By CASEY O’CONNOR
WITH the final of the Sydney Thunder winners of the BBL, the Aussies taking out the ODI series against India and the International T20 underway, the NRL season will soon be here.
Trial games are scheduled for February with the season proper kicking off in March.
However, for those suffering league withdrawals, help is on the way.
The Auckland Nines gets underway in a little over a week.
Billed as the Greatest Weekend of Rugby League, the Nines will be staged on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 February 2016 at Eden Park, Auckland.
All 16 NRL clubs will participate with star players guaranteed to play in a tournament which carries NZ$2.6 million in prize money.
Billy Slater has announced he has targeted the Nines for his comeback in 2016.
Former Cowboys superstar Matty (Mango) Bowen has indicated that he is ripe and ready to play for the NQlanders if called upon.
The popular player on and off the field has been training with the Cowboys since returning from a two-year stint with English Super League club Wigan and has taken up a community engagement role with the Cowboys.
It seems, however, he is not quite ready to hang up his boots completely and is looking for a swan song run with his old club.
If the Nines gets anyone in League mode then they won’t have to wait long for their next fix – the following weekend Suncorp Stadium will host The 2016 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars.
Now one of rugby league’s most celebrated events, the best Indigenous players in rugby league will take on the NRL All Stars.
I can almost smell the liniment.
Casey
SUCCESS FOR STUNNED MULLETS
The Warwick Cricket Association and organizers take a bow after another successful Australia Day Cricket Carnival.
The cricketing weather gods were kind to organisers and only one game was interrupted by rain when a storm hit Killarney on Saturday afternoon.
Overall winners of the 2016 event were carnival regulars Stunned Mullets who defeated Marbucks XI in the final.
Marbucks fell 29 runs short of the Stunned Mullets score of 168.
Finishing in third spot was Place Summers XI and after 25 years WBAS XI finished in the prizemoney when they took out fourth place.
The Player of the Final was Lachlan Gross.
The Stunned Mullets batsman scored an impressive 78 not out to help his side post a winning total.
Digglers were the winners of the social competition defeating Dales XI in the final.
Dion Galloway proved he is equally as handy with a cricket bat as he is on a football field scoring 101 not out in the final and it came as no surprise that he was named Player of the Final.
He was also named Player of the Carnival after scoring 101 not out, taking 5/7 and picking up a hat trick.
Jeb Jerome (Marbucks XI) was named All Rounder of Carnival.
Brodie Frizell playing for regular visitors Dalrymple Dongers took 10 wickets to pick up the Best Bowling Award.
Nathan Case (Stunned Mullets) 181 picked up the award for the most runs while Paul Raumer’s outstanding figures of 6/7 bowling for Rettkes XI won him the Best Bowling Award.
Matt May (Lowes XI) has the highest individual score of 126.
Dave Duroux (Marbucks XI) had the best bowling average – 4.5 – and Adam May (Lowes XI) the best batting average – 126.
Dion Galloway and J Hohenhaus each took hat tricks
The award for the lowest batting aggregate went to Peter Rettke (Rettkes XI) 2.0.
Brodie Frizell set a new record in the longest throw competition – 92 metres to wrap up the awards.
Club president Mick Bourke thanked the teams/players, supporters, grounds staff (Brian Miller, Scott Young and Phil Willing) for the lead up work and preparation of all wickets and grounds within the Warwick district.
He also acknowledged the bevy of umpires, the sponsors and last but not the least the organising committee at the presentations to wrap up the carnival.
The date has already been set for the 2017 Australia Day Carnival so now is the time to pencil in the dates 21 and 22 January.
The 2017 carnival may see an all-ladies side competing against the men with Queensland Country women’s player and regular member of the Wheatvale A Grade side Carly Cooper keen to nominate a team.
If Carly can find a sponsor she is sure she can lure some top name players with Warwick connections to the carnival – no that would add a whole new dimension to one of Australia’s most successful Australia Day carnivals.
GOOD FIELD – TIGHT FINISH
A good field contested the Australia Day two ball ambrose event held last Saturday.
In the tightest of finishes, the team of Ian Harvey and Trevor Ludlow won by a quarter of a shot.
