Sports News
 Hook, Line and Sinker with Lindsay Doust
We will rarely see a better fish than this. Norm Harris on holidays at 1770 managed this 80lb (36kg) cobia (black kingfish). This species is also caught offshore in northern New South Wales. There have been a number of catches off Ballina and Evans Head in the 25kg class but this catch is the biggest I've ever heard of.
A good number of anglers from our region have headed north for the September/October barra season. Many go earlier in the year to get the run-off when the fish are generally larger, but later in the year seems to produce more numbers of fish. Places like Borooroola and the Limen Bight in the Gulf of Carpenteria have become very popular. Another top spot to visit this time of the year is Karumba, also in the Gulf, but a part of Queensland.
A lot closer to home is a top spot known as the Hinchinbrook.
Locally, some nice flathead are being caught on soft plastics and lures. When you consider this is not prime flathead time, it should mean that as the weather warms, the flathead should be even better. Remember that the minimum size is 36cm, with a bag limit of 10 and only one flathead in our bag can be over 70cm. There have also been some nice bream, school jew and trevally taken on plastics mainly in the area from the Ballina Ferry to Pimlico.
Watch this space in coming weeks for a great Shimano promotion. By buying a Shimano rod and reel outfit from their Christmas catalogue promotion, you will receive a cap. On the cap there is a number for you to register for some wonderful prizes; a 4WD and 16ft boat are just two of the prizes.
A rally in support of recreational angling interests in the Cape Byron Marine Park will be held this Saturday, September 18, at Brunswick Heads at 9am. Try to get there but if you can't there will be another one at Lennox Head on October 16.
A petition presenting what anglers want to achieve in the park is circulating through all fishing clubs, tackle stores and boat shops. Call in to Suffolks Sports Store and sign ASAP. A deputation will take it to the Minister in October.
 Call of the Loon with Laurie Axtens
No pity for losers
At this time of the year many young men and women will end up on the wrong side of the score line in the sudden death of the finals. Some of them will even feel that awful sense of guilt that happens when it was your failed penalty attempt, missed tackle or fumble that led directly to the loss.
I don't feel that much pity for those who have tried and failed. No. I pity those who haven't tried or haven't had the chance to be out there. I pity those who have feared too much the pangs of loss, the opinion of others or simply weren't blessed with the genetics to play the game. It is the wallflowers who never really live, the couch critics who never really feel the pain of loss or the elation of victory; it is they who truly miss out. He and she who died wondering "Why didn't I join the academy when it was offered?", "Why didn't I get picked - I trained as hard as the next bloke?", "Why didn't I speak to that girl when I had the chance?"
These are the people who are to be pitied.
The 'would of', 'could of', 'should of' and simply 'couldn't' in our midst.
As for those of you who fell at the last hurdle or who fumbled with the line open, to you I say, hard luck, better luck next time and I feel a sense pride to have known you, because you were winners in the game of life the moment you ran on.
It has been my honour to record your efforts this winter, all of you, from the wooden spooners to the major title holders. You are all champions in this journal.
As a postscript, it is worth noting that even the winners, after the elation of victory, suffer a sense of melancholy. None of us can live in our past moments of glory, we must all move on and in the end it only makes us more aware of what we've lost; our youth, perhaps, when we polish the silverware in the trophy cabinet. Or dust off the wooden spoon.
Sky's the limit for Sunday racing
The Gold Coast trained galloper Counter Agent, who came a good third behind Arena Valadora in last week's Ballina Cup, will start in the $20,000 Lismore Workers Club Rousillon Handicap (1516m) at Lismore races this Sunday, September 19.
The Rousillon Handicap day is the traditional first day of Lismore's two-day cup carnival, with the $35,000 Tooheys New Lismore Cup (2100m) and the $25,000 Harvey Norman Big Maiden (1200m) the two feature races at the major race day next Thursday, September 23.
Prize money for the Rousillon was increased as part of Sky Channel's sponsorship of Sunday racing in the country and sets the scene for a great spring carnival.
