Tongan winger Delai Moto cut loose with four tries to spearhead Waves Tigers to their first win of the season in the Rugby League Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership, accounting for Wests Panthers 32-24 in their third-round clash at Salter Oval on Saturday night.
Waves coach Antonio Kaufusi said the flier had joined them after playing for Fraser Coast Mariners in the Rugby Bundaberg Spring Cup, and he made his debut in the first round, before missing last week’s loss to Easts Magpies.
But the speed machine wreaked havoc as the new-look Tigers team slotted into their rhythm, and he was rewarded with the Railway Hotel Player of the Round award.
In the earlier match on the program, barnstorming front rower Tony Gray bagged a hat-trick of tries in a Man of the Match performance as Hervey Bay Seagulls moved to the lead on the ladder with a 42-38 victory over Easts Magpies.
On Sunday, Past Brothers had a rare home game, and they toyed with Wallaroos, triumphing 48-16 with their former Melbourne Storm contracted lock Jake Thompson also notching three tries in a domineering all-round display.
Back to Saturday, and in a game in which both heavyweights chalked up seven tries, Seagulls electrifying halfback David Woodbridge was a match winner, converting all seven, in addition to scoring a try after having chalked up 22 points in their big home victory over two-times defending champions Past Brothers a week earlier.
The Seagulls had led 12-8 in the 24th minute but looked in trouble when the Magpies got on a roll and took control with three converted tries back-to-back-to-back, but the Bay got back to within eight points with a try in the dying second of the half and conversion after the siren.
The teams traded tries in the second stanza, but Easts retained the lead until Seagulls second rower Dion Bunyan forced his way over with 4:30 to go, and David Woodbridge added the extras, but the result went right down to the wire.
Magpies Winger Delroy Tanner and captain/coach second rower Matt Craven both notched doubles, with the former achieving the feat in each of their three games so far.
Meanwhile, Brothers led 36-0 at half-time and scored two more unconverted tries early in the second half, but dropped their guard, allowing the beleaguered Roos to salvage a bit of pride.
The Seagulls are now on five points, with Easts and Brothers both on four, Waves on two, and Wests and Wallaroos both yet to open their accounts, before the Easter break next weekend and also no fixtures on May Day weekend due to the 47th Battalion Carnival.
In the Northern Districts first round at Shark Park on Sunday, 2021 unbeaten premiers South Kolan, who had been in danger of not being able to form a committee and therefore not being able to enter the competition up until late January, started their title defence in the best possible way, edging out Miriam Vale Magpies 24-22 in an enthralling duel.
Earlier, last year’s runners-up Gin Gin Hawks were made to pay for being able to field a bare 13 players, before being reduced to 12 early in the second stanza, going down to Avondale 46-30, with Tigers fullback Samson Dau and centre Muthuna Jones each bagging doubles.
But Hawks front rower Tevita Sinoti made a stunning debut for the club with four tries in a beaten side.
Gin Gin Hawkettes started their Women’s League Tag title defence in style with a 62-0 whitewash of Avondale Tigerettes with young gun Jessica Galea crossing four times and veteran Jude Bust also at her vintage best, notching a hat-trick of tries in a signature display.
AFL
After two seasons as whipping boys, during which they failed to win a game, Brothers Bulldogs signalled that they are contenders in the AFL Wide Bay Marquis Macadamias Senior Men’s Premiership with a well executed 9.7 (61) to 5.1 (31) home victory over their cross-town bitter arch-rivals Across The Waves Eagles in their second-round clash on Saturday.
Veteran club stalwart Griffin Webb kicked two goals for the Dogs, who led throughout after having also been big winners over Bay Power in the season opener, when the Eagles were blown away by reigning champions Hervey Bay Bombers.
Their coach Brad Grogan, who has returned to the position after a long break, said Kyle Anderson was their Best on Ground, ahead of Cody Woodrow, who was also very good in the midfield in his first match against his former club, and another former Eagle Tyson Jater was “very strong in the ruck”.
The Eagles however maintained their perfect record in the Takalvans Senior Women’s Premiership with a 2.7 (19) to 1.1 (7) dispatch of fifth placed Brothers in their eighth-round showdown, but the Bulldogs continued their improvement and led at three-quarter time, only to be sunk by two fourth quarter majors.
