{"id":189605,"date":"2017-09-13T00:03:07","date_gmt":"2017-09-12T14:03:07","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=189605"},"modified":"2020-08-14T11:06:40","modified_gmt":"2020-08-14T01:06:40","slug":"mustangs-stampede-to-victory","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2017\/09\/13\/mustangs-stampede-to-victory\/","title":{"rendered":"Mustangs Stampede To Victory"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/a>
The triumphant Murgon Mustangs – and fans – celebrate their 2017 Grand Final victory on Saturday<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

September 13, 2017<\/strong><\/p>\n

Murgon fans were ecstatic on Saturday and no wonder … it’s almost 15 years since a Mustangs captain hoisted the South Burnett Rugby League trophy in triumph at the end of a senior Grand Final.<\/p>\n

The Grand Final between last year’s Premiers Cherbourg and Murgon was played on the neutral turf of Wondai Sportsground.<\/p>\n

There was a festive atmosphere at the ground with blue and white balloons everywhere, a sea of orange supporters, and even a jumping castle for the kids.<\/p>\n

Spectators filled the ground, including in some temporary stands erected for the occasion.<\/p>\n

The Mustangs players would have been confident they had the measure of the Hornets after only losing in the final minute to them in the Major Semi-Final a fortnight ago.<\/p>\n

But this had set them up for a tough Preliminary Final game against Nanango last week which they only won at the deathknell.<\/p>\n

The Hornets, in comparison, were coming into the game rested after a week off.<\/p>\n

Cherbourg Mayor Arnold Murray conducted a Welcome To Country ceremony and a minute’s silence was held before the players ran on to the field through guards of honour formed by their fans.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Murgon supporters formed a guard of honour for the Mustangs to run through on to the ground …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
… as did a large bunch of Cherbourg Hornets supporters<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Cherbourg and Murgon players lined up for a minute’s silence at the start of the Grand Final<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

The first casualty in Saturday’s Grand Final between Cherbourg and Murgon was unexpected.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Referee Joe Dangerfield had to be assisted off the field with an ankle injury before a point had been put on the scoreboard by either team.<\/p>\n

Ironically, his replacement, Scott Kapernick, also took a tumble much later in the game but elected to stay on the field despite a limp.<\/p>\n

As ground announcer Bob Coleman noted, it seemed to be open season on referees …<\/p>\n

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

A Grade Grand Final<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Cherbourg player Fred Cobbo breaks through the Murgon defence to put the first points on the board\u00a0<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Grand Final between Murgon and Cherbourg – who finished the season with equal points on the ladder – was always going to be exciting armwrestle, and the players didn’t disappoint.<\/strong><\/p>\n

It was high-scoring and the kicking by Cherbourg’s Lewis Hopkins, in particular, was magnificent.<\/p>\n

The Hornets opened the game strongly, with tries within a few minutes to Fred Cobbo and Nathan Gadd; Lewis Hopkins converted both and the score was 12-0.<\/p>\n

But then just four minutes later, Murgon did the same … Coby Sullivan and then Carl Aubrey scored and Jameel Sullivan kicked both goals.<\/p>\n

The scores were locked at 12-all.<\/p>\n

At the mid-point of the half – and after some tough lead-up work – Thomas Simpson muscled his way over the line to break the deadlock for the Hornets; Hopkins converted and Cherbourg were back in the lead.<\/p>\n

This looked like it would be the half-time score until Keith Gadd Jnr received a sharp pass from Bernard Hopkins in front of the posts and went over. Lewis Hopkins’ kick after the siren was good, so Cherbourg went into the break ahead 24-12.<\/p>\n

After the game resumed,\u00a0Gadd scored again almost immediately. \u00a0Lewis Hopkins made it five out of five conversions, extending the Hornets’ lead to 30-12.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But there was no way Murgon were going to be daunted by that scoreboard.<\/p>\n

First Michael Giles forced his way over the line, followed only minutes later by back-to-back tries by Norman Neliman. Sullivan kicked two out of the three conversions, putting Murgon just two points behind, 30-28.<\/p>\n

With 26 minutes left, a Cherbourg player was sent off for a dangerous tackle which left the Hornets’ defence stretched at times against a Mustangs team that was full of running.<\/p>\n

Two minutes later, Barwoo Fisher scored near the posts for Murgon, putting the Mustangs into the lead for the first time. \u00a0Sullivan added the extras to give Murgon a four-point lead.<\/p>\n

However, Cherbourg weren’t about to quit, either.<\/p>\n

Gadd scored his third try of the day to again even the scores, 34-all. Hopkins’ kick put the Hornets back in the lead with about 19 minutes to go.<\/p>\n

A few minutes later, Maurice Fisher crossed for Cherbourg. Hopkins kicked his seventh goal of the day to make the score Cherbourg 42, Murgon 34.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As the minutes ticked down, neither side looked to be making headway, with attacking runs and desperate defence.<\/p>\n

With eight minutes to go, Carl Aubrey made a breakthrough run to score his second try and narrow the gap to 42-38.<\/p>\n

Hornets’ players were starting to look anxious, with one warning quite loudly: “We could lose this!”<\/p>\n

And so it proved.<\/p>\n

Four minutes later Mustangs’ Barwoo Fisher grabbed possession of the ball deep in his own quarter and ran almost the length of the field with Hornets in hot pursuit.<\/p>\n

He grounded the ball under the posts, setting up an easy conversion for Sullivan; Murgon were back in the lead, 44-42.<\/p>\n

