Bundaberg Bears did brilliantly to reach the Queensland Rugby League Central Region Men’s 47th Battalion Trophy Final in Gladstone on Sunday, but they stumbled at the last hurdle, going down to Rockhampton Rustlers 24-16 in an epic decider.
The Bears started the carnival with a comprehensive 34-6 victory over South West Stockmen in the first round on Saturday morning with electrifying halfback Logona Vetemotu and powerhouse winger Connor Jones each notching doubles.
They then scored a famous 23-18 victory over defending champions Toowoomba Clydesdales on Saturday afternoon.
But come Sunday afternoon, they started slowly in the decider of two 25-minute halves and Rockhampton put their stamp on the trophy, establishing a 10-0 lead in the first six minutes.
Bundaberg however regrouped and took a 12-10 lead to the break with tries to rampaging second rower Max Shorter and highly potent five-eighth Mitchell Taylor.
Unfortunately, their lead was short-lived as Rockhampton got the ball back from the kick-off to the second stanza and within 23 seconds, high-class hooker Jack Pattie speared through the middle of the ruck to score untouched and Kazzi Doyle added the extras.
The Bears again hit back with a try to front row sensation Ilaiasi Pongi, but the conversion was unsuccessful, leaving scores locked at 16-all.
Mistakes again proved costly for the Rum City as the Rustlers pounced and took a six-point lead with 4:30 on the clock, but the result hung in the balance until Kazzi Doyle kicked a penalty with 90 seconds remaining.
It was the first that Rockhampton had won the Battalion in their 11th year in the 51-year-old showpiece competition, after having previously lost the final on three occasions.
Bundaberg had just two players chosen in the Carnival Team, Wests Panthers’ Ilaiasi and Easts Magpies second rower Caleb Van Lawick.
First-time Bears Coach Mat Templeman was extremely proud of all his players, with team stalwart lock and captain Kevin Sherriff leading from the front in three magnificent team performances.
Mat said Ilaiasi and Caleb’s Carnival Team selections were very well deserved but the fact that they “played well as a team rather than individual stand-outs” may have contributed to several others not also being included.
“It was a full team effort and we truly played as a team, and our fronties stood up – Ilaiasi was phenomenal and so was Royce Blair – Caleb Van Lawick was also awesome and so was Zac Dann despite playing out of position at hooker, and Mitchell Taylor was awesome in attack and defence, but I could name them all,” Mat said.
“We got through South West and people said it was an easy one for us, but Toowoomba was the big one for us – we were well and truly underdogs and had been written off, but we stuck to our game plan and turned their big middle around and played footy down their end, and got them in the end.
“Mistakes and fatigue unfortunately cruelled us against Rockhampton, but I couldn’t have asked for any more from everyone and they all did Bundy extremely proud.”
AFL: Across The Waves Eagles completed back-to-back unbeaten AFL Wide Bay Takalvans Senior Women’s Premiership minor titles with a 10th and last round 12.15 (87) to 1.0 (6) demolition of wooden spooners Maryborough Bears at Frank Coulthard Oval on Saturday.
The Eagles were always in control, with Rachael Jose, lana Morden, Sarah Enever, Sabrina Shead, Hana Sherlock, and Sarah-Jane Carter their best in a galaxy of stars.
They will now chase their maiden Women’s Premiership after suffering a shock loss to Hervey Bay Bombers in last year’s grand final.
The Eagles however remain anchored to the bottom of the Marquis Macadamias Senior Men’s Premiership table without a win after going down to cross-town arch-rivals Brothers Bulldogs 10.10 (70) to 7.5 (47) at Coulthard Oval in their fifth-round encounter on Friday night.
The Eagles threw down the gauntlet to lead 39-29 at the long break, but they managed just 1.0 in the third term and 0.2 in the run home as the winless whipping boys of the past two seasons continued their re-emergence as a force, notching their second win over Waves this season with 2.2 in the third term, and 4.3 in the last, to entrench themselves in second place on the ladder behind the unbeaten Bombers.
Former Eagle Cody Woodrow kicked two majors for the Dogs, who had eight other goal kickers, while young gun Harry Hodgson, captain/coach of the past two seasons Jack Sickerdick, stalwart Dylan Keam, ultra-consistent pocket dynamo Joel Saunders, Kyle Anderson, and newcomer Sean Cars were among their best.
HOCKEY: It was a red-letter day for Arrows/Athletics in Bundaberg Hockey at Hinkler Park on Saturday with Men outgunning All Blacks 5-1 with Liam Dorgan leading the charge with a double, and their Division 1 Women also accounting for All Blacks 2-0
It was similarly a good day for Raiders/Rovers in the top grades, with a Colby Zahn goal enough for their Men to clinch the points against defending champions Waves Cities I 1-0, and their Division 1 Women battling out a 1-all draw with the back-to-back premiers.
