Second-season player and big match specialist Mitchell Clayton was a three-try hero as two-times defending champions Past Brothers held off minor premiers Waves Tigers 20-18 in a Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership Major Semi-final classic at Salter Oval on Sunday.
Playing in front of a massive crowd in the curtain-raiser to the historic Canterbury Bulldogs-North Queensland Cowboys NRL clash after one minute’s silence in honour of Waves coach and Brothers junior champion Antonio Kaufusi’s father Dan, who sadly passed away in Brisbane on Saturday morning after falling gravely ill on a trip to United States in the last week of July, the match was played in great spirits.
Antonio ran the ship on the bench with a heavy heart and his Tigers drew first blood with a try to uncompromising front rower Ross Larsen and sharpshooter Layton Chambers added the extras, but Brothers’ reply was swift with their inspirational captain and front rower Kevin Sherriff powering over and Pat Templeman converting, and they went on to establish a 10-6 half-time lead with the first of Mitchell’s hat-trick.
In the second stanza, the Brethren also notched 10 points with two more tries to Mitchell and a second conversion to Pat, but while the never-say-die Tigers grabbed three, Layton was unable to convert any of them, including one in the dying minutes which would have levelled the scores.
In the end, Waves fell agonisingly despite each team racking up four tries, but they will get another chance in the Preliminary Final on Sunday August 21 against Hervey Bay Seagulls, who staved off Wests Panthers 8-4 in an also epic Minor Semi-final at Brothers Sports Club on Saturday.
Mitchell, 23, who achieved stunning doubles in both last year’s Preliminary Final victory over the Seagulls and Grand Final ambush of Easts, had missed six of the 15 round games due to injury and had scored 10 tries in as many games, but he turned back the clock 12 months after missing out in their 42-22 triumph over the Seagulls a week earlier, returning to his brilliant best to record his second three-peat of the season.
Meanwhile, Hervey Bay welcomed back a string of stars on Saturday, including their two try scorers, rugged veteran forward Dion Bunyan and electrifying winger Jeremiah Pati, but they still had to pull out all stops to oust the Panthers, who had upset Easts Magpies in extra-time in the Elimination Final a week earlier.
The Seagulls also walloped minor premiers Wests Panthers 32-6 in the Reserve Grade Major Semi-final, while Easts Magpies accounted for Waves 12-6 in the Minor Semi.
Meanwhile, in the Northern Districts Men’s Premiership, South Kolan Sharks kept their title defence alive, snatching a 14-12 victory from the jaws of defeat against hosts Avondale Tigers in the Preliminary Final at Tegege on Saturday with front rower Chris Chapman crashing over for a try in the dying seconds.
The Sharks will now meet Miriam Vale in the Grand Final at Gin Gin this Sunday, but they will have to turn about a 54-10 thrashing by the Magpies in the Major Semi-final two weeks ago.
It was a disappointing day all around for Avondale as their Tigerettes were also beaten in the Women’s League Tag Preliminary Final by Agnes Water 18-10 with Ebony Cooper a match winner for the Marlins with a double.
Football
A Bryce Hibberd goal was enough for Across The Waves to clinch a 1-0 victory over hosts Kawungan Sandy Straits Jets in their Football Queensland Premier League Wide Bay Men’s top of the table blockbuster at Hervey Bay Sports Complex on Saturday and take a giant step towards another League Championship.
Waves moved to 36 points, five clear of the Jets who have played one more game than them.
Fraser Flames remain in third position on 29 points after they went down to their hosts Bingera 3-1 with prolific scorer Gary O’Donnell a match winner for the Superstripes with a double.
Bingera moved into third place on 25 points, ahead of United Park Eagles (UPE) (23), who had the bye.
The improved SC Corinthians also continued their good form, competing strongly against Sunbury Blues but ultimately going down 2-1.
The Flames however maintained their perfect record in the WB Women’s League, outgunning Bingera 6-2 with a hat-trick of goals to Emily McDougall, while the Superstripes are now in danger of missing the finals as they remain on 21 points, six adrift of fourth seeds UPE.
Waves consolidated second place, battling out a 1-1 draw with their hosts KSS Jets, who remain in third berth, three points behind them.
Diggers joined the Blues in a three-way tie for sixth with a 3-0 triumph over them at Martens Oval on Friday night.