Despite desperate attacks by Cherbourg on the Mustangs’ line in the next few minutes, that was the score when the full-time siren sounded.<\/p>\n

Player of the Final: Barwoo Fisher<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Thomas Simpson proves a handful close to the line … the Cherbourg big man broke the 12-all deadlock at the mid-point of the first half<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Player of the Final Barwoo Fisher was dangerous whenever he got the ball, testing the Cherbourg defence<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Cherbourg’s Bernard Hopkins spots a gap before off-loading to Keith Gadd Jnr to score<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
South Burnett Senior Player of the Year Keith Gadd Jnr scores right on half-time for the Hornets<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Michael Giles, right, begins Murgon’s second-half comeback, leaving Cherbourg players in his wake<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Norman Neliman crosses for Murgon just a minute after Michael Giles’ try<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Neliman backs up for his second try in less than five minutes despite a desperate bid to stop him<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Barwoo Fisher puts Murgon into the lead with 24 minutes left in the game<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Murgon fans were cheering but it was no try … back in the centre of the field referee Scott Kapernick had been knocked over during the lead-up movement<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Carl Aubrey scores for the Mustangs, reviving Murgon’s hopes again with about eight minutes to go<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
What a way to win a Grand Final … Barwoo Fisher gained possession of the ball in his own quarter and ran the length of the field to score<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Not surprisingly, Barwoo was presented with the\u00a0Player of the Final trophy as well as the Charles “Chaz” Williams Memorial Shield for ‘Best & Most Respected Player”; Chaz, a well-known local footballer, died in 2015 and the shield is presented every year in his honour by the Williams family … pictured with Barwoo are Rosetta Williams, Christine Dynevor and Patrick Murray<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
2017 runners-up … the Cherbourg Hornets, not a bad result at all for a team that didn’t have a coach at the start of the season<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

Under 16s – Nanango v Cherbourg<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Kaia Williams caught the ball cleanly from a kick through to score for the Stags after the break<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nanango Stags dominated the U16s Grand Final against Cherbourg.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The young Hornets looked to be still recovering from their tough Preliminary Final game against Kingaroy the week before.<\/p>\n

The half-time score was Nanango 22, Cherbourg 0 which was not a true reflection of the distance between the sides.<\/p>\n

With 15 minutes to go, the Hornets put their first points on the board, a tribute to the Stags’ defence.<\/p>\n

The final score was Nanango 34, Cherbourg 6.<\/p>\n

Nanango’s try scorers were Jakeb Mead, Jake Keating, Blake Shirley, Matthew Mladenovic, Blake Calvert and Kaia Williams.\u00a0Jakeb Mead (4) and Joe Smith (1) added the extra points.<\/p>\n

Cherbourg’s try scorer was Frank Weazel; Selwyn Cobbo kicked one goal.<\/p>\n

Player of the Final: Kaia Williams (Nanango).<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Nanango didn’t have it all their own way … Hornets’ defenders stop a run to the line<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
2017 Under 16s Premiers … Nanango Stags<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
U16s runners-up … Cherbourg Hornets<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

Under 14s – Chinchilla v Murgon<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n

Chinchilla Bulldogs proved just too strong for Murgon in a close game in the U14s Grand Final.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The half-time score had Chinchilla \u00a0ahead 20-10.<\/p>\n

The Mustangs kept on pressing but the final score was Chinchilla 32, Murgon 16.<\/p>\n

Chinchilla’s tries were scored by Ky Taaffe (3), Joe Dwyer (2), Bryton Nimo and Patterson Bannister. Blake Moore kicked two goals.<\/p>\n

Murgon’s tries were scored by Lennox Bligh (2) and Glen Fisher. Glen Fisher kicked two goals.<\/p>\n

Player of the Final: Ky Taafe (Chinchilla).<\/strong><\/p>\n

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

Under 12s – Murgon v Nanango<\/strong><\/span><\/h3>\n
\"\"<\/a>
The junior Stags and Mustangs played a close game in the U12s Grand Final<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Murgon Mustangs started off their Grand Final day campaign with a win in the U12s over Nanango.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Mustangs were ahead 20-6 at half-time, but the young Stags made a strong comeback in the second half to threaten Murgon’s lead.<\/p>\n

The final score was Murgon 30, Nanango 22.<\/p>\n

Murgon try scorers were Kevin Langton (3), Dion Sandow-Walsh (2) and Joseph Meikle. Goals were kicked by Nathan Roderick, Dion Sandow-Walsh and Lachlan Brunjes.<\/p>\n

Nanango try scorers were Matthew McAuliffe (3) and Ryan Keating. Goals were kicked by Ryan Keating, Jayden Tewes-Smallwood and Blake Manthey.<\/p>\n

Player of the Final: Kevin Langton (Murgon).<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Murgon fans were ecstatic on Saturday and no wonder … it’s almost 15 years since a Mustangs captain hoisted the South Burnett Rugby League trophy in triumph at the end of a senior Grand Final.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":189775,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[16,3,82,6],"tags":[1140],"yoast_head":"\nMustangs Stampede To Victory - southburnett.com.au<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Murgon fans were ecstatic on Saturday and no wonder, it's almost 15 years since a Mustangs captain hoisted the South Burnett Rugby League trophy in triumph\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2017\/09\/13\/mustangs-stampede-to-victory\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Mustangs Stampede To Victory - 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