{"id":61207,"date":"2014-03-23T22:59:46","date_gmt":"2014-03-23T12:59:46","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=61207"},"modified":"2020-12-04T15:06:28","modified_gmt":"2020-12-04T05:06:28","slug":"traditional-rivals-launch-rugby-league-for-2014","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2014\/03\/23\/traditional-rivals-launch-rugby-league-for-2014\/","title":{"rendered":"Traditional Rivals Launch League For 2014"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Traditional rivals Kingaroy and Nanango clashed before a big crowd at T.J. O’Neill Oval<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n


\nMarch 23, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rugby League returned to the South Burnett on Saturday with traditional rivals Kingaroy taking on Nanango, and Murgon facing Wondai in an exciting double-header in Kingaroy.<\/p>\n

The big crowd at T.J. O’Neill Oval enjoyed seeing both the Red Ants and the Mustangs back in action after both teams were absent from the 2013 competition.<\/p>\n

Cherbourg had a bye.<\/p>\n

The opening round of the South Burnett senior competition was played after a day of junior league matches featuring Cherbourg and Kingaroy.<\/p>\n

Last year’s premiers, the Cherbourg Hornets, had a bye in the A Grade following the withdrawal of the Burrum Miners from the competition.<\/p>\n

Eidsvold are a second late withdrawal, which will affect the shared rounds planned with the Central Burnett teams later this year.<\/p>\n

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

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Jameel Sullivan opens the account for the Mustangs<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the first A Grade match, Wondai defeated Murgon 38-24 after leading 14-10 at half-time.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Wolves’ Josh Alberts scored the first try of the 2014 season just one minute into the game.<\/p>\n

Murgon responded with an attacking run close to Wondai line but couldn’t get it over.<\/p>\n

Wondai then wound up the pressure. Shane Cliff scored the first of his two tries, taking the score to 8-0, and then Brodie Ashby added to Wondai’s total. Rhys Weber’s conversion took it 14-0 at the 20 minute mark.<\/p>\n

With just seven minutes left in the half, Murgon’s attack finally broke through with Jameel Sullivan crossing the line;\u00a0 the effort came against the run of play and while the Mustangs had a player in the sin bin.<\/p>\n

The try breathed new life into Murgon who wound up their attack. After a goal line drop out, and another set Lewis Hopkins scored, converting his own try after the half-time siren.<\/p>\n

After the break, Wondai put on three quick tries, to Troy Kerkow, Ryan Stower and Brad Perese. Rhys Weber added the extra points to take the score to 32-10.<\/p>\n

Three minutes later Trevor Davidson scored for Murgon to bring them back into the game; and then 15 minutes later, Murgon scored again through Tony Mooney, but time was running out.<\/p>\n

Shane Cliff sealed the win for the Wolves with his second try with seven minutes left on the clock.<\/p>\n

Anthony Gray crossed for a consolation try to Murgon with minutes left, taking the final score to 38-24.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a>
Lewis Hopkins tumbles over the Wondai line to score for Murgon right on the half-time siren<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

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

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David Hughes runs away from the Stags to score under the posts for Kingaroy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The home crowd were keen to see the main game, the clash between Kingaroy and Nanango, and neither side disappointed.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Kingaroy dominated the first half, but the Stags outpointed the Red Ants in the second stanza.<\/p>\n

The match began after a minute’s silence for Nanango stalwart Frank Cronin whose Requiem Mass was held on Friday.<\/p>\n

The Red Ants were the first to score after Josh Flood juggled the ball in the air before triumphantly planting it over the line.<\/p>\n

Jye Hopkins then took Kingaroy further ahead before Ashley Smallwood opened the Stags’ account, and Andrew Hewitt converted.<\/p>\n

The rest of the half was evenly balanced until Kingaroy scored two quick tries, through Mick Smallwood and Brendon Flood (both returning to League after a year with the South Burnett Thrashers),\u00a0 just before half-time.<\/p>\n

At the break, Kingaroy led 22-6.<\/p>\n

Nanango came out strongly in the second half, with former Timbertowner Blake Harvey sparking in attack. However, the Kingaroy defenders scrambled and managed to keep them out.<\/p>\n

Kingaroy then came close to scoring twice themselves before David Hughes broke through the Stags’ line and ran three-quarters of the length of the field to score under the posts. Toby Broomhall converted, taking the score to 28-6.<\/p>\n

But the Stags were not giving up. Bryce Holmes and Chris Sperling added two more tries. Andrew Hewitt’s conversion took the final score to Kingaroy 28, Nanango 16.<\/p>\n

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Strong Kingaroy defence close to the line keeps Nanango from scoring<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"\"<\/a>
Somewhere in here Ashley Smallwood grounded the ball to score Nanango’s first points for 2014<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u00a0* * *<\/strong><\/p>\n

Other Results<\/strong><\/p>\n