League Queensland - JULY 2016

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COMPLIMENTARY

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

COREY OATES THURSTON ORIGIN OUTLOOK SOUTHS IN CAIRNS THE TED BEAUMONT TROPHY

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CONTENT

4 Bronco Corey Oates 6 Thurston 8 Origin Outlook 10 Valentine Holmes 14 Intrust Super Cup 17 Outback Muster 18 Pride of the North

32 Pink Day at Beerwah

Editor: Tony Price E: tony@leaguequeensland.com.au P: 0427 451 913 A: 34 Faust Street, Proserpine, Qld. 4800

34 Samios Good Deeds

Subeditor: Simon Price

27 Brian Fitzsimmons 28 Ted Beaumont Trophy

37 League Country 39 Outback Challenge 40 Kingaroy Carnival 42 Mackay Pride 47 Bedouri 9s 49 Vale Billy Duguid 50 Bronco Girls

From the editor Rugby league is certainly the flavour of the month in Queensland with two Origins now concluded and the Maroons ruling the roost for the tenth time in eleven seasons while the game has grown throughout the state.

June was a big month for rugby league in Queensland with the Origin Day in Gladstone, Divisional Championships on the Gold Coast, Outback Carnival in Mitchell, Ted Beaumont Trophy in Brisbane, Confraternity Shield in Rockhampton, Pink Day in Beerwah and massive junior carnival in Kingaroy.

The ‘Outback’ has certainly seen its share of rugby league with the game played at a high level from Bedourie to Kingaroy and all points in between. The ‘Pink Days’ have been a great way to spread what Australian cricketer Glen McGrath commenced and the rugby league community should be applauded for taking up this great cause. Rugby League has been seen at its best from our Origin heroes through the Intrust Super Cup with Redcliffe throwing out a challenge to the Blackhawks, PNG and Burleigh and a Queenslanddominated Cronulla leading the NRL. See you next month, Kind regards,

Publisher: League Queensland is wholly owned by Tony and Carmel Price. ABN: 1508728009.

COPYRIGHT 2016 by Tony Price, all rights reserved.

Information and Advertising: Carmel Price P: 0439 675 325 E: admin@leaguequeensland.com.au Graphic Art: Kassi Cartia E: kassi@kartiadesigns.com.au www.kartiadesigns.com.au Printed by: Crystal Media T: 07 3356 0788 E: crystal@crystalmedia.com.au A: Unit 7/ 36 Windorah Street, Stafford, Qld. 4053 www.crystalmedia.com.au Digital version at leaguequeensland.com.au, available two weeks after printed release.

On the cover: Brisbane Under 20 Player, Offa Finau, Sam Anderson (Redcliffe),2016 Sunshine Coast team, 1954 Far North Queensland team.

Disclaimer:

All material contained in this publication is subject to copyright and may not be reproduced, in part or in whole without written permission of the editor. Whilst the greatest care is taken to ensure that the information in the magazine is correct at the time of going to press, readers are advised to check latest information before visiting. The publisher cannot accept responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. As it is not possible to ensure that the advertisements which are published in this magazine comply with the Act the responsibility must, therefore, be on the person, company or advertising agency submitting the advertisements for publication.

The views expressed within League Queensland are not necessarily the views of the publisher, but those of individual writers.

Tony Price

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B R O N C O

corey oates CHOOSE A SUBSCRIPTION AT LEAGUEQUEENSLAND.COM.AU

WARREN Oates knows exactly when his son’s football potential emerged.

It was in the middle of high school when a series of injuries kept Corey off the field. “In under-14’s he never played a game of football. He had a niggling knee injury and the doctor said to sit the year out,” Oates senior said. “He grew four inches that year. Physios used to say that if you stop training you grow and that’s what he did. “There were a lot of blokes back then who always said wait until he fills out. He’s filled out now.”

Corey Oates is now a 195cm Maroons winger who is dubbed White Wendell for his tackle busting ability that mirrors former Broncos and Maroons giant Wendell Sailor. Oates hates that nick name. He understandably wants to carve his own path. He is doing just that. Oates has been the form winger of the NRL season, alongside Semi Radradra. Unlike Radradra, Oates loves rugby league and would never threaten to walk out just to bump his contract up. The Oates family are farmers from a small town in central Queensland named Baralaba. They are often referred to as hailing from Biloela but don’t say that to these rusted on country blokes.

“Nup. Baralaba mate,” Oates senior said.

“There’s only around 100 people who live in this town.

“I guess Biloela is the big town near us and there’s not many people here in Baralaba so we mixed up with them.” Baralaba’s most famous rugby league export before Corey was Jason Hetherington, a tough nut hooker who had a cheeky streak just like Corey.

“We grew up with Jason as there weren’t many people in town,” Oates said. “A lot of small farms and small crops but it is mainly cattle in Baralaba. “We had a cattle farm on around 15,000 acres but we sold that up and now we have a small block and I’m a chippy as well.”

Aged just 21, Corey Oates is being spoken about in revered terms by those inside the Maroons.

Cameron Smith said he would be wearing a Queensland jersey for “five years plus”. Corey lumbers around Maroons camp always smiling. His Broncos team mates told him prior to entering camp that he needed to dial his personality back several notches because senior Maroons who don’t know him will mistake his smart-alec ways as disrespect, mistake his loudness as a young bloke putting himself on a pedestal they hadn’t earned the right to climb on to.

When you are 6’4 and 105 kilograms you can get away with being a smart-alec. Warren Oates said his son was gifted with size from both sides but it is the unique way of country football where teams travel hours just for a game that really made him.

“I am 6’2 but he has it over me now. My wife’s grandfather was tall too so it comes from both sides,” Oates said.

“We used to play a junior league up here where the boys would play two or three games a day. “Instead of playing one game a week because of the travel we would have a carnival every two or three weeks and play several games.

“That worked well I always thought. That was from under eights through to under 12’s. “It would be around two hour’s drive there and two hours back. You were used to it. “They were good times. Where we are from, travelling long distances is just part of life.”

Now Oates has travelled all the way to the Origin arena.

– BRUCE JOHN

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THURSTON BACK at the height of the Great Depression in Australia newspaper billboards often read one word, ‘Bradman’ which was how they described the wonderful deeds of the greatest cricketer the world has ever seen. Has Johnathan Thurston reached those heights? Is Johnathan Thurston the greatest rugby league player the world has ever seen? I don’t know because along with most of the readers I never saw Dally Messenger, Clive Churchill or to some extent John Raper.

During Bradman’s test career he scored 26% of his teams runs (11 players in a team) and this was an era when Australia had some of their greatest ever batsmen including Bill Ponsford, Alan Kippax, Archie Jackson, Neil Harvey and Stan McCabe.

Bradman’s test average of 99.94 is so good that the difference between his average and the next best of around 60 would be considered pretty good in any era. Johnathan Thurston like Bradman is a game changer. If he doesn’t play the Cowboys struggle and we will never find out how the Queensland team would play because he never misses a game! He holds the record for the most consecutive games for Queensland at 36 and if Queensland wins the 2016 series Thurston would have played in twelve series for ten wins. That is remarkable.

But there is more to the remarkable Johnathan Thurston.

While some sportspeople, and Bradman was one, shunned the media, Johnathan Thurston is a magnet and everything he does like the simple gesture of giving his head-gear away every game and sometimes twice a game to retrieving his kicking-tee for the ball boy smacks of class. The people and the media simply love Thurston. Johnathan Thurston has been a magnificent ambassador for Indigenous people and his recent comment after a game about the volatile situation at Aurukun School is ‘vintage Thurston’.

I’m from North Queensland and proud to say it but what Johnathan Thurston has done for the North Queensland Cowboys since he arrived in 2005 is nothing short of remarkable.

I’m not a Cowboys supporter, I follow South Sydney and always have but along with most of the rugby league community I sit back and admire the little player in the head-gear who in 2015

Image: Courtesy Whitsunday Coast Guardian

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not only won the Clive Churchill Medal as the Best Player in the Cowboys maiden premiership but also was made an Honorary Doctor of Letters from James Cook University for his

“outstanding service and exceptional contributions to the northern Queensland community.”

I wonder if Bradman could have told the television audience after a big game that a new $250Million stadium for Townsville was vital and now political parties are crawling over one another to deliver a piece of infrastructure that to quote the current prime-minister will create 600 construction jobs! That is the power of Thurston.

Like Bradman I feel there will only be one Thurston and we are privileged to be around to see the champion in action. Cricket lovers talk about ‘Before and After Bradman’ and in years to come ‘rugby league lovers will talk about Thurston in the same vein. In 2015 he won the Dally M Player of the Year for the fourth time to put him on a platform high above the next best and in that same season he was the first three-time winner of the Golden Boot Award for the World’s Best Player. Johnathan Thurston reminds me of another champion who died in June, the one and only Muhammed Ali who ‘floated like a butterfly and stung like a bee’ and like Ali, Johnathan Thurston will be remembered by the little people who count. The kids at Aurukun and all point east, north, south and west who can tell their children one day they saw the greatest player that ever was – Johnathan Thurston.

– TONY PRICE

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QUEENSLAN GAGAI 4/1 QUEENSLAND, under the coaching of Kevin Walters, won the 2016 State of Origin Series with a 26/16 victory in Game II in front of 52,293 screaming Maroon fans at Suncorp Stadium.

Former Mackay player Dane Gagai, who only a few days earlier was a doubt of playing, scored three tries to add to his one in Origin One to play the game of his life. The Maroons’ captain Cameron Smith probably edged him on the paddock and was officially named the ‘Man of the Match’ but Gagai was inspirational. Apart from a blunder in the 68th minute when he gifted a try to the Blues the number five for Queensland had a magnificent game.

half and big Tyson Frizell, who was the best of their ‘Young Brigade’ scored to narrow the gap to 16/10 after the James Maloney conversion.

Some experts predicted the Maroon victory and back in May I predicted a 2/1 series win but I was not confident. The ‘Old Guard’ for Queensland stood tall with Smith, Inglis, Thurston, Cronk, Scott, Thaiday, Lillyman and Parker all outstanding with Inglis the baby of the eight at the young age of 29. Matt Scott in my opinion was the best Queensland forward in the opening half and Jacob Lillyman when he came on took the New South Wales forwards on like a great forward should.

Darius Boyd almost scored in the 68th minute but was held up over the line but minutes later Thurston put ball to foot and Gagai ran through to score his third try of the night for a challenging 20/10 lead.

Queensland opened the scoring in the 5th minute with a Thurston penalty but Adam Reynolds kicked one for the Blues shortly afterwards and in the 13th minute put his team in front for the first and only time in the game when he kicked another after Sam Thaiday speared Paul Gallen. Gallen was close to the Blues’ best and although the New South Wales media are screaming for change it was the old guard of Gallen, Greg Bird, Robbie Farrah and James Maloney who wore their blue jerseys with pride.

Dane Gagai scored the first of his three tries in the 32nd minute when he plucked a loose Blues’ ball from the air and Thurston’s great conversion gave his team a handy 10/4 advantage at the interval. In the opening 40 minutes the Maroons had 56% of the possession which was a crucial factor late in the second half when the tired Queensland forwards were wilting.

Following the tight opening Origin game in Sydney when one try a piece was scored it was felt that New South Wales would have to score first in the second half but in the 47th minute Gagai accepted a great pass from Darius Boyd to score in the corner and when Thurston nailed it from the sideline the board ticked over to 16/4.

The Blues played their best football in the middle of the second 8

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The Queensland backline was magnificent with Greg Inglis dominant, running 18 times for 148 metres which was better than any player in the New South Wales team but the world’s best ever player Johnathan Thurston proved why he is up there with Bradman as he continually made inroads into the Blues’ defence. Thurston had a blinder and quietly kicked three conversions from the sideline in a five-star performance.

The Maroons were all over the Blues at this stage until the moment when Dane Gagai dropped his guard and his rating went from ten to nine.

Queensland was pressing the New South Wales line when Gagai palmed back a high ball only to see James Maloney run 90 metres to score and bring the Blues back into the game at 20/16. In the 71st minute the Blues knocked on over the Queensland line and there was silence in the stands until it was ruled no-try. In the 72nd minute with Queensland pressing the Blues line the old guard of JT and Boyd combined to put big Corey Oates into space and his try gave the Maroons their game winning 26/16 lead.

The New South Wales media commented about ‘time for change’ and the pending retirement of players like Thurston, Smith, Lillyman, Cronk and Company must give them a feeling of better things to come but when you look at the Queensland team that has ten players under 30 plus the ‘bad boys’ who were suspended after their ‘night-out’ at the camp in Brisbane and I feel there is a lot more torment for the Blues in the future. Of the Queensland younger brigade Josh Papalii was outstanding and at 24 years old is going to be a Queensland player for many seasons while Corey Oates, Josh McGuire and Matt Gillett also had strong games. Kevin Walters as coach has

ND 2 NIL Three Try Hero Dane Gagai Image: SMP Photos

showed he’s the man for the job and is quickly stepping out of the shadow of his teachers in Wayne Bennett, Mal Meninga and Craig Bellamy.

The Blues came to Brisbane to win and I feel that the big guys let them down with David Klemmer (116kgs), James Tamou (114kgs) and Andrew Fifita (120kgs) all easy prey for the

dominant Maroon forwards while the New South Wales outside backs in Dylan Walker, Blake Ferguson, Michael Jennings and Josh Mansour never turned up. All in all a great night to be a Queenslander with the trophy staying north of the New South Wales border for the tenth time in eleven seasons. – TONY PRICE

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ONE of Queensland’s greatest ever outside backs, Chris ‘Choppy’ Close, says Valentine Holmes has the footballing instincts to become a Maroons star. Holmes may be banned from State of Origin this year for breaking curfew but Close is adamant the Cronulla Sharks winger will play Origin for the majority of his career.Aged just 21, Holmes is having an incredible season.

He scored four tries against the hapless Newcastle Knights and should have had five when his tired legs let him down late in the second half. His try against the Cowboys in June was just what Holmes is all about. Holmes is a unique footballer. His greatest asset is the footballing instincts of an old school half mixed with an incredible ability to step and swerve at pace.

He chips and chase with a Phil Blake like ability to get the ball back. Holmes isn’t as fast as the likes of James Roberts or team mate Ben Barba but he would be the fastest man in the competition while swerving. Asked to nominate the player who had become a star this season, Close didn’t hesitate in naming Holmes. Close has seen most of the best outside backs in Queensland’s history.

He was one of them.

Close was man of the match in the opening two State of Origin games and as a giant centre he terrorised New South Wales throughout the 80’s playing 14 times for Queensland. “He’s a superstar Valentine. I love watching him play,” Close said. “I am so happy he’s a Queenslander. He’s just a natural footballer.

“When I think of guys I like to watch play football, he comes to mind straight away.

“I think anything is possible with him in his future. He will play Origin for sure. “He won’t let the State down when he does either.”

Holmes is a rare footballer who escaped the North Queensland Cowboys’ net.

Confusion reigns over what really prompted the Townsville raised back to leave for the Sharks. The Cowboys are adamant they offered him a good deal and wanted him to stay when he was a prodigious teenager. Holmes however is adamant the Cowboys were never interested in him and never made a serious attempt to keep him from leaving for Cronulla and the try mentioned above shows what they are missing. As with most things, the truth likely lies somewhere in the middle. He is one of the Sharks’ best juniors since Wade Graham and Greg Bird.

