Proud club junior product and 2021 Les Somerville Medal for Player of the Bundaberg Rugby League (BRL) A Grade Grand Final, Royce Blair, bagged a double to lead from the front as Isis Devils laid claim to the Northern Districts Rugby League NDRL Men’s Premiership Minor title with three rounds to go in their comeback season with a 44-24 victory over South Kolan Sharks in their top of the table clash at Tegege on Sunday.
They moved to 18 points and are now six points clear of Sharks and Avondale Tigers, who kept 2022 champions Miriam Vale Magpies without a competition point to their credit with veteran tough as teak lock Brendon McKeown, who is in his first season in the NDRL after a distinguished BRL career for Past Brothers and Waves Tigers, mainly in Reserve Grade, racking up a mammoth 24 points with two tries and eight conversions, and fullback Iosefo Tuvere also bagging a double in a 58-4 demolition of them.
Gin Gin Hawks are on six points with fourth position secure before they feel the heat against the Devils at “The Furnace” at Childers Showgrounds tomorrow at 6.30pm, after Tigers and Sharks battle it out for outright second position at 5pm.
Sunday was a good day all-around for the Devils, with their Women’s League Tag side also torching Avondale 68-6 with doubles to Ella Blanch, Klarissa Campbell, and Mechin.
Tomorrow, the Devils take on Agnes Water Marlins at 4pm, after two-times defending champions Gin Gin Hawkettes attempt to bounce back from their first loss in over two years at their last start three weeks ago when they suit up against Avondale at 3pm.
Weekend results:
MEN
Isis 44 (Z Dann, R Blair 2, K Oscar, B Kimber, J Murray-Bryant, Z Tomlinson, Z Zerafa tries; T Jameson 3, B Hass 2, B Kimber goals) d South Kolan 24 (S Somia 2, A Tibia, S Rokovuki, C Chapman tries; A Mason, D. Broome goals).
Avondale 58 (I Tuvere 2, V Tufulele, S Taqabale, M Jones, D Wagner, A Buludrau, B McKeown 2, M Tuinuku tries; M Jones, B McKeown 8 goals) d Miriam Vale 4 (M Fennell try).
WOMEN’S LEAGUE TAG
Isis 68 (M Mechin 2, E Blanch 2, K Campbell 2, J Freshwater, S Schiffke, T Sadler, C Jackson, L Bauer, A Kehl, K Kelmore tries; Goals: J Freshwater, J Rowan, C Jackson, A Kehl 4, K Helmore goals) d Avondale 6 (B Jones try & goal).
Bundaberg Rugby League
Meanwhile, with three rounds remaining in the BRL Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership, Waves Tigers must beat leaders Past Brothers at Salter Oval tomorrow at 6pm to keep their quest alive for back-to-back minor titles.
Brothers are on 19 points, three clear of Wests Panthers and Waves, with a further three points to Easts Magpies, followed by Wallaroos (8), and 2022 champions Hervey Bay Seagulls (0).
Earlier at 4.15 pm, there is also much at stake in the battle between Wests and Easts, with the Panthers also needing to win to stay on track for a tilt at the minor premiership, and the Magpies having to win to keep in the race for a top-three finish and a double-chance in the finals.
At Eskdale Park Maryborough at 5pm, it should be a matter of by how far for Wallaroos, who are out of top three contention, against Hervey Bay after humiliating the beleaguered Seagulls 84-6 and 116-0 in their two clashes to date.
Honours are shared between the Brethren and Tigers this campaign with the former getting home 34-12 against a depleted Waves on May 6, but Brothers being without many stars in a 26-12 defeat at their hands on June 10.
Brothers are coming off a 36-8 victory over Wallaroos before last week’s bye round, while Waves disposed of Easts 28-16.
Even though long serving champion front rower and former triple premiership winning captain Kevin Sherriff is unavailable, Brothers will field their strongest team of the season so far, including with dual BRL A Grade Player of the Year Matt Craven returning from a broken hand for his first match since May 20.
Also, former Queensland Cup Player of the Year Pat Templeman has returned from his stint in France and will return to the side for the first time since their loss in last year’s grand final.
The score is also one-all between Wests and Easts this season, with the Magpies flying high 36-24 in their first meeting of the season on May 6, but the Panthers purring 42-28 when they last faced off on June 10.
Wests are on a six-match winning streak, while Easts have lost at three of their past four outings.
AFL
Hervey Bay Bombers powered on unbeaten in their AFL Wide Bay Senior Men’s Premiership title defence with a 13.8 (86) to 3.1 (19) demolition of their hosts Waves Eagles on Saturday, while Brothers Bulldogs missed a golden chance to get to within one win of the second-placed Eagles, suffering a shock 8.13 (61) to 5.9 (39) home loss to Bay Power.
