Sports News

Hook, Line and Sinker with Lindsay Doust

Head west for the best

Next weekend, being another long weekend, will no doubt see an exodus of anglers out west as it will be one of the last chances before winter to have a go at the cod and yellowbelly.

Pindari and Glen Lyon Dams will be popular, as will the New England rivers and creeks.

Last weekend the Richmond Valley Sportfishing Club had an outing for bream using only soft plastics or lures and a lot of good fish were caught.

The weather has not been kind for outside fishing but those getting the odd good day are seeing some mackerel from places like Black Head, Lennox Point and Riordans.

Off Evans Head there is the occasional good day for spotties from South Reef. Anzac Day should see the early signs of the winter fish - bream, blackfish & tailor.

The commercial anglers are keeping an eye on the mullet and once they begin to get a few good hauls, the recreational species will not be far behind. We only hope they will be in worthwhile numbers.

What a mess North Creek at Ballina is.

At low tide you can all but walk across, as the sand seems to be building up all the time. The problems are man made and unless we find the problem and treat it soon, it will be one continuous sandbank. In parts there is very little of the channel left.

Mullum victims in grand final replay - Rugby League

Mullumbimby, fresh from their 30-14 win over Marist Brothers are now enjoying the rare atmosphere of life at the top of the ladder. In their first two matches of the year Mullum have now defeated both of the grand finalists from last season. They are likely to keep their winning run going for at least another week as they face the depleted Casino RSM squad on Sunday.

Mullumbimby's two 2004 victims will face each other this Sunday at Oakes Oval in their first meeting since the incredible 2003 decider that saw Brothers storm home to take the title in the last couple of minutes. The intensity is unlikely to be as white-hot this time around, but many will remember the final home and away game of the season last year when Paul Latta was carried off the field after being on the end of a late high shot after he had scored between the posts against South.

Lower Clarence, the off-season beneficiaries of transfers from Casino RSM of Jason Hebbard and Wes Torrens, faced Casino on Sunday. But they didn't face them for long, because for most of the duration of the match the Lower Clarence Magpies spent their time slicing through Casino's tissue thin defence. When the timekeepers showed mercy by blowing the final hooter Ray Mercy had contributed five out of Lower's 15 tries and the spinning reel on the scoreboard came to a halt at 70-14.

Ballina earned their 34-18 victory over Byron Bay but the message from the game was that the Bay will be a very competitive outfit this season as compared to the directionless effort they came up with in 2003.

Grafton Ghosts may finally have put their 2002 premiership hangover to bed if their 48 to 18 dismissal of Kyogle is anything to go by. However, they will face far sterner tests than that offered by the honest but underbasted Kyogle Turkeys. The Ghosts will have the benefit of the bye this week (just in case there's another hangover).

Kyogle will host Byron bay while Ballina will have to batten down the hatches against the potentially cyclonic forces of the Lower Clarence squad.

Round 2 results:

Mullum 30 d Marist Brother 14

Low Clarence 70 d Casino RSM 14

Ballina 34 d Byron Bay 18

Grafton Ghosts 48 d Kyogle 18

Potts of gold

High-stepping Greg Potts of Lismore competing on the Gold Coast in the lead up to his victories in the Queensland and National titles.

Potts with his Australian Masters triple jump gold medal.

Lismore's Greg Potts has returned from the National Masters Track and Field Championships in Melbourne with a national title under his belt and three silver medals.

His championship victory came in the 40-44 years men's triple jump with a leap of 12.19 metres.

His silver medals came in the 100 metres, long jump and in the 4x100 metres relay as a member of the Queensland Masters Athletics Association (QMAA) team.

Prior to this Greg had been competing in the masters club competition on the Gold Coast run by the QMAA. This led to a state title in the 100 metres and a push towards the nationals.

Greg credits his coaches, Phil Newton and Tony Marsh for providing the tips necessary for him to be able to make such a smooth transition back into athletics after many years of playing other sports, most notably rugby union and touch football. "Also, the QMAA is a great club and it provides an environment for athletes to really enjoy their sport. It is for anyone over 35, including the occasional centurion, who is looking to keep fit, have fun, socialize and travel." he told The Echo.

Potts, Newton and a few others behind the scenes in local athletics are working to put together a new winter-season initiative for senior (14 years and over) athletes. Look in The Echo next week for more news on this.

Nation's best here for East Coast National

Speedway with Ben Daley

This Anzac weekend will see one of the biggest events of the Lismore Speedway calendar hit town, with the running of the annual Trevan Ford East Coast Grand National 'Super Sedan' meeting. Contested over two massive nights of V8 speedway action this year's event will be the 34th running of the race.