"The increased prize money for the Rousillon has created enormous interest throughout the Northern Rivers and in Queensland," Lismore Turf Club secretary, Michael Timbrell, said.
The Rousillon Handicap is an opportunity for quality horses that aren't suited to the 2100 Lismore Cup to compete over the shorter distance for decent prize money.
"Counter Agent would appear to be one of those horses," Michael said. "Some trainers also like to run their horses in the Rousillon and back them up four days later in the cup."
This Sunday is a family day and this year the club is experimenting with an initiative that will give parents some time for themselves. The Byron Bay Kids' Club will be set up within the racecourse, providing fully supervised activities in a secure area for all children who attend.
Lismore Workers Club members will receive free entry to Rousillon Day.
As well as the richest maiden race in NSW, other highlights include a fashion competition with prizes galore and the opportunity to see rugby league's most successful and most colourful referee, Bill Harrigan.
Bill Harrigan will talk about his life as a referee and life after refereeing at the pre cup dinner dance next Wednesday, September 22, at the racecourse function centre. Booking can be made on 6621 3176.
Sign on for life savers
 The Lennox Head/Alstonville Surf Club are ready to sign on nippers this Sunday, September 19, from 10am at the clubhouse opposite Lake Ainsworth in Lennox Head.
Senior members will be on hand to provide advice on requirements including uniforms and proficiency standards. Parental participation is encouraged and training courses for bronze medallions will be conducted at the club in the near future. Returning and new members are most welcome.
For further information phone Mark Laverty on 6687 7435 or Al Watt on 6628 6405.
The club will commence beach patrols for the new surf season from 9am on Saturday, September 25, at Seven Mile Beach. Patrol memberships and rosters have been posted to the club's website at www.lennoxsurfclub.com.au.
Workers seal major - Baseball
 Norths' Club president, Leon Elliott, proudly displays the club championship trophy. Leon's injury in the first of the Major League finals had a big impact on the final series.
Workers conversion of the minor premiership into the major title started in a lacklustre fashion on Friday night at Baxter Field, as Huckleberry medal winner Josh Daley conceded 3 hits and 3 runs to Norths in the first dig.
Workers, who have dominated the Rex Airline Major League throughout the year, seemed disinterested and with the fall of the ball seeming to be favouring the Bears, the air was heavy with the whisper of 'upset'.
Big Brad Daly looked at ease in the middle for Norths and his infield were on their game with an errorless display. Indeed, it wasn't till the fourth innings that the depthy Workers offensive line-up started to find Daly's measure.
Workers Micheal McClelland started with a single but broke early and was picked off at second. Next pitch his brother Scott clobbered a three base hit, which would have scored the runner. Brad's breaking pitch was working well as he struck out the next two batters, trapping McClelland on third. Things still seemed to be running Norths way.
In the fifth Leon Elliott monstered one out of the ground for Norths, pushing their lead to 6-1. Finally, the Workers prodigious batting machine awoke from its slumber in the fifth innings. A searing line drive double by golden glove Wayne Devlin was followed by singles to Tucker and Knapp, which scored two. In the sixth innings, Devlin again hammered a double to the fence and tied up the scores by stealing home on a short passed ball. It was a close call at the plate and catcher Leon Elliott injured his shoulder as he dived to make the play. It was a crucial moment as Leon was forced out of the series by the injury.
The next two innings were scoreless affairs but there was a sense that Workers were building to something as their hitters were being caught on the fence. Norths failed to make any headway against Josh Daley in their last dig and it all came down to whether they could shut out Workers in their last time at the plate. The first out was a pop fly to right field, the second a strike out, but the third out never came for Norths as Mike McClelland sliced a hit to the right field fence to score Knapp.
Workers entered the second game in the three game final series with a steely resolve. In the first innings Workers batted around, driving in run after run. When Troy Preuss smashed one out the ground it was evident that the flood gates were truly open and Norths were given no alternative other than to take Mark Robb off the mound and replace him with Paul Simes, who quickly got them out of trouble.
