Demolish

Wet Tropic Times | 31 Local boxer, Kevin Simpson needs help to compete in the Golden Gloves Tournament

MARIA GIRGENTI

THE family of aspiring teenage boxer, Kevin Simpson, is seeking assistance, by way of donations, to enable him to compete in the Sunstate Amateur Boxing League’s Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament hosted by Rock Solid Boxing Club at Memorial Hall, Home Hill, on June 11 - 12.

It is a two-day tournament, and his family are short on funds to pay for accommodation during their travels.

Simpson puts in the hard yards at training and absolutely loves boxing, no matter if he wins or loses, he enjoys the experience.

He trains twice a week with his Coach and, during his hour-long training sessions, works in the ring using pads and bags, with the core focus on skills, technique, strength, stamina, and general fitness in the ring.

Simpson also trains six days per week, which includes road runs of 3.2kms, leg raises, chin ups, and using a 5 - 6kg medicine ball with feet off the ground whilst sitting and doing the Russian twist to build core strength.

Through boxing, he hopes to be a great role model and inspire other teenagers by showing them what the world has to offer, and that they can accomplish anything in life if they put their heart and soul into it.

Simpson last stepped into the ring and fought in the main junior bout on April 24 at Mountain View Hotel, Gordonvale, which was hosted by Gordonvale Boxing Club.

He was pre-matched with an opponent who was his cousin, Jai Lewin, from Thursday Island, and this was the first time they met each other in the ring.

Although Simpson did not get the win, it was a good fight, and his family are extremely proud of him for all the hard training he does and for even stepping into the ring and having a go.

Any individuals or businesses interested in donating/contributing to help Kevin follow his passion of competing in the Golden Gloves tournament, can contact his parents Elisha Barba on 0431 091 209 or Kevin Simpson Snr on 0401 156 795.

Kevin Simpson has his sights set on competing in the Golden Gloves Boxing Tournament in Home Hill on June 11 - 12 but needs help to fulfil his goal.

Crushers

THE Herbert River Crushers redeemed themselves after losing all games against Centrals the previous week.

All four grades came away with wins against the Norths in Townsville. The Under 19s, with only 12 players, showed a determination not seen for a long time to record a resounding 28—16 win. The Norths had a full complement of players. Jason Broome was awarded best player but front rower, Clayton Tozer, was also outstanding.

Herbert River Women’s team showed they will be a force to reckon with, notching up a 36—6 win over a gallant Norths’ side. The score at the break was 12—6. The second half was a complete shutout with 24 unanswered points to the Crushers. Zeia Artavilla was judged the players’ player. She had great support from a host of other team members, including Jodie Tilse, Emma Wood, Eryn McCulloch, and Jessica Castellani.

The Reserve Grade saw the Crushers maintain equal second on the ladder with a comprehensive 40—14 victory. Braydon Gibbs was best on the ground.

After last week’s narrow loss, the A-grade Crushers showed why they will be there come semi-finals time with a 30 to 6 victory during a game that was shortened due to a power failure. Thirty-three minutes was left on the clock and a big score was likely.

This week, we are at home with league leaders’ Brothers in all grades . The Under 19s kick off at 1:30pm, followed by the women at 3:10pm. The Reserves play at 4:30pm, with the A-grade blockbuster at 6pm.

Shane

Muriata

WITH both NSW and QLD selecting their respective sides for game one of the 2021 State of Origin Series, let’s dissect this and find out if they have got it right to please everyone of their origin ilk. Firstly, let’s have a look at the NSW Blues. Literally, and speaking in no uncertain terms, I could not give a polar bear’s backside what or who the roaches pick, because they are nothing but a bunch of no-good losers, who do not eat any seafood or KFC, and seem to think the world actually revolves around the Sydney Harbour Bridge. It looks like they have gone with a winning NRL formula, which is the ladder-leading Penrith Panthers, by picking Cleary, Lui, and Korisou to make up the spine. It is always a good tactic, but sometime NRL form does not always equal Origin success.

