Teenage second rower Dylan Bennett backed up immediately from Hervey Bay Seagulls’ loss to Wests Panthers in Reserve Grade to come off the interchange bench and claim their Man of the Match award as the Seagulls consolidated the lead on the Rugby League Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership table with a polished 32-16 dispatch of Wests Panthers in their round 9 showdown at Salter Oval on Sunday.
The Seagulls had suffered their only loss so far this season, to the Panthers at the home at Stafford Park 38-24 on April 23, but they produced another superb team performance to gain sweet revenge.
Hervey Bay moved to 12 points, but they remain only one point clear of Waves, who continued to go from strength to strength, withstanding a spirited challenge from their hosts Wallaroos to prevail 34-22 at Eskdale Park on Saturday.
Wests dropped to equal-fourth with Easts, each on seven points, after the early season favourites Magpies were blitzed by Past Brothers 50-32 in the Match of the Day on Sunday, with the two-times defending champions snapping a two-match losing streak and moving to third place on the ladder on eight points in sentencing last year’s beaten grand finalists to a third straight loss.
Meanwhile, last placed Roos were on a mission to build on their drought-breaking shock victory over Brothers a week earlier, and they again played their hearts out in front of their loyal home crowd, but the Tigers roared, with flashy Tongan and Wide Bay Whales Rugby star winger Delai Moto coming to the fore with a double.
Waves have now won three in a row since their last loss, to Brothers on 7th May, and they will get the chance to reverse the result when they meet again this Sunday, after the Seagulls travel to Maryborough to take on Wallaroos in the Fraser Coast derby on Saturday afternoon.
It was a good day for the Tigers after their Reserve Grade side had scored their first on-field win of the season, edging out Roos 16-14, after they had also got the points on a Wallaroos forfeit in their scheduled earlier clash.
A pulsating duel was also expected between arch-rivals Brothers and Easts, with both desperate to return to form, but the Magpies were again poor as the Brethren established a 28-0 lead in even time to take control.
But as the Magpies have done several times in recent clashes, including in last year’s grand final, when they came back from a 24-4 deficit at the hour-mark to ultimately be beaten by the bell 26-22, they staged a remarkable fightback, scoring a converted try on the stroke of half-time, then grabbing five more, either side of another Brothers six-pointer to trail by just 34-28 midway through the second stanza.
However, Brothers turned the tide and went on to score three of the last four tries to rack up a half-century of points with high-class fullback Tyrell Priestley, again playing again his elder brother, Magpies power forward Hayden, and centre Corey Findlay each finishing with doubles, but inspirational captain and lock Kevin Sherriff truly leading from the front and being a stand-out winner of the Railway Hotel Player of the Round.
Also, 17-year-old Eden Hess, whose elder brother Coen has played 127 games so far for North Queensland Cowboys and six State of Origin games, who was born in Bundaberg and has moved back to the city from Townsville this year, came off the bench to score his first A Grade try after also being also among the tries in their 16-12 victory over South Burnett in Under-18.
Brothers also had a rare win over Easts in Reserve Grade 38-14, with doubles to teenage explosive centre Chelson Diggins, veteran halfback Jack Rowan and Junior Tuitoma, who came off the bench after also featuring in their 16-12 dispatch of South Burnett in Under-18.
In the Northern Districts Men’s Premiership, reigning champions South Kolan Sharks’ 18-match winning streak came to an end, but they still remain unbeaten since 2019 (after 2020 season was cancelled due to Covid-19) after being held to a 30-all draw by Miriam Vale Magpies at Tegege on Sunday.
Both teams scored six tries in a top of the table thriller, with mercurial fullback Jackson Brown notching 14 points for the Sharks with two tries and three goals, and veteran lock Chris Georgio bagging his first two-try haul in his comeback season.
Magpies halfback Charles Hopf also featured with two four-pointers in a possible early grand final preview.
Meanwhile, Gin Gin Hawks were able to field a full complement of players for the first time, and they broke through for their first win of the season, against hosts Avondale Tigers 30-28, despite converting just one of their seven tries.
Winger Tyren Hoyle continued his fine form for the Hawks with also a double, but the switch of second-season player Connor Boon from the wing to hooker in just his second game of the year after an injury-delayed start, proved a masterstroke by coach and club president Brendan Usher as he gave excellent service and was also strong in defence.
In the Women’s League Tag, Gin Gin Hawkettes powered on in their title defence with prolific scorer Jessica Galea cutting loose with four tries in a 42-4 demolition of Avondale Tigerettes.