Their score for the round was one under off the stick.
The pair recorded two birdies and just the one bogie for the round.
Some excellent chipping and putting helped them along the way.
Mick O’Brien and Matt Waterworth also had a good round to finish in second spot with a score of nett 64 after returning a gross score of 69 off the stick.
They recorded four birdies for their round but their one dropped shot proved very costly in the end.
Pin shots went to Ian Pickering at 3/12 and Aaron Simmers at 17.
Neta Thouard collected the ladies pin at 3/12 and Lorraine Evans had best approach at 17.
Tom Page who sponsored the event took the pro-pin at 1/10.
Richard Reardon took 5/14 and Mark McCosker claimed 9/18.
In the run down it was a ball each to teams with nett 67 and better.
This Saturday the club has scheduled a single stableford sponsored by Len Leigh with tee off from 11.30am. A time sheet is on the board.
RSL IN THE BOX SEAT
With the annual Super 8s competition dominating weekend cricket in Stanthorpe, fixture matches were played on Friday night.
RSL reinforced its top of the table position in the competition with a win over Wanderers while in the other game Souths made a successful raid south of the border.
A win over Tenterfield has improved its semi-final chances.
In the RSL Wanderers game, good bowling from Wanderers saw the top of the table team restricted to a gettable total of 135.
Wanderers captain Tim Harslett took 5/11 to give his side a winning chance while Sam Dowie top scored for RSL adding another 60 to an impressive batting performance this season.
Wanderer’s batsmen, however, had few answers against the strong bowling attack of RSL.
Six of the RSL bowling line-up took wickets as wickets tumbled.
Lyndon McGrath was the only batsman to show resistance – he was the leading batsman with a score of 37.
The Wanderers were dismissed for 107 in only the 21st over as RSL again showed its dominance in the 2015/16 competition.
RSL heads into the final month of fixtures well and truly in the box seat.
POPULAR EVENT ON THE RANGE
Sunday on the Inglewood Sporting Shooters range was as warm as the pistol barrels after the competition.
The handgun shooting is the most popular of all events at the club and visitors are always welcome.
Metallic Silhouette targets featured chicken, turkey, boar and mountain goat plus gongs.
Tom Donald has been in good form since the Christmas break and showed his skills again last weekend using a .357 magnum Vaquero to outscore Richard Roese with Peter Jones and Ross Jackson finished tied for third place.
Next Sunday is an open day – a day for zeroing and practice.
The following Sunday, 7 February, clay targets and pistol have been scheduled.
A reminder to all that the Inglewood Sporting Shooters Association annual Anzac Tribute Shoot has been scheduled for Saturday 23 April and Sunday the 24 April.
There is plenty of time to plan for this popular event and spectators are always welcome.
Further details can be obtained from the club’s Facebook page.
SPORTERS BACK
After a week off Sporters Golf were back in action last Sunday.
Terry Byrnes took out the major prize while Aaron Simmers, who also had a good round, settled for the runner-up spot.
Run-downs went to Paul Armstrong and Ray Thorn.
Hannah Reeves had one more game at Sporters before heading to golf school last Monday and it was no surprise that the talented teen had the best gross.
The Pin Shot at the 17th went to John Rawlings while Paul Armstrong picked up the Pro Pin.
Mick Doorley and John Walsh both headed home with a meat tray.
Tee-off time on Sunday will be at the normal time of 8am to 8.30am.
AUSTRALIA DAY TRIATHALON SUCCESS
Organiser of the Australia Day Triathlon Craig Magnussen said he could not be happier with the response to the 2016 event.
Close to 100 competitors were up early to compete in the event this year.
Winner of the Open Men’s event was Kristopher Sherrin with the time of 42:11.6 minutes.
The Open Ladies event was won by Jennifer Costanzo. Her time was 52:19.9.
Fourteen teams competed in the Teams’ event with the Rogers Sports Coaching team taking out first place.
In the Under 12s event, Jordan Waterworth won the boys’ section and Allesha Rogers the girls’ event.
Special thanks to sponsors Smail Swim School, Power Tynan, Creed and Land, Warwick Friendly Society, Macro Traffic Control and a host of volunteers who gave up their Australia Day morning.
