Despite a lack of recent match practice, the wash-out of a string of training sessions over recent weeks, and having a few key players missing, Across The Waves (ATW) coach Peter Bock remains confident of defeating Rockhampton powerhouses Frenchville in the fifth round of the Nation-wide FFA (Football Federation Australia) Cup at the Waves Sports Complex tomorrow at 6.30pm.
Waves were edged out by Frenchville at the same stage at Martens Oval last year, and they go into their biggest match of the year with just two games in the past two months, a patchy 2-0 victory over KSS Jets on 7th May after a shock 2-1 loss to Fraser Flames on 23rd April.
But Peter said the Central Queensland Green Machine are “in the same position with wet feet too.
He also said he has a number of players unavailable due to the Shalom College Formal and work commitments, including two of his stars, Hayden Lobegeier and Luke Leggett, but he is confident their replacements will “do equal jobs”, and believes that their 2021 League Golden Boot Nykodah Smith, who bagged 50 goals last season but has been kept quiet this campaign, could explode with a big haul.
“We are fortunate we have been able to have two good sessions this week, and the lads are determined to go at least one step further this season,” Peter said.
In the Football Queensland Premier League Wide Bay Men’s division, United Park Eagles (UPE) will also be playing their first game for five weeks as they attempt to bounce back from a last-start shock 2-1 loss to Donn Villa when they suit up against KSS Jets at Martens Oval at 6pm tomorrow.
At the same time on the next field, Bingera will be expected to continue on their winning ways against Doon Villa, while last placed SC Corinthians face another tough task on the road against the equal-first placed Flames.
In the Women’s League, ATW head to Torquay tonight for a meeting with United Warriors, while tomorrow, UPE aim up against the Jets at 2pm at Martens Oval, and Diggers are up against the might of the Flames at Fraser Coast Sports Precinct.
Rugby League
Fresh from racking up a half-century of points against two-times defending champions Past Brothers after a 54-16 triumph in the wet at Salter Oval on Sunday, Hervey Bay Seagulls return home to Stafford Park at 5pm tomorrow in the Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership.
But their task will not be easy against early season favourites Easts Magpies, who have lost some of their aura on the back of two straight losses and will be desperate to return to the winners’ circle.
Then on Sunday at Salter Oval, Brothers will welcome back much of their cavalry and get the perfect chance to get back on track when they meet the win-less Wallaroos at 1.30pm, before the jointly-second placed Tigers and Panthers meet in what is expected to be a pulsating Battle of the Big Cats at 3pm.
The Seagulls plucked the Magpies 42-38 in their previous meeting this season at Salter Oval on 9th April, with both sides scoring seven tries.
In what has been a stop-start season so far due to breaks for Easter and the 47th Battalion Carnival, before the wash-out two weeks ago, Easts were also edged out by Wests Panthers 14-12 on 7th May, prior to a shock 22-4 mauling by Waves Tigers on Sunday.
Waves also upset Wests 32-24 in their 9th April duel, but then after trouncing Roos 40-6, they were beaten by Brothers 28-16, before re-asserting themselves as contenders against the Magpies five days ago when fullback Cody Maughan was the Railway Hotel Player of the Round.
In the Northern District Men’s Premiership, after two washed-out rounds, the unbeaten South Kolan Sharks will resume their title defence when they take on Avondale at home at Shark Park at 2.45pm Sunday, with the Tigers keen to redeem themselves after two losses, including a 26-14 defeat at the hands of the Sharks on 7th May.
Earlier at 1pm, the winless Gin Gin Hawks will be out to kick-start their campaign, but their assignment will be tough against Miriam Vale Magpies, who are gunning for a hat-trick of wins.
In the Women’s League Tag, Agnes Water Marlins, who have started their comeback season with two losses, will be hoping to improve on their competitive 22-14 loss to Avondale on 24th April in their rematch with the Tigerettes at 12 noon.
Netball
Bundaberg Netball Association will recognize and celebrate a First Nations round in their Warren Family Homes Premierships games at the Superpark tomorrow, and to honour, recognise and celebrate our Region’s traditional owners, Alloway Netball Club will be wearing either purple or blue Indigenous designed bibs.
Their NetSetGo teams will also be given an Indigenous design scrunchie.
Both the scrunchies and bibs were made by the Taribelang Aboriginal Corporation for the Club, with artwork was provided by Bec Domaille, an Alloway parent, coach, and committee member and Taribelang woman.
In Division 1, it will be a sea of blue, when Alloway Blue and Waves Blue go for goal at 6.30pm, after a top of the table showdown between unbeaten leaders and back-to-back premiers Waves Gold and second seeds Brothers Hurricanes at 5pm.
AFL
Brothers Bulldogs remain in second position on the AFL Wide Bay Marquis Macadamias Senior Men’s Premiership table, but they were given a reality check with a 4.14 (38) to 0.2 (2) mauling by unbeaten reigning champions and hosts Hervey Bay Bombers in the wet and mud last Saturday.
Jack Sickerdick, Jefferson Baulch, Cooper Tankey, Lee Taylor, Jaykob Gooder, and Kyle Anderson were the Bulldogs’ best, but as a team, they were no match for the Bombers.
The Bulldogs were also mauled by the Bombers 14.5 (89) to 0.1 (1) in Reserve Grade, 12.14 (86) to 3.3 (21) in Under-17 Boys, and 15.16 (106) to 1.1 (7) in Under-14 Mixed, but the Dogs
toughed out a 2.1 (13) to 0.1 victory over Bombers Black in Under-12 Mixed with Zac Stewart, Raphael Short, Jaiden Lever, Juliette Smith, Callum Upton, and Crystal Smith their Best on Ground.
Across The Waves Eagles had a win in Reserve Grade, accounting for Maryborough Bears 4.2 (26) to 1.2 (8), and the Eagles soared to a 19.19 (133) to 0 white-wash of an undermanned Bears in U12 Mixed.
There is again just one Senior Men’s match tomorrow, with win-less Eagles desperate to ignite their season when they square off against their hosts Bay Power at Keith Dunne Oval.
Hockey
After two washed out rounds, arch-rivals All Blacks I and Waves Cities I will battle it out in a Bundaberg Hockey Men’s blockbuster at 8pm tonight at Hinkler Park.
Then tomorrow, Cities II will take on Arrows/Athletics at 3.35pm, before All Blacks II complete the Men’s round against Rovers/Raiders at 6.05pm.
In Division 1 Women tomorrow, Arrows will cross sticks with battling two-times defending champions Cities at 4.50pm, and All Blacks and Raiders/Rovers are engaged in the last game on the program at 7.20pm.
Greyhounds
Bouldercombe trainer Darren Taylor dominated this week’s Bundaberg meeting at Thabeban Park, taking out a race-to-race-to race winning treble.
He was successful with favourites Manfred ($2) in the East End Hotel Novice Non-Penalty, former Victorian Nomad Road ($2.60) in the Bargara Bakery Novice Non-Penalty, and Say Some Words ($2) in the 550m 5th Grade.
Howard trainer Tom Lowe got the money in the Maiden with another favourite Doctor Rossi ($1.90) on debut.
Four other District trainers were also among the winners, Louise Cameron with Midnight Cambla, which snapped a 12-race losing streak in the Endeavour Foundation 5th Grade, Lindsay McCarthy with favourite Signify ($2.50) in the Mixed 4th/5th Grade, Brian
Terry with outsider Sienna Sunrise ($12) in the Sky Racing 5th Grade, and Garry Cluse with Slick Mac ($4.60), which ended a 13-race losing streak in the Masters 5th Grade.
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