He is also one of a growing number of Queenslanders in the Shire. When Holmes arrived he was the only NRL player eligible for Queensland at the club. Now they have Ricky Leutele and Ben Barba and after their narrow 13/10 defeat of the Cowboys there is a vibe around the club not seen since the heady days of Andrew Ettingshausen.

It is not quite Melbourne Storm levels but it is better than the Penrith Panthers who only have one Queenslander in James Segeyaro.

– BRUCE JOHN 10

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COREY PARKER COREY Parker announced to his teammates, his club and the media on the 20th June that 2016 was his last season as a player in the NRL. Unexpected to many, the decision to quit must have been a tough one for the 34-year-old Logan Junior who played his first game for his beloved Broncos on the 24th March 2001 against the Warriors in New Zealand. Originally a hefty frontrow forward, the ever-reliable Parker made the number 13 jersey his own for most of his record 336 NRL games for the Broncos. This amazing record as he averaged more than 21 games a season for 16 years is the most of any forward in the NRL. In a career that many never expected Corey Parker had a remarkable representative honour roll.

He played 19 games for Queensland, 13 tests for Australia and one NRL All Stars appearance.

His Origin career spanned two decades as he played in 2004 – 2005 and then was basically overlooked for five years. Parker made his Origin debut in Brisbane on the 15th June 2004 in a game that Queensland won 22/18 to square the series. He retained his spot for the 3rd game in Sydney which NSW won. In 2005 he was overlooked for the 1st and 2nd Origin games but recalled for the 3rd game in Sydney where NSW clinched the series.

From 2006 until 2011 Parker was ignored by the Queensland selectors so he quietly plied his trade wearing a Broncos jersey. He played in the 2006 Grand Final where his team defeated Melbourne 15/8 and the big forward was consistently among his team’s best players. Parker was a player who grew in stature as he matured as a player so when most players were looking over their shoulder at the youngster arriving, Parker was recalled by the Queensland selectors in 2011 and has been a vital cog in the maroon wheel ever since. His 2013 season was remarkable as Parker was awarded International Lock of the Year, The Player’s Player award, Most Consistent award, the Best Forward award, Dally M Lock of the Year, and Rugby League Week Player of The Year.

At club level Corey Parker scored 1,302 points including 39 tries and 573 goals (stats as at the 21st June 2016) and won the Broncos Player of the Year in 2009, 2013 and 2015.

Astute coach Wayne Bennett could see reliability and responsibility in the pepper-haired Parker so it came as no surprise when he was awarded the captaincy of the Broncos in 2014 and 2016. Parker, in the twilight of a great career, was one of the Broncos best in the 2015 NRL Grand Final loss to the North Queensland Cowboys and at age 34 was one of the first selected to play against New Zealand in the 2016 Anzac Test. Corey Parker has done it all and to retire when still a current Test and Queensland player is a great way for the reliable, remarkable Corey Parker to go out.

– TONY PRICE

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to win and that is how it should be. As champion golfer Jack Nicklaus once said, “The harder I practice, the luckier I get”.

Let’s not kid ourselves, the pinnacle of playing rugby league should be representing your country and if that country happens to be Samoa, the Cook Islands, New Zealand or Australia that should be the target. Below that there should be a clear pathway which means that the pinnacle must be not only protected but should be fostered and encouraged.

The NRL should fund the Cook Islands and Samoan National Teams in the same way that an Australian or New Zealand team is funded and if that is your heritage that is where you play.

The next and most important problem in Queensland is connecting the dots in local club rugby league to the NRL. It is amazing that going back to pre-Bronco days young players from Cairns simply wanted to play for Cairns, North Queensland, Queensland and then Australia in a similar fashion to a player from Pittsworth who wanted to play for Toowoomba, Queensland and Australia. A player from Sunnybank wanted to play for Souths alongside Mal Meninga and then Queensland and Australia. Now our young player heads to where he sees his favourite player and if that happens to be Cronulla or Parramatta that is where his or her loyalty lies. Yes, we get a conscience at ‘Origin’ time and we are all Queenslanders but the dots don’t connect below that.

HAS the Intrust Super Cup or the NRL’s Under 20 competition helped rugby league? Some say yes and some say no and like politics in Australia many could not care less. I have an opinion but the first thing I say is that there has to be a bridge between the local club competition and the NRL. I call it ‘Connecting the Dots’.

Regarding the Intrust Cup I would rather see a City vs Country format where there are two competitions with PNG, Northern Pride, Blackhawks, Mackay Cutters, CQ Capras, Sunshine Coast Falcons, Ipswich and Toowoomba in Pool One and Easts, Souths Logan, Norths, Redcliffe, Wynnum, Burleigh and Tweed Heads in Pool Two. The NRL through the QRL should fund the travel especially in the case of PNG, Toowoomba and Ipswich and you don’t need any connection to an NRL team. It is at this level that we select a Country team to play City and a Queensland Residents team to play New South Wales. Season end should see the best two teams from each pool play in a final series before they go onto play the best from New South Wales. The key to success is in the pre-season when trials should commence at local level and games must be played in the regional centres. It’s vital that all teams are treated equally by the NRL with no connection to a nominated NRL team but closely tied to the juniors and clubs below them.

I’m only interested in Queensland so I won’t talk about ‘south of the border’ where a New South Wales dominated You must start at the bottom to get panel think Andrew Johns should be to the top. an ‘Immortal’ in front of Mal Meninga Above the Intrust Super Cup I would have an NRL competition – you are kidding! consisting of A and Reserve Grade with Shane Richardson’s I come from an era when the Brisbane Club competition attracted 5,000 – 7,000 to suburban grounds, the Foley Shield was fought between ten strong towns and you had to be a great player to make a regional representative team.

Turn the clock forward to 2016 and the gross takings of one Intrust Super Cup game was $500.00 and they select a North Queensland team to play in the State Trials not on who is the best but rather on who wants to play on the weekend.

Is it any coincidence that the Central Division won the recent State Championships? I feel that after local trials in places like Rockhampton, Bundaberg and the Sunshine Coast and then a two-day 47th Battalion Memorial Trophy Carnival in Roma where a representative team was selected they were odds-on 12

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recommendation of a 36 player squad. I would strongly suggest no connection to any Intrust Super Cup team and if the Cowboys, Titans or Broncos want a player from below midseason, they can buy him off the respective club at marketvalue. The key to linking the dots is to share the spoils. The Cowboys, Titans and Broncos must take their games to the regions even if gate takings are down. A full Browne Park (Rockhampton) or Barlow Park (Cairns) for a quality NRL game once a season is just reward for some of the strongest rugby league followers in the NRL. It’s vital that the Intrust Super Cup season commences with trials where the relative clubs in the area are involved.

– TONY PRICE

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THE INTRUST SUPER CUP THE mighty Redcliffe Dolphins have flexed their premiership muscles over the past five rounds of the Intrust Super Cup and are the form team leading into the business end of the season.

Since their round 10 defeat by the Pride in Cairns they have strung together four consecutive victories including impressive wins over leading contenders Townsville Blackhawks and Burleigh Bears.

The new stadium and four home ground games have aided the Dolphins but their round 14 victory when they recovered from being down 16/0 at half-time against the Blackhawks to string together 18 unanswered points was not only pleasing for Redcliffe CEO Grant Cleal but a major concern for the Blackhawks.

Darren Nicholls for the Dolphins has moved to 124 points and his penalty goal late in the game against Townsville proved the difference. The ever-green Matt Bowen had a great game for the Blackhawks and will be vital late in the season.

last defeat at the hands of their 2015 nemesis Ipswich was in Townsville so they have some soul-searching to do. Easts’ Billy Walters had a great game against the Blackhawks at Langlands Park while Matt Bowen in his comeback game showed glimpses of class. The Blackhawks Jonathan Reuben leads the try-scoring for the Intrust Cup with 16 after 15 rounds in front of Burleigh’s Curtis Rowe on 13 and Liam Taylor (Cutters), Pat Templeton, Daniel Ogden (Wynnum) and Khan Ahwang (Pride) all on nine.

Burleigh Bears have quietly gone about their business but must be concerned about their 32/14 loss to the Dolphins in Round 12.

The Bears are now sitting at the top of the table after their big 36/4 win over Tweed Heads closely followed by PNG who only just got the bacon in round 15 with a 18/4 victory over Wynnum in New Guinea but both leaders are looking over their shoulders at the Dolphins and Tigers.

Burleigh’s Jamal Fogarty has led the Intrust Super Cup point scoring all season and after 15 rounds has amassed 154 points from Ahwang 134, Darren Nicholls (Redcliffe) 124, Billy Walters 122 and remarkably Liam Taylor on 112.

Taylor has been a rock in the Cutters team who are firmly anchored at the bottom of the premiership ladder.

The Blackhawks and Bears have the best attacking teams in the competition but Redcliffe have the best defence which could be a telling point in the finals. After 15 rounds of the competition the Dolphins have only conceded 14 points a game compared to the 16 of the Blackhawks.

The words ‘affected by Origin’ would not normally be heard in the Intrust Super Cup but the Blackhawks are certainly affected by the big events with several key players stepping up to play for the Cowboys to cover for their heavy Origin contingent.

The Blackhawks who commenced the season on-fire with nine wins, a loss and a draw after eleven rounds have now had three defeats in four games to prove their vulnerability and have slipped back to third after 15 rounds. Two losses were in Brisbane and both games were closely contested but their 14

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The strike power of the Townsville team is unquestioned with an average of 30 points a game being scored compared to the 28 of their nearest rivals Burleigh. The Hunters lost three successive games in May but have bounced back with three wins from three starts in June and are certain to be around when the finals commence.

Easts sit in fifth spot after 15 rounds with eight wins and a draw against Norths back in March. Their form has been patchy although their big win over the Blackhawks prove they can match it with the big boys.

They have won three out of five recently although their 26/6 last game loss to sixth-placed Falcons was not encouraging. The Falcons are contenders when they are on-song but easy-beats when they have an off-day. Consistency is their biggest problem as there is only one occasion they have strung two wins together this season.

The Northern Pride sitting in seventh spot win seven wins and seven defeats have recovered from losing three in a row to have two victories in succession including an impressive 32/12 defeat of the Falcons. They are looking for a new coach for 2017 and will struggle to make the finals this season.

The CQ Capras will struggle to make the finals from eighth position with a defensive record only bettered by their closest neighbour Mackay.

The Capras have leaked an average of 30 points a game which is not going to see them playing finals any time soon while the four Brisbane clubs; Norths, Souths Logan, Wynnum and Ipswich have a lot of work in front of them.

Ipswich are the big improvers of the four with three wins in their last four starts including a mighty effort against the Blackhawks in Townsville and a great 29/12 defeat of PNG on the 29th May but losing to lowly Tweed Heads was not what the Walker boys need to repeat 2015 season heroics.

Tweed Heads sit in 13th spot with five wins but cannot score points with the worst attack in the league averaging 18 points a game. At their best they can be dangerous as their 38/4 defeat of the Capras indicated but they are consistently bad.

Questions must be asked about the Mackay Cutters who languish at the bottom of the table with easily the worst defence in the competition conceding a massive 473 points in 14 games and the second worst attack only scoring 272 points in the same time. The remarkable aspect of the Cutters demise is that the local competition is reasonably strong and the juniors more so.

The Pride’s Khan Ahwang

Burleigh’s Jamal Fogarty

Image: SMP Images

Photo: SMP Images

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CENTRAL

CROWS

FLY IN WET TWO days in Roma proved the difference in the QRL Divisional Championships played at Owen Park, Southport on the weekend of the 3rd, 4th and 5th June. The Central Crows went through the two days undefeated but also went into the competition the best prepared following two hectic days in Roma playing in the 47th Battalion Memorial Trophy in May. The carnival was marred by torrential rain on the Friday evening and Saturday but the sun shone on the Sunday for the finals. Team that took part in the carnival were Northern Marlins, South East Queensland, Central and SEQ Poinsettias.

The competition on the Friday evening saw South East Queensland Women defeat Central 10/0 after leading 6/0 at half-time.

Australian representative Karina Brown and Paige Rogers scored for SEQ with Zahara Temara kicking a goal. On the Saturday in conditions better suited to water-polo Central, with another Australian player in Chelsea Baker, defeated Northern 16/0 after leading 6/0 at the break. Baler scored a try and kicked two goals while Lana Sheedy and Sarah Walker also slid over the wet line.

On the Sunday with the sun shining South East Queensland rounded out their undefeated carnival with an impressive 34/0 defeat of North Queensland with Karina Brown adding another two tries to her total while Ali Brigginshaw (2), Tarnisha Lyons and Amelia Kuk also scored tries. Zahara Temara (3) and Brigginshaw (2) kicked goals. The final carnival standing for the Women’s Division was South East Queensland (10), Central (5) and Northern (nil).

The Men’s competition got underway on the Saturday in terrible conditions and the powerful Central Crows proved they were the team to beat by downing South East Queensland 36/12 after leading 18/12 at half-time. Chanel Seigafo (2), Jake Carl, Alexander Ambia, Brendan Grulke and Dylan McGrath scored tries for the Crows with Jason Wilmott kicking six goals.

Ono So’Oialo and former North Queensland player Raymond Baira scored for South East Queensland while Isaak Gordon kicked two goals. The second game played on the Saturday saw the competition favourites Northern go down 16/6 to 16

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Northern v Central Image: Courtesy Kristy Zagari

the Poinsettias after the game was nil-all at half-time. Big Ivan Petelo was the best player on the field playing in the losing side.

Kennedy Pettybourne, Taylor Brown and James Salter scored for the Poinsettias while Tyson Gamble kicked two goals. Petelo scored for the Marlins with Phil Ramage kicking a goal.

The opening men’s game on the Sunday was actually the final as Central and the Poinsettias were both undefeated. The dry conditions made for good rugby league but at 16/0 at half-time to Central the result was never in doubt. Toowoomba’s Corey Blades played himself into a Queensland Rangers jersey with a two-try haul while Chanel Seigafo, Brendan Grulke, Tyson White and Dylan McGrath also crossed with Jason Willmott kicking four goals. The Poinsettias played well in the second half with Marlon Doak, Mitchell Wilson and Josh Hoffman scoring tries while Tyson Gamble kicked two goals.

The final game of the carnival saw South East Queensland edge out the Northern Marlins 20/18 after the score was locked at 10/10 at half-time. South East never really looked in danger and led throughout while Northern were hampered with a leg injury to their captain Phil Ramage which made him a virtual passenger for most of the second half. Former North Queensland players Raymond Baira and Brendan Marshall were among the try scorers for SEQ while Ono So’Oialo and Shaun Anderson also scored. Lenny Magey (2), Yamba Bowie and Clint Posselt scored for the Marlins while Ramage kicked a goal. The final standing for the men’s competition was Central (9.5), SEQ Poinsettias (5), South East Queensland (4.5) and the Marlins (1).