Football
Across the Waves drew first blood in their Australia Cup sixth round clash with Magpies Crusaders in Mackay on Saturday night, with Brendan Davis scoring in the 16th minute, and they also equalised 2-2 via a Nykodah Smith special in the 41st minute, but United replied 90 seconds later to take a 3-2 half-time lead, and they went on to triumph 4-2.
Waves went into the match without two of their best players in goal keeping ace Sam Collinson and striker Bryce Hibberd, and Sam in particular was sorely missed as the hosts equalised from a deflection in the 21st minute, and took the lead for the first time with captain Liam Shipton stealing the ball from a goal-kick and making them pay dearly 10 minutes later.
A drawn score-line would have been a true reflection of the first half, but the Magpies struck a huge blow, regaining the lead with Angus Huang’s goal, and while Waves continued to try hard throughout the second stanza, Crusaders put their stamp on the game with Makhaya Quakawoot’s 68th strike from a free kick outside the box, and they jealously guarded their lead to the end.
Despite the disappointment, Waves could still be very proud of being the first Wide Bay team to reach that stage of the nation-wide competition.
Back in Bundaberg, there was just one match in the Football Queensland Premier League Wide Bay Men’s competition, with the win-less SC Corinthians going down to Doon Villa 4-0 at Martens Oval, while United Park Eagles (UPE) endured a 3-2 away loss to Fraser Flames.
Waves however had a good win in the FQPL WB Women’s League, with a Tayla Zielke hat-trick securing them a 3-0 victory over Sunbury Blues in Maryborough, but UPE and Diggers suffered away defeats to Flames 3-0 and Tinana 3-2 respectively.
AFL
Perennial heavyweights Across The Waves Eagles’ “annus horrobilis” in the AFL Wide Bay Marquis Macadamias Senior Men’s Premiership continued with a 20.14 (134) to 4.3 (27) thrashing by their hosts Bay Power at Keith Dunne Oval on Saturday.
The Eagles trailed by just two points at the first change, but the Power flicked the switch with a five goals to one second quarter, seven in the third term and six more in the run home.
The Power remain in third place behind the unbeaten Hervey Bay Bombers and Brothers Bulldogs, with the Eagles in the cellar, yet to open their account.
Hockey
Lachlan McLennan was a match winner with a hat-trick of goals as Waves Cities I bounced back from their loss to Raiders/Rovers earlier in the season to account for them 6-4 in their Bundaberg Men’s return bout at Hinkler Park on Saturday.
Meanwhile, Queensland junior representative Isaac Wales struck five times to spearhead All Blacks to an 8-0 whitewash of Cities II, and Arrows/Athletics downed All Blacks II 3-0.
Cities also got their quest for three straight Division 1 Women’s premierships back on track, outgunning All Blacks 3-1, while Arrows forfeited to Raiders/Rovers.
Here are all the scores:
AFL WIDE BAY
MARQUIS MACADAMIAS SENIOR MEN’S PREMIERSHIP
BAY POWER 2.4, 7.11, 14.11, 20.14 (134) d ATW EAGLES 2.2, 3.2, 4.2, 4.3 (27).
Power – Goals – Joshua Wheeler 5, Matthew Schlein 3, Trent Heard 2, Jarrod Stothard 2, Liam Eddy 2, Lewis Williams 2, Thomas Burch 2, Brayden Wilson, Seth Logan.
Best – Jordan Agius, Matthew Schlein, Mark Antoney, Joshua Wheeler, Adam Mason, Matt Saunders.
RESERVES MEN
BROTHERS BULLDOGS 10.7 (67) d MARYBOROUGH BEARS 3.1 (19).
Bulldogs – Best – Harrison Tancredi, Harrison Hodgson, Joel Anderson, Tyrone Trigg, Zak Mercieca, Shannan Thomas.
Bears – Goals – Dylan Alexander 2.
Best – Benjamin Jones, Harry Bidois, Harrison Jeal, Nicholas Simpson, Shaun Rayson, Jesse Messer.
BAY POWER 1.4, 2.4, 4.5, 6.6 (42) d ATW EAGLES 0.0, 2.1, 2.1, 3.2 (20).
UNDER-17 BOYS
BAY POWER 3.2, 4.7, 6.7, 8.7 (55) d ATW EAGLES 1.1, 1.1, 3.5, 5.6 (36).
UNDER-14 MIXED
BAY POWER 2.4, 4.8, 8.13, 14.16 (100) d ATW EAGLES 1.2, 2.2, 2.2, 2.2 (14).
UNDER-12 MIXED
BROTHERS BULLDOGS 16.22 (118) d MARYBOROUGH BEARS 0.0 (0).
