Shalom College boys’ coach Neil Feather believes they can finish in top two in their Division 1 Pool D and thereby qualify for the Shield finals (top eight) for the first time at the time honoured 42nd annual Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Rugby League Confraternity Carnival showpiece in Mackay which runs from Monday through to Friday.
Shalom, who are fresh from wins over Rockhampton Grammar and Bundaberg State High School 44-0 on Monday in the Dolphins Cup, have a tough Pool, on Monday playing Marymount College Burleigh Heads at Noon and St Brendan’s College Yeppoon at 3.20pm, and Padua College Kedron at 11.50am Tuesday, before the Division is divided into the Shield and Trophy for the finals.
They have a strong side, led by captain and hooker Patrick Curtis.
Shalom will also contest the Confraternity Girls’ Carnival, under coach, former NRL star Antonio Kaufusi, and they will play Rockhampton schools Cathedral and Emmaus Colleges in their first two games on Monday and Tuesday respectively.
Antonio is also expecting big things from them, with captain and second rower Mikala Lobegeier to lead from the front.
Shalom will further be represented in both the Girls and Boys’ divisions at the Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Netball Carnival, also in Mackay being run concurrently with the league, with St Luke’s Anglican School to also fly the Bundaberg flag in both.
On Monday, in the Girls’ section, Shalom will do battle with Clairvaux MacKillop College Mt Gravatt, Good Shepherd Lutheran College Noosa and Cathedral Rockhampton respectively, while St Luke’s will line up against Assumption College Warwick, Trinity College Beenleigh and Xavier College Hervey Bay.
In the boys’ draw, Shalom will meet St Luke’s first up on Monday, before backing up against St Catherine’s Catholic College Whitsundays, while St Luke’s will also bib up against St Catherine’s and St Patrick’s College Mackay.
Shalom teams:
Boys Rugby League: 1 Blake Powter, 2 Jack Frohloff, 3 Connor Yeats, 4 Tumeli Naco, 5 Ben Toft, 6 Mitchell Sly, 7 Zander Evans, 8 Jack Schmidt, 9 Patrick Curtis ©, 10 Ryan Smith, 11 Junior Tuitoma, 12 Coen Searl, 13 Jack Picaro, 14 Ezekiel Monckton, 15 Noah Law, 16 Dan Cavanagh, 17 Jude Sheppard, 18 Dawson Hess, 19 Ethan Brennan, 20 Ezekiel Bullard, 21 Zack O'Mara.
Girls Rugby League: 1 Taylor Driver, 2 Ella Denton, 3 Harmonie Fauid, 4 Chloe O’Neill, 5 Emma Nash, 6 Caitlin Tanner, 7 Kasey Stone (VC), 8 Laney Brooks, 9 Hanahlin Whittard, 10 Tia Church, 11 Mikala Lobegeier (c), 12 Meghan Skerman, 13 Tanina Bradley, 14 Tahlia Glover, 15 McKenzie Ferguson, 16 Nina Hilton, 17 Kendall Ace, 18 Keiarna Seymour, 19 Chelsea O’Neill, 20 Chesney Whittard, 21 Teagan Lack.
QISSN Girls: Pelenatita Kaufusi (C), Bailey Grigg (VC), Jessica Brooks, Angel Cory, Macey Egan, Alani Morley, Annabel Roelofs, Sophia Galati, Tanika Hartfiel, Lani Plath, Tyla Royan; Kylee Johnstone (Coach), Nikki Somerfield (Manager)
QISSN Boys: Bradley Balchin (C), Brandon Prendergast (VC), Joshua Booth, Reuben Coleman, Harrison Johnson, Patrick McMahon, Zachary Richters, Denyin Rose, Luke Wyatt, Jack Wolters; Craig Hammermeister (Coach), Nadia Tairawhiti (Manager).
St Luke's QISSN teams:
Girls: Jasmine Gill, Isabella Gill, Lara-Jane Hancock, Chika Hibbert, Ella McLucas, McKenzie Kersnovske, Alice Prichard, Shanae Oosthuizen, Portia Hancock, Dakota Carrol, Josie Clarke, Amber Meech
Boys: Ben Rudd, Harrison Baldwin, Oliver Baldwin, Joey Vella, Harry Nasso, Finlay Bath, Fletcher Stone, Campbell Baldwin, Ryan Royall, Harrison Lanzon
Rugby League
Outright top spot and the inside running to the minor premiership will be up for grabs when joint-leaders Waves Tigers and Hervey Bay Seagulls meet in a Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership Round 12 blockbuster at Salter Oval at 4.30pm tomorrow.
With five rounds to go, much is also at stake in the other two matches of the day, with fourth placed two-times defending champions Past Brothers needing to win against Wests at 6.30pm to keep their top three hopes alive, but the Panthers able to put an iron grip on third place if they are successful.