Following the Carnival a Queensland Rangers team was selected to play the NSW Ron Massey Cup team on Sunday, July 24th at Pizzey Park, Gold Coast. Coached by Craig Grauf the Rangers team is (1) Yamba Bowie (Cairns Brothers), (2) Ono So’Oialo (Ipswich Jets), (3) Steve Franciscus (Gatton Hawks), (4) Kennedy Pettybourne (West Brisbane Panthers), (5) Corey Blades (Toowoomba Souths), (6) Mitch Wilson (Redcliffe Dolphins), (7) Chris Ash (Ipswich Jets), (8) Trent Richardson (Warwick Cowboys), (9) Brendan Grulke (Roma Cities), (10) Troy Kapea (Herbert River Crushers), (11) Lachlan Rowe (Ipswich Jets), (12) David Crampton (Normanton Stingers), Ivan Petelo (Whitsunday Brahmans), (14) Chris Aiton (Fortitude Valley), (15) Josh Hoffman (Wynnum Manly), (16) Jason Wardrop (Maroochydore Swans), (17) and Logan Houghton (Sunshine Coast Falcons).

Image: Courtesy Stacey Hughes

OUTBACK MUSTER MITCHELL – SATURDAY 18TH JUNE 2016

THE 2016 Outback Carnival was held at Mitchell on Saturday 18th June. Northern Outback, Central West and South West all travelled to compete for selection in the Queensland Outback A Grade team while the Southern Outback team played the Northern Outback team for selection in the Under 20 Queensland Outback Team.

The A Grade team will play in Townsville against Torres Strait team while the Under 20s will compete at Yeppoon.

The day started off with what finished up being the match of the day with Northern Outback steamrolling the Central West team in the first half to shoot out to a 20-6 lead at halftime. I don’t know what the coach said to the Central West team at half-time but they came out firing to eventually win the game 28-26 after scoring a try with only seconds to go and the successful conversion from the sideline after the hooter to win the game.

There was plenty of good footy played on the day with the South West team taking out the shield for this year in A Grade and the Southern Outback earning the Under 20s Shield after running away with the second game. There was concern for the Northern Teams being able to get home with the rain threatening to cause havoc with roads flooding. Both teams jumped on their bus and headed north immediately after the teams were announced, no doubt they still would have enjoyed their 13 hour trip home to Mt Isa and surrounding areas.

The Mitchell Club needs to be congratulated on the running

of the day and providing amazing meals for all the teams and the Presentation Dinner where the Queensland Outback Teams were announced.

There was also early entertainment provided by the local Under 8 teams which you can never pass up the opportunity of watching as well as the Mitchell Under 12 team up against Roma with locals going down in a very close match.

The Queensland Outback teams selected were, A Grade; (1) Les Wotley (South West), (2) Damian Greenwool (Central West), (3) Matt Waites (South West), (4) Brayden Russell (Central West), (5) Zeke Thompson (Central West), James Biara (Northern), (7) Roger Bait (Central West), (8) Ashley Dyball (South West), (9) Brenton Stonier (Northern), (10) John Turlin (Central West), (11) Clinton Taylor (South West), (12) Zac Downey (South West), (13) Trent Hoad (Central West), (14) Cody Stedman (Central West), (15) Rohan Schultz (Northern), (16) Tom Elliott (Central West), (17) Dan Dwyer (South West), (18) Jarred McIntosh (South West).

The Under 20 team selected was (1) Charlie Adams (South West), (2) Schakarne Aitkens (Northern), (3) Ronnie Francis (Northern), (4) Brandon Soverign (Southern), (5) Josh Carlton (Southern), (6) Allan Aitkens (Northern), (7) Alex Coonan (South West), (8) Brodie Germaine (Northern), (9) Bryce Rackerman (Southern), (10) Brayden Collins (Southern), (11) Jackson Shellwell (Southern), (12) Tyler Luxford (Southern), (13) Cody Tully (Northern), (14) Clifford Johnny (Northern), (15) Daniel Dunne (Northern), (16) Tom Dawson (Southern), (17) Jayden Davies (Southern), (18) Lucas Williams (Southern), (19) Herbie Walden (Northern).

– PETER RAFTER LEAGUEQUEENSLAND.COM.AU

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A GREAT RIVALRY

CAIRNS RUGBY LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE TEAM – 1923 NORTH QUEENSLAND CHAMPIONS - Back (L-R): P Robinson, D Chimes, W Robertson, J Burman, I Foster Third Row:- J Meade, R McKinnon, R Kitto, Charlie Christensen, E Favell, F O’Neill, W Wilson, T Cronin Sitting:- W Smith, L Rogers, W Harris (Manager), V Pyne (Captain), C Gough (Manager), M Tracey, T Wright Floor:- J Davies, F Borland, P Northage

THERE are many great rivalries in rugby league but the longest and the strongest in Queensland belongs to the far northern cities of Cairns and Townsville. The First World War separated the starting dates of league in the far north with a Townsville representative team supplying ten players to a Queensland team before the war and Cairns jumping on the rugby league band-wagon immediately after the conflict in 1918. There was no rail line established between Cairns and Townsville until 1923 so until then inter-town games depended on the mailsteamer that sailed up and down the Queensland coast. The Cairns representative team visited Townsville in 1918, going down 29/4 to their more experienced rivals who were crowned North Queensland premiers. Townsville took this honour in 1919 and 1920 but in 1921 the tide turned and more than 3,500 people paid £154 to see Cairns defeat Townsville 16/8 and win their first title. Putting this victory into perspective Townsville defeated Toowoomba twice in 1921 and the Toowoomba team contained several Australian players including the legendary Tommy Gorman.

Innisfail were crowned North Queensland champions in 1922 before a three-year period when Cairns won the title. Their 1925 victory earned them the inaugural Crowley Cup which was played between Cairns, Innisfail, Townsville and Mackay.

The Crowley Cup competition lasted for seven seasons (1925 – 1931) with Townsville dominating the competition, winning four titles in succession between 1926 and 1929 with a team that contained Queensland players Reg King, Johno Purcell and Charlie Christensen plus future International Mick Glasheen.

The 1930 Cairns team that defeated Townsville 19/10 to clinch the title contained some wonderful players including Harold Burns and Jack Sheehan.

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The 1930’s arrived and with it the Great Depression where rugby league was a luxury as the main thing on the agenda was survival. The Crowley Cup had been replaced by the Carlton Shield and between 1932 and 1947 (no play from 1942 – 1945) Townsville and Cairns won the title three times each. The 1938 Carlton Shield Final was special as the teams played for 100 minutes and ended up 18/18, both teams sharing the crown.

Cairns had led 10/3 at half-time but the brilliant Townsville backline fired in the second half with Jasper Feeney and Irwin Perroux calling the shots to salvage the draw. A young Frosty Benton played for Townsville and in 1948 he would tour with the Kangaroos to England.

1948 saw a competition come into being called the Foley Shield and the old Townsville vs Cairns rivalry intensified although there were many new teams around like Ayr, Herbert River and Babinda who played in a lot of the early finals.

The Foley Shield was considered one of the toughest rugby league competitions in Australia with many Queensland and Australian players spread throughout the teams but Cairns and Townsville continued their rivalry unabated. Between 1948 and 1965 Townsville appeared in eight finals winning three while Cairns appeared in ten finals winning three. In the big finals that mattered when they played one another they shared the honours three apiece with Townsville winning in 1949, 1956 and 1957 while Cairns won in 1953, 1955 and 1958. Some of the greats of North Queensland rugby league played in this era with Alan Gil, Jack Seary, Ron Griffiths, Norm McHardie, Brian Fitzsimmons, Hugh Kelly and Stanley Williams playing for Cairns while Jimmy Paterson, Bobby Hagen, John Cleary, Len Blaik, Syd Clark, Ken Day, Mick Glasheen, Max Short and Wally Tallis played for Townsville.

CAIRNS & TOWNSVILLE

CAIRNS RUGBY LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE TEAM – WINNERS OF THE 1953 FOLEY SHIELD - Back (L-R):- Bobby Horne, Bill Allendoff, Gordon Farrelly, Len Pitt, Unknown, Jerry McAuliffe, Norm McHardie, Dick Chant, Middle:- Jeff Nash, John Blankensee, Ken Leary, Hugh Kelly, John Nash, Ron Christenson, George Chant, Front:- Brian Bolton, Albert Boundy, Ralph Ross, Ron Griffiths (Capt/Coach), Allan Peever, Ron Shambrook. Image: Courtesy Martin Hurst CDRL

In 1966 the two teams clashed again for the seventh time in what was a memorable Foley Shield Final. 1966 was a big season in North Queensland with New Zealand playing the North on the 15th May and Great Britain playing the North on the 5th June. New Zealand won a tight encounter 14/12 but the game against Great Britain was something special. The touring Great Britain side was considered one of the finest teams to ever tour Australia and they met a North Queensland team still considered one of the best country sides in the nation despite the fact that only five players, Sid Clark, Jim Patterson, Ray Miguel, Angelo Crema and Gary Wellington, remained from the 1964 team that defeated France. North Queensland put first points on the board from a Gorris penalty but Great Britain scored the first try to lead 5/2. Doyle scored NQ’s first try but they still trailed 10/5 at half-time. The second half started with Ray Miguel scoring a great try and the locals hit the front with FOLEY SHIELD FINAL Position Fullback Winger Centre Centre Winger 5/8 ½ Back Lock 2nd Row 2nd Row Prop Hooker Prop Reserve Reserve Reserve Reserve Reserve

Townsville Wally Tallis Eddie Martin Graham Charles John Wall Barry Doyle Ron Church John Buckby A Searle Joe Mulhall R Gwynne Sid Clarke Ben Wall Jim Paterson (c) Ron Lewis John Cleary S Walker George Church Les Cruikshank

Cairns Bob Manning Barry Dawson Alan Gil (c) W Denny Terry Casey Neil Gil Col Warnick Stan Williams D Myers Henry Williams H Smith P Colleton Arthur Belbin T Malenfant T Helmuth W Lewis J Lavis

seven more points from Bevan. Late in the game Great Britain scored a converted try but North Queensland once again had defeated a touring International side. The final score was 17/15.

The 1966 Final was hard fought from the opening minutes with the Townsville forwards trying to dominate but it was Cairns, through Terry Casey, who scored the first try to give the northerners a 5/0 lead. This was extended to 8/0 when Arthur Belbin made a break before passing to Stan Williams onto Barry Dawson and finally Denny who scored out wide.

Townsville came back before half-time with a try to Eddie Martin and the players left the field with the board reading 8/5. The second half was only minutes old when John Wall was forced off the field with a dislocated elbow so the local team had to play the last 35 minutes with 12 men. This seemed to inspire Townsville who dominated the first 20 minutes of the second half and Graham Charles was stopped inches from the Cairns line by a great Stan Williams tackle and in the 65th minute John Buckby put Wally Tallis away for a converted try to give Townsville a slender 10/8 lead. The Townsville forward pack was tiring and former Queensland lock Stan Williams took advantage of a break in the defensive line to score a try to take the lead back 11/10.

The last minutes was a war as every player on the field tried for the winning advantage but it was finally Townsville that cracked and Henry Williams scored the try to give Cairns the 1966 Foley Shield.

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A GREAT RIVALRY

CAIRNS RUGBY LEAGUE REPRESENTATIVE TEAM – WINNERS OF THE 1966 FOLEY SHIELD - Back (L-R):- D Myers, Arthur Belbin, H Smith, T Hellmuth, W Denny, Neil Gil Middle:- J Barlow (Secretary), T Malenfant, Barry Dawson, H Mulry (President), P Colleton, J Lavis, H Williams, John Pont, K O’Leary (Treasurer) Front:- W Munroe (Selector), G Fairweather (Selector), Col Warnick, Alan Gil (Captain), Bob Manning, Stanley Williams (Vice/Capt), K Hyde (Manager) Absent:- Brian Fitzsimmons, D Bolton,R Allen, J Mackay, D Pelling, W Lewis, Noel Morgan

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THE PRIDE OF THE NORTH NINE GREAT SEASONS OF THE INTRUST SUPER CUP THE Northern Pride came into being with the support of nine of the eleven Cairns District clubs and a group of key individual’s including John O’Brien, Denis Keefe, Nigel Tillet and John Moore. Their first coach was former International Adrian Lam but he departed after a month to be replaced by former Gold Coast and Cowboys player Andrew Dunemann. David Maiden and Troy Cummings were assistant coaches. The team name and logo were released at a function in July 2007. The performance of the Northern Pride in their first season (2008) in the Queensland Cup was commendable as they finished in third spot, winning thirteen of twenty games. The “Pride” lost the Preliminary Final in golden-point extra time to eventual winners Souths Logan.

Over the next eight seasons the Pride proved they were the ‘Pride of the North’ in a similar fashion to South Sydney taking the title “Pride of the League”. In 2009 they made the Grand Final in their second season in the competition only to go down 32/18 to a more determined Sunshine Coast. In 2010 after the 22 rounds of the Queensland Cup the Northern Pride were placed 4th. The Pride had a point’s differential of 501/446. In the first semi-final the Pride defeated Wynnum-Manly 28/12.

The Pride had trailed the field in the Queensland Cup but won nine games in a row late in the season including an emphatic 54/6 defeat of Burleigh on the Gold Coast in the last round to make the finals. The Northern Pride met Souths Logan at Davies Park in Brisbane on the 12th September and it is recorded history that the Pride defeated the Magpies 28/8 to go into the Grand Final. The David Maiden-coached Northern Pride, containing 14 out of a possible 17 North Queenslanders, defeated hot favourites Brisbane Norths 30/20 to win the first piece of silverware for the new franchise. Noel Underwood, Rod Jensen, Michael Bani, Rod Griffin and Nick Slyney scored tries while Chey Bird kicked five goals.

In 2011 the Northern Pride finished the season a creditable second to Tweed Heads Seagulls. The Pride won 15 games during the season with two draws and five losing games and defeated Ipswich in the first semi-final before going down 28/10 in the major semi-final at Dolphin Oval. In 2012 the Northern Pride finishing the season in 7th position, winning 12 games, a draw and 9 losses with a points’ differential of 554/497.

The 2013 season saw the Pride take out the minor-premiership.

With 17 wins and 5 losses from their 22 games while the Mackay Cutters finished in second spot with 14 wins, 2 draws and 6 losses.

However The Cutters proved they were no longer the poor cousins of the North Queensland rugby league community with a dominant 20/6 defeat of 2012 Intrust premiers, the Northern Pride and went onto win their first Intrust Super premiership.

In 2014 the Pride claimed their second Intrust Super Cup premiership in five years with a record 36/4 victory over Easts Tigers in front of 7,135 fans at Suncorp Stadium. The 32-point margin was the highest ever in a Queensland / Intrust Super Cup Grand Final, and capped off an outstanding year for the North Queensland side. After falling short in the 2013 decider – and buoyed by their strong showing in their narrow 8-7 loss to the Pride only two weeks before – many expected the Tigers to take it up to the minor premiers in attack. It was not to be however, with the Pride dominating across the park. 2014 was also the first time a National Rugby League Championship was played so the mighty Northern Pride ran onto ANZ Stadium on the 5th October to play Penrith.

