September 3, 2018
Kingaroy will take on Nanango in the South Burnett Rugby League A Grade grand final next Saturday following a keenly fought Preliminary Final played at T.J. O’Neill Oval on Saturday night.
The score at full-time was Kingaroy 46, Murgon 24 but the final margin didn’t reflect the closeness of the game.
Playing before a vocal home crowd, Kingaroy scored first, putting on two tries in the first 10 minutes.
But Murgon quickly replied and at the midway point of the first half, the Mustangs were ahead 12-8.
With 10 minutes left in the half, a Jack Hourn try levelled the scores to 12-all.
Both sides then swapped tries to go into the break 18-all.
Kingaroy repeated its first half effort with Alex Pomfret picking up a try six minutes after half-time.
Murgon immediately countered and snuck into the lead again, 24-22, via a successful conversion by Christopher Bond.
But sadly for Mustangs’ fans, these were the last points for Murgon on the night.
Their cause wasn’t helped by game-ending injuries to key players Karl Berlin and Lehman Brunjes.
With Murgon running out of fresh players, the game went Kingaroy’s way for the next 30 minutes and the Red Ants racked up four unanswered tries.
Kingaroy tries were scored by Brady Roberts (3), Jack Hourn (2), Jaimie Tewes, Kirby Rubesaame, Alex Pomfret and Thomas Orcher. Hourn added five goals.
Murgon tries were scored by Lehman Brunjes, Barwoo Fisher, Cecil Sullivan and Arthur Saltner. Christopher Bond kicked four from four.
* * *
The junior Preliminary Finals were played in Gayndah:
- Under 16s – Chinchilla 34 def. Murgon 12
- Under 14s – Kingaroy 26 def. Central Burnett 16
- Under 12s – Cherbourg 22 def. Kingaroy 10
* * *
Grand Finals in all grades will be played at Nanango on Saturday:
- Noon – Under 12s – Murgon v Cherbourg
- 1:15pm – Under 14s – Chinchilla v Kingaroy
- 2:30pm – Under 16s – Nanango v Chinchilla
- 4:00pm – A Grade – Nanango v Kingaroy
* * *
The South Burnett Eagles Under 16s women travelled to Cooroy on Saturday for their big Grand Final clash against Caboolture in the Sunshine Coast competition.
In a close game, they just missed out 22-16, after being behind 18-10 at half-time.
South Burnett try scorers were Tenesha Trunks (2) and Maddison Carstairs.
Trunks and Traevonnah Fisher each kicked a goal.