Here are all the scores:
AFL WIDE BAY
MARQUIS MACADAMIAS SENIOR MEN’S PREMIERSHIP
Round 5:
BROTHERS BULLDOGS 2.5, 4.5, 6.7, 10.10 (70) d ATW EAGLES 2.3, 6.3, 7.3, 7.5 (47).
Goals – Bulldogs: Cody Woodrow 2, Ben Davis, Dylan Keam, Mitch Badrick, Brennan Dempsey, Jack Sickerdick, Jay Rivett, Brett Kniese, Corey Taylor; Eagles: Will Stupart 4; Jason Bethune 2, Isak Hose.
Best – Bulldogs: Harrison Hodgson, Jack Sickerdick, Dylan Keam, Joel Saunders, Kyle Anderson, Sean Cars; Eagles: Connor Stone, Will Stupart, Max Wright, Isak Hose, Lachlan Andrews, Nathan Van Eekeren.
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 5.3, 8.5, 13.10, 16.14 (110) d BAY POWER 1.1, 2.1, 3.1, 3.1 (19).
TAKALVANS SENIOR WOMEN’S PREMIERSHSIP
Round 10:
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 10.8 (68) d BROTHERS BULLDOGS 3.4 (22).
Goals – Bombers: Brooke Lewis 4, Hayley Torresan 4, Kirsten Fuller 2; Bulldogs: Elsie Kerwin 2, Michala Collins.
Best – Bombers: Samantha Richardson, Gracie Finn, Brooke Lewis, Mikayla Matheson, Amy Clapp, Kirsten Fuller; Bulldogs: Mel Vanzetta, Michala Collins, Bo Tankey, Tayah Hiscocks, Elsie Kerwin, Mia Wochnik.
ATW EAGLES 2.8, 5.11, 9.13, 12.15 (87) d MARYBOROUGH BEARS 0.0, 0.0, 1.0, 1.0 (6).
Goals – Bears: Montoya Sheehan.
Best – Eagles: Rachael Jose, lana Morden, Sarah Enever, Sabrina Shead, Hana Sherlock, Sarah-Jane Carter; Bears: Sinead Sheehan, Montoya Sheehan, Lakiah Sheenhan, Dakota Sheehan, Abbigail Bidois, Skye Huth.
BAY POWER 2.5, 3.8, 6.9, 8.12 (60) d GYMPIE CATS 1.0, 1.1, 2.3, 2.3 (15).
Points: ATW Eagles 38, Hervey Bay Bombers 26, Bay Power 22 (239.80%), Gympie Cats 22 (150.0%), Brothers Bulldogs 10, Maryborough Bears 2.
RESERVES MEN
ATW EAGLES 2.3, 4.4, 7,4, 9.6 (60) d MARYBOROUGH BEARS 1.0, 3.1, 4.1, 4.2 (26).
Goals – Eagles: Chase Martin 2, Craig Sephton 2, Levi Davis, Seth Brown, Lachlan McLeod, William McRae, Trent Osborn; Bears: Brad Gibbs 2, Scott Stewart 2.
Best – Bears: Dylan Alexander, Luke Beetham, Harry Bidois, Jack Barton, Nicholas Simpson, Brad Gibbs.
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 12.10 (82) d BROTHERS BULLDOGS 1.1 (7).
Goals – Bombers: Thomas Kettle 5, Matthew Portelli 2, Justin Frohling; Bulldogs: Cody Timms.
Best – Bombers: Glenn Tracey, Nixon King, Thomas Kettle, Dylan Johnstone, Player, Hayden MacGregor; Bulldogs: Tyrone Trigg, Zak Mercieca, Matthew Wattie, Griffin Webb, Corey Taylor, Anthony Garland.
UNDER-17 BOYS
ATW EAGLES 2.1, 4.4, 5.5, 8.5 (53) d BROTHERS BULLDOGS 1.0, 1.3, 1.5, 3.5 (23).
Goals – Eagles: Tobey Nunn 2, Baxter Stone 2, Chase Martin 2, Levi Davis, Kaleb Bentley; Bulldogs: Darcy Burgess 2, Ronny Cranmer.
Best – Bulldogs: Lachlan Stevenson, Thomas Stevenson, Tommas Sullivan, Darcy Burgess, Ronny Cranmer, Jack Sullivan.
BAY POWER 11.4 (70) d HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 10.4 (64).
UNDER-14 MIXED
BROTHERS BULLDOGS 5.1, 8.5, 12.8, 14.8 (92) d ATW EAGLES 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 1.5 (11).
Goals – Bulldogs: Callum Charlesworth 6, Jacob Britton-Wagenknecht 2, Mitchell Webster, Tallen Chapman, Frederic Collins, Maylee Wade, Millen Buckle-Perkins, Jayla Tancredi; Eagles: Daniel Russell.
Best – Bulldogs: Callum Charlesworth, Riley Collett, Nikita Clarey, Tallen Chapman, Frederic Collins, Maxwell Clancy.
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 10.25 (85) d BAY POWER 2.1 (13).