Image: Courtesy Northern Pride

NORTHERN PRIDE RUGBY LEAGUE TEAM – INTRUST QUEENSLAND CUP PREMIERS 2010 - Back (L-R):- Rob White (Manager), Mark Cantoni, Ben Laity, Alex Starmer, Jamie Frizzo, Aisea Namoa, Nick Slyney Middle:- Kristy Sciklunna (Strapper), David Maiden (Coach), Kaine Manihera, Mick Bani, Brett Anderson, Mark Dalle Cort, Ben Spina, Chey Bird, Scott Callaghan (Fitness Coach), Cameron Miller (Ass/Coach) Front:- Rod Jensen, Jason Roos, Rod Griffin, Joel Reithmuller, Chris Sheppard (Captain), Ryan Stig, Clint Amos, Noel Underwood, Ben Fitzpatrick

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THE PRIDE OF THE NORTH “Respect” is what the Penrith team and the New South Wales public didn’t show the Northern Pride as the bookmaking firms had Penrith at $1.22 and the Pride at $4.25 before the game.

Many a mug punter has lost at those odds in a two horse race.

The Penrith team had defeated Newcastle 48/12 and with a side than contained many NRL players they were super confident against the ‘Country Bumpkins’ and led by 12 points midway through the second half with most bookmakers ordering a new car at that point in the game.

The Pride had come out in the first opening minutes and scored two tries through Blake Leary and Javid Bowen but when the Panthers tied up the board at 12/12 through tries to Luke Capewell and Eto Nabuli the momentum seemed to have changed for the Sydney team. Both teams scored unconverted tries prior to half-time with the players trooping off the field at 16/16.

The opening 20 minutes of the second half were all Penrith as they ran rough-shod over the Pride with tries to former Cloncurry junior Kieran Moseley and Waqa Blake to lead 28/16 before the Pride came back with a vengeance.

In 20 minutes of power rugby league the boys from Cairns showed why they were the “Pride of North Queensland” as

Javid Bowen scored his third try, followed by Ethan Lowe and finally the hard running Tyrone McCarthy to take the game away from up the official Man of the Game award.

The 2015 season saw the Pride having to compete with traditional rivals Townsville and the power of the purse saw the Blackhawks dominate the competition. The Pride finished the season in 6th spot but were knocked out of the semi-final race in week one of the finals when the Blackhawks defeated them 54/26.

2016 has been a rebuilding year for the Pride under new CEO and former player Rod Jensen. After 15 rounds of the competition they sit in 7th spot winning seven and losing seven and are an outside chance of making the semi-finals.

The Pride has been an inspiration to young rugby league players in Far North Queensland and a real opportunity that should be encouraged.

NORTHERN PRIDE RUGBY LEAGUE TEAM – 2014 SUPER INTRUST QUEENSLAND CUP CHAMPIONS - Back Row:- Patrick Ranasinghe (Strength and Conditioning Coach), Kevin Anderson (Trainer), Rob White (Manager), Alex Starmer, Justin Castellaro, Davin Crampton, Ryan Ghietti, Blake Leary, Murray Stalley (Support Staff), Sheldon Powe Hobbs, Ricky Thorby, Tyrone McCarthy, Joel Riethmuller, Ben Spina, Ben Rauter (Assistant Coach), Tom Hancock, Tim Lowcock (Physio) Middle Row:- Max Conroy (Trainer), Jack Svendsen, Sam Obst, Brett Anderson (Co-Captain), Javid Bowen, Ethan Lowe, Joe O’Callaghan (Assistant Coach), Shaun Nona (Duncan Hall Medallist, Player), Jason Demetriou (Head Coach) Front Row:- Deb Gallop (Trainer), Brock Schaefer (CEO), Semi Tadulala, Hezron Murgha, Kyle Feldt, Jason Roos (Co-Captain)

Image: Courtesy Brisbane Broncos

Shaun Nona, Nichelle Nona, Tony Priceand Swaggie Nona.

Image: Courtesy Gordon Greaves (Sea Swift Northern Pride)

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s t n e v e g

n i t r o p s t a e r fg

o e hom

Qantas Golf Club Cairns Classic

July 4-7

The 2016 Cairns Classic will bring some of the best PGA professionals to compete at Paradise Palms.

AFL: GC Suns V W.Bulldogs

July 16

Cazalys Stadium Cairns hosts The Western Bulldogs taking on The Gold Coast Suns

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SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS PEN PORTRAITS Kirisome Auva’a (Centre) A New Zealand Under 15 representative from Otahuhu Rovers who played for Australian Schoolboys rugby union in 2009 before being selected in the Queensland Rugby League Under 18 team (2010) and Under 20 Origin team in (2012).

The 100kg centre or winger made his A Grade debut in 2014 and played in the centres in the Rabbitohs Grand Final victory. He has scored 12 tries in 39 games for the Rabbitohs and is sure to cause some concern to the Cowboys centres.

Nathan Brown (Prop) is a West Tigers junior who played one first grade game before signing with the Rabbitohs in 2015. A strong running forward he played for New South Wales Residents in 2014 and City Origin this season. The 107 kg Brown has played 21 games for the Rabbitohs.

Sam Burgess (Lock) needs no introduction to the Cairns public as he won the Clive Churchill Medal for his inspirational game against Canterbury in the 2014 Grand Final as he played the entire game with a fractured cheek-bone. Sam returns to the burrow for the 2016 season after a year playing Rugby Union for Bath in the UK, where he also went on to become a dual-international. Burgess has played 108 games for South Sydney since 2010, 17 rugby league tests and five rugby union tests. At his best he is the best forward in the world but his 2016 form has been below that. The Rabbits need the 116kg Burgess to fire to match the awesome forward power of the Cowboys.

Thomas Burgess (Prop) is a younger but at 120kg’s bigger version of his brother and after 60 games for the Rabbitoh’s and nine tests for England he is blossoming into a great forward in his own right.

He was one of the better forwards involved in England’s great test series win over New Zealand in 2015 and carried a lot of the South Sydney work-load in the absence of Sam that same season. Tom came off the bench in the 2014 Grand Final but had a key role in the victory.

Paul Carter (Back-Row) is a former Australian Schoolboy (2010) who played for the Gold Coast Titans in the 2014 season after playing for New South Wales Residents in 2013. Carter made his debut for the Rabbitohs against the Cowboys in Townsville in 2015 and has only played 17 games for the club.

Jason Clark (Utility) is another of a long list of South Sydney juniors in the Rabbitohs ranks with 122 NRL games to his credit since making his debut in 2009. Clark played in the 2014 Grand Final and has represented NSW Residents (2013) and City Origin (2015).

Aaron Gray (Centre) is a South Sydney junior who made his debut on Barlow Park last season. A talented player who has represented NSW at Under 18 and Under 20 level he has scored 12 tries in his 23 first grade games.

Brett Greinke (Utility) is the newest arrival in the South Sydney camp having played for Queensland Residents in May. The Broncos junior has played for Queensland Under grades since 2010 and has talent. The loss of George Burgess and John Sutton through injury could see the 105kg Greinke playing in the big grade soon.

Greg Inglis (Utility) is simply one of the greatest players of his generation. A game winner for Melbourne Storm, South Sydney, Queensland and Australia the majestic Inglis has dominated rugby league for 12 seasons since making his debut in April 2005. The long striding Inglis can play fullback, centre or five-eighth with ease and has played 35 tests for Australia 29 State of Origin games for Queensland and 236 NRL games. On-song there is no better sight in rugby league than Greg Inglis running with the ball.

Alex Johnston (Centre/Winger) made his NRL debut in round eight of the 2014 season and went on to score 21 tries in 18 games to top the NRL try scoring for the season. A South Sydney junior he played for Australia against New Zealand in 2015 at the age

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of 20 and topped the Rabbitohs try scoring for the 2015 season.

A real flying machine he has scored 44 tries in 50 games for the Rabbitohs which is legendary stuff. Johnston scored the first try of the 2014 Grand Final. Surprisingly he has never played for New South Wales.

Luke Keary (Five-Eighth) is a Parramatta junior who played Australian Schoolboys Union in 2010. Keary made his NRL debut in 2013 and has played 59 games including the 2014 Grand Final.

Keary at 82 kg’s is the smallest player in the South Sydney team but has talent.

Cameron McInnes (Hooker) is a junior Kangaroo (2014) and South Sydney junior with big shoes to fill as he moves into the first grade ranks. McInnes has only played 33 NRL games but has shown he has what it takes to organise his team in the absence of the rugged Isaac Luke who now plays for the Warriors.

Dane Nielsen (Centre/Wing) is one of the more experienced players in the Rabbitohs side with 117 NRL games, three games for Queensland and one game for the Indigenous All Stars in 2013. A former Norths Mackay junior he made his NRL debut in 2007 and has played for Cronulla, Melbourne Storm, Auckland Warriors and the Dragons. He has scored three tries in his six appearances for the Rabbitohs so he knows the way to the try-line.

Adam Reynolds (Half-back) is the current New South Wales halfback with a prodigious kicking game that is second to none in the NRL. A South Sydney junior he has scored more than 800 points in 107 games for the Rabbitohs and played for the Prime Ministers XIII in 2015 and World All Stars in 2016. If the game is locked up at full-time look for Reynolds to kick a field-goal to ensure no goldenpoint.

Siosifa Talakai (Utility) is the youngest player in the Rabbitohs ranks and played for the Junior Kiwis in 2016. A South Sydney junior he has only played three NRL games.

Kyle Turner (Second Row) is a Coonabarabran junior who has played 44 NRL games for the Rabbitohs since making his debut in 2014. Turner played for the Indigenous All Stars in 2015 and played in the 2014 Grand Final.

David Tyrrell (Prop) is the work-horse of the South Sydney forward pack. A former Brisbane Easts junior he has played 145 games for South Sydney since making his debut in 2009, Tyrrell had a great game in the 2014 Grand Final and would be considered unlucky to have not played for Queensland in the past three seasons although he was selected in the Prime Ministers XIII in 2015.

Cody Walker (Utility) played for Queensland Residents in 2013 while with Easts Tigers and has scored four tries in nine games for the Rabbitohs.

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS PEN PORTRAITS John Asiata (Utility) is a Sydney Wests junior who starred in the Under 20 competition for the Sydney Roosters before joining the Cowboys in 2014. The 108kg forward served his apprenticeship with the Mackay Cutters before becoming a vital part of Paul Green’s 2015 premiership squad. The big Samoan played 24 minutes of the NRL Grand Final and has continued his strong form into 2016 playing eleven games season to date.

Scott Bolton (Prop) will be returning home to the far north when he runs onto Barlow Park. The 112kg prop is an Innisfail Brothers junior who has been with the Cowboys since the 2005 season and played in the Young Guns premiership that year. A seasoned campaigner he has now played more than 160 NRL games including the 2015 Grand Final and the World Club Challenge in England. A rugged no-nonsense forward he has played in every game to-date in 2016.

Gavin Cooper (Second Row) in the twilight of a great career is simply one of the best forwards in the NRL. I doubt if the North Queensland Cowboys would trade Cooper for any forward that wore a Maroon or Sky Blue jersey this season as he quietly goes about his business. The Murgon Mustangs junior has scored seven tries in 13 games this season and has created a left side partnership with Thurston that is dangerous. Cooper played for the Prime Ministers XIII in 2013 and was a key player in the Cowboys 2015 premiership march.

Lachlan Coote (Fullback) is one of the better fullbacks in the NRL and the fact he plays in faraway North Queensland would be why he has not played for New South Wales. A Penrith junior who made his NRL debut in 2008 he played 83 games for the Panthers before heading north in 2014. A terrible injury at the 2014 Auckland 9’s finished his season but after more than a year on the sideline he was back better than ever for round three and played every one of the last 26 games of the 2015 season including a starring role in their first ever premiership. Coote has not missed a game this season and is in career best form.

Kyle Feldt (Winger) is a Norths Thuringowa Devils junior who scored the game winning try in the 2015 Grand Final. A big winger at 104kg’s he is safe under the high ball and a prodigious point’s scorer crossing for ten tries in 13 games this season. He played for the Junior Kangaroos against New Zealand in 2011 and in 2013 was the Cowboys ‘Rookie of the Year’.

Jake Granville (Hooker) is the heir apparent to Cameron Smith’s Queensland and possibly Australian jersey and a great talent. A Rockhampton Brothers junior who signed with Wynnum Manly in 2008 he starred for several seasons in the Intrust Cup playing for Queensland Residents in 2012 and 2013 and winning back-to-back premierships in 2011 and 2012. The common dominator in both premierships was their coach Paul Green who took Granville to Townsville with him. Granville had a great 2015 season culminating in the Cowboys maiden premiership and his form in 2016 has been first class.

Ben Hannant (Prop) in my opinion is one of the main reasons the Cowboys won the 2015 NRL premiership. For the first time their test props Matt Scott and James Tamou have a player who can take the pressure off them and Hannant can do it is spades. The big blond-haired 109kg former Burleigh Bears junior had a great 2015 culminating in the Grand Final victory and with the exception of Johnathan Thurston he is the most experienced player in the Cowboys line-up. Hannant has won a premiership with the Broncos in 2006, played for Australia and Queensland and with the probably departure of Tamou to Penrith in 2017 will play out his career with the Cowboys.

Rory Kostjasyn (Hooker) would be a starting hooker with most clubs in the NRL and in fact commenced the 2016 season in the number 9 jersey with Granville on the inter-change bench.

Kostjasyn commenced his first grade career with Melbourne in 2010 before departing for North Queensland in 2013 where he quickly established himself as their first choice hooker. The arrival

of Granville has seen him move into a utility role but he is still an important part of the Cowboys arsenal and came off the bench in the 2015 Grand Final.

Ethan Lowe (Second Row) is a Goondiwindi and Toowoomba Valleys junior who played several seasons in the Under 20 competition and made the Queensland Under 18 team in 2009 and Junior Kangaroos in 2011. Lowe played the 2012 season with the Northern Pride but was picked up by the Cowboys in 2013. Lowe has established himself as one of the better second-row forwards in the NRL and played all 28 games in the 2015 season including the Grand Final. A Queensland Origin player in the near future.

Michael Morgan (Utility) has established himself as one of the better five-eight’s in the world and his understanding with the incomparable Johnathan Thurston has made the Cowboys the envy of the competition. A Townsville Brothers junior he has played for Queensland and Australia and threw the miracle pass to Kyle Feldt that gave the Cowboys their chance to tie up the 2015 Grand Final. A game winner and sure to test the South Sydney defence.

Justin O’Neill (Centre) has been one of the form players in the NRL this season with seven tries in 13 games. The classy centre from Hughenden and Townsville Brothers played in Origin 1 and 2, setting up Dane Gagai for the match winner in the first game in Sydney. O’Neill has been around for a while playing for Melbourne Storm in their 2012 premiership winning team and signed for the Cowboys in late 2014. Since moving to the centres he has been a vital cog in the Cowboys march to their second premiership.

Matt Scott (Prop) must be considered along with Johnathan Thurston to be the ‘Greatest Cowboy’. Like John Wayne in the ‘Quiet Man’ he simply goes about his business and gets the job done no-matter if it be for the Cowboys, Queensland or Australia.

From the small town of Ilfracombe, Scott played his junior football with the Longreach Tigers and at St Brendans College Yeppoon before signing with the Cowboys back in 2004. Since then the test prop has played more than 200 games for the Cowboys, 21 games for Queensland and 18 games for Australia.

James Tamou (Prop) is the other side of what must be considered the finest front-row in the NRL. Tamou is the Cowboys big yards player who only has fellow Kiwi Jason Taumalolo in front of him at the club. Originally from Levin Knights in New Zealand he played Under 20 for the Roosters before signing with the Cowboys in 2009. Since then he has played more than 150 NRL games, 13 games for New South Wales and 12 tests for Australia.