Hockey
Raiders/Rovers powered on at the top of the Bundaberg Division 1 Women’s table by winning both of their matches on the weekend, defeating Waves Cities 3-1 on Friday night and Arrows/Athletics with the same score-line on Saturday.
Sue Kendall was a match winner against Cities with a two-goal haul, while they shot down Arrows with three individual scorers.
Arrows had accounted for All Blacks 5-0 on Friday with Bridget Stehbens striking three times, while All Blacks were also beaten with an identical score-line by Cities on Saturday, with Angela Asnicar hammering in two goals for the battling two-times defending champions.
Cities I consolidated poll position in the Men’s competition, outgunning Arrows 4-1, while All Blacks I returned to form to edge out Raiders/Rovers 3-2, and All Blacks and Cities’ No. 2 teams played out a scoreless draw.
Here are all the scores:
AFL WIDE BAY
RESERVES MEN
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 14.10 (94) d ATW EAGLES 1.2 (8).
Eagles – Goal: Arty Richardson.
BAY POWER 11.15 (81) d MARYBOROUGH 3.3 (21).
UNDER-17 BOYS
ATW EAGLES 5.0, 8.2, 10.5, 13.8 (86) d BROTHERS BULLDOGS 0.0, 0.0, 2.1, 4.1 (25).
Eagles – Goals: Finlay Bath 4, Kaine Gould 3, Chase Martin 3, Fletcher Stone, Tyrone Russell, Baxter Stone; Best: Tyrone Russell, Jack Gardner, Isak Hose, Fletcher Stone, Harrison Lanzon.
Bulldogs – Goals: Tommas Sullivan, Porter Hansen, Maxwell Clancy, Darcy Burgess; Best: Lachlan Stevenson, Maxwell Clancy, Darcy Burgess, Tommas Sullivan, Harrison Tancredi, Frederic Collins.
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 10.8 (68) d BAY POWER 0.3 (3).
UNDER-14 MIXED
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS 12.17 (74) d BAY POWER 2.2 (14).
BROTHERS BULLDOGS 0.2, 3.7, 6.10, 8.13 (61) d ATW EAGLES 0.0 (0).
Bulldogs – Goals: Riley Collett 4, Mitchell Webster 3, Jayla Tancredi; Best: Tallen Chapman, Maylee Wade, Frederic Collins, Maxwell Clancy, Millen Buckle-Perkins, Abby Tancredi.
Eagles – Best: Kaleb Bentley, Edric Brown, Daniel Russell, Silas Martin, Hudson Wisewould, Eli Martin.
UNDER-12 MIXED
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS BLACK 5.2, 9.10 13.10, 18.12 (120) d ATW EAGLES 1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0 (6).
HERVEY BAY BOMBERS RED 1.0, 4.2, 4.2, 6.3 (39) d BROTHERS BULLDOGS 0.1, 0.3, 1.5, 1.5 (11).
Bulldogs – Goals: Keira Cook; Best: Keira Cook, Hugo Timms, Caleb Box, Joshua Jackson, Joshua Partridge.
BAY POWER 11.10 (76) d MARYBOROUGH 6.2 (38).
FOOTBALL WIDE BAY
FQPL WB MEN
DOON VILLA 3 d GRANVILLE 0.
ATW 1 (Bryce Hibberd) d KSS JETS 0.
SUNBURY BLUES 2 (L Parry, R Howlett) d SC CORINTHIANS 1 (Tyler Bock).
BINGERA 3 (Gary O’Donnell 2, Michael Stayte) d FRASER FLAMES 1 (L Brindley).
FQPL WB WOMEN
KSS JETS 1 drew ATW 1.
DIGGERS 3 d SUNBURY BLUES 0.
FRASER FLAMES 6 (Emily McDougall 3, C McDougall, K Frehmann, M Fletcher) d BINGERA 2 (Melissa Sergiacomi, Kara Fines).
UNITED WARRIORS 5 d TINANA 2.
FQ WB U23 MEN
BINGERA 3 (Laurie Stephenson 2, Henry Brophy) d FRASER FLAMES 0.
KSS JETS 3 d ATW 0.
SC CORINTHIANS 2 (Jarman Grigg 2) drew SUNBURY BLUES 2.
FQPL WB U15
SUNBURY BLUES 2 d BAYSIDE STRIKERS 1.
