It was a big weekend of sport across the region on the weekend, including a top of the table clash in the A Grade Rugby League Premiership.
Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Rugby League Premiership minor premiers Easts Magpies will go into the finals on the back of two straight losses after being pipped by Wests 22-20 in their top-of-the-table shoot-out last game of the fixture rounds at Salter Oval on Saturday, with the Panthers also claiming the Bundaberg Toyota Challenge Trophy in the process.
The Magpies had wrapped up the minor title a fortnight earlier, but after successive defeats at the hands reigning champions Past Brothers and now Wests, they finished on 21 points, just one in front of the resurgent Panthers.
That was after Brothers, who had clinched a top three finish with their ambush of Easts seven days earlier but were missing a few big guns and were unable to repeat their heroics, beaten by Waves for the second time this season 26-8, with the Tigers finally sealing fifth place and a spot in the finals.
At Eskdale Park Maryborough, Wallaroos, who had gone into the day needing for Brothers to thrash Waves for them to be any chance of pilfering fifth place, were playing for pride after the Tigers roared earlier in the afternoon, and they also failed to emulate their shock triumph over Waves the previous week, and were outgunned by Hervey Bay Seagulls who secured fourth place with a 22-10 victory in another fiercely contested Fraser Coast Derby.
The Bundaberg Toyota Challenge is contested between the two leading teams after two full completed rounds of competition, in their next fixtures clash, and Wests added it to the Darren Halter Memorial Trophy which they won earlier in the year.
The Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership is the ultimate prize, and Wests will go into the play-offs with confidence, starting with a Qualifying Final duel with Brothers, whom they have beaten in all three clashes in 2021, on Saturday week.
The Panthers had lost four times in seven games before their victory over Hervey Bay on July 17, but while it was only goal kicking that got them home on Saturday, with both sides notching four tries but under-18 sensation fullback Chris Robinson kicking three goals to Magpies captain Matt Craven’s two, winning form is good form.
Eighteen-year-old Marcus Tanner, whose father Corey is the Panthers’ coach and has gone from strength to strength in his A Grade debut season, bagged a double, while his uncle, vintage veteran hooker Josh Tanner also picked up a four-pointer.
For Magpies, explosive centre Trent Seeds continued his recent try splurge, bagging three more to finish equal with Matt Craven in the Leading Try Scorer race, each with 15, to share that award which he has previously won twice with his skipper.
Matt Craven had also led the Leading Point Scorer race for most of the season, but after going into the afternoon in second, two behind Waves’ Layton Chambers, the Tigers’ ace claimed that award with two tries and three conversions in their blitz of Brothers to take his tally to 144.
For Easts, as minor premiers, they will not play again until the major semi-final on August 14, where they will come up against the victor of the Qualifying Final, and they must regroup after winning eight in a row before their back-to-back losses, and they will play a team which will also have an advantage over them in match fitness.
Meanwhile, aside from their shock defeat at the hands of Roos in the penultimate round, Waves will go into their Elimination Final battle with Hervey Bay with wins over Wests and now Brothers in the last three rounds, and if they can sustain their form from Saturday, their coach Antonio Kaufusi is certain that they can go all the way, while reminding his players that they will have to take it one match at a time in sudden-death football.
In the Northern Districts League, unbeaten minor premiers South Kolan Sharks circled straight into the grand final, outgunning hosts Gin Gin Hawks 40-20 in the major semi-final on Sunday, with flashy winger and NDRL Rookie of the Year Montgomery Chapman-Dynevor leading the charge with a double.
However, Avondale Tigers’ title defence is over after they were upset in the minor semi by Miriam Vale 42-22 with the Magpies recording their first victory of the season with two tries to centre Mitchum Davies.
The Magpies will have home ground advantage in the preliminary final this Sunday against the Hawks.
Women’s League Tag minor premiers Gin Gin Hawkettes however booked their place in the decider with a 22-6 dispatch of two-times defending champions Avondale Tigers with Jude Bust, a veteran of Brothers’ dominance in the Bundaberg Women’s League from 2011-19, bagging two tries.
FOOTBALL
Nykodah Smith hammered in another four goals to increase his lead in the Wide Bay Premier League Men’s Golden Boot, spearheading competition leaders and hosts Across The Waves (ATW) to a 10-0 whitewash of Granville.
