Sports News

Hook, Line and Sinker

The bass riff

The photo today is of a large shovel-nosed shark caught at Evans Head.

Last Sunday was the first round of the Bass Electric Competitions for 2005 held at Clarrie Hall Dam near Uki. The 57 competitors who attended started fishing at 7am and went through to 1pm. Each competitor could weigh in two fish. The fish have to be brought in alive and be able to swim away. This was a touch unlucky for a member of the Richmond Valley Sports Fishing Club, who had the heaviest bass but it was not able to swim away. Despite this the Club did fare well, winning fourth and fifth placing. The next round is at Maroon Dam.

There are four competitions in Northern NSW, with a grand final at Bjelke Peterson Dam for a 'State of Origin' against Queensland's best, with prizes of more than $20,000. If interested, phone Allan on 6633 1496.

This type of fishing competition, which is the future of competition fishing in Australia, can be seen on Channel 8. Most of the bass competitions are held in stocked impoundments.

NSW Fisheries is calling for recreational anglers to fill two positions. One is for ACORE, the body that advises the Minister on recreational fishing matters in NSW. The second is for a seat on the committee that decides how some of the fees raised from fishing licences will be spent in the area of freshwater. There is also a saltwater expenditure committee. Bruce Mahony from Lismore is on this committee. Expenses are paid, along with a small sitting fee.

Locally, reports that mackerel are making their presence felt at Woody Head, Yamba, Evans Head and Brunswick Heads are widespread. Mostly spotties at this stage, but mixed with an occasional nice Spanish.

Call of the Loon with Laurie Axtens

Walking a fine line

It is a sad indictment of human nature that we find it easier to be charitable from a position of safety than we do when we are culpable and should pay reparations for the injustices we have handed out. This is as true in sport as it is in politics and business.

For example, in cricket, Brian Lara and Adam Gilchrist both walk. They don't wait for the umpire to raise his finger, and if they get a feather edge to the keeper, they just tuck their bats under their arms and toddle off to the showers.

The reason that these two players walk, unlike virtually ever other cricketer on the international scene, is because no selector in their right mind would drop them. No matter how much Lara and Gilchrist's generosity endangered the team's prospects, both will make it to retirement because they are two of the greatest players to ever pull on a set of creams. They're safe, so they can be as charitable with their wicket as they like. Their mere appearance in a game is money in the bank for the promoters.

Needless to say you won't see Mathew Hayden walking, not right now, with his one- day career on the line.

Walking is a legends only activity, particularly when there are millions of dollars in sponsorship and the chance of losing your spot in the national squad resting on a bat's edge.

Of course when it comes to calling wrongly dismissed players back to the wicket, which a captain is quite entitled to do, Lara and Gilchrist have both remained tight lipped. They have watched the replay on the big screen, they know that the batsman has been diddled, but do they right the wrong? No they don't.

And why not? Because it's easy to be the white knight when you're safe, but if you're a black guard it's difficult to admit culpability - it's humiliating and in any case why give a sucker an even break.

Is this why our rich, free and fair land can donate tens of millions of dollars in charity to the tsunami victims and yet completely ignore the devastation in Iraq? Iraq has lost as many people and just as much infrastructure. Is guilt retarding our generosity?

Dr Sharron an old salt

NSW Waratah's doctor, Sharron Flahive, is seen here assigning names to urine collection bottles. Urine is collected before and after training to check the players for dehydration.

Doctor Sharron Flahive is one of only three women involved in any of the Super 12 touring rugby teams.

The Echo caught up with the good doctor when she was in Lismore looking after the NSW Waratah's during their flying visit last week.

As part of the 12-strong support team, Sharron keeps a keen eye on her charges, evaluating their injuries and overseeing their recover programs.

"Matt Rogers is the only player who is recovering from serious injury at the moment. We are fortunate in that regard," she said. "That is why he isn't training here today. He's doing a light run instead and some cycle work to keep up his aerobic fitness. Matt's got what the American's call a high ankle sprain."

Rogers' injury involved the widening of the bones in the lower leg and required off-season surgery. Sharron scheduled and assisted in the operation.

According to Sharron, one of the most difficult parts of the job is keeping the players hydrated.

