After sweeping all before them throughout the fixture rounds and the semi-final, Across The Waves Eagles suffered a heart-breaking two-point loss to hosts Hervey Bay Bombers in the AFL Wide Bay Takalvan’s Women’s Premiership grand final at Norm McLean Oval on Saturday.
It was the third time in three completed seasons (last season was abandoned with a few rounds to go due to Covid-19) that the Bombers had met the Eagles in the decider, and the Bay-siders completed a hat-trick of titles with a 3.4 (22) to 3.2 (20) victory, but the difference was that Waves were favourites this time.
In a low-scoring affair, the Eagles kicked 1.1 to 0.1 in the first quarter, but were held scoreless in the second term as the Bombers slotted 1.2.
Hervey Bay also led by three points at the last change, and held on, with both sides each posting one major in the run home.
The Eagles were naturally very disappointed to lose in such fashion, but coach Jason Bethune was “superb proud” of his team, while lamenting a Bombers’ 50m penalty which resulted in a goal.
The Bombers’ Stacey Shore took out the Umpires’ Medal, while the Coach’s Medals were awarded to Kayla Baldwin (Bombers) and Sarah Pizzey (Eagles).
The Eagles however flew high in their Marquis Macadamia’s Seniors home clash with Brothers Bulldogs on Friday night, triumphing 17.10 (112) to 4.2 (26).
Lachlan Patterson, whose father Ricky and grandfather Col Patterson are both club legends has returned home this year after a stint in Brisbane Rugby League, playing for Redcliffe Dolphins. He has been in outstanding form for his league club Wests Panthers and led the charge with seven goals, while captain Jason Bethune kicked five, and Nathan Van Eekeren picked up four in his first game of the season.
Rugby League
Lachlan Patterson backed up for Wests on Saturday and was among a galaxy of stars as the Panthers purred back to the top of the Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership table with a 38-26 win over Easts Magpies in a Salter Oval battle royale.
Panthers’ representative five-eighth Caleb Tull amassed 16 points with two tries and four conversions, while second rower Dyirun Johnson also notched a double, and for the Magpies, captain and lock Matthew Craven also continued his supreme form with a hat-trick of tries in a signature high-class all-round performance.
In other matches, Hervey Bay Seagulls relinquished top spot after suffering their first defeat, at home at the hands of Wallaroos 20-18, while also at Salter, Waves Tigers finally roared to record their first win of the year, shocking Past Brothers 46-18 with their former North Queensland Cowboys National Youth Cup star outside back Cody Maughan also crossing twice in just his second game for the club.
In the Northern Districts (ND), South Kolan Sharks powered on at the head of affairs with a 50-6 mauling of Avondale Tigers on Sunday, while hosts Gin Gin Hawks consolidated second place with rugged front rower Filimone Latu grabbing a double in a 44-6 plucking of Miriam Vale Magpies.
The Hawks also soared in the ND Women’s League Tag, white-washing Avondale Tigers 30-0 with five-eighth Jessica Galea playing a leading hand with a three-try haul.
Football
Across Waves (ATW) continued on from their Hitz FM 93.9 Cup grand final success earlier in the week, outclassing hosts Doon Villa 6-1 in their Wide Bay Premier League Men’s clash in Maryborough on Saturday with two goals each to Bryce Hibberd, Nykodah Smith and captain Callum Hillier.
Two of Bundaberg’s other title aspirants, United Park Eagles (UPE) and Bingera, were each also victorious at Martens Oval, against SC Corinthians 3-2 and Sunbury Blues 4-1 respectively.
The Rum City’s three representatives in the Premier League Women’s division, each also had wins, with Taylor Stumer a match winner for UPE with a hat-trick as they downed league leaders Sunbury 4-1, Bingera accounting for Granville, and ATW disposing of Tinana, both with 3-0 score-lines.
Hockey
Bundaberg Division 1 Men’s four-times defending champions All Blacks’ unbeaten run ended with a 5-0 shut-out at the hands of beaten grand finalists of the past four years and arch-rivals Waves Cities at Hinkler Park on Saturday, with Joel Latham making play for the Blues with a double.
Meanwhile, Colby Zahn was a hat-trick hero for Raiders/Rovers as they pipped Arrows/Athletics 3-2.