FOOTBALL
Matt Twyford, Zacharie Nicholas and 2021 Golden Boot Nykodah Smith each doubled up as Across The Waves shut out their hosts Doon Villa 8-0 in their Football Queensland Premier League Wide Bay Men’s rescheduled fourth round clash at Villa Park on Saturday.
The Blue and Golds also had a field day against the Villains in the Under-23 Men’s division, winning 10-0, with three goals each to Preston Cox, Declan Murphy, and Mitchell Aslett.
HOCKEY
Mother and daughter Sue and Hayley Kendall scored one goal each as Raiders/Rovers edged out All Blacks 2-1 in their Bundaberg Division 1 Women’s showdown at Hinkler Park on Saturday.
But All Blacks’ Division 1 Men were unable to repeat their first-up victory over Waves Cities, having to settle for a 2-all draw with Raiders/Rovers.
Here are all the scores:
AFL WIDE BAY
MARQUIS MACADAMIS SENIOR MEN’S PREMIERSHIP
Round 3:
BROTHERS BULLDOGS 3.0, 5.2, 8.4, 9.7 (61) d ATW EAGLES 2.0, 2.0, 3.0, 5.1 (31).
Goals – Bulldogs: Griffin Webb 2, Harrison Hodgson, Cody Woodrow, Dylan Keam, Tristan Taylor, Brennan Dempsey, Steven Grogan, Brett Kniese; Eagles: Jayden Enever.
Best – Bulldogs: Kyle Anderson, Cody Woodrow, Brett Kniese, Tristan Taylor, Griffin Webb, Dylan Keam.
TAKALVANS SENIOR WOMEN’S PREMIERSHSIP
Round 8:
GYMPIE CATS 3.9, 4.10, 7.12, 10.14 (74) d MARYBOROUGH BEARS 0.0, 0.1, 1.2, 1.2 (8).
ATW EAGLES 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 2.7 (19) d BROTHERS BULLDOGS 0.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.1 (7)
Goals – Eagles: Ruby Rowlands, Scout Strong; Bulldogs: Mia Wochnik.
Best – Bulldogs: Michala Collins, Mel Vanzetta, Bo Tankey, Tayah Hiscocks, Emily Reinke, Mia Wochnik.
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 0.1, 1.3, 1.3, 3.5 (23) d BAY POWER 1.1, 1.2, 1.2, 1.2 (8).
RESERVES MEN
ATW EAGLES 0.3, 2.4, 3.7, 3.7 (25) d BROTHERS BULLDOGS 0.1, 0.1, 0.1, 1.5 (11).
Goals – Eagles: Tobey Nunn, Ryan Bethune, Andrew McLaughlin; Bulldogs: Zak Mercieca.
Best – Bulldogs: Matthew Wattie, Shane Brady, Tyrone Trigg, Joel Anderson, Jay Rivett, Gary Browne.
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 0.2, 4.5, 6.7, 7.9 (51) d BAY POWER 2.2, 2.2, 2.4, 4.4 (28).
FOOTBALL WIDE BAY
FQPL WB MEN
ATW 8 (Matt Twyford 2, Zacharie Nicholas 2, Nykodah Smith 2, Callum Hillier, Bryce Hibberd) d DOON VILLA 0.
FQ WB U23 MEN
ATW 10 (Preston Cox 3, Declan Murphy 3, Mitchell Aslett 3, Alec Rohdmann) d DOON VILLA 0.
WB DIVISION 1 MEN
DIGGERS 2 (Cohen Kruger 2) d TINANA 1 (J Simpson); BAV 4 (Casey Smith, Drew Boylan, Dylan Streets, Jesse Sommer) d BARGARA 1 (Kane Perry); ATW 2 (Declan Murphy, Weston Giovannoni) d UNITED WARRIORS 1 (A Young).