Corey Leggett also chipped in with a hat-trick.
But Brothers-Aston Villa (BAV)’s top four hopes suffered another setback when they were also shut out by their second placed hosts Fraser Flames 7-0.
2020 grand final champions United Park Eagles (UPE) consolidated fourth position, outclassing their hosts KSS Jets 5-3.
In the Women’s Premier League, Sunbury Blues consolidated No. 1 position with an 11-0 thrashing of Tinana, while UPE shored up second spot, downing Bingera 3-0
AFL
Brothers Bulldogs again gave it their best shot in search of their first win of the season against flag holders and hosts Across The Waves Eagles in their Wide Bay Marquis Macadamias Seniors Premiership showdown at Frank Coulthard Oval on Friday night, but they again gave up a three-quarter time lead to go down 6.10 (46) to 5.5 (35).
Inspirational captain Jason Bethune led the Eagles home with a three-goal haul.
But they remain in third place, behind Hervey Bay Bombers, who continued to sweep all before them with a 13.11 (89) to 6.1 (37) defusing of Bay Power.
HOCKEY
Lachlan McLennan and Matthew Quaite co-starred with twin doubles as Waves Cities rolled on towards the Bundaberg Hockey Division 1 Men’s minor premiership with a 5-1 triumph over Arrows/Athletics at Hinkler Park on Saturday.
But although their Division 1 Women remain undefeated in their quest for back-to-back titles, they were held to another draw by Arrows Nil-all.
Four-times defending Men’s champions All Blacks’ horror season continued as they succumbed to Raiders/Rovers 3-1, while Raiders/Rovers also got the points in their Women’s duel 4-1 with Annalea Vowles doubling up.
NETBALL
Reigning champions and unbeaten competition leaders Waves Gold again flexed their muscle in the Bundaberg Warren Family Homes Division 1 Premiership at the Superpark on Saturday, running out 70-20 victors against Natives Magpies.
But Waves Blue were blown away by second-placed Brothers Hurricanes 54-31, while Alloway Blue edged out Fusion Solomons 48-47.
Here are all the scores:
AFL WIDE BAY
MARQUIS MACADAMIAS SENIORS PREMIERSHIP
Across The Waves 0.2, 2.7, 3.8, 6.10 (46) d Brothers Bulldogs 1.2, 2.2, 4.4, 5.5 (35).ACROSS THE WAVES – Goal Kickers: Jason Bethune 3, Ryan Paterson, Jaymes Harrod, Tom Laycock
BROTHERS BULLDOGS – Goal Kickers: Michael Lovett, Mitch Parsons, Joel Saunders, Chris Heaslip, Jefferson Baulch.
Hervey Bay Bombers 2.3, 4.6, 9.7, 13.11 (89) d Bay Power 0.0, 1.1, 5.1, 6.1 (37).
RESERVES
Hervey Bay Bombers 2.1, 5.6, 10.6, 12.8 (80) d Across The Waves 1.0, 1.0, 1.1, 2.3 (15).
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS – Goal Kickers: D. Burt 5, T. Kidd 2, J. Wagner 2, D. Stanley, H. Feckner, P. Eisel
ACROSS THE WAVES – Goal Kickers: Eoin Byrne, Dan Foggo.
Maryborough 2.3, 4.4, 5.5, 6.6 (42) d Bay Power 1.1, 2.1, 2.2, 5.6 (36).
UNDER-14
Bay Power 7.11 (53) d Across The Waves 4.4 (28).
Hervey Bay Bombers 31.19 (60) d Brothers Bulldogs 0.0 (0).
UNDER-12
Hervey Bay Bombers Black 6.6 (42) d Hervey Bay Bombers Red 2.3 (15).
Bay Power 22.21 (66) d Across The Waves 1.0 (6).
FOOTBALL WIDE BAY
PREMIER LEAGUE MEN
ATW 10 (Nykodah Smith 4, Corey Leggett 3, Bryce Hibberd, Nicholas Chatfield, Simon Quik) d GRANVILLE 0.
