August 23, 2013
Can Cherbourg put together back-to-back premierships? Or will 2011 premiers Wondai regain their early season form and hunt the Hornets down?
The 2013 South Burnett Premier League titleholder will be decided tomorrow at Murgon Sportsground in a Grand Final match-up that could have been tipped as early as Round 2 of this year’s competition.
Cherbourg and Wondai have met seven times this year, with Cherbourg being successful in five games and Wondai winning one match and forfeiting another.
Wondai won their first clash, in Round 1, by just one point, 38-37. A few weeks later Cherbourg were triumphant by two points, 46-44.
At this point the two sides were closely matched, but as the season went on, Cherbourg grew noticeably stronger.
In their President’s Cup clash, Cherbourg roared home 62-38. On June 22, Cherbourg were again too good, 53-12. Wondai forfeited its next game against Cherbourg on July 27, but the following week, when the sides met again, Cherbourg romped away to a 60-28 victory.
In the major semi-final, played at Wondai on August 10, the Hornets defeated Wondai 48-22 in a game that was much closer – particularly in the first half – than the final score indicated.
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Wondai earned their grand final spot by hanging on to defeat a game Nanango Stags side at Blackbutt last Saturday.
By some measures, the Stags were unlucky to lose – scoring six tries to Wondai’s five – but the Wolves looked strong for most of the match, while Nanango’s kicking game was off.
The Stags’ main kicker, Pat McCallum, received a heavy knock in a tackle during the first 15 minutes which possibly put him off his game.
Wondai also crossed the tryline twice, once in each half, only to have the tries disallowed.
Nanango started strongly with Wade Gregg crossing twice in the corner.
Wondai replied with three tries before the break: to Luke Hedges, Troy Kerkow and Brodie Litfin.
At half-time, Wondai led 18-8, the difference being Hedges’ three conversions to the Stags’ nil.
Nanango was first to add points in the second half, with Rob Ryan scoring after five minutes.
Wondai’s Danny Alberts then scored, which Hedges converted.
At the midway point in the half, the Stags’ Ben Brown scored; Pat McCallum’s kick was successful and suddenly Nanango looked back in the game, just a converted try away: 24-18.
However a missed tackle a few minutes later cost Nanango dearly, with Brodie Litfin running through to score his second try for the Wolves, which Hedges duly converted.
These were the last points that the Wolves would put on the board; and they let in two more Nanango tries – to Brad Staples and Jake Jackson (one of which was converted) – but it was enough to get Wondai into the Grand Final.
The final score was Wondai 30, Nanango 28.
As well as marking Nanango’s farewell from the 2013 competition, the match was also the last game for Nanango stalwart Bill Mulcahy, 53, who has hung up his boots after playing for the Stags from 1998 to 2013.
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At Bundaberg, the Murgon Mustangs U18s have won through to Round 2 of the semi-finals of the Bundaberg JRL’s U18s competition after thumping Wests 40-10 at Salter Oval.
Coach Paul Brunjes said it was a good team performance by the Mustangs with everyone playing well.
Arthur Saltner scored three tries.
Murgon will now face Across The Waves at 1:00pm on Saturday in Round 2 of the finals.
Saturday’s match is sudden-death and Paul has no illusions about the strength of their opposition, who have been on top in each of their three earlier encounters this year (46-16, 38-22 and 36-18).
“It’s going to be a tough one and they’re very hard to beat, but the way everyone’s talking, we’ll have a strong team to take up,” he said.
Murgon finished fourth on the ladder in the competition.
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Other Results
- U12s – Cherbourg 34 defeated Blackbutt 8, after the teams were locked 8-all at half-time
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Times of this weekend’s matches at Murgon Sportsground:
8:00am – U12s Major Semi-Final – Cherbourg v Kingaroy
9:30am – U12s Minor Semi-Final – Central Burnett v Nanango
11:00am – U14s – Minor Semi-Final – Nanango v Kingaroy
12:30pm – U14s – Major Semi-Final – Murgon v Cherbourg
2:00pm – U16s – Minor Semi-Final – Nanango v Murgon
3:30pm – U16s – Major Semi-Final – Central Burnett v Cherbourg
5:00pm – A Grade Grand Final – Cherbourg v Wondai
NB. Entry to the ground will be $5
