Complacency warning for Rebels

By Tim Howard

The South Grafton Rebels are lucky complacency only cost them a single competition point when they scrambled to a 26-all draw with Bellingen in Saturday’s Group 2 Rugby League game at McKittrick Park on Saturday.

Up 10-nil midway through the frst half, the Rebels courtesy of tries to halfback Keaton Stutt and fullback Keiron Johnson-Heron, looked like it was a matter of how many.

But some sloppy turn overs and bizarre call which gave Bellingen six more tackles when Magpies half Luke Beaumont kicked the ball into a Rebels player not playing at the ball and found touch, put Bellingen hot on attack.

A popped up pass found winger Jack Farrell, who struggled over the line in the left corner.

It was a danger sign for the Rebels that Bellingen were capable of scoring, but they were able to counter soon after when dynamic centre James Torrens made a blistering break out of his own quarter.

Brought to ground in midfeld, he played the ball quickly and with the Bellingen defence still struggling to get back, Stutt kicked downfeld fnding acres of open space with JohnsonHeron leading a group of Rebels chasers to touch down for his second try.

At 14-4 and half time looming Rebels coach Ron Gordon couldn’t wait to get his players into the shed and read the riot act to them.

But Bellingen had other ideas and another attacking raid down the left side put back rower Peter Conroy over in the corner.

The break did the Rebels no good. They came out of the shed and their play disintegrated as the visitors took the game up to them.

A succession of quick play the balls had the defence back pedalling and gave Ryan Gill a chance to run at the line.

A couple of steps off his right foot and he was through the line to touch down under the posts.

Zac Stephenson converted and suddenly the Magpies were level at 14-14.

About 15 minutes into the half, Rebels skipper Grant Stevens and Magpies prop Ryan Woods were put in the bin.

Woods had hammered Nick McGrady with a late tackle after a clearing kick and the referee had awarded the Rebels a penalty.

Stevens said something to Woods, who lashed out and the players began to scuffe.

The referee and both touch judges spoke and Stevens was binned for fghting and Woods was binned, presumably for the late tackle.

The dismissal seemed to hurt the Rebels the most, as it signalled a period of dominance from Bellingen in which they two tries and skip away to a 26-14 lead.

The frst was an opportunistic tap kick after a poor McGrady kick went touch in goal.

Five eighth MacAuley Dawson galloped to the quarter line, tapped the ball and before the Rebels had set their defence sprinted upfeld. No-one could catch him and he scored under the posts.

Then Gill scored another try, again beating some lacklustre defence with good footwork.

Fortunately with Stevens back on after his spell in the bin, the Rebels started to fnd some cohesion.

Gordon also put prop Lionel Johnson back into the game and he immediately began to have an effect wth some damaging runs and several stinging tackles.

He was rewarded with a fne try near the posts which McGrady converted to drag the score back to 26-20.

With about eight minutes on the clock the Rebels attacked down the left edge after hammering the Bellingen line in close.

The Rebels looked to have scored when McGrady bounced out of a tackle and fell across the line. But the referee ruled he had been held up and took the ball back to the 10-metre line.

Play swept to the left where Torrens smashed into a tackle, bounced to his feet and dived across the line to score near the corner.

McGrady nailed the sideline kick setting up a hectic fnal few minutes where the Rebels had a chance to steal the game. With a minute left centre Matt Dalton put a deft kick into the in goal but the chasing Rebels were unable to ground the ball for the winner.

After the game Gordon was both disappointed and proud of his players.

“They got complacent after we got away early, for sure,” he said.

“When it got to 26-14 I thought that maybe this is the loss we had to have to shake us up.

“But full credit to them, in the last 10 to 15 minutes they clawed back into the game and had a shot at winning it at the death.”

Gordon also noted the Rebels had not capitalised on their home ground advantage this season.

“It’s becoming a problem for us,” he said. “Teams usually fear coming to McKittrick Park, but we haven’t played well at home this season.

“The team owes it to fans to rack up some wins at home and so far, we’ve only been average at home.”

Gordon said the absence of veteran fveeighth, Hugh Stanley, away on family matters, was crucial, although he said McGrady handled the 6 jumper with aplomb.

The side also missed its powerful young centre Jye Boehme, whose season is up in the air after a nasty injury the previous week.

“We’re hearing its ligament and tendon damage,” Gordon said. “But we haven’t learned the full extent of it yet.”

Group 2 has a competition bye next weekend. Following that, the Ghosts hosts the Rebels at Frank McGuren Field in the second local derby of the season.

Scores

South Grafton 26, Tries: Keiron JohnsonHeron 2, Keaton Stutt, Lionel Johnson, James Torrens. Goals: Nick McGrady 3 drew with Bellingen 26: Ryan Gill 2, Jack Farrell, Peter Conroy, MacAuley Dawson. Goals Zac Stephens 3.

At Woolgoolga

Sportsground on Saturday competition leaders the Grafton Ghosts were handed a football lesson by the Seahorses, who trounced them 46-4.

It was a rude awakening for the Ghosts who had just secured the competition lead the week before.

Woolgoolga led 18-4 at half time and totally dominated in the second half, scoring fve unanswered tries.

The Coffs Harbour Comets seized the competition lead with a 22-10 win over Nambucca. Weekend results mean the two Grafton teams are in equal points in second spot, with the Rebels ahead on points difference.

Scores

Woolgoolga 46: Tries: Sione Fangupo 2, Ethan Duncombe, Not Available, Ethan, Duncombe, Coen Van Dugteren, Dane O’Hehir, Coen Van Dugteren. Goals: Tyler Murden 7. def Grafton Ghosts 4: Try Jake Martin.