FRASER FLAMES 7 (Chris Martelli 3, L Brindley, J Visentin, S Rankin, L Lakin) d BAV 0.
UPE 5 (Luke Coates, Josh Adcock, Jake Davis, Brendan Davis, Will Bath) d KSS JETS3.
PREMIER LEAGUE WOMEN
SUNBURY 11 d TINANA 0.
KSS JETS 6 d GRANVILLE 1.
UPE 3 (Taylor Stumer, Lucy Hamilton, Violet Lange) d BINGERA 0.
RESERVES MEN
ATW 17 (Preston Cox 4, Aden Russo 3, Mitch Aslett 3, Heath Hunter 3, Zane Groves 2, Miles Jacobsen, Sam Meyer) d GRANVILLE 0.
BARGARA 3 (Jonathan Barton, Michael Doyle, own goal) d FRASER FLAMES 2.
UPE 3 (Finlay Bath, Cody Pym, Jayden Pym) d KSS JETS 1 (L Greco)).
UNITED WARRIORS 3 d DIGGERS 0.
DIVISION 1 MEN NORTH
UPE RED 2 (Harrison Mahon, Elijah Mankofski) d BAV 1 (Casey Smith).
DIGGERS 3 (Nathan Freeman 2, Colin Crowther) d UPE GREEN 0.
BARGARA 6 (Kamal Khatri 3, Bartholomew Land 2, Kevin Maguire) d GIN GIN 0.
DIVISION 1 WOMEN NORTH
ATW DEVELOPMENT 5 (Cecilia Hicks 2, Corrin Stirrat 2, Amity Palmer) d ATW MASTERS 1.
BARGARA 3 (Paula Bocca, Terese Pym, Shakira Damico) d UPE 1.
SC CORINTHIANS 2 (Kalani Irwin, Kate Connor) d DIGGERS 0.
UNDER-16
ATW HOTSPURS 2 (Ben Schubel, Weston Giovannoni) drew UPE 2.
ATW UNITED 10 (Preston Cox 5, Flynn Murphy, Lachlan Brown, Jacob Rutledge, Noah Kerslake, Jake Irvine) d DIGGERS 0.
UNDER-14
SC CORINTHIANS 4 (Sharne Quinn 4) d BAV VILLAINS 3.
BINGERA 3 (Ethan Radel, Jack Gaston, Cameron Manski) d DIGGERS 0.
ATW SAINTS 3 (Casey Simpson 2, Nathan Saffioti) d UPE GREEN 1 (Liam Loudon).
UNDER-13
ATW UNITED 3 d BARGARA 2 (Willem Themsen, Flynn Schiffke).
ATW HAMMERS 1 drew BAV VILLIANS 1 (Swarith Chand).
UNDER-12
SC CORINTHIANS 4 (Peter Kinsella 2, Jack Zielke, Tyler Trippier) d UPE 1 (Alissa Winkler).
BARGARA STINGRAYS 13 (Max Shuttleworth 5, Elias D’Amico 3, Archer Morgan 2, Tye Critchlow, Zephaniah Spencer, Brayth Burkitt) d BARGARA HAMMERHEADS 1 (Hudson McKenzie).
GIN GIN 3 (Harley Lange 2, Ethan Bramble-Bashford) d DIGGERS 0.