ATW 6 (Xavier Ulbl 2, Casey Simpson 3, Ryan Hack) d KSS JETS 0.
UPE 4 (Cohen Palmer 2, M Joyce, S Miller) d UNITED WARRIORS 1 (D Pohlmann).
WB NORTH DIVISION 1 WOMEN
SC CORINTHIANS 10 (Leisale Solomon 3, Sarah Hall 2, Jasmin Brunjes 2, Emily Wedel, Hayley Smits, Rhianna Steindl) d BINGERA 1 (M Wockner).
UPE RED 2 (Lara Hamilton, Stacey Embrey) d DIGGERS 1 (Lexi Taylor).
WB DIVISION 1 MEN
ATW 2 (Lachlan Brown 2) d BARGARA 1 (J Anderson).
UNITED WARRIORS 5 (Jackson Landon 2, M Ferrier, S Hill, A Lee) d DIGGERS 2 (H Washington, C Faulks).
BAV 11 (Johnson Tekbiyik 4, Jesse Sommer 4, M Williams, C Smith, D Boylan) d TINANA 0.
WB NORTH DIVISION 2 MEN
SC CORINTHIANS 4 (B Kalopong, J Toto, C Machekera) drew ATW 4 (Mitchell Capuzzo 3, N Kerslake).
BARGARA 2 (C Hillier, B Hillier) d GIN GIN 1 (M Kelepi).
BINGERA CUTTERS 3 (Hunter Walsh 2, J Coros) d DIGGERS GREEN 1 (Mitchell Bluff).
UPE GREEN 9 (Anthony Grant 5, Nick Maas 2, Ethan Maas, J Hendricks) d BINGERA FIRE 2 (D Ogilvie, M Arnold).
WB NORTH U15 DIVISION 1
BINGERA 4 (Ethan McKeown 2, Jack Gaston, Liam Giles) d BAV 3 (Zed Peters, S Chand, C Amey).
ATW 6 (B Hick 2, L Brown, M Clark, S Dexter, R Dexter) d UPE 5 (L Faint 2, C Bennier, C Messitt, R Martyn).
BARGARA RED 5 (J Lucht 2, Z Busby, A Morris, L Eade) d GIN GIN 0.
BARGARA WHITE 3 (T Lamond 2, F Schiffke) d DIGGERS 0.
WB NORTH U13 DIVISION 1
DIGGERS 3 (Tyler Tripper 2, M Bradley) d BARGARA HAMMERHEADS 2 (A Caldwell, A Berthelsen).
BINGERA 14 (Zayde Kitching 4, Cale Stayte 2, Ty Lavercombe 3, Rowan Mitchell 2, Tayin Ogilvie 2, Lachlan Wylie) d BAV 0.
HOCKEY BUNDABERG
Friday:
Div 1 Women
Raiders Rovers 3 (Amanda Wightman 1, Susan Kendall 2) defeated Waves Cities 1 (Sarah Ryan 1)
Arrows Athletics 5 (Nicky Pollock 1, Emilie Petts 1, Bridget Stehbens 3) defeated All Blacks 0
Saturday:
U11s
Raiders Rovers 6 (Toby Olsen 1, Stella Dwyer 2, Alexis Smith 3) defeated Waves Cities 1
All Blacks forfeited to Arrows Athletics
U13s
Raiders Rovers 5 (Riley Simpson 2, Silvana Powell 3) defeated Waves Cities 4 (Connor Castelli 1, Thomas Rach 1, Bailey Hall 1, Riley Noonan 1)
Arrows Athletics 12 (Eddie Rayner 1, Kira Bryant 1, Amity Hannay 2, Tully Dorgan 8) defeated All Blacks 0
U16s
All Blacks 2 (Tim Wales 1, Paige Aulfrey 1) defeated Arrows Gold 0
Arrows Athletics Blue 12 (Ben Wilson 1, Julie Munro 1, Ava McCaig 1, Bridget Stehbens 3, Sam Kenny 6) defeated Waves Cities 2 (Sophie Castelli 1, Connor Castelli 1)
Div 2 Women
Raiders Rovers 5 (Alana McManus 1, Amanda Wightman 1, Chantal Baldry 3) defeated Arrows Athletics 0
Waves Cities 2 (Kylie Consen 1, Deanne Binder 1) defeated All Blacks 1 (Chloe Connor 1)
Div 1 Women
Raiders Rovers 3 (Minka Elliott 1, Christine Grant 1, Latoya Larsen 1) defeated Arrows Athletics 1 (Bridie Stehbens 1)
Waves Cities 5 (Milee Flanders 1, Sarah Ryan 1, Rebecca Raftery 1, Angela Asnicar 2) defeated All Blacks 0
Men
All Blacks 1 – 3 (Nathan McGill 1, Isaac Wales 1, Kalen Wilke 1) defeated Raiders Rovers 2 (Colby Zahn 2)
All Blacks 2 – 0 drew with Waves Cities 2 – 0
Waves Cities 1 – 4 (Jonty McMahon 1, Joel Latham 1, Harrison Baldwin 1, Matthew Quaite 1) defeated Arrows Athletics 1 (Harrison Gardiner)
RUGBY LEAGUE BUNDABERG
BUNDABERG BROADCASTERS A GRADE PREMIERSHIP
Major semi-final: PAST BROTHERS 20 (Mitchell Clayton 3, Kevin Sherriff tries; Pat Templeman 2 goals) d WAVES TIGERS 18 (Ross Larsen, Layton Chambers, Jensen Deamer, Lachlan Dullaway tries; Layton Chambers goal).