Workers second innings had all the hallmarks of ground hog day as they threatened to go on a hitting rampage but Norths managed to restrict them to just two more runs.
Norths started their assent of the Workers lead in the third with three runs but it only inspired the Workers players as they nailed pitch after pitch in the fourth to pull away 15-5.
The monumental scoring rate continued as Workers re-established their six run buffer and drew away in the sixth and seventh to establish a 24-14 lead. Norths failed to find a run in seventh and the game was called under the10 run rule to cap an exceptional year for Workers.
In lower grades and juniors Norths managed to snavel five of the possible eight major titles in dispute. In 1st Division East Redbirds dominated Alstonville from the first pitch to come away 15-7 winners. In 2nd Division, minor premiers Easts Redbirds fell at the last hurdle to Norths 22-20. The 3rd Division grand final was won by Ballina over Easts 14-12, who also failed to convert their minor premiership. Norths won 4th Division, Under 18s and Under 16s all by close margins while Norths Under 14s amassed a 21-8 win over a combined East/Workers side. Ballina took out the Under 12s 10-8 against Brothers.
Lismore Futsal
Futsal, or indoor soccer as it's commonly known, is one of the fastest growing and most physically demanding sports worldwide.
Lismore's own futsal competition has its sign-on this Saturday, September 18, at the PCYC between 9am and 1pm. Soccer devotees know that nothing is better for skills development and fitness during the off-season than futsal, so get in early to avoid disappointment.
The youth and local club game is played on a basketball or netball size court, usually 20 minutes each way. At elite level, it is played on a 40-metre long by 20-metre wide court in two halves of 20 minutes. The goals are two metres high and three metres wide and the ball used is a size 4 ball that has a dead bounce, so that the ball does not get too high.
For more information on futsal and where you can play it phone Ian Bentall on 0417 070148 or email i.bentall@qldfutsal.com.au. You can also access further information at the website www.qldfutsal.com.au.
Soccer squad named
Tye McDonald of Lennox Head, Brooke Sheehan of Alstonville, Kaine Allan of Nimbin and Zac Harris of Ballina are the Soccer Far North Coast representatives in the 30-member North Coast Soccer Academy Squad for 2004-5.
The soccer program is an off-season development program aimed at producing higher skilled and better-educated soccer players. As well as the quality coaching provided to all squad members, athletes are also provided with a comprehensive athlete eduction plan which includes modules in sports medicine, sports psychology, sports nutrition, sprinting and agility training, media skills, public speaking and time management.
The Northern NSW Soccer Federation (NNSWSF) has endorsed the scheme and will be paying for regional development officer, Mark Ambler, to act as head coach. Mark will be assisted by fellow coaches Robert Usher of Grafton, Alison Fazzolari from Port Macquarie and Krystal Gollan from Woodburn.
The program will run from September to March, in which time the squad will have 10 days of training at Tweed Heads, Lismore, Grafton, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie. Athletes will also take part in the NNSWSF talent development camp at Armidale in early January, and an inter-academy weekend challenge in March.
The soccer squad's induction and first coaching day will be held this Sunday in Lismore.
Sport subsidies
Applications for the annual Athlete Subsidy Scheme are closing on September 30. Last year around $30,000 was distributed by the North Coast Academy of Sport to 104 local athletes representing 17 different sports.
The amount of funding provided to each successful applicant is not a fixed amount as it depends on the size of the funding pool and the final number of recipients within each academy sub-region.
"We strongly encourage any local athlete aged between 12 and18 years who has competed recently to a high standard at state or national level, to apply for a cash subsidy from the academy," Academy of Sport executive director, Tony Clarke, said.
"Athletes don't have to be part of an academy sport program to be eligible and can be from any recognised sport."
Applications will be assessed in early October and successful recipients will be required to attend a presentation function within their respective sub-region in November or December.