Tomorrow, there will be the traditional fierce local derby between the Eagles and Bulldogs at Frank Coulthard Oval at 3pm.
In the Takalvans Senior Women’s Premiership, champions Eagles again proved too strong for Bombers 5.12 (42) to 2.1 (13) on Saturday, while the improving Bulldogs joined Bombers and Power in equal-second place, defusing the Power 3.1 (19) to 2.2 (14).
But the Bulldogs’ Women will need to rise to yet another level against the might of the Eagles tomorrow at 1.30pm.
BASKETBALL
Luke Iacobucci and Jesse Lomax led the charge with 20 and 18 points respectively as Bundaberg Autobarn Bulls dug deep to defeat Ipswich Force 76-70 in their Basketball Queensland State League 2 Men’s last-round clash at Autobarn Arena on Saturday.
They wound up third on the ladder on 26 points behind Southern Districts Spartans (35) and Moreton Bay Suns Fire (34), with Logan Thunder sneaking into fourth place on 21 points.
Bulls will now travel to meet Fire in the 2v3 semi-final at South Pine Sports Complex tomorrow at 6pm, after losing to them 84-72 at home in the season opener back on 16th April, and 91-89 at Morayfield six days later, but they have won seven of their past 10 games.
Bundaberg’s Women’s team Bears finished their season on a high with Leah Gleich shooting 21 points in a 66-61 dispatch of the Force, but unfortunately, they wound up on the bottom of the seven-team ladder.
FOOTBALL
Goals to a rejuvenated Sam Meyer and young gun Preston Cox were enough for Across The Waves to stave off Gladstone powerhouses Clinton 2-1 in their Home leg of their Football Queensland Premier League (FQPL) Champions League Tie on Saturday.
Tomorrow, they return to the FQPL McDonald’s Wide Bay Men’s League, away to KSS Jets at Fraser Coast Sports Precinct at 7pm, after Bingera suit up against Fraser Flames at 5pm.
FC Sports Precinct will also host FQPL McDonald’s WB Women’s showdowns tomorrow between Jets and Waves at 3pm, and Flames and Superstripes at 7pm.
There are also two Men’s games at Martens Oval tomorrow with SC Corinthians up against Sunbury Blues at 6pm, before United Park Eagles (UPE) aim up against Doon Villa at 7pm, and earlier at 3pm, UPE Women oppose Doon Villa.
NETBALL
Three times defending champions Waves Gold are expected to continue on their winning way when they bib up against Brothers Cyclones in the Warren Family Homes Division 1 Premiership at the Superpark tomorrow.
Earlier, at 5pm, Brothers Hurricanes will unleash against Alloway Blue, and Natives Magpies will be out to pluck Waves Blue.
HOCKEY
It was a good day for Raiders/Rovers in Bundaberg Hockey Division 1 on Saturday, claiming the double against All Blacks with Tim Jacobsen a match winner with a double as their Men prevailed 3-2, and Amanda Wightman also striking twice as their Premier League winning Women ran out 5-1 victors.
Honours were split between Waves Cities and Arrows/Athletics in their Division 1 duels, with Adam Harradine guiding the Blues’ Men home 4-3, but Arrows’ Women on target 2-1.
Tomorrow, Cities meet Raiders/Rovers, with the Division 1 Men at 3.20pm and Women at 4.40pm, and Arrows to aim up against All Backs’ Men at 6pm and Women at 7.20pm.
Weekend results:
Div 2 Women
Raiders Rovers 1 (Hailey Kendall 1) defeated All Blacks 0
Arrows Athletics 2 (Margaret Vicenzotti 1, Keely Kleidon 1) defeated Waves Cities 1 (Karen McGuire 1)
Div 1 Women
Raiders Rovers 5 (Latoya Larsen 1, Katie Steemson 1, Hailey Kendall 1, Amanda Wightman 2) defeated All Blacks 1 (Aimee Turner 1)
Arrows Athletics 3 (Bridget Stehbens 1, Ally Dunn 2) defeated Waves Cities 0
Div 2 Men
Waves Cities 3 (Harrison Baldwin 1, Oliver Baldwin 1, Sam Yick 1) defeated Raiders Rovers 0
Div 1 Men
Raiders Rovers 3 (Ryley Stevens 1, Tim Jacobsen 2) defeated All Blacks 2 (Tristan Storm 1, Lachlan McLellan 1)
Waves Cities 4 (Harrison Baldwin 1, Lewis Dexter 1, Adam Harradine 2) defeated Arrows Athletics 3 (Jake McCaig 1, Liam Taske 1, Keith Scherer 1)
Last week's report: Three-way battle continues for minor premiership