Well, what a weekend of Rugby League the township of Tully put forward on Saturday night, when the Yarrabah Seahawks came to town. With a crowd that is usually only reserved for when the Leps come here, the number clicked over 900 spectators when they stopped counting at halftime of the Reserve grade game, such was the atmosphere. It was one of those ‘You had to be there’ kind of nights, such was the nonstop action, which included Arnold Schwarzenegger and Sylvester Stallone making an appearance in our new grandstand (ok, it was really Marcus and Rohan Nona).

First off on the day of footy was our champion under 18s side, which made the best start of any side this season, with a 4-1 record, when they pumped the Guyala like they were parrots. Andrew Leo and Dante Grant had the game on a string, such was their dominance! But it was the big units up front of Jerome Ketchell; Mountain Man, Thomas Busch; and The Hulk lookalike, Samat Gutchen, who really damaged the Red Army. Not to be outdone, slick gun, back, Nathan Muriata, and Bryson Beeron, looked like they might actually take over the mantle of the best footy players to come out of Jumbun, which was previously held by one Shane ’King’ Muriata, with Bully coming in at a distant second. With tough man, Travis Odgen, sorting them out, it was the ‘Bus’, Robbie Sutton, running over traffic every time he had the ball. Darian Burton and Samuel Ulutui led the way as usual, but it was bench player, Jonus Gumbo, who really stood out. Not to be out done, the Reserve Grade Tigers played an absolute cracker of a game, with Seppi having a hand in everything, including looking like the Ref. My good mate, Aaron Jose, was again outstanding as he always is, but the job upfront needed someone to stand up, and that was Big Dan. It came down to the last play of the game and who else would you want to get a team home in the dying stages but one Captain Courageous, Louis Carlaw, who scored the match winner and sent the crowd into a frenzy. The A-grade game lived up to all its hype when the lead changed five times, as each side looked to grab the upper hand. Coach, Paul Ketchell, aged about 5 years sitting through that game, while President, Emmi, lost the last bit of hair that he was saving for Xmas. Former WWE Wrestler, and quite possibly the biggest person I have ever met, Mateo Laumea was crushing, grinding, and I even think I saw him eat a player, so ruthless was he in everything he did on the footy field. Tai Nams was again his usual deadly self, rewinding the clock back by scoring one of the best tries you will see this side of the sun. One player for whom I will reserve a special mention, is gun, Duane Gutchen. He was so instrumental in the team taking it to them that it turned the game on its head. Well done, Duane! I think you are my new favourite player! As the fulltime siren sounded, Yarry got a penalty which decided the game, which possibly deserved to be a draw. I do not want to bag the Refs, but he wanted himself in the paper, so here is your 15 minutes of fame! “You did a terrible job bro! My attempt at shaving my nostril hairs looked like a Jedi Knight carving it up next to your attempt at the whistle!” Football, the never-ending story.

And now to the greatest news in the history of Rugby League in the north! Game 1 of the State of Origin 2021 will be held in Townsville, at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium, in one of the biggest coups for the region since we received the contract to build the new International Space Station for Russia. Ok, so the space one is not true, but man, could you have ever imagined in a million years that the jewel in the crown of footy would be heading to the place that has the Castle Hill, JT, and of course the Strand. Just imagine the crowd, the madness, and the crowd. Ok, so I have already said the crowd, but I for one cannot wait. So, in the most desperate of pleas to all the readers out there in the Wet Tropic Region, please, if you somehow, somewhere, come across a spare ticket for this historic even, then yours truly wants one so badly that I have been thinking of handing in my ‘KFC for Life’ card just for this once in a lifetime game. If by some chance there is some millionaire reading this and he may have a spare corporate seat available for this tragic, passionate, league lover, then I beg you to consider having me there with you in those comfortable seats. If all else fails, then it looks like I will be sitting on Castle Hill, with a telescope, watching while singing Aerosmith’s love song for State of Origin “ I don’t wana miss a thing, even when I dream of you, the sweetest thing will never do, I still miss you baby and I don’t wana miss a thing!”