For further information and to obtain the necessary application form visit www.ncas.org.au or phone 6620 3073.
Sailing squad selection
 Nick Peate, Sasha Phillips and Sam Phillips of Ballina will join the 17 member squad for the North Coast Academy of Sport 2004-5 sailing program.
The squad members, all aged between 12 and 18 years, represent the very best in junior sailing on the North Coast.
The program includes four intensive training weekends during September and December at sailing clubs in Coffs Harbour, Harwood and Ballina. The focus of the program is to prepare athletes for state and national championships in their respective sailing class, which for this program includes manly juniors, flying elevens, sabots, lasers and spirals.
A special feature of the program involves sourcing elite coaches from around the country to provide coaching to the young sailors. Thanks to support of QantasLink, national and internationally ranked sailors Ben Austin and Justin Kelleher will be attending the first camp at Coffs Harbour this weekend.
As well as the class specific coaching, athletes are provided with a fitness conditioning program, which they must adhere to on a weekly basis. Additionally, athletes are provided with a regional athlete education curriculum, which covers topics such as sports psychology, injury prevention and management, nutrition, and media and public relations.
Golf coaching clinic
The NSW Department of Sport & Recreation is offering junior golf coaching clinics in the upcoming school holidays with local golfing professionals.
"The clinics have been very popular with children in recent holidays and places are again expected to fill quickly," the department's development officer, James Roberts, said.
The clinics are conducted over three days for two hours each day, during which time professional golfers provide instruction in balance, posture, swings, chipping, putting and course etiquette.
Participating venues include Lismore Golf Club, Casino Golf Club and the Mullumbimby Golf Club.
Each clinic costs $44 per child, which includes instruction, equipment hire and green fees. For more information or enrolment forms phone the NSW Department of Sport & Recreation on 6687 7168.
In Godbee we trust - Rugby League
 Retiring Brothers centre Scott McKinnon is helped from the field on Sunday. McKinnon's marking of Godbee was exceptional until his injury turned the tide in favour of Mullum.
Mullumbimby coach Dave Latta must have been wondering whether his faith in Glen Godbee was well placed during the last seconds of the Group One grand final on Sunday. Here is the scene: with one and a half minutes left on the clock and a 2 point lead, Mullumbimby were 10 metres from the Marist line and on the attack. Most teams would have closed up shop with one out runs and a grubber behind the line to force a drop out. Not Mullum. In true cavalier Giants fashion they spun the ball out the backs to Godbee, who flicked on the turbo charger and tried to score in the corner. He ran out of room and threw an in-field speculator... The crowd gasped... Marist intercepted and three tackles later with only seconds left on the clock Brothers' second rower, Damien Bryant, was careering for the Mullum try line in the diagonally opposite corner. The six thousand strong Mullumbimby crowd held their collective breath... the St John Ambulance officers raced to find the defibrillator for the staggering, goggle-eyed Latta. Had the year of the Giants gone horribly wrong? No.
The Giants turned up in numbers, pushing the determined second rower onto the corner post to deny the try and win the cliffhanger. It could not have been a closer run thing.
To be fair to the turbo charged Godbee, he had set up two of the three Mullumbimby tries and his cover defence had snuffed out one for Marist Brothers. He is and was a genuine match winner and when his marker, Scott McKinnon, was forced to leave the field in the second half it changed the complexion of the game. Up until then Marist had managed to maintain a 12-4 lead with their courageous backs to the line defence soaking up all the Giants could throw at them. Scott's departure set Godbee free and his speed was all too much for the Marist cover defence.
The fairytale came true for Mullumbimby on Sunday. Last year they were 'also rans', this year they dominated the premiership from go to woe. Thank Godbee for that.
The double-edged edge - Soccer FNC
Mens Premier Division grand final
Due to a quirk of fate two of the most successful and well-respected clubs in Lismore, Richmond Rovers and Lismore Workers, have never played a grand final against each other. At least not since Workers changed their name from Eastwood United in 1986.