Magnusson said preparations will now begin on the 2017 event which he hopes will be bigger and better.
COOPER BACK FOR 7’S
Quade Cooper has always been one of those players that polarised fans – they either love or hate him – sometimes both at the same time.
It seems, however, that he is back in favour with the Australian Rugby Union announcing that Cooper has joined the Qantas Australian Sevens program and will be available for selection for the Rio 2016 Olympics.
The 27-year-old fly half will be released by his French club side Toulon for the Sydney, Paris and London legs of the 2015-16 HSBC Sevens World Series.
He will then link up with the squad in Sydney ahead of the Olympics.
Cooper, who has won 58 Test caps and was part of the Wallabies squad that finished runners-up at the 2015 Rugby World Cup, said he was looking forward to again donning the Wallabies jersey and is excited at the prospect of representing Australia in a different form of the game.
Cooper said the chance to play at an Olympics is beyond anything he dreamed of as a kid playing rugby and it would be a privilege to play a part.
Now based with French club Toulon, Cooper thanked the club and Toulon president Mourad Boudjellal for reaching an agreement with the ARU allowing him to me to pursue the opportunity.
Fans will have the chance to see Cooper back in the Wallaby jersey as well as some of the game’s superstars in action at the inaugural HSBC Sydney 7s on the weekend of 6-7 February.
The 10-round series culminates in London in May.
DOG GONE
It may not have been exactly sport but certainly a feat of endurance.
Peter and Tere Bonner of Aloomba Lavender and the entire Liston community and many others spent eight days searching for a couple of errant pooches.
The Bonners adventurous duo of elder statesman Tallis and much younger Tilly simply appeared to have disappeared.
Peter Bonner combed his property while social media was abuzz with requests to notify if there were any sightings – not a one.
Days melted into days and a week came and went as all hopes of the return of T & T began to fade when out of the blue the pair wandered in to Tim and Deborah Bonner’s yard on the Bonner property.
Foot sore and very skinny the pair were reunited with their ecstatic and emotional owners.
Peter said: “After a hearty meal, Tallis just went to his bed, collapsed there and does not look like moving.” Seems home is pretty good after all.
Where the pair has been the Bonners will never know but if those boys could talk I’m sure they would have some stories to tell of their adventure.
Peter and Tere would like to thank everyone for their concern and help.
T & T are now under house arrest.
SUPER 8’S FUN AND FINANCIAL
The Stanthorpe Super 8’s competition held last Saturday was not only a fun day but also a financial success according to Stanthorpe Cricket Association president Tim Harslett.
Teams of social and regular players played in last Saturday’s annual event and fund raised from the social day have filled the club’s coffers.
Twelve teams of eight including men and women competed in the round robin fun competition.
The fun weekend is a nice distraction for players in the Stanthorpe Cricket Association competition with only one month of fixtures left this season the jostling for the all-important positions on the table begin in earnest this weekend.
WHO IS STEERING THE NRL SHIP?
The NRL administration is giving every indication at the moment that it is a ship without a rudder or at least a captain or two.
Months after the resignation of CEO Dave Smith the position remains unfilled.
Adding to the NRL leadership concerns, Shane Richardson, who took on the position at League Central last March as the head of game strategy and development, has announced he is returning to Redfern as the club’s top bunny – general manager of football.
He will now sit above coach Michael Maguire as the man with final accountability at the Rabbitohs.
The move comes a month after Richardson unveiled his blueprint for the future of rugby league in which he developed an elite pathways recommendation.
Among Richardson’s recommendations were an increase in the number of NRL squads to 36 players including six rookies, restricting players from making their NRL debuts until the year they turn 19, restructuring the National Youth Competition into a state-based under-20 competition and revamping and upgrading the state league into a Platinum League to spread the footprint of the competition into all the areas that play rugby league.
NRL head of football Todd Greenberg said he was looking forward to implementing the elite pathways recommendations.
Many considered Richardson would step into the NRL top job and despite all the positive talk it is believed that the NRL officialdom may have been blindsided by Richardson’s return to the burrow.
Interesting times ahead in NRL land.