Minor semi: HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 8 (Dion Bunyan, Jeremiah Pati tries) d WESTS PANTHERS 4 (Bruce Ikamanu try).
RESERVE GRADE
Major semi-final: HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 32 (Ethan West 2, Billy Carter, Jaiden Davis, Fredrick Cobbo, Bruce Waia tries; Joel Denduck 3, Jonathon Bill goals) d WESTS PANTHERS 6 (Phillip Lindsay try; Lochlan Modrow goal)
Minor semi-final: EASTS MAGPIES 12 (Kalisito Gadenkiniusiladi, Sakiusa Dreunimolea tries; Jackson Paulson 2 goals) d WAVES TIGERS 6.
BUNDABERG JUNIOR HITZ FM 93.9 CHALLENGE CUPS
UNDER-16
BUNDABERG BROTHERS 16 (Travis Larner, Blake Powter, Benny Medley tries; Blake Powter 2 goals) d HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 6 (Iliesa Baravilala try; Ethan Hore goal).
WESTS 14 (Isaiah Freeman, Lucas Brough, Noah Law tries; Lucas Brough goal) d WAVES 4 (Preston Walsh try).
UNDER-15
BUNDABERG BROTHERS 14 (Isaac Barrett, Cooper De Silva, Toby Collins tries; Jomar Gustilo goal) d WALLAROOS 10 (Kev Weribone try & goal).
HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 50 d WESTS 6 (Brody Lake try; Darnell Saunders goal).
UNDER-14
WALLAROOS 28 d BUNDABERG BROTHERS 14 (Curtis Russell, Spencer Simmons tries; Curtis Russell goal).
WESTS 32 (Darius Freeman 2, Coen Dick 2, Angus Maule, Beau Molo, Lael Lampton tries; Lincoln Hislop 2 goals) d HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 12.
UNDER-13
HERVEY BAY SEAGULLS 28 d WESTS 0.
MAGPIES 30 (Levi Hack 3, Beau Galloway, Cayde Lister, Harrison Candy tries; Levi Hack 3 goals)) d BUNDABERG BROTHERS 10 (Kobe Hall, Hudson McKenzie tries; Kaleb Mauloni goal).
MARYBOROUGH BROTHERS 48 d MARLINS 4 (Silas Mojica try).
WALLAROOS 12 d WAVES 0.
NORTHERN DISTRICTS
MEN
Preliminary final: SOUTH KOLAN SHARKS 14 (Chris Chapman, Sepeti Vaea, Connor Cole tries; Cem Rohdmann goal) d AVONDALE TIGERS 12 (Samson Dau, Tom Dexter tries; Nathan Leather 2 goals).
WOMEN’S LEAGUE TAG
Preliminary final: AGNES WATER MARLINS 18 (Ebony Cooper 2, J Smith, Makiah Townsend tries; Lisa Irving goal) d AVONDALE TIGERETTES 10 (Daniela Giovannoni, Bobbi-Joy Wolff tries; Bethany Gapes goal).
WIDE BAY OPEN WOMEN
FRASER COAST CRUSHERS 6 d BUNDABERG BEARS 4.
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