August 25, 2021
The 2021 South Burnett Rugby League season is coming to the pointy end with finals positions decided after a hectic day of games at Nanango last Saturday.
Kingaroy’s T.J. O’Neill Oval is the spot to be this Saturday to watch the all-important semi-finals.
In A Grade, Nanango finished as Minor Premiers and will face second-placed Murgon Mustangs in the Major Semi-Final at 4:15pm.
The Stags have looked dominant all season but have been beaten twice in the past three weeks, by Murgon and Cherbourg.
The winner of this game will book a berth in the Grand Final on September 11 at Cherbourg, and will earn a week off to prepare.
The sudden-death Minor Semi-Final will be fought out between the Kingaroy Red Ants (3rd) and the Cherbourg Hornets (4th) at 2:30pm.
The winner of this game will play the loser of the Nanango / Murgon game in the Preliminary Final at Murgon on September 4 to decide the second Grand Final spot.
In Under 14s, the Nanango Stags (4th) will take on Chinchilla Bulldogs (3rd) in the sudden-death Minor Semi-Final at noon.
The Kingaroy Red Ants – who finished on top of the ladder – will face the Murgon Mustangs (2nd) in the Major Semi-Final at 1:15pm.
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The Stags rugby league club invited “Nanango old boys” back on Saturday for complimentary drinks and food in the clubhouse while enjoying a jam-packed roster of games.
Games from the last round of the South Burnett A Grade and Under 14 competition were played, as well from the Toowoomba junior and senior competitions.
- In A Grade, Murgon 34 defeated Cherbourg 32 after Cherbourg led 18-10 at half-time.
This keenly contested local derby was fought out earlier than usual for an A Grade game.
The lead changed four times during the last 15 minutes before Buddy Stanley scored in the corner to give the Mustangs a narrow win as the clock counted down.
Murgon try scorers were Elwyn Fewquandie (2), Dwayne Malone, Mike Shepherd, Michael Giles, Barry Tapau-Fewquandie and Buddy Stanley.
Goals were kicked by Daron Saltner-Bligh, Lewis Hopkins and Elwyn Fewquandie.
For Cherbourg, tries were scored by Thomas Simpson (2), Bronson Fogarty, Fred Bell, Namun Chapman, Jalam Albury and Alex Speedy.
Fred Bell kicked two goals.
- In the second A Grade game, Nanango defeated Kingaroy 40 to 6 after leading 12-nil at half-time.
It took 25 minutes for the first points to be put on the board in another local derby clash.
Nanango eventually broke the deadlock, scoring two tries ahead of half-time before changing gears and galloping away after the break.
Nanango tries were scored by Thomas Springate (2), Lachlan Smith, Nick Frohloff, Blake Harvey, Pat McCallum and Chris Clark.
Springate kicked four goals and Tyrell Smallwood kicked two.
For Kingaroy, Asofonu Lemalul scored the only try, which was converted by Luke Hedges.
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- In Under 14s, Murgon 47 defeated Nanango 0.
Murgon tries were scored by Darryl Gyemore (3), Ziggy Pidgeon (2), Zachery Harris, Trent Aubrey, Clary Cavanagh and Damon Cooper.
Goals were kicked by Will Webber (3) and Darryl Gyemore (2). Ziggy Pidgeon kicked a field goal.
- The second Under 14s game was played at Bulldog Park in Chinchilla where Kingaroy 24 defeated Chinchilla 16.
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Toowoomba Competitions
Nanango hosted a game from the Toowoomba A Grade competition, three games from the Toowoomba JRL’s men’s competition as well as a women’s Open game on Saturday.
- In Under 18s, Valleys 26 defeated South Burnett Eagles 22 after leading 16-14 at half-time.
Valleys’ tries were scored by Xavier Va’a (2), Domenic Whittingham, Kai Thompson and Logan Weribone. Rueben Tatow kicked two goals and Riley Burns kicked one.
For the South Burnett, tries were scored by Glen Fisher (2), Lennox Bligh and Joshua Peterson. Lloyd Langton kicked three goals.
The South Burnett Eagles finished the season in sixth spot on the competition ladder after a strong season in which multiple players put in standout performances both at home and away.
Their skills were on display again on Saturday in a very entertaining game which unfortunately ended in the narrow loss.
Lennox Bligh was rated as one of the Under 18 competition’s best young prospects by Toowoomba media but Glen Fisher, Killian Klease and Selwyn Dynevor also put in strong performances, as did Lloyd Langton with the boot.
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- In Under 16s, the Dalby Devils 28 defeated South Burnett Eagles 22.
Dalby try scorers were Aiden Stam, Lleyton Dodd, Bailey Rathmell, Sam Llewellyn and Lyhkan King-Togia. Dodd kicked four goals.
South Burnett tries were scored by Malaky Swan, Harrison Sippel, Michael Fisher and Jamal Makie. Jayden Tewes-Smallwood kicked three goals.
The South Burnett Eagles finished third on the TJRL’s Under 16s competition ladder.
They will now play Highfields in the sudden-death Minor Semi-Final at Oakey on Saturday after Highfields defeated Southern Suburbs in a play-off for fourth spot on Wednesday night at Highfields.
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- In Under 15s, Dalby Devils 22 defeated South Burnett Eagles 12.
Dalby tries were scored by Josh Nimmo, Cooper McDonnell, Brodie Wright and Ben Hanrahan. Tyson Woodbridge kicked three goals.
For South Burnett, Tom Currin scored two tries and Billy Makie kicked two conversions.
The Eagles finished fourth on the ladder and will now play the Gatton Hawks in the sudden-death Minor Semi-Final on Saturday at Oakey.
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- In the Open Women’s game, Newtown 8 defeated Valleys 4 after leading 8-0 at half-time.
Several familiar faces from the South Burnett were in the Newtown side …
Newtown tries were scored by Amanda Gibson and Grace McLaughlin. Valleys’ try was scored by Emily Walker.
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- In the Toowoomba A Grade game – which topped off a big day of league at Nanango – Valleys Roosters 48 defeated Newtown 6 under lights.
Nanango’s own Drew Jackson added to the Valleys’ victory, scoring a try and a conversion.
Valleys’ tries were scored by Xavier Va’a (2), John Maila (2), Aaron Sillitoe, Daniel Bain, Ben Cook, Cameron Lovelock and Drew Jackson. Goal kickers were Brett Seymour (5) and Jackson.
Newtown’s try was scored by Coen Hopkins and converted by Luke Hellyer.
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This Weekend’s Games
At Kingaroy – Junior Games
- 8:30am – Under 8s
- 9:30am – Under 10 – Nanango v Kingaroy 1
- 9:30am – Under 12 – Kingaroy 1 v Murgon 2
- 10:20am – Under 10 – Murgon 1 v Cherbourg
- 10:20am – Under 12 – Nanango v Kingaroy 2
- 11:10am – Under 10 – Kingaroy 2 v Murgon 1
- 11:10am – Under 12 – Murgon 1 v Cherbourg / Wondai
At Kingaroy – Semi-Finals
- Noon – Under 14 – Chinchilla v Nanango
- 1:15pm – Under 14 – Kingaroy v Murgon
- 2:30pm – A Grade – Kingaroy v Cherbourg
- 4:15pm – A Grade – Nanango v Murgon
At Oakey – Semi-Finals
- Under 15s – South Burnett Eagles v Gatton Hawks
- Under 16s – South Burnett Eagles v Highfields
- Under 13s Girls – Pittsworth / South Burnett v Souths
- Under 15s Girls – Dalby / South Burnett v Brothers