Here are all the scores:
AFL Wide Bay
Takalvan’s Women’s Premiership
Grand final: Hervey Bay Bombers 0.1, 1.3, 2.4, 3.4 (22) d Across The Waves 1.1, 1.1, 2.1, 3.2 (20).
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS – Goal Kickers: Taylah King, Stacey Shore, Tiana Lines
ACROSS THE WAVES – Goal Kickers: Hayley Gash, Monica Hung, Ashley Black
Marquis Macadamia’s Seniors Premiership
Round 5:
Across The Waves 4.1, 9.3, 13.7, 17.10 (112) d Brothers Bulldogs 1.0, 2.1, 3.1, 4.2 (26).
ACROSS THE WAVES – Goal Kickers: Lachlan Patterson 7, Jason Bethune 5, Nathan Van Eekeren 4, Damian McRae. Best Players: Damian McRae, Lachlan Patterson, Max Wright, Codey Woodrow, Travis Esmer, Tom Laycock
BROTHERS BULLDOGS – Goal Kickers: Mitch Parsons, Adam Klimkiewicz, Kyle Anderson, Declan Cooper. Best Players: Harry Hodgson, Joel Saunders, Tristan Taylor, Griffin Webb, Jefferson Baulch, Adam Harber.
Hervey Bay Bombers 1.2, 5.7, 8.9, 9.13 (67) d Bay Power 2.3, 4.3, 7.4, 7.5 (47).
Reserves
Across The Waves 0.2, 3.3, 3.4, 4.5 (29) d Brothers Bulldogs 0.1, 0.1, 1.3, 4.5 (29).
ACROSS THE WAVES – Goal Kickers: Lachlan McLeod, Paul Welsh, Keiran Perry, Isak Hose. Best Players: Kaine Gould, Isak Hose, Callum Neubecker, Tobey Nunn, Harrison Schneider, Paul Welsh
BROTHERS BULLDOGS – Goal Kickers: Shane Brady 3, Robert McKeown. Best Players: Joel Fry, Shane Brady, Robert McKeown, Andrew Wattie, Robert Allardyce, Joshua Wilkinson
Hervey Bay Bombers 2.0, 6.2, 8.4, 13.8 (86) d Bay Power 1.1, 2.1, 2.3, 2.3 (15).
UNDER-14
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 17.12 (78) d BROTHERS BULLDOGS 2.6 (18).
BAY POWER 15.16 (82) d ACROSS THE WAVES 3.4 (22).
UNDER-12
BROTHERS BULLDOGS 8.4 (52) d BAY POWER 4.2 (26).
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 12.22 (60) d ACROSS THE WAVES 0.0 (0).
Football Wide Bay
Premier League Men
FRASER FLAMES 5 d GRANVILLE 2.
KSS JETS 7 d DIGGERS 0.
UPE 3 d SC CORINTHIANS 2 (Ben Flor, own goal).
BINGERA 4 (Gary O’Donnell 2, Patrick McMahon, Josh Watson) d SUNBURY BLUES 1.
ATW 6 (Bryce Hibberd 2, Nykodah Smith 2, Callum Hillier 2) d DOON VILLA 1.
Reserves Men
FRASER FLAMES 7 d GRANVILLE 1.
BINGERA 1 drew SUNBURY BLUES 1.
UPE 4 (Finlay Bath 2, Tyler Ash, Cody Pym) d SC CORINTHIANS 2 (W Osborne, Craig Brown).
ATW 3 (Aden Russo, Josh Mason, Ryan Royall) d DOON VILLA 2.
UNITED WARRIORS 2 d BARGARA 0.
Premier League Women
UPE 4 (Taylor Stumer 3, Taryn Gollshewsky) d SUNBURY BLUES 1 (K Frehmann).
BINGERA 3 d GRANVILLE 0.
ATW 3 (Lily Thatcher, Alex Brunker, Tayla Zielke) d TINANA 0.
Men's North Division 1
DIGGERS 4 d SC CORINTHIANS 2.
BAV 4 (Jacob Green, Jesse Sommer, Casey Smith, Jacob Dilger) d BARGARA 0.
ATW 4 (John Giovannoni, Troy Howes, Zane Groves, Lachlan Brown) d UPE RED 2 (Ethan Maas, Akil Ulahannnan).
UPE GREEN 6 d GIN GIN 1 (Axle Lange).
Women’s North Division 1
BARGARA 3 (Shakira Damico 3) d UPE 0.
