{"id":79774,"date":"2014-09-01T06:23:29","date_gmt":"2014-08-31T20:23:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/?p=79774"},"modified":"2020-11-27T12:20:56","modified_gmt":"2020-11-27T02:20:56","slug":"historic-victory-for-cherbourg","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/southburnett.com.au\/news2\/2014\/09\/01\/historic-victory-for-cherbourg\/","title":{"rendered":"Historic Victory For Cherbourg"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Cherbourg captain Nigel Williams raises the A Grade Premiership trophy<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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A Grade Player of the Final Alex Speedy with Cherbourg Hornets president Warren Collins
(Photo: Marcus Priaulx)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

September 1, 2014<\/strong><\/p>\n

Saturday was an historic day for the South Burnett: it was the first time Cherbourg has hosted an A Grade rugby league grand final, and to the home fans’ delight, the Hornets notched up an emphatic “three-peat” victory.<\/p>\n

The local derby between the unbeaten Cherbourg Hornets and the Murgon Mustangs was always going to attract a big crowd of vocal supporters to Jack O’Chin Oval on Saturday, and the fans didn’t disappoint.<\/p>\n

They packed the stands and marquees erected along the sidelines.<\/p>\n

Cherbourg Shire Council and the Hornets club had prepared the playing field to a high standard for the big day of Grand Final action.<\/p>\n

Before the A Grade kick-off, many of the players from Cherbourg’s first South Burnett A Grade premiership win in 1980 were presented to the large crowd.<\/p>\n

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

The Hornets – looking for their third Premiership win in a row – were the red-hot favourites, having sailed through the season undefeated.<\/strong><\/p>\n

True to form, Cherbourg scored first when Daniel Cobbo crossed the line after just two minutes.<\/p>\n

Murgon’s Joe Sullivan – who has put the Mustangs’ first points on the board in their last two games – quickly fired back. Jameel Sullivan’s conversion put the Mustangs into the lead.<\/p>\n

Both sides then tested each other out with neither making headway until the mid-point of the half when Dennis Sandow broke through and scored.<\/p>\n

Fred Aubrey kicked the first of his seven goals for the day to put Cherbourg back into the lead.<\/p>\n

Alex Speedy and Cecil Sullivan then scored back-to-back tries to draw the Hornets further ahead and starving the Mustangs of possession.<\/p>\n

Eight minutes before half-time, Murgon’s Mullie Watson narrowed the gap to just eight points when he converted Kane Liddy’s try.<\/p>\n

But with two minutes left, Cherbourg scored twice more – Cecil Sullivan who picked up a grubber kick from Fred Aubrey and scored, and then with just seconds left, Gordon Fisher planted the ball under the posts.<\/p>\n

The Hornets led 30-12 at the half-time break and seemed dominant, although the Mustangs looked dangerous whenever they managed to get some ball.<\/p>\n

A Murgon fightback after the break gave fans some hope with tries to Keith Walsh and Jameel Sullivan again bringing the Mustangs to within eight points, 30-22.<\/p>\n

In response, Cherbourg changed gears, laying on five tries in less than 10 minutes: Alex Speedy, Cecil Sullivan, Beau Liddy, Fred Aubrey and Bernard Hopkins.<\/p>\n

With Cherbourg leading 58-22, Hopkins then surprised onlookers by kicking a field goal to take the lead out to 59-22.<\/p>\n

Mullie Watson scored a consolation try for Murgon with three minutes on the clock, to make the final scoreline 59-26.<\/p>\n

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Murgon’s defence was strong but the Mustangs suffered from lack of possession<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Hornets’ Cecil Sullivan celebrates after scoring his third try<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Kane Liddy scores for Murgon<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n
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Fred Aubrey gets a pass away for Cherbourg<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n
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Alex ‘Bunyip’ Speedy scores under the posts for Cherbourg<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Cherbourg Hornets celebrate their third consecutive South Burnett A Grade Premiership victory<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

* * *<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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Some of the large crowd that packed into Jack O’Chin Oval<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Heather Carlo, Erica Duncan, Yolandi Gadd and Ja’zariah Alberts were divided over who they were barracking for<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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In a blast from the past, the A Grade grand final was broadcast live on Radio Us Mob<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

* * *<\/h2>\n

U12 Grand Final – Cherbourg v Nanango<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Alex Georgetown scores the winning try for the Hornets in U12s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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The Stags on attack in U12s<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Cherbourg 14 defeated Nanango 10.<\/strong><\/h3>\n

Nanango were first to score but at half-time the Hornets were ahead 10-4.<\/p>\n

After the break, Saxton Hamson scored his second for the Stags. Matthew Springate’s conversion levelled the scores at 10-all.<\/p>\n

With 17 minutes to go, the Hornets’ Alex Georgetown broke the deadlock.<\/p>\n

In the dying minutes of the game, Nanango got the ball back and made a strong run down the sideline but Cherbourg’s defence met the challenge and put the ball into touch.<\/p>\n

Cherbourg<\/strong><\/p>\n