August 31, 2018
South Burnett rugby league is reaching a crescendo after a huge weekend of Major and Minor Semi-Finals played at Cherbourg last Saturday, plus success for the South Burnett Eagles U16s women’s team at Maroochydore.
The semi-finals sent some teams straight through to their Grand Finals – which will be played in Nanango next Saturday – while other teams will face sudden death Preliminary Finals this Saturday.
Under 12s through to Under 16s will be played in Gayndah, while the A Grade Preliminary Final will be played under lights in Kingaroy.
Meanwhile in the Sunshine Coast Women’s competition, the South Burnett Eagles U16s defeated Nambour / Noosa 50-10 in a decisive Preliminary Final played at Maroochydore on Saturday afternoon.
South Burnett try scorers were Traevonnah Fisher (3), Tenesha Trunks (2), La-Toiyah Fisher (2), Kaylynn Saltner and Rashida Scott. Trunks kicked four goals and Traevonnah Fisher three.
The girls will now play Caboolture in the Grand Final at 2:20pm on Saturday at Cooroy.
* * *
A Grade
In South Burnett A Grade, the Murgon Mustangs ended the Cherbourg Hornets’ 2018 season in a closely fought Minor Semi-Final at Cherbourg.
The 2018 Grand Final replay ended with Murgon coming out trumps again after an 80-minute armwrestle.
Cherbourg started strongly, putting the first points on the board but Murgon responded almost immediately.
An opportunity for Cherbourg to draw ahead just before the break failed when the ball was lost over the line.
At half-time, the Mustangs were just ahead, 22-20.
At the mid-point of the second half the scores were locked at 32-all.
Soon afterwards, tempers flared with players from both sides realising their season was on the line.
With 15 minutes to go, a Cherbourg player was sin-binned but to the Hornets’ credit they kept the Mustangs out while they were a player short.
But with just 90 seconds left, Mustangs’ Barwoo Fisher broke the deadlock.
Christopher Bond converted from right in front to take the final score to Murgon 38, Cherbourg 32 in one of the most exciting games of league played this season.
Murgon try scorers were Mark Saltner (2), Lloyd Saltner, Lehman Brunjes, Maurice Fisher, Buddy Stanley and Barwoo Fisher. Christopher Bond kicked five goals.
Cherbourg tries were scored by Errol Simpson, Tyrone Murray, Norman Wragge, Vincent Law, Gary Willmott, Lewis Hopkins. Lewis Hopkins kicked three goals and Bernard Hopkins kicked one.
* * *
The A Grade Major Semi-Final was a match-up between the rampaging Nanango Stags and the Kingaroy Red Ants, the only team which has managed to defeat Nanango this season … way back in Round 3 (and only by two points …)
Nanango were true to form, despatching Kingaroy 48-24 to earn the first spot in the A Grade Grand Final.
The Stags kept Kingaroy scoreless for most of the first half, leading 30-0 with three minutes to the break.
However, Kingaroy’s Adam Geiger improved the scoreboard with a late try, converted by Kirby Rubesaame, to take the scoreboard to a more respectable 30-6 at half-time.
The Red Ants were much stronger in the second half, scoring four tries to Nanango’s three, but it wasn’t enough to bring home the bacon on BaconFest day …
Nanango try scorers were Rhyse Simpson (2), Brent Greenslade, Patrick McCallum, Chris Quinn, Blake Harvey, Kieran Harvey, Lachlin Smith and Andrew Hewitt. Simpson kicked four goals and Smith kicked two.
Kingaroy try scorers were Luke Evans (2), Adam Geiger, Jye Hopkins and Brady Roberts. Kirby Rubesaame kicked two goals.
Kingaroy will get another chance this week when they face Murgon in the Preliminary Final which will be played at T.J. O’Neill Oval in Kingaroy at 6:30pm on Saturday.
* * *
Under 12s
- Minor Semi-Final – Kingaroy 4 def. Nanango 0
Sadly, Nanango’s 2018 campaign is now over.
Kingaroy’s try was scored by Tylah Smith.
- Major Semi-Final – Murgon 16 def. Cherbourg 0
It was a big win by the Mustangs but the Hornets have got another chance.
Murgon try scorers were Thomas Currin (2) and Trequaan Stanley. Noel Walsh kicked two goals.
Murgon have earned a spot in the Grand Final.
Kingaroy will play Cherbourg in Gayndah on Saturday in the Preliminary Final to determine the second Grand Final spot.
Under 14s
- Minor Semi-Final – Central Burnett 32 def. Murgon 26
In Under 14s, Murgon’s 2018 season ended after they went down in a very close game against the Central Burnett Brumbies.
At half-time, the Brumbies were ahead 22-10 but a Murgon fightback in the second half led to the scores being locked at 26-all with just 13 minutes to go.
Brumbies’ Matthew Roth scored in the last five minutes and Dayne Dakin-Mimi converted to put Central Burnett ahead.
The Brumbies then withstood a desperate Murgon attack in the last few minutes to finish on top.
Central Burnett try scorers were Izac Pointon (2), Kyle McDonald, Ryan Johnson, Dayne Dakin-Mimi and Matthew Roth. Dakin-Mimi kicked four goals.
Murgon try scorers were Steven Walsh (3), Jaycob Ahern and Joel Fewquandie. Goal kickers were Ahern (2) and Fewquandie.
* * *
- Major Semi-Final – Chinchilla 24 def. Kingaroy 12
In the other U14s semi-final, Kingaroy were just two points behind at half-time (8-6) after Harrison Brown ran nearly the length of the field to score.
However, Chinchilla proved too good in the second half.
The Red Ants will live to fight again with a chance in the Preliminary Final to be played on Saturday.
Chinchilla try scorers were Lachlan Smith (2), Caleb Colls, Angus Pascoe and Lyric Daley. Smith kicked two goals.
Kingaroy try scorers were Harrison Brown and Cooper Hensen. Andre Woltmann kicked two goals.
Chinchilla have earned a spot in the Grand Final.
Central Burnett will play Kingaroy in Gayndah on Saturday in the Preliminary Final to determine the second Grand Final spot.
* * *
Under 16s
- Minor Semi-Final – Murgon 32 def. Kingaroy 18
Kingaroy’s 2018 season is over in Under 16s, but they went down fighting.
At half-time the scores were locked at 6-all, although Murgon were unlucky not to pick up at least three more tries.
The Mustangs galloped away in the second half, finishing the game in an unlikely fashion with a successful penalty goal after the full-time siren.
Murgon try scorers were Alfred Watcho (2), Lennox Bligh, Harry Perrett and Glen Fisher. Fisher kicked four goals and Watcho kicked two.
Kingaroy try scorers were Mason Nightingale, Jack Garrod and Toby Schmidt. Schmidt kicked three goals.
* * *
- Major Semi-Final – Nanango 34 def. Chinchilla 12
The 16s Major Semi-Final game was marred by a Chinchilla player suffering a knee injury in an awkward tackle midway through the first half.
This caused a major delay while ambulance paramedics treated him before transporting him to hospital.
When play resumed, the Bulldogs took a while to get back into the swing and at half-time were behind 12-8.
The Stags simply proved too strong in the second half, putting on four tries in just 10 minutes.
Chinchilla scored a consolation try with just a few seconds left in the game.
Nanango try scorers were Jake Keating (4), Blake Shirley and Hayden Harch. Matthew Springate kicked five goals.
Chinchilla try scorers were Michael Peter, Charlie Hiesler and William McCullough.
Nanango have earned a spot in the Grand Final.
Murgon will play Chinchilla in Gayndah on Saturday in the Preliminary Final to determine the second Grand Final spot.
