{"id":188895,"date":"2017-09-05T04:07:26","date_gmt":"2017-09-04T18:07:26","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=188895"},"modified":"2021-09-13T19:03:49","modified_gmt":"2021-09-13T09:03:49","slug":"rugby-leagues-best-on-show","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2017\/09\/05\/rugby-leagues-best-on-show\/","title":{"rendered":"Rugby League’s Best On Show"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Recently retired NRL player Nathan Friend, right, presented Cherbourg Hornets player Keith Gadd Jnr with the award for the most tries scored in the 2017 season (15) … Nathan, who played hooker, joked that was more than he had scored in his whole NRL career<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A special guest at the dinner was South Burnett Rugby League life member Percy Iszlaub who can remember playing against the great Frank Fisher<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

September 5, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

The best of South Burnett rugby league – past and present – was on show at the Wondai Town Hall on Saturday night for the annual presentation of awards.<\/p>\n

The dinner was a break in tradition by the South Burnett Rugby League. In recent years the season presentations have been handed out at the end of each age group Grand Final.<\/p>\n

Special guests at the dinner included members of the South Burnett Team of the Century, selected in 2008 as part of rugby league’s centenary celebrations in Australia.<\/p>\n

The veteran players joined coaches and invited guests on stage to present awards and team medals to players.<\/p>\n

Special guests were former Titans star Nathan Friend and Queensland and Australian player Chris Close.<\/p>\n

“Tonight we salute the past, celebrate the present and inspire the future,” compere Darren Schmidt said.<\/p>\n

“It is also a time to remember the legends of the game and hear from them their memories and stories from the past.”<\/p>\n

Each of the Team of the Century members took the opportunity to speak on stage.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Cherbourg elder Aunty Lillian Gray spoke about her father, Frank Fisher, who was named in the Cherbourg, South Burnett, Wide Bay and Indigenous Teams of the Century.<\/p>\n

Fisher was offered the opportunity to play in England in the 1930s but was refused permission by the State Government to leave the country because of his race.<\/p>\n

“I had the honour of playing against one of the greatest players,” South Burnett Rugby League life member Percy Iszlaub said, describing Fisher.<\/p>\n

“We will never know how good he really was.”<\/p>\n

A message was sent to the dinner by Brisbane Broncos chairman – and former South Burnett journalist – Dennis Watt that he hoped that in the near future a medal for the Best Indigenous Player in the NRL would be awarded annually in honour of Fisher, who has been described by some people who saw him play as being the equal of Wally Lewis.<\/p>\n

It’s been a big year for rugby league in the South Burnett, with two girls teams playing in the Sunshine Coast competition, an U18s boys team in the tough Toowoomba competition and Chinchilla playing in the U14s and U16s.<\/p>\n

And it’s not over yet, with the Grand Finals in all grades to be played next Saturday at Wondai.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the club championship, only five points separated the top four clubs, proving just how close the competitions have been.<\/p>\n

The winner was the Nanango Stags, just one point ahead of Murgon.<\/p>\n

In the senior competition, most tries were scored by Cherbourg’s Keith Gadd Jnr, and most goals kicked by Nanango’s Ashley Smallwood.<\/p>\n

Special awards for their contribution to South Burnett rugby league were presented to CROW-FM sports commentator and former referee Bob Coleman and Nanango stalwart and former radio caller Barry Green.<\/p>\n

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Cherbourg Mayor Arnold Murray with special guest, former Australian and Queensland star Chris ‘Choppy’ Close, who played his first rugby league at Proston<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Nanango took out the 2017 Club Championship, just one point ahead of Murgon … Ryan Smith accepted the trophy from Nathan Friend on behalf of the Stags<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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The trophy for South Burnett Senior Player of the Year was presented to Keith Gadd Jnr by Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington, who sponsored the award<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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The award for 2017 South Burnett Junior Eagle was presented to Glen Fisher by South Burnett Rugby League president Greg Pomfret and Life Member Percy Iszlaub<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Heather Field and South Burnett Team of the Century reserve Allan Trunks, from Wondai, with CROW-FM sports commentator – and former rugby league caller – Bob Coleman<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Former Titans and Warriors player Nathan Friend with Member for Nanango Deb Frecklington and compere for the night, Darren Schmidt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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South Burnett Team of the Century prop Bob Dennien and his wife Kay, from Hervey Bay<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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SB Team of the Century reserve Frank Malone with Team of the Century coach ‘Skippy’ Exelby<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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NRL Referee Development Officer Glen Richardson, NRL Game Development Officer Mitch Sargent and NRL Regional Manager for Central Queensland Dean Bosnich<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Kathryn Smith, from Nanango; Deputy Mayor Kathy Duff, who sponsored one of the awards, and Glen Richardson, from the NRL<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Players, referees and supporters from all South Burnett clubs and Chinchilla were present at the Rugby League dinner in Wondai Town Hall<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Other Awards<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

U35kg Boys<\/strong><\/p>\n

Team members: Jack Dunlop, Slade Green, Rory Crumpton, Lawson Braithwaite, Ty Weekes, Harrison Braithwaite, Lachlan Greenwood, Bevan Hanna, Will Webber, Zach Harris, Clarence Cavanagh, Blake Dynevor, Darryl Gyemore, Fletcher Prain, Cameron Tipple<\/p>\n