May 21, 2014
A warm-up match between “masters” footballers primed the crowd at T.J. O’Neill Oval for a good night of rugby league action on Saturday in Kingaroy.
The “old boys” taking to the paddock were from Kingaroy and Gayndah and both teams had plenty of supporters on the sidelines cheering them on.
In the end, Kingaroy lasted the longest, coming out ahead 28-16 at the full-time siren.
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The two A Grade matches scheduled were between Central and South Burnett teams – and there were plenty of supporters from the north present to cheer on their sides.
The first game was a prize fight between the Wolves and the Tigers, with Wondai just coming out on top 32-28 after a close game.
Luke Hedges put the first points on the board for Wondai but Dwinelle Luani – one of several Tongan players in the team – quickly replied.
The Tongans, who usually play union, are in Mundubbera as part of the Seasonal Worker Program to pick fruit at the local orchards. They have added strength and skill to the Mundubbera Tigers’ league side.
Locked at 6-all, the two sides then armwrestled for almost 20 minutes before Wondai’s Damien Kinsella broke the deadlock. Josh Alberts then went over again two minutes later to put the Wolves ahead 18-6.
Just ahead of half-time, repeated Mundubbera pressure on the Wondai line paid off with Bert Beezley scoring. Luani’s conversion was good, taking the score to 18-12 at the break.
The second half opened with three Wondai tries – to Danny Alberts, Jack McDowall (who scored an intercept try against the run of play) and Mitchell Clark – while Mundubbera knocked on over the line.
With nine minutes left on the clock, Wondai led 32-12 before the Tigers began to claw their way back into the match.
Jack West-Combo crossed the line for Mundubbera, but Luani’s attempted conversion hit the posts.
However the Tigers weren’t finished and in the last three minutes scored twice (Vena Fakatoumafi and Kisi Lath) – and this time Luani’s kicks were good – which took the full-time score to 32-28.
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The main game on the night was the clash between the Kingaroy Red Ants and the Gayndah Gladiators, played under lights.
Despite the vocal crowd cheering on the visitors, the home team Kingaroy proved too strong, running out easy winners in a sometimes fiery match.
Kingaroy tryscorers were Jayden Jarvis, Nick Otto, Kane Stannard, Brendon Flood, Jai Hopkins, Nick Schaffer (2), Josh Flood, Luke Evans and John Judge. Morgan Wilkins kicked five goals.
Gayndah’s points all came in the last 10 minutes of the first half, when Michael Medew scored twice and Ben Kenny kicked one of the conversions.
The half-time score was 30-6; and full-time 50-6.
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Other Results:
- U12 – Nanango 28, Central Burnett 20
- U14 – Nanango 36, Central Burnett 20
- Masters – Kingaroy 28, Gayndah Gladiators 16
- A Grade – Monto v Nanango – Nanango forfeit
- A Grade – Murgon 62, Theodore 26
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Former Red Ant – now South Sydney – second rower Chris McQueen will play for the Maroons in Game 1 of the State of Origin series.
McQueen retained the position despite a form slump this year with the Rabbitohs which has seen him come off the bench in five of his past six games.
The Origin series kicks off on Monday night at Suncorp Stadium.