UNDER-12 MIXED
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS BLACK 5.6, 7.10, 10.11, 15.13 (103) d ATW EAGLES 0.0, 1.0, 2.1, 2.1 (13).
Goals – Bombers: Max Gislingham 5, Zac Stewart 2, Deegan Payne 2, Nash Whiteley 2, Cooper Innes 2, Callum Upton, Zac O’Loughlin; Eagles: Edric Brown.
BROTHERS BULLDOGS 2.1, 3.3, 5.6, 7.11 (53) d HERVEY BAY BOMBERS RED 1.3, 2.4, 2.4, 2.4 (16).
Best – Bulldogs: Keira Cook, Nate Wochnik; Bombers: Archer Scott, Billy Larsen, Franka Lousich, Maiya Evans, Linc Green, Dion Stamo.
HOCKEY BUNDABERG
Round 5
U11s
Arrows Athletics 4 (Hamish Cook 4) defeated Raiders Rovers 2 (Levi Kendall 2)
All Blacks won by forfeit to Waves Cities
U13s
Arrows Athletics 8 (Freya Cook 1, Bridie Stehbens 2, Tully Dorgan 4) defeated Raiders Rovers 3 (Levi Kendall 1, Molly Crow 2)
Waves Cities 10 (Thomas Rach 1, Brock Green 1, Ruby Potter 2, Connor Castelli 3, Cameron Callaghan 3) defeated All Blacks 0
U16s
Raiders Rovers 4 (Maddie Elliott 1, Hailey Kendall 3) defeated Arrows Athletics Gold 0
Arrows Athletics Blue 5 (Sam Kenny 1, Liam Taske 2, Bridget Stehbens 2) defeated All Blacks 0
Div 2 Women
Raiders Rovers 0 drew with Waves Cities 0
Arrows Athletics 1 (Grace Ferguson 1) drew with All Black 1 (Leah McLaren 1)
Div 1 Women
Raiders Rovers 1 (Alana McManus 1) drew Waves Cities 1 (Milee Flanders 1)
Arrows Athletics 2 (Bridget Stehbens 1, Ruby Smith 1) defeated All Blacks 0
Men
Arrows Athletics 5 (Ben Wilson 1, Harrison Gardiner 1, Ryan Maclean 1, Liam Dorgan 2) defeated All Blacks Team 1 (Dale Veivers 1)
Raiders Rovers 1 (Colby Zahn 1) defeated Waves Cities Team 1 – 0
RUGBY LEAGUE
BUNDABERG JUNIOR
HITZ FM 939 CHALLENGE CUPS
Round 1:
UNDER-16
HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 16 (Zachary Bennett, Noah Douglas-Denduck tries; Jordan Burke, Boedie Dwight goals) drew WESTS 16 (Noah Law, James Faulkner tries; Lucas Brough 2 goals).
BUNDABERG BROTHERS 24 (Travis Larner 2, Benny Medley 2, Clay Morton tries; Blake Powter 2 goals) d WAVES 6 (Emmanuel Iboro try, goal).
UNDER-15
HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 28 d WALLAROOS 16.
BUNDABERG BROTHERS 40 (Jomar Gustilo 2, Toby Collins, Ryan Bohl, Isaac Barrett, Cooper De Silva, Ryley Gibbs, Riley Quinn tries; Jomar Gustilo 4 goals) d WESTS 12 (Darnell Saunders, Seth Frazer tries; Darnell Saunders 2 goals).
UNDER-14
WALLAROOS 44 d HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 12.
WESTS 32 (Beau Molo 3, Darius Freeman, Levi Brough tries; Levi Brough 4 goals) d BUNDABERG BROTHERS 0.
UNDER-13
WALLAROOS 54 d HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 0.
MARYBOROUGH BROTHERS 34 d WESTS 10 (Blake Kraay try).
MARLINS 24 d BUNDABERG BROTHERS 16 (Hudson McKenzie 2 tries; Deklan Bushby goal).
47TH BATTALION SENIOR MEN’S CARNIVAL
Round 1: BUNDABERG BEARS 34 (Logona Vetemotu 2, Connor Jones 2, Max Shorter, Jeremiah Pati tries; Layton Chambers 2, Logona Vetemotu 2, Tom Akers goals) d SOUTH WEST STOCKMEN 6 (Alex Coonan try; Joseph Packer goal).
Round 2: BUNDABERG BEARS 23 (Zac Dann, Tiko Hooper, Jeremiah Pati, Trent Seeds tries; Layton Chambers 3 goals; Logona Vetemotu field goal) d TOOWOOMBA CLYDESDALES 18 (Cory McGrady 2, Mitchell Watson tries; Leevai Sutton 3 goals).
Final: ROCKHAMPTON RUSTLERS 24 (Charles Sheppard, Riley Read, Jack Pattie, Mitchell Shaw tries; Kazzi Doyle 4 goals) d BUNDABERG BEARS 16 (Max Shorter, Mitchell Taylor, Ilaiasi Pongi tries; Logona Vetemotu 2 goals).
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