BAY POWER 2.2, 4.5, 6.6, 7.9 (51) d ATW EAGLES 3.1, 3.3, 3.3, 3.3 (21).
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS BLACK 3.0, 5.2, 5.2, 8.2 (50) d HERVEY BAY BOMBERS RED 0.1, 2.1, 3.2, 3.2 (20).
FOOTBALL WIDE BAY
FQPL WB MEN
DOON VILLA 4 d SC CORINTHIANS 0; FRASER FLAMES 3 d UPE 2.
FQPL WB WOMEN
KSS JETS 4 d UNITED WARRIORS 2; ATW 3 (Tayla Zielke 3) d SUNBURY BLUES 0; FRASER FLAMES 3 d UPE 0; TINANA 3 d DIGGERS 2.
FQ WB U23 MEN
UPE 4 d FRASER FLAMES 2; KSS JETS 3 d GRANVILLE 0; SC CORINTHIANS 3 d DOON VILLA 1
FQPL WB U15
ATW 3 d UPE 0; SUNBURY BLUES 8 d UNITED WARRIORS 0.
WB NORTH DIVISION 1 WOMEN
SC CORINTHIANS 4 d ATW 2; BARGARA 2 (Shakira Damico 2) d DIGGERS 1.
WB DIVISION 1 MEN
ATW 2 d TINANA 1; UNITED WARRIORS 3 d BARGARA 1; DIGGERS 3 d BAV 0.
WB NORTH DIVISION 2 MEN
BINGERA CUTTERS 2 d DIGGERS GOLD 1; BINGERA FIRE 4 d BARGARA 0; UNPE GREEN 6 d DIGGERS GREEN 1; SC CORINTHIANS 6 d GIN GIN 1; BAV 2 d UPE RED 0.
HOCKEY BUNDABERG
U11s
Waves Cities forfeited to Arrows Athletics.
Raiders Rovers 8 (Flynn Bock 1, Levi Kendall 1, Will Baldry 3, Stella Dwyer 3) defeated All Blacks 0
U13s
Arrows Athletics 6 (Tully Dorgan 6) defeated Waves Cities 4 (Bailey Hall 1, Thomas Rach 3)
Raiders Rovers 7 (Alisha Paulsen 1, Levi Kendall 1, Riley Simpson 2, Courtney Kendall 3) defeated All Blacks 0
U16s
Arrows Athletics Blue 5 (Ben Wilson 2, Sam Kenny 3) defeated All Blacks 0
Raiders Rovers 5 (Courtney Kendall 2, Hailey Kendall 3) defeated Arrows Gold 0
Div 2 Women
Waves Cities 5 (Cavannah Deller 1, Sophie Castelli 1, Indianah Fidock 1, Gabi Aitkenhead 2) defeated All Blacks 0
Raiders Rovers 7 (Reegan Wightman 1, Emma Law 2, Chantal Baldry 2, Amanda Wightman 2) defeated Arrows Athletics 2 (Ruby Smith 1, Hannah Taske 1)
Div 1 Women
Arrows Athletics forfeited to Raiders Rovers
Waves Cities 3 (Sophie Castelli 1, Jaslyn Phillips 1, Indianah Fidock 1) defeated All Blacks 1 (Jackki Greiner 1)
Men
Waves Cities 1 6 (Sam Callaghan 1, Adam Harradine 1, Matthew Quaite 1, Lachlan McLennan 3) defeated Raiders Rovers 4 (Dean Wightman 1, Bryce Cislowski 1, Colby Zahn 2)
All Blacks 1 8 (Shaun Leather 1, Dale Veivers 1, Thomas Chadwick 1, Isaac Wales 5) defeated Waves Cities 2 0
Arrows Athletics 3 (Harrison Gardiner 1, Jack Beveridge 1, Paul Green 1) defeated All Blacks 2 0
RUGBY LEAGUE BUNDABERG
BUNDABERG BROADCASTERS A GRADE PREMIERSHIP
Round 9:
WAVES TIGERS 34 (Delai Moto 2, Cody Maughan, Jensen Deamer, Layton Chambers, Lachlan Patterson tries; Layton Chambers 5 goals) d WALLAROOS 22 (Maurice Blair, Bailey Robertson, Keian Grogan tries; Liam Doolan 3 goals).
HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 32 (Jaxon Crockford, Tallis Murray, Jeremiah Pati, Burung Shillingsworth, Logona Vetemotu, Malachi Lawton tries; David Woodbridge 4 goals) d WESTS PANTHERS 16 (Bruce Ikamanu 2, Ilaiasi Pongi tries; Bruce Ikamanu 2 goals).