Prize money on offer for the event has been boosted this year with a staggering $5000 to the winner of the final. Promoters have already attracted a good number of Super Sedans for the event with 25 cars having their nominations in with a week to go before the running of the first heat. The likes of Jaime McHugh, John Leslight, Wayne Brims and Wayne Randall, along with freshly crowned Australian champion Darren Kane, are just some of the big names heading to Lismore to take part in one of Australia's longest running Super Sedan events.

The Super Sedans have not yet featured at Lismore Speedway this season and will certainly make their long awaited return in style when they turn on the action and renowned fierce racing.

Also on the program of events will be the NSW AMCA Title. Up to 25 AMCA's have nominated for the two night show to battle it out for the right to have the New South Wales number 1 displayed on the side of their car next season.

Triumphant Duggan returns

Lismore's Keith Duggan will go in as favourite for the event after having a great season in the division throughout NSW and Queensland. Duggan's last start in Lismore saw him finish first in the feature event ahead of a classy field of competitors.

All the action starts on Saturday night and will continue on Sunday night providing an awesome Anzac weekend of V8 action, plus support classes including Modified Production Sedans, Stockers, Streeters, 4 Cylinders and Juniors.

Hawks stumble as Demons crash-dive - Aussie Rules

History looms this Saturday in the Summerland Australian Football League. The meeting between Murwillumbah and Casino at the Les Cave Field in Mur'bah will be the first clash between the two sides.

Should Casino win it will be their first ever win in the league, with their only points to date coming from a draw late last season. On the other hand it could prove to be Murwillumbah's first win in 11 years, after the Hawks sat out the last decade.

In the first round of the new season last Saturday the Nimbin Demons proved the most disappointing. After reaching the heady heights of their first grand final much was expected of the Demons in 2004. Unfortunately without playmaker Blair Patterson the team lacked direction and impetus. Ballina romped home 13-23-101 to Nimbin's 3-5-23.

Casino showed that they have the spirit to continue the improvement they showed towards the end of their rookie season last year. Although they lost to Byron 12-19-91 to 9-9-63 the Casino Lions were consistent across the park and should feel confident for their trip north to Murwillumbah on Saturday. Byron, on the other hand, will have to look at their commitment as the two-point half time difference between the clubs indicates the Magpies may well have gone into this game without enough respect for their opponents capacities. The improved Lions are likely to cause a number of upsets in the first half of the year.

The Lismore Swans match against the Murwillumbah Hawks saw the Swans register a 17-13-115 to 8-12-60 victory. Lismore has improved their list this year ands there has been development amongst their juniors, most notably Josh Suffolk. The standard of Murwillumbah's list will be better understood after they have been able to put a few games together and consistently put a team on the paddock. Player numbers became their major problem when they went into hiatus a decade ago.

The other games this weekend will see Byron host Ballina while Nimbin will attempt to regain the enthusiasm that propelled them into last year's Grand Final when they host a confident Swans outfit.

Top bodyboarders off to Port

The Headlanders Bodyboard Club will be inviting the ten highest ranked body boarders from the upcoming May club round to compete in the Bodyboarding Team Challenge at Port Macquarie over the June long weekend.

Local bodyboarder rankings will be determined by the second round of the club competition to be held this Sunday at Lighthouse Car Park Ballina at 6.30am.

Bodyboarders of all ages are being encouraged to come along and compete on the day. There will be heaps of prizes a BBQ, drinks and goodies for sale.

The cost to join Headlanders is $55 with all fully paid members receiving a club shirt, membership card, insurance cover and the chance to win member-prizes at every comp.

Lismore pair upset Byron Bay - Table Tennis

First division table tennis produced another set of nail biting upsets this fortnight during the fourth round of the district competition held at the table tennis centre in Goonellabah.

Lismore's Andy Jackson and Colin Phillips disturbed top of the comp Byron Bay 6 rubbers to 5, despite the efforts of Byron Bay's Geoff Lamberton who won all three of his match ups.

The second game was also a shake-up, with Jim Armstrong defeating Ken Hudson 3-2 to take the final rubber giving Lennox Head the win over Ballina 6 to 5. Henning Hansen, like Lamberton, won all three of his games for Ballina, but still came away empty-handed at the end of night.

The 1st Division standings at the end of round 4 are Byron 1st, Ballina 2nd, Lennox 3rd, Lismore 4th.

