June 9, 2016
The Murgon Mustangs squandered a big lead to allow Kingaroy to romp away with a strong win in their A Grade game played at Murgon last Saturday.
Murgon was first to score, when Jameel Sullivan pushed his way over and then converted his own try.
Play was then disrupted for more than 15 minutes while young Murgon player Lehman Brunjes received treatment for a knee injury; Brunjes was taken to hospital by ambulance.
When play resumed, Jarrabah Davidson scored quickly for Murgon; Sullivan’s conversion made it 12-0.
At this stage, Murgon were all over Kingaroy, starving them of possession.
With 14 minutes left in the half, Siopau Taufa finally broke through for the Red Ants and Mitch Crossley converted.
Just before the half-time siren blew, Sullivan went over for his second, taking the half-time score to 16-6.
Murgon were looking good while Kingaroy had blown some good chances in the first half, with two tries disallowed.
The Mustangs went back on the attack immediately after the break.
Their first try attempt failed when the player lost control of the ball over the line.
However, three minutes later Eddie Aubrey made no mistake, Sullivan converted and Murgon were leading 22-6 and almost looked home and hosed.
But there were still 35 minutes left, and Kingaroy made the most of them. They simply didn’t allow the Mustangs back into the game.
The Red Ants scored three tries in just six minutes – by Mitch Crossley, Chris Holmes and Josh Flood – which were all converted by Crossley.
Suddenly, Kingaroy was in the lead, 24-22 with 27 minutes still left.
Murgon’s cause wasn’t helped soon afterwards when a player was sin-binned for 10 minutes for lifting in a tackle.
While he was off, Taufa crossed for his second try for Kingaroy; Crossley was again on target and Kingaroy had taken its lead to 30-22.
The Mustangs were visibly tiring but they managed to hold out a sharper looking Kingaroy for the next 10 minutes.
But in the last four minutes of the game, they let the Red Ants in twice.
Flood scored his second by leaping into the air to take a cross-field kick cleanly, landing over the line.
And as the clocked ticked down the last few seconds, Brody Hatchman scored for Kingaroy.
The final tally was Murgon 22, Kingaroy 38.
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Earlier in the day, South Burnett Blue enjoyed a big 48-26 win over Toowoomba Brothers in the U18s match played at Murgon.
Elwyn Fewquandie starred in front of the home crowd, scoring four tries.
Other tries were score by Errol Simpson (2), Tareek Hopkins (2) and Steven Langton Watcho.
Ralph Gyemore kicked six goals.
Burnett Blue are now in third spot on the Toowoomba Rugby League U18s table, just two points behind Valleys and Pittsworth.
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Playing at Stanthorpe, South Burnett White also enjoyed a thumping win in their TRL U18s game.
The southern Burnett team, known as the Conpak Whites, defeated Border 44-18.
White tries were scored by Logan Bayliss-Brow (2), Alexander Glover (2), Ryan Jacobs, Adam Geiger, Harley Smith and Stephen Munt. Kirby Rubesaame kicked six goals.
Burnett White are now in eighth spot in the 13-team competition.
This weekend, Burnett White will be playing the Wattles Warriors at Nanango at 1:30pm while Burnett Blue have the bye.
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The results from this weekend’s huge Central Division Junior Carnival in Kingaroy will be posted on the FoxSports website
Games are being played in age groups of U13s boys, U14s boys and U14s girls, and U16s boys and U16s girls on Saturday and Sunday.
The teams taking part are the Wide Bay Bulls, Sunshine Coast Falcons, Central Queensland Capras and South West Mustangs.
Players will be selected for Central Crows teams to compete at the State Carnival.
The Kingaroy Showground has been turned into a tent city to accommodate the 500 or so players and team officials who are in town for the carnival.
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While some of their older team mates take to the field in Kingaroy, many South Burnett juniors will be heading to Hervey Bay this weekend for a big junior carnival.
Teams from Nanango, Kingaroy, Wondai and Murgon are taking part.
They’ll be competing in age groups U7s, U8s, U10s and U12s.