This Saturday, September 18, at Oakes Oval at 7.15pm, that's all going to change with what promises to be one of the best grand finals in living memory.
Each side is blessed with at least two Golden Boot Award winners and with Steve Morrissey returning from injury for Workers, each team will go into the game at full strength.
Little divides the two highly skilled and disciplined sides, if anything, Workers may have an edge, but it's a double gilt-edged edge.
The first edge is the size of Oakes Oval. Oakes is a larger field than Rovers home ground and this might go some way to defusing the Scott Coster throw, which is of international standard. The size of the field will also give Workers extra room to practice their possession dominating style. The second edge is that Rovers Premier Reserves will be playing their own grand final before the big game, so Rovers bench won't be fresh. It's a double gilt-edged advantage because Rovers have all the abovementioned talent, which needs defusing. It's an edge that could easily cut both ways. Too close to call.
Womens First Division grand final
Workers played a very physical game when they overcame Rovers last week 4-1 at Barrow Lane on Friday night in the preliminary final of the womens first grade competition. Rovers had no less than three injured during the encounter, including mother daughter combination Val and Samantha Douse, but that is not to say that there was any foul play involved. The injuries were merely the consequence of solid contact in 50-50 balls.
This Friday, September 17, at Oakes Oval from 8pm Workers will contest the grand final against the youthful Byron Bay line-up. Byron's Rose Argent, the Harvey World Travel Lismore Golden Boot Award winner, has been in magical form and the Workers squad will find her hard to contain. Byron is also a physical team and don't be surprised if there is a bit of push and shove.
Also keep an eye out for Workers set pieces; they have developed a patented 'corners by numbers' rushing technique that has the other teams in the competition mystified.
All conquering Trinity
 Standing L to R: Liz McInerney, Sophia Fryer, Kirsten MacMaster, Tilly Jerks, Jenna Edwards, Fallon Campbell, Renae McIntosh, Ana Gulliver, Tamika Morrissey, Chelsea Coleman, Hannah Bruce Front: Bob Delaney (coach), Chloe Dunsmore, Abbey Moss, Hannah Brown, Cailtin Downes.
Renae McIntoch's trademark weaving run and left foot strike brought victory for Trinity Catholic College's year 10 team in the final of the combined Catholic colleges soccer knockout this month against McKillop College 1-0.
Renae is one of the top scorers in the Intershape women first division and her finishing was instrumental in the local girls taking out the title.
That said, Trinity's game has a firm defensive foundation in Chloe Dunsmore and Tilly Jerks at the back and their composure during the entire competition was amazing. In the midfield, Renae McIntosh and Ana Gulliver's work rate was tremendous and they're vision and distribution masterful. Congratulations.
Soccer squad named
Tye McDonald of Lennox Head, Brooke Sheehan of Alstonville, Kaine Allan of Nimbin and Zac Harris of Ballina are the Soccer Far North Coast representatives in the 30-member North Coast Soccer Academy Squad for 2004-5.
The soccer program is an off-season development program aimed at producing higher skilled and better-educated soccer players. As well as the quality coaching provided to all squad members, athletes are also provided with a comprehensive athlete eduction plan which includes modules in sports medicine, sports psychology, sports nutrition, sprinting and agility training, media skills, public speaking and time management.
The Northern NSW Soccer Federation (NNSWSF) has endorsed the scheme and will be paying for regional development officer, Mark Ambler, to act as head coach. Mark will be assisted by fellow coaches Robert Usher of Grafton, Alison Fazzolari from Port Macquarie and Krystal Gollan from Woodburn.
The program will run from September to March, in which time the squad will have 10 days of training at Tweed Heads, Lismore, Grafton, Coffs Harbour and Port Macquarie. Athletes will also take part in the NNSWSF talent development camp at Armidale in early January, and an inter-academy weekend challenge in March.
The soccer squad's induction and first coaching day will be held this Sunday in Lismore.
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