PAST BROTHERS 50 (Tyrell Priestley 2, Corey Findlay 2, Tom Kronk, Connor Jones, Eden Hess, Jake Thompson, Kevin Sherriff; Tyrell Priestley 4, Zac Dann 3 goals) d EASTS MAGPIES 32 (Andreas Nona 2, Corey Chapman, Peter Sippel, Delroy Tanner, Lachlan Price tries; Jackson Paulson 4 goals).
RESERVE GRADE
WESTS PANTHERS 26 (Phillip Lindsay 2, Isaiah Bullard, Zachary Zerafa, Palavi Tahaafe tries; Dylan Harradine-Hall 2, Ryan Sharpe goals) d HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 8 (Ben Hudson, Zachariah Senter tries).
WAVES TIGERS 16 d WALLAROOS 14.
PAST BROTHERS 38 (Chelson Diggins 2, Jack Rowan 2, Junior Tuitoma 2, Josh Zweedyk tries; Andrew Filo 5 goals) d EASTS MAGPIES 14 (Kalisito Gadekiniusiladi 2, Jackson Paulson tries; Jackson Paulson goal).
UNDER-18
WESTS PANTHERS 30 (Ryan Bugeja, Zander Kerr, Rhys Felgate, Ezekiel Bullard tries; Ryan Bugeja 3, Zander Kerr 2 goals) d HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 6.
WALLAROOS d WAVES TIGERS ON FORFEIT.
PAST BROTHERS 16 (Caio Kerr, Wil Simmons, Eden Hess tries; Caio Kerr 2 goals) d SOUTH BURNETT 12 (Jamal Mackie 2 tries).
BUNDABERG JUNIOR HITZ FM 93.9 CHALLENGE CUPS
UNDER-16
WAVES 26 (Emmanuel Iboro 2 tries & 3 goals) d BUNDABERG BROTHERS 20 (Blake Powter, Clay Morton, Travis Larner, Jack Schmidt tries).
HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 36 (Iliesa Baravilala 2, Boedie Dwight, Noah Douglas-Denduck, Jordan Burke, Jamall Nelson tries; Boedie Dwight 3 goals) d WESTS 16 (Dominic Bunyoung, Jack Conway, Noah Law tries; Lucas Brough 2 goals).
UNDER-15
BUNDABERG BROTHERS 38 (Jomar Gustilo, Ryan Bohl, Levi Monckton, Toby Collins, Kash Thomas, Ryan Charteris, Zachary Stephenson tries; Jomar Gustilo 5 goals) d WESTS 6 (Malachi Marsh try, Darnell Saunders goal).
HERVEY BAY 36 d WALLAROOS 26.
UNDER-14
WALLAROOS 30 d HERVEY BAY 16.
WESTS 42 d BUNDABERG BROTHERS 0.
UNDER-13
WESTS 16 (Cooper Walden, Jerimaia Kaitani tries) d BUNDABERG BROTHERS 8 (Deklan Busby try).
WALLAROOS 50 d BUNDABERG BROTHERS 0.
HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 34 d MARLINS 4.
WAVES 20 (Beau Moxon 2, Jacob Werchon, Ecian Rapada tries; Joseph Griffies 2 goals) d MARYBOROUGH BROTHERS 4 (Sheldon Coleman try).
NORTHERN DISTRICTS
MEN
SOUTH KOLAN 30 (Jackson Brown 2, Joel Pearson, Toro Vali, Chris Georgio 2 tries; Jackson Brown 3 goals) drew MIRIAM VALE 30 (Tim McIntosh, Charles Hopf 2, Cody Guymer, Maverick Sypher, Clayton Goldsworthy tries; Jesse Wyngaards 3 goals).
GIN GIN 30 (Afa Pogai, Tyren Hoyle 2, Aukusitino Toeava, Maurice Newman-Hinton, Chris Tosoni, Lino Lavelua tries; Tyren Hoyle goal) d AVONDALE 28 (Samson Dau, Brendan Prossliner, Frank Primavera, Robert McCormack, Lino Fareni-Sapani tries; Brendan Prossliner 4 goals).
WOMEN’S LEAGUE TAG
GIN GIN HAWKETTES 42 (Jessica Galea 4, Emma Bechly, Gabrielle Galea, Choe Curtis Shannon Lavender-Horlyck tries; Emma Collinson 5 goals) d AVONDALE TIGERETTES 4 (Bobbi-Joy Wolff try).
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