Jason Taumalolo (Lock) is the forward I consider the finest in the NRL. Cronulla supporters might dispute this with Paul Gallen wearing their super-man cape but the young, proud Kiwi lock is my man. The youngest ever Cowboy at just over 17 years in 2010 Taumalolo has since gone on to play more than 110 games for the Cowboys and eight tests for New Zealand and Tonga. The big Kiwi had a great 2015 being named the Dally M Lock of the Year and starring in the Cowboys premiership success. The 2016 season has seen him continue that form and he is the only Cowboy to go more than 2,000 metres with the ball. Taumalolo is only 23.

Johnathan Thurston (See Page Six) Antonio Winterstein (Centre) is the Cowboy who flies under the radar but the Samoan International is a vital player in the team.

A former Brisbane Bronco who played 47 games in two seasons, he signed with the Cowboys in 2011 and has now played more than 180 NRL games including all games in 2016. Winterstein was the Cowboys top try scorer in 2015 and under the radar but the Samoan International is a vital player in the team. A former Brisbane Bronco who played 47 games in two seasons, he signed with the Cowboys in 2011 and has now played more than 180 NRL games including all games in 2016. Winterstein was the Cowboys top try scorer in 2015 and starred in their Grand Final win against his former club.

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GREG INGLIS – HE CAN WORRY NEW SOUTH WALES BUT CAN THE BIG GUY WORRY THE COWBOYS IN CAIRNS?

Photo: SMP Images

No book before has captured the history of the rugby league in North Queensland like MORE THAN THE FOLEY SHIELD 1908 – 2014.

The book tells the story of more than 300 players and officials that had a hand in the 100 year rise and development of the game in the north of Australia. The stories of the great international teams that toured the North like the 1928, 1936 and 1946 Great Britain sides, the magnificent 1951 and 1955 Frenchmen who thrilled the crowds in Townsville and Cairns.

The book is not only about the games - it captures the great players like Ola Olsen from Charters Towers, who played six games for Queensland in 1908 through to our current North Queensland super-star Johnathan Thurston. No region or town misses out with more than 400 photos, many never seen before, of teams and players from Sarina in the south, Thursday Island in the north and Mount Isa in the west.

The book written in chronological order tells about the great North Queensland team that supplied nine Queensland players in 1915 and also tells about the success of the North Queensland Cowboys, Mackay Cutters and Northern Pride. The great games are mentioned in detail like the 110 minute marathon in 1982 when Townsville and Herbert River fought out a 22/22 draw, the 100 minute Carlton Shield final in 1938 when Cairns and Townsville drew and the great effort from the 1962 Far North Queensland team in Cairns who went down to a magnificent Great Britain team 33/31.This touring team had beaten all corners including Australia. More than the Foley Shield tells all. Don’t miss out on this great piece of North Queensland history.

MORE THAN THE FOLEY SHIELD A H

ISTORY

OF

M ACKAY R UGBY L EAGUE 1919 – 2014

1911 – 2014

Available online – www.morethanthefoleyshield.com.au A HISTORY OF RUGBY LEAGUE IN MACKAY 1919 – 2014 gives a great insight into the history of the game in one of the power-house breeding grounds of rugby league in Australia.

Not many regional towns can boast of an array of talent like Ned Andrews, Elton Rasmussen, Graham Laird, Ray Laird, Martin Bella, Dale Shearer, Shannon Hegarty, Neville Costigan, Julian O’Neill, Josh Hoffman and Daly Cherry-Evans who all represented their country from Mackay or after leaving Mackay.

Rugby league historian Tony Price has captured every season in detail from 1919 through until 2014 with an amazing list of photos and facts never seen or listed before. He has put together an amazing list of representative players, officials and characters and his touch has brought A History of Mackay Rugby League to life.

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Tony Price

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BRIAN FITZSIMMONS IN the days when winning the ball was an integral part of the game, Brian Fitzsimmons had no peer in Australian rugby league. In one Queensland game against New South Wales, Fitzsimmons won the scrums 14/2 against the then Australian hooker Elwyn Walters. Brian Fitzsimmons was a product of the Mareeba club playing in the Minor Junior ranks in 1956 and 1957. He joined Cairns Brothers club in 1958 and played his first Foley Shield match in 1961. In 1963 Fitzsimmons made his debut for North Queensland from Brothers and then in 1964 he coached Babinda and played in the Innisfail Foley Shield team that won the final against Townsville. In 1965 Fitzsimmons was bought into the Queensland team for the third game of the interstate series, however his state debut was another loss for Queensland. The 1966 season saw Fitzsimmons back in Cairns and he played for North Queensland against England in their thrilling 17/15 win in Townsville and he played in the first Queensland game against New South Wales. He was injured and missed Cairns Foley Shield victory over Townsville. The 1967 season saw Fitzsimmons take on the player/coach role at the Burdekin but he was away on representative duty for most of the season. He toured New Zealand with the Queensland team and after playing for Queensland in the first and second interstate games he was selected for the 1st Test against New Zealand at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Two weeks later he played for Queensland against New Zealand but was absent when North Queensland played New Zealand in Townsville, his place being taken by another Burdekin hooker, Peter Theofanes. Fitzsimmons played in the drawn third inter-state game and also the fourth game when Queensland broke their losing streak by defeating New South Wales for the first time since game one of the 1963 series.

The 1967 Kangaroos went to England without Fitzsimmons although most people felt he had earned a spot. The 1968 season saw Fitzsimmons playing in Cairns and once again for North Queensland. He was selected in the Queensland team for the first and second interstate games and was one of only

CAIRNS BROTHERS, CAIRNS, NORTH QUEENSLAND, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA

three resident Queenslanders picked in the Australian squad for the 1968 World Cup. During the World Cup Campaign, Fitzsimmons played one game against France and also played for North Queensland and Queensland against England. After the World Cup Fitzsimmons played in the remaining two interstate games including the third which Queensland won 15/8. The 1969 season saw Fitzsimmons coaching Gladstone Brothers and once more he was selected in the Queensland team for first two Interstate games. Despite the poor showing of the Queensland team, Fitzsimmons was selected in the Australian team to tour New Zealand and on his return played the last two games of the interstate series.

The 1970 season commenced with Brian Fitzsimmons and Col Weiss being the only International players in the Queensland team that beat a New South Wales team with ten Internationals.

Fitzsimmons played for Central Queensland against Great Britain but was unavailable for the Queensland vs England game with the mumps, leaving the way open for Elwyn Walters to play in the 1st Test in Brisbane. Fitzsimmons and his Central Queensland teammate Ray Laird were selected in the 2nd Test team against England but both were dropped for the third.

Fitzsimmons played in the last two interstate games but once again was omitted from the Australian touring team to go to England. The 1971 season was Brian Fitzsimmons last on the representative front and after the Queensland trials he was once again playing for Queensland. In game one he won the scrums 32/14 and he was once again selected in an Australian squad to tour New Zealand. There was only one test played and Fitzsimmons was the only resident Queenslander in the team. Brian Fitzsimmons played his last game for Queensland against New South Wales at the Sydney Cricket Ground in a close 17/15 loss to the Blues. Fitzsimmons played out his career with Brothers in Brisbane, retiring in 1974 before returning to North Queensland as a coach and selector. In 2008 Brian Fitzsimmons was selected in the North Queensland Team of the Century.

Back (L-R):- Ray Laird, Kev Lingard, Col Weiss, Brian Fitzsimmons, Ian Doyle (Coach), Eric Gelling, Angelo Crema, L Furness (Masseur) Middle:- F Dwyer, Gary Wellington, Brian Blowes, John Wittenberg, Trevor Niebling, Peter Hall, Sid Clarke, Ralph Ross (Selector) Front:- J Ferris (Co-Manager), Dudley Towers, John Gleeson (Captain), J McGrath, N Porter, A Watkins (Co-Manager) Photo: Courtesy Gary Wellington

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BRISBANE

SECOND

DIVISION

RUGBY LEAGUE 2016 TED BEAUMONT CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY MATCHES

SATURDAY 28th May 2016 at Easts RLFC “Langlands Park” Coorparoo now known to many as Suzuki Stadium played host once again to Brisbane Second Division Rugby League Ted Beaumont Chairman’s Trophy matches.

With not enough nominations to generate an Under 20’s contest this year, final grading’s reduced the competition to 65 teams in seven grades overall and for the first time in over 10 years four matches were played on the same day.

The top two teams after the completion of the first round of matches play off against each other not only for competition points, however just as importantly for the Ted Beaumont Chairman’s Trophy that so many clubs want to add to their cabinet mid-way through the season.

guns from other grades for this match, soon saw that this was not the case with the spectacle of a hat-trick of tries to Diehard Daniel Watkins, saw both teams running end to end and tackling non-stop for the entire 70 minutes. Daniel White from the Roosters was classy with his ball technique, also crossing for a hat-trick on the day, before accepting the winning trophy from BSDRL Chairman, Keith Beaumont, son of the late Ted Beaumont after whom the BSDRL Chairman’s Trophies are named. This is in honour of Ted’s tireless work as Chairman of the league for 18 years before his passing in 1999.

Full time score: Brighton 30 def Fortitude Valley 24 Southside 3 – next up Wynnum Manly Seagulls verses Edens Landing Dragons After a woeful 2015 season Edens Landing Dragons, keen to dominate in this grade, started the match with back-rower Todd Graham scoring the first try of the afternoon. Wynnum Seagulls swooped in soon after bringing the score line back to 4 all with just 10 minutes gone on the clock. The Dragons were firing at the break after Graham placed the ball beside the posts with Nick Yule to kick the conversion for a 14 – 10 lead. Spectators were treated to more in the final 35 minutes seeing a score line going up and down more times that a yoyo. Former Bulimba Valley Bulldog player and Wynnum half back Jai Smith’s final pass to team mate and big game player Matthew Goodson allowed him to score the match winning try to claim victory of the Chairman’s Trophy for the Seagulls.

Full time score: Wynnum Manly 28 def Edens Landing 20 Northside 2 – Samford Stags verses Norths Devils Will we see these two teams on the field on Grand Final day come August? Try for try in the first half with a six all score line saw 8 minutes left on the timepiece before the halftime break was called early with both Captains agreeing, after Samford winger Adam Scells was injured whilst scoring in the corner to give the Stags a 10 – 6 lead.

Northside 3 – First match to kick off the weekend was Brighton Roosters verses Fortitude Valley Diehards.

With many speculating that these two teams dropped their top 28

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Referee Jim Squire, the touch judges and both teams were on the field ready to start the final half. Before blowing the whistle, all stood to clap the injured player off as he passed the Dugouts on his way to hospital via the attending ambulance.

Both teams were refreshed and ready to go and defended

their lines with 20 minutes passing before Samford were able to score after the extended half time break. Matt St Ledger, the devils Captain upon receiving messages from Coach Bo Leiua, rallied his troops towards the try line. Unsuccessful in the next set of six Norths had to wait till the final 5 minutes before crossing twice to score. His kicking boots let him down for the conversion to even the score leaving the scoreboard to show 14 – 16 at the conclusion of the match and handing the trophy to Samford.

Full time score: Samford Stags 16 def Norths Devils 14 Southside 2 – Brothers St Brendans verses Capalaba Warriors This match started as a very tight first half with St Brendans leading 10 – 0 at halftime. Capalaba showed plenty of spirit however failed to put points on the board and with only 17 players recommenced the second half. Capalaba began to show signs of fatigue and the Saints, being the better team on the day scored 32 points in 35 minutes to claim victory in the match and the trophy.

Full time score: St Brendans 42 def Capalaba 0 Saturday 4th June 2016 - torrential rain joined by gusty winds forced the cancellation of all matches for Brisbane Second Division Rugby League which included the remainder of our Ted Beaumont Trophy matches. The Premier Grade and

Each and every Senior player’s jersey bears the words “Pete 1964-2016” and their home field has been renamed in his honour.

After some great footy by both teams at the Arana Hills RLFC, Dayboro claimed their sixth Ted Beaumont Chairman’s Trophy.

Full time score: Dayboro Cowboys 31 def Pine Central Holy Spirit 18 Premier Grade – Albany Creek Gaters verses Brighton Roosters These two sides need little motivation with such a strong rivalry continuing on the Northside. Brighton Roosters – one of only two teams in this ten team Premier Grade competition who do not have an affiliation with any BRL A Grade team, have defied many who didn’t give much credibility to them and Waterford Demons being competitive in the Premier Grade this season.

Brent Boyd and James “Junior” Crawford returned to their junior club Brighton after playing for Albany Creek last year.

Roosters Coach, Nathan Hughes who as a former FOGs, Ron Massey Cup Player and a Greece International was recently quotes as saying “his job is made so much easier when you have a good group of lads that listen and who play for each other week in and week out” Spectators witnessed a great game of football at Valley’s Emerson Park, described by a respected football journalist as “the game of the season so far”. The half time score of 18 all remained unchanged well into the second half. Brighton played well to get on top late in the game, scoring 3 unanswered tries to win the Ted Beaumont Trophy this year.

Full time score: Brighton Roosters 36 def Albany Creek Gaters 18 Southside 1 - New comers in the competition West Inala Seniors will play Bulimba Valleys Bulldogs for this years Ted Beaumont Trophy.

The doggies will be looking to win their 6th Ted Beaumont Chairman’s Trophy. Bulldog Ricky Middleton, keen to play the “Teddy B” on June 4th to celebrate his 50th game for his club, will now have to wait until the match is played on June 25th at Civic Park, Logan Brothers for the result, or will the Panthers pinch the bragging rights in this grade?

– CATHERINE CARROLL

Northside 1 teams having already received a weekend off saw the need for a midweek match on Wednesday 15th June for the playing of these contests.

Northside 1 – Dayboro Cowboys verses Pine Central Holy Spirit Pine Central Holy Spirit Hornets and neighbouring Dayboro Cowboys don’t mind competing against each other for silverware, which begins each year in the local pre-season comp “The Pine Shire Cup” as a four way hit out between them, Pine Rivers Bears and Samford Stags.

1996 was the first time Dayboro Opens have won the Chairman’s Trophy – would passion and spirit be seen once again in 2016? Cowboys’ President Deb Sellin, who you will see running around endlessly doing many varying roles within her club knows the players wouldn’t give up the fight too easily.

They play to pay tribute to their number supporter and Vice President Pete Albrow who sadly passed away after a severe head trauma following a bad fall in early February this year.

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2016 TED BEAUMONT TROPHY CHAIRMAN’S TROPHY WINNERS Northside 3 Brighton 30 defeated Fortitude Valley 24 Southside 3 Wynnum Manly 28 defeated Edens Landing 20 Northside 2 Samford 16 defeated Norths Juniors 14 Southside 2 Brothers St Brendans 42 defeated Capalaba 0 Northside 1 Dayboro 31 defeated Pine Central Holy Spirit 18 Premier Gr Brighton 36 defeated Albany Creek Gaters 18 Southside 1 West Inala Seniors Vs Bulimba Valleys (winner to be determined on Saturday 25th June)

Aiden McNamara (Valleys) offloading to Daniel Watkins (Valleys) Images: Courtesy Catherine Carroll

TH IS B L O CK OF L A N D IS ID E A L F O R A H O M E W I TH BI G VERA NDA S TO TA KE F U L L A DVA NTA GE OF THE MESM ER I SI NG V IE W S L O O K IN G O V E R ABEL L P O I NT MA RI NA TO H A Y MA N A ND H O O K I SL ANDS .

