May 2, 2017
There was no senior rugby league played in the South Burnett at the weekend as the 47th Battalion carnival was being played at Rockhampton.
The carnival honours the well-known “Wide Bay Regiment” who served in Bougainville and New Guinea during World War II.
Many of the battalion’s troops enlisted from the Wide Bay region.
Several South Burnett players were selected to play in the regional side, the North Wide Bay Rangers, and there were also late call-ups to the side:
North Wide Bay Rangers squad:
1. Craig Bek (Avondale)
2. Jacob Klaasen (Isis)
3. Beau Elphenstone (Northern Districts)
4. Mitchell Thorburn (Mundubbera)
5. Keiran Ned (Gin Gin)
6. Nathan Leather (Avondale)
7. Daniel Alberts (Wondai)
8. Daniel Augustine (Mundubbera)
9. Brendan Augustine (Mundubbera)
10. Drew Jackson (Nanango)
11. Christopher Quinn (Murgon)
12. Sam Kuhnel (Avondale)
13. Ashley Smallwood (Nanango)
14. Leigh Eade (Avondale)
15. Gordon Fonua (Murgon)
16. Bailey Kimber (Mundubbera)
17. Cameron MacDonald (Mundubbera)
18. Bailey Linsket (Mundubbera)
19. Tyler West (Eidsvold)
Coach: Daniel Blair
The Rangers played three games during the carnival but unfortunately didn’t make it through to the finals.
However, their strike rate did improve as the carnival progressed:
- Sunshine Coast 60 – North Wide Bay Rangers 0
- Central Highlands 48 – North Wide Bay Rangers 12. Luke Hedges (Wondai) converted his own try.
- Gladstone Raiders 16 – North Wide Bay Rangers 16. Danny Alberts (Wondai) and Mitch Thorburn (Mundubbera) both scored tries.
The Sunshine Coast Falcons and Toowoomba Clydesdales dominated Day 1 of the carnival and faced off in the final.
Toowoomba led 12-4 at half-time but the Falcons made a strong comeback in the second half, scoring two tries back-to-back to put them within two points of the Clydesdales. But it wasn’t enough and the final score was Toowoomba 16, Sunshine Coast 14.
* * *
South Burnett U18s Girls defeated Kawana 46-38 on Friday night at Kawana.
In U16s, Caboolture defeated South Burnett Girls 38-4; and in U14s, Caboolture Gold defeated South Burnett Girls 36-6.
* * *
South Burnett U18s playing in the Toowoomba competition had a break on Saturday.
Their next game will be against Pittsworth at Murgon Showgrounds on Saturday.