HOCKEY BUNDABERG
U11s
Raiders Rovers 14 (Beau Kendall 1, Molly Crow 1, Ava Baldry 1, Levi Kendall 2, Courtney Kendall 2, Stella Dwyer 2, Silvana Silvestro 5) defeated All Blacks 0
Arrows Athletics 5 (Jessica Stehbens 5) defeated Waves Cities 1 (Sophie Aitkenhead 1)
U13s
Raiders Rovers 14 (Isaac Figallo 1, Riley Simpson 2, Jackson Howard 2, Mitchell Figallo 2, Levi Kendall 3, Emma Kendall 4) defeated All Blacks 1 (Steven Lane 1)
Waves Cities 3 (Connor Castelli 1, Marshall Eason 1, Campbell Baldwin 1) defeated Arrows Athletics 2 (Tully Dorgan 2)
U16s
Raiders Rovers 5 (Riley Howard 1, Jackson Howard 1, Silvana Silvestro 1, Hailey Kendall 2) defeated All Blacks 3 (Tim Wales 1, Thomas Chadwick 1, Kalen Wilke 1)
Arrows Athletics 1 (Jake McCaig 1) drew with Waves Cities 1 (Harrison Baldwin 1)
Div 2 Women
Raiders Rovers 6 (Chantal Baldry 1, Naomi Paulsen 1, Amanda Wightman 2, Reegan Wightman 2) defeated All Blacks 0
Waves Cities 1 (Hayley Simmons 1) defeated Arrows Athletics 0
Div 1 Women
Raiders Rovers 4 (Susan Kendall 1, Olivia Wightman 1, Annalea Vowles 2) defeated All Blacks 1 (Taylor Jardine 1)
Arrows Athletics 0 drew with Waves Cities 0
Div 2 Men
Arrows Athletics 4 (Harrison Gardiner 1, Cooper Peebles 1, Martin Green 1, Keith Scherer 1) defeated Raiders Rovers 1 (Dean Wightman 1)
Waves Cities 2 (Cooper Bengston 1, Michael Callaghan 1) defeated Raiders Rovers 0
Div 1 Men
Raiders Rovers 3 (Dean Wightman 1, Matthew Darr 1, Ryan Lee 1) defeated All Blacks 1 (Dale Veivers 1)
Waves Cities 5 (Ethan Rach 1, Lachlan McLennan 2, Matthew Quaite 2) defeated Arrows Athletics 1 (Martin Green 1)
NETBALL BUNDABERG
WARREN FAMILY HOMES DIVISION 1 PREMIERSHIP
BROTHERS HURRICANES 54 d WAVES BLUE 31; WAVES GOLD 70 d NATIVES MAGPIES 20; ALLOWAY BLUE 48 d FUSION SOLOMONS 47.
DIVISION 2
NATIVES EAGLES 47 d ALLOWAY WHITE 19; ALLOWAY GREEN 41 drew WAVES RED 41; WAVES PURPLE 64 d ALLOWAY RED 33; FUSION OCRETE 40 d NATIVES SWANS 23.
DIVISION 3
BROTHERS THUNDER 34 d BROTHERS LIGHTNING 21; WAVES ROYALS 43 d NATIVES ROSELLAS 30.
DIVISION 4
BROTHERS TWISTERS 44 d BROTHERS MONSOONS 21; NATIVES PARROTS 38 d ALLOWAY YELLOW 29.
DIVISION 5
NATIVES KOOKABURRAS 40 d FUSION MAGIC SULTANS 22; WAVES AQUA 34 d NATIVES TOUCANS 26; NATIVES FIREBIRDS 36 d ALLOWAY MAROON 27.
DIVISION 6
BROTHERS STORM 25 d FUSION PRECISION 25; WAVES SAPPHIRES 43 d WAVES SILVER 30.
DIVISION 7
ALLOWAY AQUA 30 d BROTHERS WILDFIRES 25; BROTHERS WHIRLWINDS 21 d NATIVES LORIKEETS 13.
DIVISION 8
NATIVES TYPHOONS 36 d FUSION DANS ELITE AUTO 25; ALLOWAY EMERALDS 40 d WAVES DIAMONDS 29.
DIVISION 9
FUSION SANDHILLS 16 d BROTHERS VOLCANOES 6; ALLOWAY PURPLE 30 d WAVES MAROON 10.
DIVISION 10
FUSION FORCE 37 d BROTHERS TORNADOES 18; WAVES TEAL 14 d ALLOWAY GOLD 5; BROTHERS AVALANCHES 44 d NATIVES HAWKS 4.
RUGBY LEAGUE BUNDABERG
BUNDABERG BROADCASTERS A GRADE PREMIERSHIP
WAVES TIGERS 26 (Layton Chambers 2, Mitchell Trims, Coby Gibbs, Reece Maughan tries; Layton Chambers 3 goals) d PAST BROTHERS 8 (Klinton Beer, Tom Murray tries).
WESTS PANTHERS 22 (Marcus Tanner 2, Josh Tanner, Daniel Clancy tries; Chris Robinson 3 goals) d EASTS MAGPIES 20 (Trent Seeds 3, Chris Glasson tries; Matthew Craven 2 goals).
HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 22 (Jeremiah Pati 2, Anthony Gray, Slayde Johnson tries; Mitchell Laughton 3 goals) d WALLAROOS 10 (Shaun Collins 2 tries; Jorden Kemble goal).
RESERVE GRADE
PAST BROTHERS 33 (Jamie Turnbull 2, Jack Rowan, Mitchell Richardson, Colby Richardson, Joshua Lucas tries; Dylan Harradine-Hall 4 goals, field goal) d WAVES TIGERS 14 (Sailusi Manufekai, Caleb Tairiwhiti, Liam Price tries; Bailey Brown goal).
WESTS PANTHERS 26 (Joshua Johnson 2, Andrew Mason 2, Isaiah Bullard tries; Ashley Helmore 3 goals) d EASTS MAGPIES 16 (Jackson Paulson, Jye Leet, Dylan Taylor tries; Jackson Paulson 2 goals).
WALLAROOS 26 d HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 12.
UNDER-18
WALLAROOS 26 d HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 16.
WESTS PANTHERS 48 (Kade Forrester 3, Lachlan Modrow 3, Kynan Hard, Connor Black, Zander Kerr, Chris Robinson tries; Zander Kerr 2, Kynan Hard, Taurei Elisaia goals) d PAST BROTHERS 0.
BUNDABERG JUNIOR
UNDER-16
Brothers 16 (Caio Kerr 2, Ezekiel Monckton, Ben Toft tries; Ezekiel Monckton goal) d HERVEY BAY 6 (Kayleb Angeles try; Eden Wheeler goal).
UNDER-15
WESTS 20 (Hayden Baldry, Noah Law tries; Lucas Brough 3 goals) d WAVES 18 (Tom Morcom, Emmanuel Iboro tries).
UNDER-14
WAVES 22 (Reghan Fischer, Jimmy Gear, Owen Hess, Preston Walsh tries; Preston Walsh, Jimmy Gear, Preston Walsh goals) d HERVEY BAY 6 (Cayleb Berthelsen try; Michael Parsgaard goal).
BROTHERS 56 (Levi Monckton 4, Ryan Bohl 2, Jomar Gustilo 2, Xavier Freeman, Isaac Barrett tries; Jomar Gustilo 7, Toby Collins goals) d MAGPIES 0.
UNDER-13
WESTS 12 (Kyjuan Tanna tries) d WALLAROOS 10.
WAVES 46 (Taj Plath, Parkka Perrotta-Dowling, Noah McGuire, Nicholas De Lacy, Tahj Coates, Hayden Ferguson tries; Parkka Perrotta-Dowling 3, Tahj Coates 2 goals) d HERVEY BAY 0.
BROTHERS 28 (Tom Elphinstone 2, Cooper Pampling, Jeremiah Solomon, Charlie Packwood tries; Jeremiah Solomon 3, Cooper Pampling goals) d BEASTY BEARS 8 (Tyson Rizzo 2 tries).
NORTHERN DISTRICTS
MEN
Minor Semi: Miriam Vale 42 (Tyler Harvey, Brandon Hornby, Mitchum Dawes 2, Dale Fischer, Cole Crawford, Glenn Cox, Tim McIntosh Raymond Kaestner tries; Robert Hughes, Brandon Hornby 2 goals) d Avondale 22 (Muthuna Jones 2, Billy Dau, Jack West-
Combo tries; Muthuna Jones 2, Brendan Prossliner goals).
Major Semi Final: South Kolan 40 (Jake Evans, Montgomery Chapman-Dyne 2, Jackson Brown, Phillip Lindsay, Palavi Tahaafe, Bruce Ikamanu tries; Andrew Filo 6 goals) d Gin Gin 20 (Mathew Collier, Viliami Molisi 2, Maka Taliauu tries; Cameron Ross 2 goals).
WOMEN’S LEAGUE TAG
Major Semi-Final: Gin Gin 22 (Jude Bust 2, Jessica Galea, Chloe Curtis tries; Emma Collinson 3 goals) d Avondale Tigers 6 (Sarsha Leeson try; Sara Atkinson goal).
Other stories: Bundaberg Dragons smash series out of the water