Y OU R P I E CE O F THE MIG HTY, M A G N I F I CE NT W HITS UND AYS Wynnum Manly Southside 3 Team - Ted Beaumont Trophy Winners

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IF INTE RE ST E D P L E A SE P H O N E C AR M E L P R I C E : 0 4 3 9 6 7 5 3 2 5

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SUPPORTING REGIONAL COMMUNITIES

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PINK

DAY

IN late 2011, women rugby league players from around the Sunshine Coast approached the Beerwah Rugby League Football Club about hosting a women’s team. As the Club was at the forefront of the development of girl’s rugby league on the Coast, with girl’s rugby league commencing at the Club in 2010, the Club enthusiastically embraced the new Beerwah Women’s side for the 2012 season.

The first Pink Shorts’ Day raised money for the Australian Prostate Foundation and was held on the 16th June 2012.

The event has been held each year since then and has supported a range of different cancer causes. In 2013 funds were donated to Ovarian Cancer Australia and the Breast Cancer Foundation, and in 2014, 2015 and 2016 it has been for the Breast Cancer Network Australia.

The women’s players and supporters brought a new culture to the Club, a different range of volunteers, and a willingness by many of the players to be much more involved in the day to day business of a rugby league Club.

The day has evolved to become just “Pink Day” and is organised to include all of the Club’s junior and senior teams, the Club sponsors and includes special activities, stalls, auctions and fun for the kids. In 2016, the event attracted the radio team from the Coast’s Sea FM to announce the Women’s match between Beerwah and Burleigh.

One of the initiatives introduced by the players was the idea of a Pink Shorts’ Day to raise awareness of cancer. Team manager, Kristy McClellan, recalled her surprise at how well the idea was accepted by the Club. “The Club’s committee thought it was not only an opportunity to raise awareness of cancer issues but to organise a Day which promoted the family focus that the Club was trying to achieve. They really got behind the idea and found a sponsor for shorts for both the men and women’s teams” she said.

The proceeds from gate donations, a monster raffle from donated prizes, and a percentage of the profits from the days Club activities are donated to the nominated charity.

In the last 5 years, thousands of dollars has been raised by the Pink Day events.

The key event organiser has been the Women’s team manager Kristy McClellan but Committee members and a large number of volunteers, and junior and senior players get involved in the planning and running of the Day. “It is a big focus for the Club and attracts a large crowd throughout the Day. Our aim is to help the many community members and families who are impacted by this disease. It is a day of hope, as we honour lives lost, celebrate survivors, promote cancer research and help bring appropriate care to those who desperately need it.” Kristy said.

Pink Day in 2016 was held on Saturday June 11th and included every junior and senior Club team, although a number of the matches were played on Friday night 10th June. All junior teams wore pink socks and the Men’s and Women’s teams also wore pink jerseys for the occasion.

The feature match was the Women’s game between Beerwah and the Burleigh Bears who were the Premiers in 2015 and had been undefeated in 2016. The game featured The Beerwah Bulldogs running onto the field Image: Courtesy Beerwah Bulldogs RLFC

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a number of international players, including two former Kiwi Ferns Beerwah’s Maia Davidson and Burleigh’s Rona Peters and two current Australian Jillaroos Beerwah’s Annette Brander and Burleigh’s Karina Brown. In addition, there were four current and former Queensland players involved in the match.

In a very hard fought match, the Beerwah ladies shot out to

a 14-0 lead at 1/2 time after a dominating 35 minutes in both attack and defence. In the second half Beerwah was forced to make twice as many tackles compared to the first session as the Burleigh ladies stormed home. Beerwah worked hard in defence to hold on for a 16-10 win.

– KRISTY McCLELLAN

‘DOING IT FOR CANCER’ BEERWAH BULLDOGS RUGBY LEAGUE CLUB

The mighty Beerwah Bulldogs Women’s Rugby League team who recently won the 47th Battalion Memorial trophy in Roma.

Image: Courtesy Beerwah Bulldogs RLFC

The Beerwah Bulldogs Rugby League team who also had a victory on the day.

Image: Courtesy Beerwah Bulldogs RLFC

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GOOD DEEDS IN RUGBY LEAGUE

SAMIOS Plumbing is another Queensland based company that keeps putting into the rugby league community. Samios, proudly Queensland owned has eleven stores throughout the state and all have connections to rugby league. Their Sunshine Coast and Burleigh stores sponsor the local Intrust Super Cup teams while most of the others have put their hands in their pockets to assist at a local level.

Image: Courtesy Brisbane Broncos

BRONCOS SWAP FOOTY BOOTS FOR STEEL CAPS Bronco’s players Ben Hunt and Frankie Molo toured the construction site of the new Ronald McDonald House – South Brisbane House recently.

connect with the wider Brisbane community thanks to the support of the Broncos.

The new facility will provide much needed additional accommodation to the existing house already located near the Mater Private Hospital to create the largest Ronald McDonald House in the world.

“As we are currently expanding our facilities, we rely heavily on the assistance of organisations like the Brisbane Broncos to assist in providing much needed funds to support our essential accommodation and support services,” Mr Macaulay said.

The Ronald McDonald House South East Queensland (RMHSEQ) is an official charity partner of the Brisbane Broncos for Season 2016 and will be supported by the club’s financial donations, player appearances and the opportunity to promote their cause at a Broncos home game.

“As an official charity partner of the Brisbane Broncos, we are proud to support Ronald McDonald House SouthEast Queensland by providing a donation to assist with the running of their current Mater and Herston Ronald McDonald Houses,” said Broncos CEO Paul White.

RMHSEQ CEO Christopher Macaulay said rugby league was a wonderful opportunity for Ronald McDonald House to

– CATHERINE DAWSON

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‘Falcons Footy for Children of Different Abilities’ Program.

Based on the Sunshine Coast, the program aims to integrate children with different abilities – such as Autism Spectrum Disorder and other special needs – into the rugby league community, offering them a safe place to play the game.

Gillett says helping those with disabilities is a great way to give back to the community.

“There are a lot of different disabilities that we work with.

Every home game we do a bit of a clinic up there for about an hour out on the field. Some of the Sunshine Coast Falcons get involved as well,” Gillett said.

“The kids have a bit of a run around and play a bit of footy.

Obviously some can’t get as involved as others but it’s just great to get up there and support all of their causes. Kerrod Walters was an ambassador there and I’ve played a lot of footy on the Sunshine Coast. He approached me to come on board and I didn’t have to think twice. Obviously footy is pretty busy during the year, but I just try and help out when I can. I’ve been up there a fair few times this year and I just try and get up there when I can.

“It’s great being able to put smiles on their faces and there are a lot of characters so it’s really good.”

This isn’t the only work Gillett does away from football, with the Brisbane star recently becoming an ambassador for the RSPCA. His role involves helping RSPCA animals find homes, as well as supporting the cause all year round. Gillett is a lover of animals after having owned dogs throughout his childhood and he now owns two huskies of his own.

“I’ve just recently become an ambassador for the RSPCA,” he said.

“Again, I just wanted to help out and any little bit I can do is worth it, especially because it’s such a great cause. I’ve always loved pets so it’s pretty special to be a part of it and help out.”

But perhaps the number one reason for Gillett’s stellar season so far in 2016 is his family.

Sam Thaiday and Matt Gillett (Broncos, Queensland, Australia) Photo: SMP Images

OFF-FIELD WORK DRIVING MATT GILLETT THERE is an old adage in life that you should never work with children or animals. Just don’t tell Matt Gillett that.

He says as much as he loves helping the community, nothing beats coming home to his daughter Harper and wife Skye.

“Having something else to focus on helps my football. I love giving back to the community and it takes the focus of being a footballer,” he said.

“It helps coming home to a young family of my own, especially when you have those bad games and things aren’t going too well on the field.

“Coming home to your daughter and your family is great, they don’t know any different so it’s always a bit of fun with them.”

– EDEN RICHARDS (QUEENSLAND CORRESPONDENT, NRL.COM)

The Broncos second-row forward is having a career-best year, starting for Australia and now Queensland in what has been his most consistent season to date.

A lot of the 27-year-old’s excellent form in the past couple of seasons can be put down to his work off the field, with his community work in the past 18 months earning him a nomination for the 2015 Ken Stephen Medal.

This medal recognises those in the NRL who not only achieve on the field, but also contribute to community projects off the field.

Titans’ front-rower Luke Douglas won the award, but Gillett won the hearts of the hundreds of kids he helps in the LEAGUEQUEENSLAND.COM.AU

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WI L L T HE G R E E N GUY WALK IN 2 0 1 6 ?

RUGBY LEAGUE COUNTRY B Y T O N Y P R ICE AND NE IL RE DF ORD

THE Cairns and District Rugby League competition has been dominated by the undefeated 2015 premiers, the Innisfail Leprechauns since the season began. After 12 rounds of the competition they lead a packed field including Ivanhoes, Cairns Brothers and Mossman who all have won seven games although Ivanhoes are in second spot with two draws. Under new coach Ty Williams the Innisfail team has led the CDRL since the season began with their game against Cairns Brothers their only close encounter. Ivanhoes’ big 52/6 victory over Cairns Brothers has made them the only serious threat to the Innisfail title charge and put them into outright second spot on the ladder. Mossman under new player/coach James Doolah responded well to defeat Yarrabah at home in very wet conditions. Atherton are the only other contender for a semi-final spot following their convincing 36/14 away victory against Mareeba.

The North West Queensland competition comprising the four Mount Isa clubs plus Normanton and Cloncurry has reached an interesting stage after eight rounds with Normanton Stingers, Town Lions and the Cloncurry Eagles locked on ten points in front of 2015 premiers Wanderers Devils (6) with Black Stars (2) and Brothers (2) trailing the field. The loss of new Queensland Rangers forward David Crampton to the Blackhawks will take a lot of power out of the Normanton team.

Image: Courtesy Innisfail Brothers

kept most of last season’s premiership team intact.

But in among those heavyweights is Centrals, who do not have the likes of Mitchell Seri, Nathaniel Bowman or Tom Humble in their ranks, but rather an irrepressible will to have each other’s backs when the going gets tough. That spirit was evident in their 22-22 draw away to Charters Towers in Round 9, which has put Centrals into third on the TDRL A grade ladder. Under pressure all game at one of the TDRL’s most difficult venues for visiting teams, Centrals somehow kept themselves in the contest and had their never-say-die efforts rewarded on the stroke of fulltime when Christian Power picked up a Charters Towers loose ball to score under the posts.

Heartbreak for Charters Towers but euphoria for Centrals, who once again defied the odds to tough out a result. “We were doing it tough alright, it’s always tough in Charters Towers,” Centrals playing coach Matt Green said. “We certainly could have been better and you always want the win, but we’ll take a draw over a loss any day. “I guess we can take a fair bit of confidence out of it, but then again it goes to show there’s no easy games in this competition and if you don’t turn up to play, you’ll get your pants pulled down.”

NO EG O S A T C E N T RA L S A SEARCH for big names and egos will come up short at Townsville and Districts Rugby League club Centrals.

On the other hand, if you were to search for a place where camaraderie is king and an old-school enjoyment of rugby league is still alive, you would have success. In this year’s Townsville and District Rugby League A grade competition there has been the story of Herbert River’s unbeaten run and the brilliant inaugural season enjoyed by fourth-placed Western Lions. Brothers remain one of the TDRL big guns, as usual, following an impressive offseason recruitment drive, and reigning premiers Burdekin have

Centrals’ Calum Gahan going in hard against Charters Towers Image: Courtesy Nathan Brown (Centrals)

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One of Townsville’s traditional TDRL heavyweights and boasting juniors such as Broncos forward Sam Thaiday, Cowboys utility Ray Thompson and Queensland State of Origin legend Gorden Tallis, Centrals have done it tough in recent years.

Sports Reserve, hope to soon hold home games at their Aitkenvale base for the first time in at least a decade.

Falling short of finals last year, Centrals are back in the mix thanks to their backs against the wall effort, which has them placed third with just five regular games remaining in the newly formatted TDRL competition.

Brothers remain in second after their match in Ayr against Burdekin was postponed because of wet weather, and Norths kept their finals hopes alive with a 34-10 win over University.

Their gritty defensive efforts have led to close wins over Norths (18-16), Burdekin (22-20), the Lions (28-22), Charters Towers (38-22) and University (32-22).

Apart from a 50-4 touch up against Herbert River in Round 3, Centrals have always been in the fight.

Hang on to third and Centrals will play semi-finals footy, something which was never out of the question for Green at the start of the year, but also not entirely expected.

“The real focus has been on enjoying our footy and getting back to those values that build a good culture,” Green said.

“If we have those things in place, everything else will flow on from there.

“Our philosophy for this year is about turning up for each other, and I’m really proud of them.”

Centrals could remain a TDRL powerhouse for many years to come, with the club’s Illich Park base to undergo redevelopment including improved flood mitigation and better lighting and community facilities.

Centrals’ clubhouse was hit by a tornado – yes a tornado – in 2012, and part of the $7.5 million in funding by both the State and Federal governments will go towards upgrading the clubhouse as well.

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But Herbert River are still the clear TDRL premiership favourites after thumping the Lions 40-12 to remain undefeated.

Now boasting an incredible for and against differential of 274 points, Herbert River will have the luxury of playing three of their last five games of the regular season at home in Ingham.

The Mackay and District Rugby League competition has reached an interesting stage after ten rounds with three clubs; Magpies, Whitsunday and Wests all sitting on eight points.

Magpies defeated the Brahmans 22/10 in wet conditions at Glenella to avenge the round three 20/6 loss in Proserpine.

Wests are the team to beat as they quietly go about their business and have now won five games on the trot including the prized scalp of Magpies at Glenella. Brothers under new coach Adam Rooney responded with a good 26/20 win over Moranbah and the way they came back from being down 20/0 was a good omen for the club. Sarina, the 2015 minor-premiers are still contenders having beaten both Whitsunday and Wests to-date.

In the Rockhampton Rugby League Brothers hold a slender lead over 2015 premiers Yeppoon.

The key to their success is their defence which at a miserly ten points a game is outstanding. Yeppoon have the best attacking team in the league scoring an average of 36 points a game compared to 35 for Brothers. Biloela and Norths have both won six games this season with the rest of the pack trailing behind. Tannum Sands sit in 5th spot followed by Valleys, Fitzroy Gracemere, Gladstone Brothers and Emu Park.

The Northern District competition has now completed their second round of games with only the final round of 5 games before the finals series start. The ladder has Gin Gin with only one loss holding onto top spot with 18 points, followed by Avondale 16, Agnes Water12, Burnett Heads 6, South Kolan 6, Miriam Vale 2.

Throughout the last few weeks a couple of feature events have taken place. On 21st May the League held their annual “Women In League Day” at Miriam Vale. As always the day is a special occasion acknowledging the tireless work of the ladies in the Northern District League with the proceeds going to the Jane McGrath Foundation. Traditionally everyone wears pink, this also included host club the “Magpies” team. Later on the 5th June at the Avondale “Tigers” home games the club celebrated an “Old Boys Day” hosting many of their players from “Years Gone by”. Prior to the kick off of the last game a 100 metre footrace was held to find the “Fastest Man in The Northern District”. In what was to be a tight finish Avondale’s David Nathan-Jones narrowly took the first prize from Gin Gin’s Mathew Pape. State Member for Burnett Stephen Bennett attended to present the prizes.