Ball and Nixon loom over Pairs semis - Bowls

The semi finals of the 2004 Northern Rivers District Bowls Pairs championship will be held on the greens of the Alstonville Bowling Club on Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, downtown at the Lismore City club the District Reserve Pairs will be decided.

The Alstonville matches will pit David Ball and Brian Nixon against N Rowland and P Vallotto in one semi, with the winners to meet the victors of the second semi between R Greentree and R Montague and N Burgess and D Tancred. The final will also be held at Alstonville on Saturday 8 May.

Ball and Nixon have had an outstanding run of form in the 2004 NRDBA championships, having taken out the fours and triples titles to date. It would not be a surprise to see them pull off the trifecta in that first weekend in May by taking the pairs. At this rate they must both be thinking about buying newer, larger trophy cabinets.

The Reserve Pairs final at Lismore City on Saturday will be between Lismore RSL's J Piper and J Neill and the team of D Allison and L Maxfield from Lismore City. This should be an even match with each team having played three elimination matches to reach the final. In the total of six games played by the two pairs five of them saw the opposition score just 12 shots, while in the other game the losing score was 14.

Many clubs have organised casual bowls days for Anzac day, such as the mixed triples at the Lismore City Bowls club starting from 1pm, The club will be open from very early in the morning to cater for those who have attended the Anzac Day dawn service.

Charity time for Sunday golfers - Golf

Charity starts at the first hole, if the golfing community is any guide. Next week the Casino Golf Club hosts the Northern Co-operative Meat Company Charity Cup featuring the introduction of the Ballina Manor Shoot-out, to be held in conjunction with the overall event over the weekend of Saturday, 1 May and Sunday, 2 May.

For the Shootout a $5 donation will see golfers head to the practice range with five golf balls to shoot over 80 meters. The first hole-in-one will secure a wonderful weekend package for two at the historic Ballina Manor, including two nights accommodation, chocolates, champagne and strawberries on arrival and lavish continental breakfast.

A holiday to the Gold Coast, Cathay Pacific Airfares to Cairns, golf equipment, quality merchandise and a host other great prizes totalling in excess of $8000 in value should see the $12,900 raised in 2003 eclipsed this year.

The beneficiaries will be the Westpac Rescue Helicopter, Windarra Nursery and Jumbanna Pre-School and Early Intervention Centre.

The event consists of a 36-hole open nett and gross competition split into three grades for men and women with social golfers welcome on Sunday. The cost of entry is $25 per day, incorporating golf fees, a light lunch and a free drink after play is done. Nominations can be forwarded to Casino Golf Pro Ian Halliday on 6662 4047.

Now showing at SCU - "The Magnificent Seven" - Soccer FNC

SCU'S 'keeper Rachel Thomas finds a unique way to trap the ball after foiling a point-blank range shot by Lennox's Rhonda Campbell.

SCU's two-goal hero Tegan Smith.

Lennox Head's much-vaunted First Division debut in the Soccer FNC women's competition looked as though it would be a picnic on Sunday morning. Lennox turned up with a full squad well ahead of the kick-off. The Southern Cross University coaching staff, on the other hand, must have been wondering if they would even be able to field a team. As it was they were only able to scrape together seven players. But what a magnificent seven.

Playing to a very disciplined game plan that saw four defenders arrayed in a diamond in front of goal and only two mid-fielders the students allowed Lennox full possession of the ball in the first 60% of the field. They preferred to hold off any challenges until the Lennox players had advanced 10 metres into the SCU half. Time and again they were able to close down any Lennox attack as the sea-siders found themselves limited for space by the short-staffed students. Ten minutes before half time the Lennox dream became a nightmare when Tegan Smith launched a shot from well wide of the box deep on the left hand wing. There was a stunned silence from across the field as the ball rattled off the far top-corner and into the net. Because it looked as though the ball had sailed over the crossbar and had hit the rugby posts behind the goal it was not until the Lennox 'keeper, Michelle Slattery, picked the ball up from inside the net that the other six Southern Cross players, all sixty metres from the action, realised they had scored.

After going in at the break leading one-nil SCU was able to add another, again through Tegan Smith as Lennox replied through the lethal Rhonda Campbell, the highest scoring striker in all grades of Soccer FNC competition in 2003.

In the other First Division games Byron upset Rovers 2-1, Ballina defeated Thistles 3-1 and North Coast Flames captain Krystal Gollan scored a double seeing Workers home 4-2 against Woodburn.

Premier goal-feast

The first round of the Premier Division burst into action last weekend with 25 goals including four hat tricks.

