the Sharks in the season opener on 10th April.
In the Women’s League Tag, unbeaten leaders and defending champions Gin Gin Hawkettes will suit up against Avondale Tigerettes at 12 noon.
AFL: There is again just one AFL Wide Bay Marquis Macadamias Senior Men’s Premiership match tomorrow, with win-less Across The Waves Eagles desperate to ignite their season when they square off against their hosts Bay Power at Keith Dunne Oval.
The Eagles were soundly beaten by the Power 9.7 (61) to 4.12 (36) in their only previous clash this season at the same venue on 23rd April, and due to wash-outs and byes, both sides have not played since 7th May, when they were beaten by Brothers Bulldogs 11.10 (76) to 8.4 (52) and Hervey Bay Bombers 12.19 (91) to 1.4 (10) respectively.
HOCKEY: The red-hot Raiders/Rovers will be hoping to repeat their 1-0 victory over reigning champions Waves Cities I last time they met on 30th April in their Bundaberg Men’s rematch at Hinkler Park tomorrow at 3.20pm.
Earlier, All Blacks I will take on Cities II at 2pm, while Arrows/Athletics are up against All Blacks II at 6pm.
In Division 1 Women, two-times defending champions Cities will try to kick start their season when they duel with All Blacks at 4.40pm, and at 7.20pm, it should be a battle royale between Arrows and Raiders/Rovers.
GREYHOUNDS: Bouldercombe trainer Darren Taylor continued his Bundaberg run of success with another treble at this week’s meeting at Thabeban Park.
He got the money with favourite Manfred ($3.50), which made it back-to-back wins in the Uncle Rusty’s Photos 5th Grade, and second favourite We’re Back Boys ($4.20), which posted his first triumph in nine starts in the Rum City, and another popular elect and young gun Genius You ($2.80), in the two Endeavour Foundation 5th Grades.
Two other trainers picked up winning doubles, David Plummer, of Takura, with favourites Little Ripper ($2.30) in the Mixed 3rd/4th Grade, and Garfunkel ($2.10), which completed a hat-trick of wins on the track in the Sky Racing 5th Grade, and Robert Jacobsen, who hails from Summerholm, with two more punters’ fancies, former Victorian Ticket to Venus ($2.50) on track debut in the Mixed 4th/5th Grade, and Go Emmy Go ($1.55), which notched her 24th victory at her 102nd outing in the Masters 5th Grade.
Yo Yo Lad was sent out a $1.85 favourite in the Maiden, and he gave his rivals a running lesson, crossing the line 15.25 lengths in advance of runner-up Velocity Alexa for his Howard trainer Tom Lowe, while Bundaberg stalwart Lorraine Isles saluted the judge with Rifle Man ($5), which took his record to two wins and two placings from four appearances in the Novice Non-Penalty.
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