Murray Hurst, NRL Game Development Education and Welfare Officer (former NQ Cowboys NRL Coach), delivering the Social Welfare Education Program to the Players on the Friday Night prior to the Carnival.

Image: Courtesy Chris Waters

ARTHUR BEETSON FOUNDATION OUTBACK CHALLENGE WI N T O N – 28TH MAY 2016

WINTON hosted a big weekend of Rugby League on the 28th May where the Northern and Southern Under 14, 16 and 18 outback teams came together for games in the 2016 Arthur Beetson Foundation Outback Challenge Shield. Individuals were also vying for selection in the Queensland Outback teams.

The standard of football was outstanding as you would expect with Northern Outback winning the Under 14 and 16s while Southern Outback took out the Under 18s. Overall the Northern Outback claimed the inaugural Arthur Beetson Foundation Shield.

Players came from outback towns like Charleville, Quilpie, Mt Isa, Blackall, Barcaldine, Longreach Doomadgee, Cloncurry and Mitchell, with some players travelling from as far as 800kms away.

The carnival was honoured to have special guests attend for the weekend including Peter Betros the QRL Chairman, Neil Wharton QRL Head of Football, Danny McGuire Central Division Chairman and Murray Hurst NRL Welfare and Education and former NQ Cowboys Head Coach.

The games were followed up by a presentation dinner held in the Winton Shire Hall with around 250 players and guests attending. The inaugural Arthur Beetson Foundation Shield was presented and the 2016 Queensland Outback Teams were announced.

A further special presentation was made to Butch Lenton, currently the Mayor of Winton, when he was awarded QRL Central Division life membership by Danny McGuire for his outstanding service to Rugby League not only in Winton but also Central West Rugby League. Butch has been a player, coach, administrator and just an all-round good guy in Rugby League for many years. Butch’s family was there

for the presentation and organised a video presentation of Butch’s valued contribution to Rugby League.

This was the first year where the QRL and Queensland Police Service formed a partnership to help the police recruit and encourage worthy applicants from the Outback areas into a career in the Police Service. Members from the Police Stock Squad and Recruiting and Media attended the weekend and spoke to the players about what opportunities are available in the Queensland Police Service.

This year we also welcomed the sponsorship of the Arthur Beetson Foundation and the carnival was fortunate to have Big Arties three sons Brad, Christian and Scott attend the carnival and conduct the presentations of the Arthur Beeston Foundation Shield. All three showed their enthusiasm for outback Rugby League by travelling from the Sunshine Coast and Sydney to be in attendance.

Whilst Rugby League was the focus of the weekend it was not the only responsibility for the players. Murray Hurst delivered education sessions which hopefully will assist the young men not only in their football but also in becoming responsible adults and members of their community. The local Queensland Ambulance Service were also in attendance with the Under 18 teams all receiving instruction in CPR. Finally, the players also witnessed a Domestic Violence vigil organised by the local Winton Police where the players were impressive in their show of respect during the presentation and minute silence held for those affected by Domestic Violence in the past.

Overall the weekend was a major success both on and off the field with many positive reports from those who attended and by members of the Winton community.

Hopefully having carnivals like this (in the drought effected Outback) can supply a small diversion from the everyday dramas facing the people who are the back bone of these communities.

– CHRIS WATERS LEAGUEQUEENSLAND.COM.AU

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STORY AND PHOTOS FROM REDFORD SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHY

CENTRAL DIVISION JUNIOR CARNIVAL K IN G A R O Y 4 TH AND 5TH JUNE 2016

THEY came from far and wide for the Central Division Junior Carnival held in Kingaroy and it looked like a Scout Jamboree with more than 100 tents spread around the camping grounds.

The competition involved Under 13 (boys), Under 14 (boys and girls) and Under 16 (boys and girls) from Wide Bay, Sunshine Coast, South-West Queensland and Central Queensland.

14/4 at half-time, Wide Bay defeated Central Queensland 24/0 after leading 16/0 in the first half while South West Queensland defeated the Sunshine Coast 24/0 after leading 12/0 at halftime. On the Sunday the Sunshine Coast defeated Central Queensland 24/0 after leading 12/0 at half-time and in the final game in this division South West Queensland defeated Wide Bay 16/8 after leading 10/4 at half-time. South West Queensland won the carnival on 18 points from Sunshine Coast (11), Wide Bay (7) and Central Queensland (0).

Under 14 Boys – On Day One the Sunshine Coast defeated Wide Bay 36/0 after leading 20/0 in the first half, South West Queensland defeated Central Queensland 22/16 after CQ had led 10/0 at half-time, Wide Bay defeated Central Queensland 12/8 after leading 6/4 at half-time and Sunshine Coast defeated South West 14/6 after the score was tied up 6/6 at the break. On the Sunday the Sunshine Coast defeated Central Queensland 10/4 with no score in the opening half while in the last game South West Queensland won 28/14 by defeating Wide Bay after leading 16/4 at half-time. Sunshine Coast won the Carnival on 16 points from South West (11), Wide Bay (6) and Central Queensland (0).

Under 13 Boys – On Day One the Sunshine Coast defeated Wide Bay 26/18 after leading 20/6 at half-time, South-West Queensland defeated Central Queensland 24/6 after leading 6/0 at the break, Central Queensland defeated Wide Bay 42/18 after leading 26/12 at half-time and in the last game of the day in this division South-West Queensland defeated Sunshine Coast 44/0 after a 14/0 half-time lead. On the Sunday the Sunshine Coast defeated Central Queensland 12/10 after the score was locked at 6/6 at the interval and in the last game in this division South West defeated Wide Bay 58/18 after leading 26/12 at halftime. South West won the carnival with 18 points from Sunshine Coast (9), Central Queensland (7) and Wide Bay (2).

Under 14 Girls – On Day One the Sunshine Coast defeated Wide Bay 10/8 after the score was tied 4/4 at the break, South West Queensland defeated Central Queensland 26/12 after leading 40

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Under 16 Girls – On Day One the Sunshine Coast defeated Wide Bay 24/4 after leading 16/0 at half-time, Central Queensland defeated South West Queensland 26/6 after leading 14/0 at halftime, Sunshine Coast defeated South West 44/0 after leading 20/0 at half-time and Central Queensland defeated Wide Bay 18/10 after leading 14/6 at the interval.

On the Sunday Central Queensland defeated Sunshine Coast 14/10 after leading 10/0 at half-time and in the last game in this division Wide Bay defeated South West Queensland 18/8 after leading 14/8 at the interval. Central Queensland won the Carnival on 15 points from the Sunshine Coast (14), Wide Bay (7) and South West Queensland (0).

Under 16 Boys – On Day One the Sunshine Coast defeated Wide Bay 24/18 after leading 16/12 at half-time, South West Queensland defeated Central Queensland 14/4 after leading

6/4 at half-time and then drew 16/16 with the Sunshine Coast after the score was tied up 6/6 at the interval and in the final game on Day One Central Queensland defeated Wide Bay 18/16 after the scores were tied 4/4 at the interval. On the Sunday South West Queensland defeated Wide Bay 32/6 after leading 18/0 at the interval and in the last game of the Carnival Central Queensland defeated the Sunshine Coast

24/8 after leading 16/4 at half time. South West Queensland won the Under 16 Division on 15 points from Central Queensland (11), Sunshine Coast (9) and Wide Bay (1).

FORMER ORIGIN PLAYERS TEST JUNIORS IN BUNDABERG DAVE Pearce, the Operations Manager for the QRL Central Division in Bundaberg said State of Origin fever arrived at Salter Oval Bundaberg on Thursday 16th June with former Origin players Brent Tate and Matt Cooper conducting a skills and drills clinic to over 500 participants.

A great display of young players keen and eager to have the opportunity to “meet and greet� the two former State of Origin stars participated in front of family members and junior coaches, who took the opportunity to use the moment as a training session.

NRL Game Development Officers along with their assistant personnel and local school teachers also helped out at

different skill drill stations in what can only be described as a huge success and a great effort by the local Junior Rugby League, who provided a sausage sizzle for all involved.

The free community NRL clinics were held throughout various NSW and QLD locations culminating in Mackay on Saturday 18th June 2016.

Ross Gray Holden presented the Bundaberg Junior Rugby League at the end of the clinic with a $1000 Holden Home Ground Advantage grant to put towards new uniforms and equipment.

Image: Courtesy David Pearce

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MACKAY WHERE THE S IF there is any doubt that Mackay is rugby league country look at the following two teams team that are full of players who either made the big time from Mackay or played in the Mackay competition. They bred them well when Ben Barba (Dally M Medallist), Dane Gagai (Queensland), Josh Hannay (Queensland) and Dane Nielsen (Queensland) cannot make either team.

I might add there were others with Tom Flanagan, John Kynaston, Max Churchill, Darryl Van De Velde, Cocky Roberts, Blondi Greenwood, Noel Balderson, Bob Buckley, Syd Clarke, Ron Davis, Cliff Powell, Don Meehan, Travis Norton, Paul Pyers, Nev Linde, Cliff Powell, Clinton Schifofske and Hume Ronald all Queensland players at some stage of their career.

Where did it all begin and who were the movers and shakers who could see what a wonderful breeding ground the fertile Pioneer Valley, Mackay and the hinterland would be.

The story begins just after the First World War when the first club, Magpies was formed after a meeting at Glenella. The first recorded game was played on the 22nd June 1919 between Rangers and Railways and by the end of the season the standard was good enough to host a visiting Townsville team who received £25 as travelling assistance.

Prior to the rail line being established between Townsville and Mackay the representative fixtures were played in Central Queensland so in 1920 the Great Britain touring team played a Central Queensland team in Rockhampton. There were no Mackay players in the CQ side although Duncan McIvor, the grand-father of current Cowboys International Michael Morgan, was invited to play. In 1921 a touring Toowoomba team played Mackay with the locals winning 16/7 at Alexandra Park in front of more than 2,000 people. The star for Mackay was Heckie Birse who would be killed in 1925 when he fell into the hold of a freighter on the Mackay wharf.

The 1927 season saw the arrival of the great Australian winger Billy Paten as captain/coach and when he was selected on the 23rd July that year to play for Queensland against New South Wales he became the first player selected for the state from the region. An avalanche of champions would follow. When Gargett’s Mick Glasheen played for North Queensland against the 1932 Great Britain team, the Sydney-based “Rugby League News” described him as follows; “Mick is a good hooker who comes from Pinnacle near Gargett (Which is the main centre on account of there being a butchers shop as well as a pub).

Pinnacle has no butchers shop and Glasheen has to travel 40 miles to Mackay for a tryout and then 300 miles to Townsville for another game, 800 miles to Brisbane to get his State Cap, nearly 500 miles to Sydney,” and then he has to tack another few miles to Cootamundra to get a game with the colours up. Glasheen would tour with the 1933-1934 Kangaroos so becoming Mackay’s first International.

Harold ‘Cocky’ Roberts became the first home grown Mackay player to make a Queensland team when he ran onto the Sydney Cricket Ground on the 2nd June 1934 alongside former Gargett player, Mick Glasheen. On the 7th July the same year, Gordon ‘Scotty’ Macrea, who played with Roberts at Magpies in 1933, also made his Queensland debut. 1934 was the first year that Mackay won the North Queensland Championship by defeating Cairns in Townsville. Mackay would win again in 1935 and 1937 before a drought that would last for 22 seasons.

During this famine some of the finest players to ever wear a Mackay jersey plied their wares in the North Queensland city including the magnificent Ned Andrews who became the first player to be selected in an Australian team from Mackay when he ran onto the Brisbane Cricket Ground against Great Britain on the 1st July 1950. It should be pointed out that Eric Bowe had been selected twice in 1946 and sat on the reserve bench for Australia without getting a game, making him Mackay’s ‘unluckiest’ player.

Club football was always strong in Mackay but in the 1950’s it was at its zenith with players like Elton Rasmussen, Ray Laird, Eric Bowe, Ned Andrews, Graham Laird and Don Furner, all either past or future Australian players. Rasmussen could possibly be regarded as the greatest player to ever wear a

MACKAY RUGBY LEAGUE TEAM – played Toowoomba 18th September 1921 (L-R): Teddy Hyde (Captain), D Duncan, T Hayes, C Milton, Heckie Birse, Herbie Lake, George Sam, Peter Kynaston, V Kirkup, Tom Linskey, Barlow Punzall, Jim Linskey, Manco Harvey, Jack O’Brien (Photo from the Karon Sam Collection) 42

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SEA-EAGLES FLY HIGH Mackay jersey. The big Magpies junior who won a premiership with the club in 1956 alongside Ray Laird, Nev Linde and Hume Ronald ,went on to win six premierships with St George, tour with the 1959 and 1967 Kangaroos, played in the 1960 and 1968 World Cups and played for New South Wales and Queensland.

Another of Magpies best in the 1950’s was Graham Laird who was in their 1953 and 1954 premiership winning teams.

After representing North Queensland in 1954 he signed a contract with Souths in Toowoomba and on the 2nd July 1955 ran onto the Brisbane Cricket Ground wearing an Australian jersey in the 2nd Test against France.

The elusive Foley Shield seemed to be always out of Mackay’s reach but in the late 1950’s the area saw another surge of imported players with Paul Pyers, Don Furner, Morrie Breen, Alex Watson and Tom Tyquin all prominent in this era.

Strong locals like Eric Webster, Rasmussen, the Lairds and Brian Ford made for a great representative team but they needed a leader and there were none better than Don Meehan. Meehan was already a state player when he arrived in Mackay to coach Souths in 1957 but his leadership saw Souths win premierships in 1957, 1958 and 1959 and on the 30th August 1959 he led Mackay to their first ever Foley Shield.

Queensland, with Paul Pyers, Elton Rasmussen and Don Meehan heavily involved, defeated New South Wales three games to one during the 1959 season. Seven Queensland players or roughly 25% of the Kangaroo touring squad came from Queensland with Rasmussen the only one of the three selected. It would take State of Origin in 1980 to break the mindset of the New South Wales focussed Australian selectors.

Paul Pyers and Don Meehan;

two of the tragedies of the period before “Origin”.

Following their 1959 victory a famine descended on Mackay and this lasted for more than twenty seasons. Under the leadership of former Queensland player Nev Linde they lost the 1961 Foley Shield to Eacham and in 1968 led by Queensland player Syd Clarke they went down in the final to Innisfail. In 1978 the Sea Eagles ran into a strong Mount Isa team who had won the two previous Foley Shields but momentum was building in the coastal city with Mackay grade teams starting to win North Queensland titles on a regular basis.

The 1984 season was one of the best in Mackay Rugby League history with the town winning the Foley Shield against Mount Isa and the Under 17 and 19 finals against Cairns. One of the stars of the Mackay victory was a young winger from Sarina by the name of Dale Shearer who would go on to play 27 games for Queensland and 20 tests for Australia but it all started in Mackay.