HOCKEY BUNDABERG
Round 3
Div 2 Women
Raiders Rovers 1 (Kerri-Anne Lund 1) defeated All Blacks 0
Div 1 Women
Raiders Rovers 2 (Hayley Kendall 1, Susan Kendall 1) defeated All Blacks 1 (Kellie Chanoff 1)
Div 2 Men
Arrows Athletics 4 (Jake McCaig 1, Lachlan Smith 1, Greg McLean 2) defeated Waves Cities 0
Div 1 Men
All Blacks 2 (Lachlan Smith 1, Cody Sherlock 1) drew with Raiders Rovers 2 (Josh Crow 1, Riley Howard 1)
RUGBY LEAGUE BUNDABERG
BUNDABERG BROADCASTERS A GRADE PREMIERSHIP
Round 3:
HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 42 (Anthony Gray 3, David Woodbridge, Dion Bunyan, Ethan Ballard, Steven Dwyer tries; David Woodbridge 7 goals) d EASTS MAGPIES 38 (Delroy Tanner 2, Matthew Craven 2, Mitchell Taylor, Arden Lankowski, Justyn Porter tries; Andreas Nona 5 goals).
WAVES TIGERS 32 (Delai Moto 4, Lachlan Dullaway, Tom Akers tries; Layton Chambers 4 goals) d WESTS PANTHERS 24 (Gage Laird, Dyirun Johnson, Ilaiasi Pongi tries; Chris Robinson 4 goals).
PAST BROTHERS 48 (Jake Thompson 3, Tyrell Priestley, Warrick Fay, Mitchell Clayton, Bryden Blair, Royce Blair, Kevin Sherriff, Jamie Morey tries; Tyrell Priestley 3, Zac Dann goals) d WALLAROOS 16 (Liam Doolan try; Jackson Gouge 3 goals).
RESERVE GRADE
EASTS MAGPIES 22 (Chris Larsen, Chris Glasson, Nick Lorenz, Bennett Ooms-Otineru tries; Jackson Paulson 3 goals) d HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 18 (Tallis Murray 2, Ben Ryan, Jacob Polzin tries; Ben Hudson goal).
WESTS PANTHERS 24 (Zach Zerafa, Robert Telfer, Phillip Lindsay tries; Dylan Harradine-Hall 4 goals) d WAVES TIGERS 14 (Maile Paletua 2, James Tairawhiti tries; Bailey Brown goal).
PAST BROTHERS d WALLAROOS ON FORFEIT.
UNDER-18
Round 1:
WESTS PANTHERS 34 (Connor Yeats, Trey Kerr, Keenan Dodswell, Zac Egan, Noah Law, Ezekiel Bullard tries; Matthew Telfer 5 goals) d WAVES TIGERS 6 (Jack Sullivan goal).
PAST BROTHERS 30 (Caio Kerr, Bailey Knapp, Toby Kelly, Zander Evans, Junior Tuitoma, Ilamia Cattell tries; Caio Kerr 2, Mitchell Sly goals) d WALLAROOS 10 (Liam Doolan, Rahzel Tippo Mason trie3s; Adam Khan goal).
NORTHERN DISTRICTS
Round 1:
MENS PREMIERSHIP
AVONDALE TIGERS 46 (Samson Dau 2, Muthuna Jones 2, Robert McCormack 1, Tonga Sandys 1, Cooper Barritt 1, Dylan Wagner tries; Zechariah Gibuma 5, Samson Dau 1, Muthuna Jones 1 goals) d GIN GIN HAWKS 30 (Tevita Sinoti 4, Villiami Tongia-Talauli 1, Dale Fischer 1, tries; Rowan Sutton 2, Dale Fischer 1 goals).
SOUTH KOLAN SHARKS 24 (Joel Pearson 1, Boden Warren 1, Jacobb Olive 1, Chris Georgiu 1 tries; Montgomery Chapman-Dynevor 2, Cem Rohdmann 2 goals) d MIRIAM VALE MAGPIES 22 (Cole Crawford 2, Jake Causton 1, Glenn Cox 1, Clayton Goldsworthy 1 tries; Jesse Wyngaards 1 goals.
WOMEN’S LEAGUE TAG
GIN GIN HAWKETTES 62 (Jessica Galea 4, Jude Bust 3, Ruby Tobin 2, Jorja MacKinnon 1, Shannon Lavender-Horllyck 1, Tanika Mason 1 tries; Ruby Tobin 5, Karrie Hills 2 goals) d AVONDALE TIGERETTES 0.
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