March 23, 2014
Rugby League returned to the South Burnett on Saturday with traditional rivals Kingaroy taking on Nanango, and Murgon facing Wondai in an exciting double-header in Kingaroy.
The big crowd at T.J. O’Neill Oval enjoyed seeing both the Red Ants and the Mustangs back in action after both teams were absent from the 2013 competition.
Cherbourg had a bye.
The opening round of the South Burnett senior competition was played after a day of junior league matches featuring Cherbourg and Kingaroy.
Last year’s premiers, the Cherbourg Hornets, had a bye in the A Grade following the withdrawal of the Burrum Miners from the competition.
Eidsvold are a second late withdrawal, which will affect the shared rounds planned with the Central Burnett teams later this year.
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In the first A Grade match, Wondai defeated Murgon 38-24 after leading 14-10 at half-time.
The Wolves’ Josh Alberts scored the first try of the 2014 season just one minute into the game.
Murgon responded with an attacking run close to Wondai line but couldn’t get it over.
Wondai then wound up the pressure. Shane Cliff scored the first of his two tries, taking the score to 8-0, and then Brodie Ashby added to Wondai’s total. Rhys Weber’s conversion took it 14-0 at the 20 minute mark.
With just seven minutes left in the half, Murgon’s attack finally broke through with Jameel Sullivan crossing the line; the effort came against the run of play and while the Mustangs had a player in the sin bin.
The try breathed new life into Murgon who wound up their attack. After a goal line drop out, and another set Lewis Hopkins scored, converting his own try after the half-time siren.
After the break, Wondai put on three quick tries, to Troy Kerkow, Ryan Stower and Brad Perese. Rhys Weber added the extra points to take the score to 32-10.
Three minutes later Trevor Davidson scored for Murgon to bring them back into the game; and then 15 minutes later, Murgon scored again through Tony Mooney, but time was running out.
Shane Cliff sealed the win for the Wolves with his second try with seven minutes left on the clock.
Anthony Gray crossed for a consolation try to Murgon with minutes left, taking the final score to 38-24.
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The home crowd were keen to see the main game, the clash between Kingaroy and Nanango, and neither side disappointed.
Kingaroy dominated the first half, but the Stags outpointed the Red Ants in the second stanza.
The match began after a minute’s silence for Nanango stalwart Frank Cronin whose Requiem Mass was held on Friday.
The Red Ants were the first to score after Josh Flood juggled the ball in the air before triumphantly planting it over the line.
Jye Hopkins then took Kingaroy further ahead before Ashley Smallwood opened the Stags’ account, and Andrew Hewitt converted.
The rest of the half was evenly balanced until Kingaroy scored two quick tries, through Mick Smallwood and Brendon Flood (both returning to League after a year with the South Burnett Thrashers), just before half-time.
At the break, Kingaroy led 22-6.
Nanango came out strongly in the second half, with former Timbertowner Blake Harvey sparking in attack. However, the Kingaroy defenders scrambled and managed to keep them out.
Kingaroy then came close to scoring twice themselves before David Hughes broke through the Stags’ line and ran three-quarters of the length of the field to score under the posts. Toby Broomhall converted, taking the score to 28-6.
But the Stags were not giving up. Bryce Holmes and Chris Sperling added two more tries. Andrew Hewitt’s conversion took the final score to Kingaroy 28, Nanango 16.
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Other Results
- U12 – Central Burnett 14, Nanango 42
- U12 – Kingaroy 5, Cherbourg 42
- U14 – Central Burnett 10, Nanango 46
- U14 – Kingaroy v Cherbourg – Cherbourg forfeit
- U16 – Central Burnett 6, Nanango 34
- U16 – Kingaroy 4, Cherbourg 38
- U16 – Wondai 14, Murgon 72
- U18 – Central Burnett 64, Nanango 0
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