It is impossible to win without good

MACKAY RUGBY LEAGUE – NORTH QUEENSLAND A GRADE CHAMPIONS – 1959 (Photo taken in Townsville on Foley Shield Day) Back (L-R):- A R Wells (Chairman), T Rains, V Casey (President), Brian Ford, Vern Timms, John McLean, Don Meehan (Captain/Coach), Brian Sands, K Rumble, Bill Dempsey, Col Grant (Secretary), M Casey Kneeling:- John Potts, Tom Doyle, Gordon Budby, Nev Linde, Bob Buckley, Bob Pollitch, E Hubner (Masseur) Sitting:- Paul Pyers, G Walker, Phil McDonald, Arthur Smith. Image: Contributed LEAGUEQUEENSLAND.COM.AU

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MACKAY WHERE THE SEA EAGLES FLY HIGH coaching and in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s a guy by the name of Colin Grosskreutz was making a name for himself as a coach. Grosskreutz had previously played for North and Central Queensland and was an inspirational coach. Under his guidance Mackay would dominate the Under 17, 18, 19 and 20 finals in North Queensland for more than a decade and create a production line of future champions.

In an eight year period from 1988 until 1995 Mackay played in seven Foley Shield Finals for three victories and two State League Finals, winning both. They were the dominant Queensland Rugby League centre during this period leading into the creation of the North Queensland Cowboys. The production line of great players that went onto better things continued with Steve Jackson, Paul Bowman, Brett Dallas, Wendell Sailor, Troy Hoffman and Shannon Hegarty only a few to mention. That the only Australian Residents team ever selected included five players who had or would play in the local competition.

The end of the ‘Super League War’ changed the face of rugby league forever and after five seasons of no Foley Shield the competition in a reduced format was continued in 2000 and basically suspended in 2012. During those 13 seasons Mackay played in four finals, winning in 2000 and 2011. The desire to see a stronger representative team from the area was fanned by the success of Mackay’s two State League titles in the early 1990’s so in late 2007 it was announced that the Mackay Cutters would be one of three new teams in the 2008 Queensland Cup with former Cowboy Shane Muspratt as their first captain.

The Cutters have always been a feeder-club for the North Queensland Cowboys which has the advantage of picking up player like Jason Taumalolo and Michael Morgan in 2013 but the disadvantage is the uncertainty of who is playing from week to week with one player training and another playing on game day.

The Cutters have always been competitive but only in 2013 did they show their true ability.

The North Queensland area was ecstatic as the Northern Pride (Cairns) finished the season as minor-premiers with the Mackay Cutters in 2nd spot with a positive points differential of 454/403 (+51). The Pride “streeted” the field in the normal season with a massive 607/242 (+365). While the Northern Pride had been the dominant team in North Queensland since entering the Queensland Cup in 2008, season 2013 was the year that the Mackay Cutters proudly wore the banner of State Champions.

9th September, 2013 – A packed Virgin Australia Stadium in Mackay was stunned as Easts Tigers defeated the Cutters 31/18 in the first week of the Intrust Super Cup SemiFinals. The Tigers, with former North Queensland player Ben Hampton leading the way, were too keen to win and outplayed the crowd favourites as they led 26/0 at half-time.

On the 15th September the Cutters defeated Ipswich to move into the Semi-Final against The Pride.

22nd September, 2013 – The Cutters proved they were no longer the poor cousins of the North Queensland rugby league community with a dominant 20/6 defeat of 2012 Intrust premiers, the Northern Pride. Kalifa Faifai Loa, Jason Taumalolo, Bureta Faraimo and Liam Taylor scored tries with Taylor kicking two goals while for the Pride, Semi Tadulala scored a try which was converted by Shaun Nona.

29th September - On the mind of every Mackay Cutters’ player as they defeated Easts Tigers 27/20 in a magnificent Intrust Super Grand Final in Ipswich, was their mate Alex Elisala who had died earlier in the year. Easts had led 8/0 early in the game before the Cutters hit back with two tries to Bureta Faraimo but a try on the bell to Junior Sa’u gave the Tigers a narrow 14/10 lead at the break. The board was locked at 14/14 late in the second half after David Milne scored and then the very talented Michael Morgan picked up a loose ball on the halfway line and ran 50 metres to score and break the deadlock. Easts hit back with Mitch Garbutt scoring a try to level the board at 20/20 before the ice-cool Michael Morgan kicked a field-goal to give the Cutters a slender lead. The Cutters lifted in the dying minutes and Kalifa Faifai Loa scored in the last minutes of play to give Mackay their first major trophy since the great Mackay teams of the mid-1990s. The Cutters’ hooker Anthony Mitchell won the Duncan Hall Medal as Man-of-the-Match.

THE STM MACKAY CUTTERS RUGBY LEAGUE TEAM – QUEENSLAND CUP CHAMPIONS 2013 L - R: Michael Morgan, Jason Shirnack, Jason Tamaulolo, Kalifa Fai Fai loa, David Milne, Kelvin Neilson, Dean Webster, Samuel Hoare,Bureta Faraimo, Tyson Andrews, Karl Davies, Dan Murphy, Liam Taylor, Matt Minto, Chris Gesch, Anthony Mitchell, Jardine Bobongie (Captain) Image: Courtesy Mackay Cutters 44

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Winter in

Mackay events is heating up with great

June 16 -17 T20 All Stars Cricket, Festival for Bravehearts Harrup Park/MECC

Saturday July 9

August 25 to 27

Aug 24 to Sept 4

G&S Engineering Wine & Food Day - Queens Park

Mackay Airport Beach Horse Racing Festival - Harbour Beach

International Quadrangular Cricket Series - Harrup Park

Find more events at mackayregion.com/events LEAGUEQUEENSLAND.COM.AU

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BUFFY IS BACK Image: Courtesy Mackay Regional Council

T A K I N G

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BUFFY is back and looking better than ever in the middle of Sarina. The metre-high, much-loved cane toad statue was moved from its Broad Street location in January for cleaning, maintenance and a fresh lick of paint.

As part of the project, Buffy’s surrounds have also been revamped. Buffy now sits atop an elevated platform, with a feature wall decked out with landscaping and lighting. The platform also pays homage to Sarina’s rugby league greats, with a plaque for State of Origin Queensland stars Martin Bella, now a councillor, Dale Shearer, Kevin Campion and Wendell Sailor.

An additional plaque also details the story behind Buffy. The new-look Buffy was officially unveiled on the 12th May 2016

by Kevin Campion and Cr Bella. Sarina councillor Karen May said it was great to have Buffy back and looking at the top of her game.

P L A C E

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S A R I N A

She said during consultations in Sarina last year the community highlighted the importance of upgrading Buffy to capitalise on her fame.

“It was discovered that Buffy – the Big Cane Toad is listed on the Big Things of Australia list.

“This project was developed as part of a deliberate strategy to encourage visitors to stop in at Sarina, grab a selfie with Buffy and tick off their ‘big’ list. “They will hopefully post their photos on social media, gaining more exposure for Sarina.”

Jay and Dave, of local radio station SeaFM, have been fans of Buffy for a long time and have keenly followed her progress and covered the unveiling live on their show this morning.

SARINA – ‘BREEDING GROUND OF CHAMPIONS’ Sarina has been in the Mackay competition on and off since the early 1920’s but basically won their first club premiership in 1951. Great players have played in the town like Alex Watson and Tom Tyquin who both played for Australia during their careers but the success of the small sugar producing town has been on the back of their magnificent home-grown juniors. Great clubs need strong leadership and in the 1970’s and1980’s officials like Alf Abdullah, Eddie Bella, Tug McCaw, Terry Bourne, Ron Tandy, Merv McKenzie and Max McFazden steered a steady ship.

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The Sarina juniors read like a ‘Legends of Mackay’ with Martin Bella, Dale Shearer, Kevin Campion and Wendell Sailor all coming through the junior ranks.

Others like Steven Craig and Stephen Bella would go on to play for Australian Residents. Sarina is still a powerhouse of Mackay rugby league and in 2015 won the Club Championships with their reserve grade and A grade winning the minor-premiership.

BIRDSVILLE, BEDOURIE, BOULIA, STONEHENGE AND ALL POINTS WEST Both these guys were doing a tour of the Outback with Queensland Health providing awareness re mental health and just being there to help a mate.

The NRL, Rod Dahl - Development Officer and QRL, Peter Rafter Outback Operations Manager, again travelled to the far western Queensland Outback and visited a number of schools who get limited visitors. They visited Stonehenge, Jundah, Windorah, Birdsville, Bedourie and Boulia. Two of the schools Stonehenge and Birdsville consist of only four students in each while Boulia was by far the biggest school with 24 students. The students were spoken to about Rugby League and the importance of warming up prior to any sport prior to playing numerous Rugby League orientated games. The students and teachers thoroughly enjoyed the day and company.

I know some parents complain about getting their kids ready for school of a morning but how would they handle the travel of some of these children who travel up to 60kms each morning to get to school, again no one complains. When leaving the QRL and NRL left the schools with a couple of footballs and plenty of gifts for the students.

It was good to see the old tradition of teams running on to the field together and shaking hands with all opposition players prior to the commencement of the game and then with no coin being in the possession of the refs the old paper scissors rock used to determine to kick off. Unfortunately for the locals the Bedourie team was outgunned on the day and missed the final despite the efforts and disappointment of Clinton Toopi last year’s winners Barcoo went down in the closest match of the day to the winners Boulia Bulls.

Again the efforts of Trevor Stewart aka Colgate must be acknowledged as he has continually worked over the last 12 months to get this up and running so that locals and visitors can enjoy a great weekend. There was also an Auction conducted after the games on Saturday night. The final figure which raised money for local charities is not known but some of the items auctioned included jerseys worn by Clinton Toopi and Preston Campbell during the day as well as the opportunity to shave Colgate’s head which went for around $900 while one shaved eyebrow went for close to $400. There are some very generous people in the Outback.

After the tour of the schools it was on to the Bedouries 9s, in its second year. This year there were two women’s teams competing for the overall $3000 prizemoney with the winners cheques of $2000 going to the Northern Goannas a team who have only been together for a couple of weeks and playing only their second tournament together. They were up against and even more inexperienced local team but you could not question their commitment. After the first game there were doubts about enough numbers to play a second game but girls from the crowd registered and helped out to provide a real spectacle for the crowd.

In the men’s there were teams from Boulia Bulls, Barcoo Bandits and the crowd favourite the local Bedourie Bogan Fleas. There was some quality footy played during the day with special cameo appearances from former NRL stars Clinton Toopi and Preston Campbell, both looking fit enough as if they had only been playing the previous day.

All concerned are excited about the 9s again being played in 2017 on the weekend of 10th June. There will again be record prizemoney for all teams.

– PETER RAFTER (OUTBACK OPERATIONS MANAGER FOR QRL) LEAGUEQUEENSLAND.COM.AU

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FOR THE LOVE OF THE GAME B I L L Y

D U G U I D

WILLIAM JOHN DUGUID known to us all as Billy was born in Tambo on 24th April, 1942. He played local football as a hooker before moving to Toowoomba playing for the Valleys club. He played for Toowoomba in the Bulimba Cup competition in 1963, 1966 and 1972 and actually played in the last ever Bulimba Cup game against Brisbane. While at Toowoomba Valleys he also played against New Zealand in 1963 and Great Britain in 1966. In 1967 he was transferred to Bundaberg and although he did play for Wide Bay he was kept out of the game against New Zealand that season because Noel Gallagher who would tour with the Kangaroos later that year took his spot. During the 1968 season Billy Duguid trialled with Parramatta but a hefty $1,250.00 transfer fee from the QRL scuttled his chances.

During the 1969 season he took on the player/coach role at Cunnamulla before transferring to Ingham in North Queensland as captain/coach of Lower Herbert in the Herbert River Foley Shield Competition. Following the 1971 North Queensland Trials he was selected in the great North Queensland team that won the County Championships in Rockhampton. Billy returned to Toowoomba for the 1972 season and won a premiership with Valleys and as mentioned played in the last ever Bulimba Cup Final.

Duguid moved to Rockhampton in 1973 captain coaching the Railways club returning in 1975/76 also as captain coach and represented Central Queensland against North Queensland.

He also coached Rockhampton representative teams. Bill left the teaching profession taking the role as publican of the Anchor Hotel in Rockhampton. He then moved back to North Queensland settling in Mackay. He was president of the Mackay rugby league (1990 – 1996) and during his time in office the Mackay Rugby League played in five Foley Shield Finals and won the Queensland State League twice.

He received life membership of the Mackay Rugby League.

Bill was an inaugural board member of the North Queensland Cowboys (1995) when they were admitted to the NSWRL competition. Billy Duguid was on the Board of the Cowboys when the Super League War erupted and it was basically due to his bulldog attitude that the North Queensland Rugby League got substantial funding as a result of the agreement of the Cowboys to split with the ARL and join Super League.

He returned to Rockhampton in 2002 as publican of the Fitzroy Hotel and was president of the Rockhampton Rugby League 2003 to 2008. He was a member of the Rockhampton Leagues’ Club board 2004 to 2009. Bill’s health declined in recent years before passing on 19th May, 2016 aged 74years.

– TONY PRICE AND PETER HUNT

MACKAY RUGBY LEAGUE A GRADE TEAM 1993 STATE LEAGUE CHAMPIONS - Back (L-R):- Max Grosskreutz (Trainer), Jim Valery, Mike Wilkinson, Dallas Hannay, Glen Murphy, Brendan Carter, Mark Anderson - Middle:- Dr. A Gardener, Mick Shew (Manager), Ashley Tupaea (Captain), Steven Craig, Mark Goode, Brenton Head, Rob Burgess, Colin Grosskreutz (Coach), Bill Duguid (President), Bernie O’Mara (Selector) Front:- Justin Doyle, Stanley Haru, Rion Farmer, Troy Hoffman, Andrew Stevens, Paul White (Vice-Captain) Image: Courtesy MDRL LEAGUEQUEENSLAND.COM.AU

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BRONCOS SCHOOL GIRLS CHALLENGE B R O T H E R S

J R L ,

S T A F F O R D

SOUTH East Queensland hosted the Broncos School Girls Challenge on the 31st May at Brothers JRL, Stafford. With a total of 22 teams representing schools across South East Queensland, the day was jammed pack full of Rugby League for the girls.

Jillaroos and Queensland Captain Steph Hancock and Broncos Game Development Manager Paul Dyer were on site to meet the schoolgirls and watch the games. Steph Hancock was kind enough to offer all the girls some words of wisdom about their efforts on the day and present the divisional winners.

The NRL would like to congratulate and thank the following schools on their involvement in the 2016 Broncos School Girls Challenge as well as their continuing support of female participation: Wavell SHS, Ipswich SHS, Caboolture SHS, Tullawong SHS, Springfield Central SHS, Morayfield SHS, Earnshaw State College, Mabel Park SHS and Sandgate SHS The NRL, NRMA Insurance Broncos and all participating schools would like to thank Brothers JRL also for the supporting and involvement in making the day a success.

The day was designed to provide playing opportunities for all abilities and age levels. The emphasis on the day wasn’t about winning or what individual stood out, it was about giving the girls an opportunity to play in a safe, modified environment in which their skills levels can be increased. On offer to the girls was a 14’s, 16’s and Opens division where all teams had the opportunity to play in a round robin format.

Tullawong SHS were divisional winners in Opens and Wavell SHS in the 16’s, however, the Under 14’s division was played under a noncompetitive format focused on skill development.

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– SARAH WALKER Game Development Officer NRL/Brisbane Broncos

Images: Courtesy Sarah Walker

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