At Eskdale Park Maryborough at 5pm, it is do or die for cellar dwellers Wallaroos against Easts to keep their finals hopes alive, but the Magpies will be desperate to halt a five-games losing streak and secure their berth in the play-offs.
The Bay and Waves have met only once so far this year in the season opener back on 26th March, when the Seagulls came back from the dead to clinch a 22-all draw with a post-siren conversion, with their round 6 showdown postponed from 14th May 14 to 23rd July due to heavy rain.
The Seagulls have lost just once so far, going down to the Panthers on 23rd April, while the Tigers lost two of their first five games, but since being defeated by the Brethren on 7th May, they have swept all before them in five straight victories.
In the Northern Districts Men’s Premiership, it could be a grand final preview when hometown heroes Miriam Vale Magpies take on unbeaten reigning premiers South Kolan Sharks at Gary Larson Oval tomorrow at 3.15pm.
At 1.30pm, after their forfeit a fortnight ago before last week’s bye round, hopefully Avondale Tigers can field a team for their showdown with the improving Gin Gin Hawks, who beat them by just two points on their home ground three weeks ago.
In the Women’s League Tag at 12.15pm, after being blown away by the relentless Gin Gin in the last round, Agnes Water Marlins may find it easier against Avondale Tigerettes.
AFL
After suffering their only two losses so far in 2022 in the AFL Wide Bay Marquis Macadamias Seniors Men’s Premiership, both to the unbeaten title holders Hervey Bay Bombers, including a 4.14 (38) to 0.2 (2) mauling in the mud when they last crossed swords on 21st May, Brothers Bulldogs will be aiming to turn the tables on them when they battle it out in a top of the table shoot-out at Brothers Sports Club tomorrow at 3pm.
Down the road, the winless Across The Waves Eagles must win in their match up with Bay Power at Frank Coulthard Oval if they are to stay in the running to challenge for a finals ticket.
But they will need a dramatic improvement after having their wings clipped in Power surges 9.7 (61) to 4.12 (36) on 23rd April, and 20.14 (134) to 4.3 (27) on 4th June.
Football
After two heavy losses, including a 9-0 whitewash by Across The Waves two weeks ago, Bingera gets the chance to regain some respect when they host their arch-rivals in a rematch tomorrow at 6pm in the Football Queensland Premier League Wide Bay Men’s Round 1 game which was postponed from 12th March due to heavy rain.
Meanwhile, United Park Eagles (UPE) travel to Maryborough for a meeting with Granville, while there is also a Fraser Coast Derby between Sunbury Blues and KSS Jets.
There is one match in the Women’s league tonight with Sunbury up against KSS, while tomorrow, Bingera suit up against Waves, UPE are away to United Warriors, and Fraser Flames will turn up the heat against Tinana.
Hockey
There will be no holds barred when arch-rivals 2021 champion Waves Cities I and All Blacks I, who had claimed the crown the previous five years, meet in a Bundaberg Men’s battle royale at Hinkler Park tomorrow at 3.20pm.
Earlier, Raiders/Rovers will take on All Blacks II at 2pm, and at 6pm, Arrows/Athletics will aim up against Cities II.
Raiders/Rovers and Arrows are also set for an epic Division 1 Women’s duel to close the program at 7.20pm, after All Blacks and battling premiers Cities square off at 4.40pm.
Netball
Joint-leaders Brothers Hurricanes will be out to consolidate their spot on the Bundaberg Warren Family Homes Division 1 Premiership table when they take to the court against fourth placed Natives Aim Hearing Magpies at the Superpark at 6.30pm tomorrow.
Earlier, it could be a tough night at the office for third seeds Alloway Blue against back-to-back champions Waves Gold at 5pm.
Horse Racing
New Bundaberg trainer James Wanless was among the winners at the Gympie meeting on Saturday with favourite, former North Queensland galloper Lord Rivers getting the verdict in a very tight three-way finish to the Maiden Plate.
Greyhounds
Glasshouse Mountains trainer Robert Ayres had a big day out at this week’s Bundaberg meeting at Thabeban Park, claiming a race-to-race double, including the rich Bundaberg Grand Prix Final with favourite I’m Explosive ($2), which ran away with the $6,370 prizemoney.
He was also successful in the Terry Signs 5th Grade with Canya Bellatrix ($4.60).
Two other trainers also achieved dual success on the program, Garry Cluse, of New Moonta, with former Sydneysider, rank outsider Sir Diamond ($14) at his first start for him in the East End Hotel Maiden, and $7.50 roughie Compton Tess in the 5th Grade Pathway Non-Penalty, and Stephen Bland, of Goodwood, with up and comer Mount Cambla, a $2.10 popular elect, in the Novice Non-Penalty, and five-year-old Louisiana Flyer ($9) at his 96th outing in the Masters 5th Grade.
Just one other District trainer was also a winner on the day, Allan Thrower with Alpha Humbug in the Sky Racing Maiden.
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