Casino Social Golf Results

09-07-2023

The winners of the four person ambrose played at the beautiful Ocean Shores course for the Richard Hempstead Memorial Shield were Donald Hampson, Troy Hook, Nathern Rose & R.Horseman with a net score of 62 from Gary Shephard, Gary Skennar, Garry Randall & Matthew Gooding with 63.625. The players draw went to D.Rea.

Next Sundays event sponsored by Madsen Meats Casino is yet to be decided and visitors are welcome to play with hit off from 6-30am till 7-30am.

Casino Womens Bowls Results

On Wednesday 5/7 we played the frst round of club selected open pairs & the results were:

L. James & R.

Skirrey def M. Jordan & D. Skinner

N.Moran & I. Watson def J. Dwyer & M.

Mead

J. Cooke & H.

Lavelle def T.

Maxwell & A. James

J. Creighton & D.

Grice def C. Doyle & C. Haynes

Congratulations to the winners & good luck in their next round.

If you would like to join in on this enjoyable sport, come & see us at Casino RSM on Wednesdays between 9am & 12.30pm.

After the club selected pairs have fnished the Minor Pairs start.

CHERRY STREET SPORTS CLUB RICOCHET CROQUET RESULTS:

W.McFie S.Langston

1, G.Martin P.Martin

2, L.Parker G.Clarke 3, P.Waters G Porter 4, J.Tai G.Purcell 5.

NSW Open Croquet

Doubles

E.Gumbrell

J.Gumbrell 1, E.Montague D.Scott 2, P.Barnwell D.Bull 3.

NSW Singles

Advantage Handicap Golf Croquet event will commence with a shot gun start at 8.30am don’t be late.

Championships top 4 players.

As Usual Till Then Good Golfing

Grafton District Anglers Club Monthly Competition

competition, went to Brett Lentfer with a catch of 9 Bream and 3 Tailor. This is Brett’s second win for the year so his handicap will be increased to 90 points for the rest of the year, 2nd place, in the seniors competition, went to Dennis McLachlan with 5 Bream.

MAHJONG 7th July 2023

C.Lane R.Poynting

15 d J.Hannigan 9

N.Watts M.Russell 11 d J.Doust

N.Poynting 9

B.Wellings

R.Chapman 14 d

P.Scott 13

H.Young R.Chapman

16 d N.Watts P.Scott 9

J.Doust C.Lane 12 d

M.Field J.Hannigan 9

N.Poynting

R.Poynting 7 d

M.Russell N.Barnes 6

TOURNAMENTS : Gold Coast Tweed Region Association

Croquet : Open Singles : D.Luxmore 1, M.Biddle 2, J.Lynch 3, H.Knight 4, R.Smillie

5, M.Campbell 6, W.Silk 7.

Ladies Open : H.Knight 1, D.Manning 2, J.Lynch

3, K.Grant 4.

Level Play Open 4 to 9 :

B.Habner 1, G.Clarke

2, P Deeth 3, B.Backer

4, P.Martin 5.

Level Play Open 10 to 15 :

B.Rubock 1, E.Burridge 2, G.Porter

3, J.Tai 4, E.Frater 5.

Level Play Open 16 to 20 :

M.Trainor 1, P.Waters 2, C.Atkinson

3, K.Hampson 4, M.Barrett 5.

Open Mixed Handicap Doubles :

Chris Cox 3rd, Margaret Carwood 1st, Sharon Daley 2nd, Robyn Poynting 4th, David Scott Tournament Manager.

Coraki Veterans

GOLF RESULTS

THURSDAY 6/7/23

Well what a great day! The renovations to the course were opened and many fne accolades bestowed on the club and its members. Easy to re see the event on google NBN news Coraki Golf Club. Congratulations to all concerned.

The Monthly Medal was played 45 starters medal winner B Micheal, Vets winner M Bruggy, 2nd R Earnshaw, 3rd R Gacioppa, free game S McDonough, chicken/ ball winners T Patch, T Doyle, W Henwood, T Beemster, K Rogers, N Fields, P Brophy, J Sheridan, D Vagne, J Nilsson, S Smith, B McDonald. Nearest pins 3rd/12thC Arnold, 6th/15th T Doyle.

This Thursday will be the Jim Ormond Memorial day as a single stableford off vets handicap this is a prestige event so scores will be hot. The

Grafton District Anglers Club held their June combined Rock, Beach and Estuary outing and Deep Sea outing on 24/06/23 from 6.00 am till noon followed by the Annual Presentation for 2022. There were 23 nominations for the Rock , Beach and Estuary section with 14 anglers weighing in fsh for the following results :1stplace, in the seniors

3rd place, in the seniors competition, went to Denny Freeman. Denny caught 1 Bream and 3 Flathead.

Junior winner was Olivia Davidson. Olivia weighed in 1 Flathead. Congratulations Olivia. 2nd place went to Josh Landrigan with 1 Trevally.

Our next Rock, Beach and Estuary outing will be held on 22/23 July 2023

1. Ronda Taylor, 2. Joy Lowien, 3. Shirley Coleman, 4. June Greenaway, Sally Lowry, 6. Linda Lovett, 7. Jan Henley, 8. Jeanette Henwood, 9. Pauline Kearney, 10. Janene Jarvis, Pauline Bolte, 12. Jan Boardman, Margaret Bryant, 14. Vanessa Reynolds, 15. Bev Lasater, Coral Lavelle, 17. Kath Hubbard, 18. Lisa Wong, Lorna Simpson, 20. Jan Small, Susan Allan, 22. Shirley Henry, 23. Barbara Ellan, 24. Yvonne Weddup, 25. Valda McLerie, 26. Susan Scott, 27. Cindy Smith, Sarah Bull, 29. Kathy Pickles, 30. Shirley Atkinson, 31. Rosemary Russell.