2023 STATE DISTRICT SIDES

from JUNE 2023

CEO REPORT with BQ’s Brett Wilkie

Division 1

Women

After being runners-up for the past two years, the Cunningham District women took home the Val Woodward Perpetual Shield this year, reversing the role with the Gold Coast Tweed District Women who had held the shield for the past eight consecutive years.

Cunningham, skipped by Debbie Logan, Teresa Smedley and Jenny Bostock, won 11 out of their 12 games played, going down in the only lost game by one shot.

It was no surprise to Skip Teresa (Tess) Smedley that her Cunningham District were the best performing team of the whole tournament. They were “absolutely amazing, the whole side lifted each other, praised, supported and encouraged each other and were not out there playing for themselves”. With pride, Tess says: “Cunningham is a close knit district and they all get along, have fun, support each other and have a ball. They are an awesome district”.

Winner: Cunningham 6+40; Runner-up: Gold Coast Tweed 4+33. Downs 2-10, Tropical Far North QLD 0-63.

TESS NOTCHES UP 100 GAMES FOR CUNNINGHAM!

Cunningham District’s Tess Smedley is not someone who seeks, or is particularly comfortable with, being in the limelight. So, when she was announced at a Cunningham District Side celebratory and welcoming dinner recently for her achievement of 100 District games her first thought was “Oh, I wonder who would have won that?” and then she realised it was her!

The milestone crept up surprisingly for Tess as, although she has won everything in her district, she doesn’t really get to play a lot of bowls because of work and other commitments, so she mostly plays for fun.

The Gold Coast Tweed District men continued their domination this year, skipped by Dean McWhinney, Gary Pearson, Rob Chesher and Jason Constable. Gateway District finished as runner-up after a close final, with Gold Coast securing their ninth title in a row and Gateway as runner-up 65 to 59.

For Gold Coast Tweed skip, Dean McWhinney, the win “felt good. We have a great team with Gold Coast… we never really thought it wouldn’t go our way, we have so much depth and are really, really strong even though Gateway did have a very good team.

“Nearly every one of us has played together”, he said. “It was great to play with everyone again - we backed each other up and supported each other. We virtually spent the four days together as a team, between the whole 16 of us, which I think was brilliant.”

Winner: Gold Coast Tweed 6+36; Runner-up: Gateway 4+57. Sunshine Coast Alpha 2-32, Moreton Bay 0-61.

At the same time, for the last couple of years, her third bowls partner has been her daughter, Sheridan Gollan.

Amazingly, Sheridan still filled the role of third for Tess at the recent District Sides after having her baby six weeks prior, juggling competing with feeding her baby and being a new mum! You can hear the pride Tess has when she says Sheridan is a “tough little bowler too, and she is competitive”.

For Tess, it was awesome to be playing with Sheridan, as they play a lot together and thoroughly enjoy it. Tess was about 30 when she first started playing bowls and has been a member at Algester Bowls Club for more than 20 years.

When it comes to her district, Tess says: “We enjoy going away and being in a squad. We go out to have fun on the green, have a ball and winning is a bonus.”

In the District Sides, for Tess and her squad “every bowl is a new bowl, a new end and a new game; you hope you win a game”. Her Cunningham District team won 11 out of their 12 games played, going down in the only lost game by one shot. It was no surprise to Tess that her District were the best performing team of the whole tournament and the top team.

Well done, Cunningham. And well done, Tess!

Women

The Sunshine Coast Beta women showed their dominance throughout the competition, defeating North Qld, Bundaberg and Sunshine Coast Alpha with ease. Bundaberg’s only loss was to the winning Sunshine Coast Beta team and they went on to secure runner-up position.

Sunshine Coast Beta skip, Nolene Dutton, said: “the win was great. It was obviously disappointing not to be in the Div 1 playoff as I believe we had the bowls to do that. But, it wasn’t meant to be. In saying that, who’s to know if we would’ve won if we got to Division 1. The best part about being in the Div 2 winners circle is that we actually won the Div 2 flag and we are very honoured to have won that.

“It’s been a while since I have represented the Sunshine Coast in Districts, I think the last time was about nine years ago because of work. But this year, I decided I was going to play them all.”

What was a standout for Nolene was “the ability from all the team to come in and play as one and be able to pull off the amazing shots we did. Everyone put in something at some stage… and the good part about our Sunny Coast teams is that we have such good camaraderie and support from each other. We love it that much that we enjoy it and make it fun”.

Winner: Sunshine Coast Beta 6+71; Runner-up: Bundaberg 4-12

Sunshine Coast Alpha 2-16, North QLD 0-43.

Men

Downs men survived a tough game against Bundaberg in the last round to claim runner-up position. Brisbane District men proved themselves strong against all their competition, overcoming Downs by 37 and Fraser Coast by 19 to finish as first place Division 2 winners.

Brisbane Men’s skip, John Newell, said there was some stress when “a couple of earlier losses in the sectionals had cost the team Div 1. However, as a collective, the team stuck together really well and regrouped on the good Tewantin greens to win all three games in the finals of Div 2.”

Winner: Brisbane 6+56; Runner-up: Downs 4-2. Bundaberg 1-14, Fraser Coast 1-40.

Women

For the Gateway Women’s squad, it was a sure booking for the Division 3 winner’s spot after they won all three games. Both Brisbane and Mackay Divisions were contenders for the runner-up spot, but, after playing against each other, Mackay came out on top to claim second.

Winner: Fraser Coast 6+40; Runner-up: Burnett 4-4. Moreton Bay 2+9, Southern Downs 0-45.

Men

For the men, it was a close call when North Qld edged over Cunningham by just one shot in the second round. However, their defeat over Condamine then placed them in the runner-up position. Mackay held on to the top spot in the final round over Cunningham, securing their win with a narrow margin of 4 shots.

Winner: Mackay 6+40; Runner-up: North QLD 4-1. Cunningham 2+21, Condamine 0-60.

DIVISION 4 WINNERS AND RUNNERs-UP

Division 4 winners (women) Fraser Coast (above left) & runner-up Burnett Division (left). Winners (men) Sunshine Coast Bravo (top right) & runner-up Maranoa/Warrego (right)

Winner (women): Fraser Coast 6+40; Runner Up: Burnett 4-4; (Moreton Bay 2+9, Southern Downs 0-45).

Winner (men): Sunshine Coast Bravo 6+57; Runner-up: Maranoa Warrego 4-8; (Tropical Far North QLD 2-19, Port Curtis 0-30).

DIVISION 5 WINNERS AND RUNNERS-UP

Division 5 winners (women) Maranoa/Warrego District (above left) & runner-up Port Curtis District (left). Winners (men) North West QLD District (above right) & runner-up Burnett (right)

Winner (women): Maranoa Warrego 6+63; Runner Up: Port Curtis 4+21; (Condamine 2-44, Leichhardt 0-40).

Winner (men): North West QLD 5+14; Runner-up: Burnett 4+25; (Southern Downs 3+18, Central QLD 0-57).

Thank you to all host clubs and event sponsors, Sunshine Coast Council and Australian Secure Capital Fund, for their support of this event. Thank you to the Bowls Gold Coast Tweed Media Team for providing live streaming over the four days.