ATW MASTERS 1 (Brooke Land) d ATW DEVELOPMENT 0.
UNDER-16 North
ATW UNITED 4 (Lachlan Brown 2, Ryan Royall, Blake Hunter) d ATW HOTSPURS 1 (Weston Giovannoni).
UNDER-14 North
UPE GREEN 23 (Sebastian Dexter 6, Liam Loudon 6, Nathan Voss 3, Sean Millett 3, April Mathiesen 2, Wil McMahon, Isaac Maas) d BAV VILLAINS 0.
ATW SAINTS 16 d GIN GIN 0.
UPE RED 1 (Jack Chatfield) drew BINGERA 1.
DIGGERS 10 (Caolan Craven-Hughes 2, Frajo Chelappadan 2, Landa Appo 2, Paige Parker 2, Hamish Haase, Scarlett Wallace) d SC CORINTHIANS 0.
UNDER-13 North
UPE 2 (Cooper Bennier, Logan Harris) d ATW UNITED 0.
UNDER-12 North
BARGARA STINGRAYS 7 (Archer Morgan 2, Max Shuttleworth 2, Slater Avenell 2, Brayth Burkitt) d BARGARA HAMMERHEADS 3.
SC CORINTHIANS 5 (Jack Zielke 3, Ethan Lambert 2) d UPE 0.
GIN GIN 3 (Harley Lange, Ethan Bramble-Bashford, Ty Lavercombe) d DIGGERS 2 (Harvey Ballantyne, Connor Scott).
Hockey Bundaberg
U11s
Raiders Rovers 2 (Silvana Silvestro 1, Courtney Kendall 1) defeated Arrows Athletics 1 (Hamish Cook)
Waves Cities 13 (Ruby Potter 1, Lilly Potter 1, Lilly Pashley 1, Cooper Pashley 1, Brock Green 1, Sophie Aitkenhead 8) defeated All Blacks 0
U13s
Arrows Athletics 7 (Tully Dorgan 2, Bridie Stehbens 2, Amelia Hammond 3) defeated Raiders Rovers 0
Waves Cities 9 (Gabi Aitkenhead 1, Laci McLucas 1, Campbell Baldwin 1, Connor Castelli 2, Ava McCaig 4) defeated All Blacks 0
U16s
Arrows Athletics 3 (Angus Rehbein 1, Ben Smith 2) defeated Raiders Rovers 0
Waves Cities 3 (Sam Aitkenhead 1, Jonty McMahon 2) defeated All Blacks 1 (Isaac Wales 1)
Division 2 Women
Raiders Rovers 2 (Latoya Larsen 2) defeated Arrows Athletics 0
Waves Cities 3 (Hayley Simmons 1, Kylie Consen 1, Anna Smith 1) defeated All Blacks 0
Division 2 Men
Arrows Athletics 2 (Jesse Beveridge 1, Sam Kenny 1) defeated Raiders Rovers 1 (Brendan Stevens)
Division 1 Men
Raiders Rovers 3 (Colby Zahn 3) defeated Arrows Athletics 2 (Liam Dorgan 1, Harry Gardiner 1)
Waves Cities 5 (Sam Aitkenhead 1, Adam Harradine 1, Matthew Quaite 1, Joel Latham 2) defeated All Blacks 0
Rugby League Bundaberg
Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership
WESTS PANTHERS 38 (Caleb Tull 2, Dyirun Johnson 2, Marcus Tanner, Dan Tanner, Tyson Douglas tries; Caleb Tull 4, Isaiah Bullard goals) d EASTS MAGPIES 26 (Matthew Craven 3, Arden Lankowski, Trent Seeds tries; Arden Lankowski 2, Matthew Craven goals).
WAVES 46 (Cody Maughan 2, Layton Chambers, Tom Dexter, Ross Larsen, Mitchell Trims, Lachlan Madden, James Brosnan tries; Layton CHAMBERS 7 goals) d PAST BROTHERS 18 (Benaiah Kambanei 2, Jayden Alberts tries; Zak Bainbridge 3 goals).
WALLAROOS 20 (Lee Muckan, Shaun Collins, Keian Grogan, Darcy Schofield tries; Jorden Kemble 2 goals) d HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 18 (Scott Walthall, Nicholas Collins, Anthony Gray tries; Tyrone Hopgood 2, Nicholas Collins goals).
