{"id":40949,"date":"2013-08-07T00:41:09","date_gmt":"2013-08-06T14:41:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=40949"},"modified":"2020-12-14T13:51:06","modified_gmt":"2020-12-14T03:51:06","slug":"what-a-way-to-celebrate","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2013\/08\/07\/what-a-way-to-celebrate\/","title":{"rendered":"What A Way To Celebrate!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The 2013 Nanango A Grade team … triumphant on the day against Blackbutt<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The oldest Stag attending the centenary celebration, Alex Kassulke, cut the cake; Alex played during the 1940s (Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

August 7, 2013<\/strong><\/p>\n

Stags fans had a lot to cheer about at the weekend … not only was the rugby league club celebrating its centenary, but the in-form Premier League team notched up a spectacular win in the local derby against Blackbutt-Yarraman.<\/p>\n

Fred Kassulke Oval in Nanango was a sea of “blue-white-blue” for the centenary celebrations.<\/p>\n

Junior Stags – in action in U6s, U8s, U10s, U12s and U16s – \u00a0have probably never played in front of so many supporters before.<\/p>\n

But the biggest welcome was reserved for the Premier League squad, fresh from a two-point victory over fellow centenary team, the Blackbutt-Yarraman Timbertowners, last week.<\/p>\n

The Nanango players were ushered onto the field through a guard of honour of former Stags (and a few Nanango players who could remember way back when the team wasn’t known as the Stags …)<\/p>\n

The game was played under lights. The excited roar from the clubhouse and bar every time a Nanango player grabbed the ball spurred the local team on to new heights (see match report below).<\/p>\n

Afterwards, former players and supporters mingled and swapped memories at a reunion pig-on-the-spit dinner held in the clubhouse.<\/p>\n

[Photos: Clive Lowe Photography<\/a>\u00a0and southburnett.com.au]<\/strong><\/p>\n

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The Nanango U12s defeated Kingaroy 22-20 in an earlier match on the day\u00a0
(Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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2013 Nanango U6s
(Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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2013 Nanango U10s
\u00a0(Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Nanango Club president\u00a0Jason Bellert with former players Neil Perrett and Mike Burns; Neil played in the premiership-winning 1959 team while Mike was captain \/ coach of the 1977 premiership side<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Life member Des McCallum was busy all day on the microphone … as ground announcer and then later during the clubhouse celebrations \u00a0(Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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Newly presented Life Member Warren Hockey thanked the club for the honour; also made a life member was Cr Barry Green
\u00a0(Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Old Stags formed a guard of honour to shepherd the 2013 Stags onto the field for their A Grade match<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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More of the old Stags ready to greet the 2013 players<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Nanango stalwarts Bruce Webb and former Nanango mayor Reg McCallum (who played from 1941-1949)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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John Scott (1994) and former Stags president Warren Hockey
(Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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Having a great time at the birthday game were ex-Stags Rory Monaghan and Michael Baulson, from Nanango
\u00a0(Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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The boys weren’t the only fans celebrating … some of the girls on the hill, Jen Swan, Sonia Russell, Simone Kucyk and Johanne Platt\u00a0(Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n\n\n\n
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\u00a0Leo Caffery and Bill Andress were enjoying the game from the sidelines
(Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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Jack Weston, Andy Nicolls, Shayelle Rasmussen and Brooke Pollock
\u00a0(Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Working hard behind the scenes … Stag volunteers serve up roast pork and chicken rolls
\u00a0(Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n
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Blackbutt defenders pull up a Stags’ attacking run close to the line early in the first half<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A scoreline that Stags’ fans are sure to remember (Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the football field, the A Grade clash between the two centenary teams was much anticipated in the wake of the narrow victory by Nanango over Blackbutt the previous week.<\/strong><\/p>\n

As predicted, the first half was close with both sides scoring three converted tries apiece.<\/p>\n

With the scores locked 18-all, fans would have expected the second half to be equally balanced but someone forgot to tell the Stags …<\/p>\n

Nanango – cheered on by an enthusiastic crowd – scored an incredible 56 unanswered points during the last 40 minutes, much to the delight of their fans packed in front of the clubhouse.<\/p>\n

The Stags’ first half tries were scored by Chris Sperling, Brian De La Cruz and Jayden Jarvis. Brett Simpson kicked three from three.<\/p>\n

Their second half points came from tries to James Webb, Pat McCallum (2), James Kemp, Brett Simpson, Brad Staples, Ben Brown (2), Wade Gregg and Shane Williams. Simpson kicked 8 from 10 attempts.<\/p>\n

Nanango dominated possession. At the midway point in the half, the Timbertowners had only completed one set of six.<\/p>\n

A highlight for Nanango fans came 12 minutes from the full-time siren when Blackbutt failed to find the line after a penalty kick.<\/p>\n

Simpson pulled the ball out of the air and took off. A few movements later, Nanango’s oldest player on the field, Bill Mulcahy, passed the ball to the youngest Stag, Wade Gregg, to score.<\/p>\n

Blackbutt’s 18 points came via tries to Keiran Harvey, Dylan Gilliland and Darren Packer. Alex Cronin kicked two goals and Ashley Smallwood, one.<\/p>\n

The final score was Nanango 74, Blackbutt 18.<\/p>\n

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A large crowd packed into the licensed area and in front of the clubhouse to cheer home the Stags in the main match<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/center><\/p>\n
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Cherbourg’s defence was too strong for the Wolves (Photo: clivelowephotography.com.au)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Nigel Williams scores the first of his two tries for Cherbourg; he had a hand in at least three others<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the first A Grade match played on the day, Cherbourg dominated the Wondai Wolves in the second half, running away with a 60-28 victory.<\/strong><\/p>\n

But the first half was much more even with the scores locked 16-all at half-time after the Wolves scored three times in the last 15 minutes of the half (Brenton List, Luke Bond and Shane Cliff).<\/p>\n

Wondai started well again after the break, with Luke Bond crossing in the corner; Luke Hedges’ conversion briefly put the Wolves into the lead.<\/p>\n

But just a few minutes later Cherbourg’s Carl Aubrey scored back-to-back tries and the Hornets had resumed the lead, 24-22.<\/p>\n

Cherbourg then piled on three more tries before Wondai troubled the scorer again with a try to Brodie Litfin.<\/p>\n

But the Hornets weren’t finished, taking three more tries before the full-time siren.<\/p>\n

Try scorers for Cherbourg were: Daniel Cobbo, Nigel Williams (2), Fred Aubrey (3), Carl Aubrey (3), Stafford Saltner and Marcus Dynevor. Fred Aubrey kicked eight goals.<\/p>\n

Try scorers for Wondai were: Brenton List, Luke Bond (2), Shane Cliff and Brodie Litfin. Luke Hedges kicked four goals.<\/p>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/p>\n

Semi-finals begin in the A Grade next Saturday with both games to be played at Wondai.<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the major semi-final, Cherbourg will face Wondai, and in the sudden-death match Nanango will re-play Blackbutt for the third weekend in a row.<\/p>\n

The following weekend, the loser of the major semi will play the winner of the knockout semi at Blackbutt.<\/p>\n