Byron Bay sent shock waves through the ranks of the competition, as they swamped last year's premiers Italo Stars 7 to 2 in the Sunday game at the Bay. Adam Bostock amassed four goals in the thrashing, while fellow striker Bruce Morhaus merely pocketed a hat trick.

Neal Harding proved the difference in the Thistles Maclean match, turning the game on its head in the dying moments. Harding, having delivering a quality cross to set up Darren Beardow for the equaliser, finished the job with a precision strike with only seconds remaining on the clock, Thistles 2 Maclean 1.

Worker's striker Tom Guttormsen put paid to Richmond Rovers hopes with two dazzling strikes and a clinically placed penalty in their 4-3 win despite Mathew Olley's hat trick for Rovers.

Spurred on by a penalty against them early in the second half Ballina fought back to knock off Bangalow 2 to 1. In a game dominated by the custodians, keepers Alex Pratt for Bangalow and Ballina's Lucas Wagland maintained the integrity of their opposing nets for the entirety of the first half with some stunning saves.

Casino Cobras made light work of a depleted Alstonville line up at Crawford Park, Alstonville with a 3 nil win.

Battle of the beaches

The early-season soccer spoils will be up for grabs over the next week with the finals of the Anzac cup on Sunday, followed by the Callan McMillan Memorial Shield finals on Wednesday, all at Oakes Oval.

On Sunday Ballina will face a buoyant Byron Bay in the premier Division final, fresh from their 7-2 thumping of reigning major-premiers Italo Stars. The stars on that occasion were Bruce Morhaus (hat-trick) and Adam Bostock (four goals). Bostock is coming off an outstanding season with the North Coast Suns, with that experience broadening the dimension of his game, while Moorhaus was the star of last year's Anzac Cup final against Maclean.

On Wednesday night at Oakes Oval, the two 2003 powerhouses of the women's competition, Lismore Workers and Richmond Rovers, will meet in the final of the Callan McMillan Memorial Shield A Division.

Soccer FNC pre-season Grand Finals

ANZAC Cup - Oakes Oval, Sunday April 25

12.30pm Grade 16 Lismore Workers v Byron Bay

2pm Open B Italo Stars v Alstonville

4.15pm Open A G'bah Hurricanes v G'bah Tornados

6.45 Premier Byron Bay v Ballina

Callan McMillan Memorial Shield - Oakes Oval, Wednesday April 28

6pm B division Kyogle v Nimbin Headers

8pm A division Lismore Workers v Richmond Rovers

Last call for 'Life Paddlers"

Paddlers in the 100 kilometre 2004 Paddle for Life will be hitting the water in Lismore from 8am this Saturday. The marathon will take them down the Richmond River over the following three days to end up at Riverview Park, Ballina, on Monday.

The event is organised again this year by local paddler Tim Limbert. Tim's love for kayaking led him to try and marry the scenic beauty of the sport with a public charity event that would benefit local organisations.

This year the recipients of funds raised will be The Buttery Drug and Alcohol Rehabilitation Program and Summerland Early Intervention.

Noting that there will be a ceiling placed on numbers, Tim wants to make sure that paddlers who want to take part get in touch with organisers as soon as possible.

"There is still time to register for the Paddle," Tim said.

"We are ensuring a safe and fun event with well-coordinated logistical support and catering.

"To maximise the safety and enjoyment of the event we have only allowed for a line up of 50 canoes to be a part of the event at any one time. The cost of entry is $25 per single-person canoe and $50 for a two-person canoe, plus $12 insurance for each person."

To register and join The 2004 Paddle for Life or for more information contact Tim Limbert on 6622 1174 or 0427 286 774.

Union turmoil after scrubbed round - Rugby Union

The Far North Coast Rugby Union competition has been thrown into turmoil after the cancellation of all results (with the exception of the Villages competition) from the first week of competition. Some clubs are unhappy with having played on Saturday for, apparently, no reason, and there is talk of an appeal to the NSW Rugby Union.

The late withdrawal of Byron Bay from First Grade has prompted the FNC Rugby Union zone executive to adopt a revised draw that places six teams (from the same clubs) in each of first and second grades with the Under 19's having five teams (the same as 1st and 2nd grade but without Grafton), allowing all three grades to play the same fixtures throughout the season at the same venues.

Third grade will feature six teams, including Byron bay, Mullumbimby and Yamba.

The Village competition remains unchanged, and as a result is the only competition to have its first round remain valid.

Village comp Round One:

Lennox Head 78 d Richmond Range 3

Bangalow 5 d Kyogle 3

Iluka d Evans River (forfeit).