Reserve Grade
PAST BROTHERS 40 (Jamie Turnbull 3, Russell Wood 2, Blake MacKinnon, Brendon McKeown Mitchell Clayton tries; Dylan Harradine-Hall 3, Brendon McKeown goals) d WAVES TIGERS 4 (Matthew Seangrat try).
WESTS PANTHERS 20 (Hayden Smith, Larry Amiku, Dallas Bamberry, Bradley Clarke tries; Flynn Purkis, Lochlan Modrow goals) d EASTS MAGPIES 16 (Jackson Paulson, Kalisito Gadekiniusiladi, Ifereimi Vosagaga tries; Jackson Paulson 2 goals).
HERVEY BAY 20 (Billy Carter, Steven Brudzinski, Ben Keelty, Tahj Yarrow tries; Ben Hudson 2 goals) d WALLAROOS 16 (Edward Booth, Bradley Gela, Huey Rainbow tries; Kynan Watson 2 goals).
UNDER-18
WESTS PANTHERS 26 (Bradley Clarke 2, Bryden Blair, Flynn Purkis, Zander Kerr tries; Zander Kerr 3 goals) d PAST BROTHERS 12 (Ilamia Cattell, Bradley Shorter tries; Izac Pointon 2 goals).
HERVEY BAY 14 (Dylan Kingdom 2, Chase Sutton tries; Dylan Bennett goal) drew WALLAROOS 14 (Ryder Cowie, Jonah MacDonald, Bailey Mills tries; Noah Dawson goal).
Bundaberg Junior
UNDER-16
BROTHERS 24 (Ezekiel Monckton 2, Ben Toft, Jed Thorne, Jack Picaro tries; Ezekiel Monckton 2 goals) d WESTS 20 (Jayden Holden, Cayleb Johnson tries).
UNDER-15
WAVES TIGERS 50 (Thomas Morcom 3, Cooper Black 2, Jarrod Warren tries) d HERVEY BAY 0.
BROTHERS 24 (Travis Larner, Blake Powter 3, Joseph Doyle tries; Blake Powter goal) d WESTS 14 (Reece Volz, Jordan Ray, Ezekiel Bullard tries; Lucas Brough goal).
UNDER-14
WALLAROOS d WESTS on forfeit.
EASTS MAGPIES 22 (Seth Frazer, Riley Maule, Bentley Rizzo, Charlie Keech-Reeves, Jesse Powell tries; James Goodman-Jones goal) d BROTHERS 6 (Levi Monckton try; Jomar Gustilo goal).
WAVES TIGERS 24 (Brody Allan 2, Preston Walsh tries; Preston Walsh, Jimmy Gear goals) d HERVEY BAY 10 (Braidan Houliston 2 tries).
UNDER-13
WALLAROOS 30 (Hunter Murdoch 4, Peter Smith, Kev Weribone tries) d WESTS 20 (Isaac Williams 2, Lael Lampton tries).
BROTHERS 24 (Charlie Packwood, Benjamin Hick, Thomas Elphinstone, Jeremiah Solomon, Mason Mullins tries; Benjamin Hick, Riley Wilson goals) d BEASTY BEARS 12 (Tyson Rizzo 2 tries; Locklan Maher 2 goals).
WAVES TIGERS 26 (Parkka Perrotta-Dowling 3, Noah McGuire, Malae Langsiu tries) d HERVEY BAY 8 (Rupeni Baravilala, Rhys Shepherd tries).
Northern Districts
Women’s League Tag
GIN GIN 30 (Jessica Galea 3, Karrie Hills, Raewyn Hansen tries; Jude Bust 2, Emma Collinson 3 goals) d AVONDALE TIGERS 0.
Men
SOUTH KOLAN 50 (John Imamaewa, Kyle Groves, Folau Latu, Cem Rohdmann, Luke Scully, Jamie Morey, Jake Evans, Adam Hides tries; Andrew Filo 7 goals) d AVONDALE 6 (Keith Wuruki try; Mark Wendt goal).
GIN GIN 44 (Matthew Collier, Justin Johnson, Mitchel Hazzard, Rowan Sutton, Filimone Latu 2, Luke Robertson, Livimai Liuanga, Dion Fisher tries; Rowan Sutton, Cameron Ross 3 goals) d MIRIAM VALE 6 (Jack Dehne tries; Brandon Hornby goal).
