Past Brothers will attempt to become the first club to complete a hat-trick of Rugby League Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership titles since they achieved the feat from 2010-12.
They take on Hervey Bay Seagulls in what promises to be another epic grand final at Salter Oval this Sunday at 3.30pm.
The Seagulls have only contested the Bundaberg showpiece four times since joining the BRL, losing to the Brethren 38-12 in 2011, 32-20 in 2012, and 36-24 in 2015, with their only triumph coming in 2016 against Waves Tigers 20-12.
But the Baysiders placed second on the ladder, with Brothers third, and have lost only once to the Bundaberg powerhouses in four meetings this season, going down to them 42-22 with a much-depleted side in the qualifying final on July 30.
Brothers went on to edge out minor premiers Waves 20-18 in the major semi-final one week later, while Hervey Bay booked their place in the decider with victories over Wests Panthers 8-4 in the minor semi-final, and the Tigers 32-28 in a pulsating preliminary final last Saturday.
Brothers have made just one change to their major semi-final team, with multiple premiership winning forward Logan Tanzer added to the interchange bench at the expense of Corey Findlay.
While the team has not played for three weeks, they have continued to train hard under coach Andrew Hamilton, and inspirational captain and front rower Kevin Sherriff, who has been a key man in each of their past four premierships – the last two as captain – will again lead from the front.
Hervey Bay have made two changes to the team which upset the Tigers last week, with barnstorming second rower Max Shorter returning from suspension, forcing Travin Baumann to the bench, and Tyson Miller back from injury and on to the Interchange list at the expense of Dylan Bennett.
The Seagulls will certainly have the advantage in match fitness and their coach Jacob Blanke is quietly confident of causing another upset.
Tough front rower Steve Dwyer is the only survivor from Hervey Bay’s glory day of six years ago, while Brothers have six players who have also been integral parts of their past two triumphs in 2019 and 2021.
The Seagulls will also contest the reserve grade decider against Wests, and they are also represented in Under-13 against Wallaroos, who will also contest Under-14 against the Panthers, and U18 against Brothers.
Brothers will also line up in are U15 and U16, meeting Waves in both.
Finals day program:
- Under 13 – 8.00am: Wallaroos vs Hervey Bay
- Under 14 – 9.00am: Wallaroos vs West
- Under 15 – 10.00am: Brothers vs Waves
- Under 16 – 11.15am: Brothers vs Waves
- Under 18 – 12.30pm: Brothers vs Wallaroos
- Reserve Grade – 1.45pm: Hervey Bay vs Wests
- A Grade – 3.30pm: Brothers vs Hervey Bay
A Grade team list:
Past Brothers: 1. Tyrell Priestley, 2. Mitchell Clayton, 3. Connor Jones, 4. Zak Bainbridge, 5. Benaiah Kambanei, 6. Patrick Templeman, 7. Bryden Blair, 8. Royce Blair, 9. Eden Hess, 10. Kevin Sherriff (c), 11. Tien Nguyen, 12. Jake Thompson (vc), 13. Zac Dann, 14. Timothy Cole, 15. Tyla Hodge, 16. Justin Taylor, 17. Logan Tanzer.
Hervey Bay: 1. Ben Hudson, 2. Jerry Pati, 3. Chris Wicks, 4. Ethan Ballard, 5. Malachi Lawton, 6. Nicholas Collins, 7. David Woodbridge, 8. Steve Dwyer, 9. William Walthall, 10. Isaac Mielczarek, 11. Max Shorter, 12. Scott Walthall, 13. Logona Vetemotu, 14. Tiko Hooper, 15. Anthony Gray, 16. Travin Baumann, 17. Tyson Miller.
Football
Congratulations to Dylan Leggett, who will captain the Football Queensland Premier League (FQPL) Wide Bay (WB) Men’s All-Stars team which will play Brisbane Roar in a Roar Pre-Season match at Fraser Coast Sports and Recreation Precinct at 2.30pm tomorrow.
Dylan is one of eight Across The Waves players in the 18-man team, which also includes United Park Eagles (UPE) young guns Ryder Markey, and Will and Finlay Bath, four from Fraser Flames, and three from KSS Jets.
Entry is free.
Wide Bay Men’s All Stars: Goalkeepers: Sam Collinson (ATW), Chris Merrison (Fraser Flames), Defenders: Simon Quik (ATW), Jackson Taylor (FF), Dylan Leggett (ATW) ©, Ryder Markey (UPE), Joshua Hawkins (FF), Shaun Mitchell (KSSJ); Midfielders: Martin Wood (KSSJ), William Bath (UPE), Corey Leggett (ATW), Brad Mitchell (FF), Bryce Hibberd (ATW); Finlay Bath (UPE); Strikers: Troy Christophers (KSSJ), Nykodah Smith (ATW), Brendan Davis (ATW), Zacharie Nicholas (ATW). Shadow Players: Harrison Nasso (UPE), Mason McKenna (FF), Oliver Georgeson (Bingera). Coach: Alec Wilson.
Due to the Roar match, the only FQPL WB matches this weekend are a Men’s catch-up game between UPE and Doon Villa at Martens Oval at 5pm Sunday, and in the Women’s League, where the unbeaten Fraser Flames will take on UPE in a top of the table tussle at Martens Oval at 8.30pm tonight, and Diggers at Fraser Coast at 2pm Sunday.
AFL
Brothers Bulldogs, who will host AFL Wide Bay Grand Final Day next Saturday, have beaten Bay Power in all their five clashes in the Marquis Macadamias Senior Men’s Premiership this season, including last Saturday, but that will count for nothing when the two sides meet again in the Semi-final at NE McLean Oval tomorrow at 3pm.
The two clubs will also square off in the Under-14 Mixed and U12 Mixed Semis.
Bundaberg will also be represented by Across The Waves in both the Reserves and U17 Boys Semis, both also against Bay Power.
Hockey
Waves Cities will contest semi-finals in all four Bundaberg Hockey senior divisions this weekend, starting tonight when their Division 2 Women suit up against Minor Premiers Raiders/Rovers at 6.20pm, while in Division 1 Women, the two times defending champions’ title defence will go on the line when they clash sticks with All Blacks at 6pm tomorrow in the Minor Semi.
In the Men’s, their Division 2 outfit will duel with Minor Premiers Arrows/Athletics at 2pm tomorrow, while in Division 1, where they are the title holders and the No. 1, they will tough it out against Raiders/Rovers in what is expected to be a fierce physical contest.
All Blacks are also up against Arrows in the D2W Minor Semi tonight, while D1W’s table topping red-hot Raiders/Rovers should again be too strong for Arrows in their Major Semi-final at 3.20pm tomorrow.
Netball
Minor Premiers and champions of the past two seasons Waves Gold look set to bounce back from their shock 48-46 defeat at the hands of Brothers Hurricanes last week when they bib up against Natives Aim Hearing Magpies in the Bundaberg Warren Family Homes Division 1 Premiership Preliminary Final at the Superpark at 5pm tomorrow.
Waves Gold have dominated the Magpies all season, including 53-41 when they last met on July 30.
All five clubs will feature in the Preliminary Finals across the 11 divisions, with rounds also at 2pm, 3.30pm.
Other stories: Mackerel and reef fish biting at local hotspots