"Even 2 per cent dehydration can effect reaction time, decision making and endurance," Sharron said. "While they're training they lose about 2-3 litres of fluid per hour and they can only drink 450mls. Most people don't feel thirsty till they're about 5 per cent dehydrated so they find it difficult to drink enough. Its very important for the players to take sodium (salt). The body needs salt to retain water - I often suggest they eat vegemite because it's so salty," Sharron said. "Sometimes the players get dehydrated and yet they reckon they've been drinking heaps, but it's all water and straight water can actually leach the body of salts and cause dehydration."

Robinson in the Heartland

Lismore's Mark Robinson is off to Victoria's all new Heartland raceway.

This weekend V8 Dirt Modified national champion Mark Robinson will head south to the Victorian town of Moama for the Victorian V8 Dirt Modified Championships at the all-new Heartland raceway.

With up to 20 top-line drivers nominated for the event, Robinson will go in as one of the favourites alongside defending home state Victorian champion, Brett Milburn.

Heartland has only had World Series Sprintcars race at the venue since it's opening, and now with the V8 Dirt Modifieds first meeting at the track, it will bring out a level playing field for all drivers.

Robinson's national champion status will be highly regarded by many, and they will expect him to be a major threat in his Valvoline Ford. The pressure on a national champion to perform well at any race is always high. However, for Robinson, the pressure on the team to do well at the titles is not an issue.

"Sure there is a bit of pressure there, but we won't let that get to us," Robinson said. "We're just going to do the best we can. We're aiming for a top three finish."

Joining Robinson in Victoria will be local racer Stuart Herne.

After this weekend, both Robinson and Herne will set their sights on the NSW V8 Dirt Modified Championships to be held in Lismore next Saturday, Feburary 19.

Moffatt a mover and shaker

North Coast Academy triathlete Emma Moffatt came third at the International Triathlon Union (ITU) Oceania Under 23 Triathlon Championships last weekend and is now on the verge of national team selection for the world championships.

Emma Moffatt from Lennox Head has recorded her best-ever performance in triathlon by placing third at the ITU Under 23 Oceania Championships, which were held at Penrith last weekend.

Emma was pipped for a higher placing by two world-class competitors, Felicity Abrams and Nikki Egyed, both from Queensland. Abrams won the 2003 junior world championship, while Egyed won the 2003 Under 23 world championship.

Emma, who is a member of the North Coast Academy of Sport (NCAS) triathlon squad and a student at Southern Cross University, was overjoyed by her performance.

"I included the Oceania Championship in my competition plan this summer, and even though I'm only 20 and competing against some older and more experienced competitors, I felt that if my race went to plan I might finish in the top five," Moffatt said. "Coming in third was just fantastic. I was very happy with my preparation and felt great for all of the race. It's great when everything comes together so well."

The race is used as a selection event for the national team that contests the Under 23 world championships in Japan later this year. Automatic selection only goes to the first two finishers, however, Emma still has two more opportunities at the remaining two selection races being held in Hobart on February 20 and Geelong on March 27 to make the cut. The very best of luck.

Show me the money - Tennis

Lismore Tennis Club president, Mark Britt, has accused Lismore mayor Merv King and councillor Jenny Dowell of misleading the club, after they suggested funding would be available when in fact it was re-allocated to make up Council's maintenance budget shortfall.

Mr Britt said King and Dowell inspected the club's facilities in October, advising the club to wait for the Urban Sports Ground Development Fund to be advertised, and make an application for funding.

However, Mr Britt was left baffled when the advertising never appeared.

"We have a number of pressing projects that are critical to our club's existence and to its future development and we were hoping to get access to the program's funding via an application," Britt said. "However, we have been very disappointed to learn that the money set aside for this program has been re-directed to other areas of Council's operations."

Cr Jenny Dowell said she was shocked by the accusation she had misled the club.

"I didn't do it deliberately - I informed a lot of sporting groups to expect the funding applications to be advertised but they didn't appear," Jenny said. "At a meeting in December we were informed that applications for the grant scheme would be advertised in February - now it seems they won't be advertised for this financial year at all."

When asked why funds were diverted away from the development fund and into the maintenance budget, Cr Dowell said that administrators had hidden the matter at the bottom of a quarterly report.

"I've been accused of not reading the papers, which is simply not true, I read them thoroughly," she said. "All the councillors missed it. We made an error there and we're looking to rectify it."

Mr Britt would like to see the program re-instated immediately.

"The Urban Sports Ground Development Fund was a fair and equitable process by which all sports clubs could access funds and it looks like Council's management have tried to kill it off," he said. "We want to see it re-instated and operated under its original intent."

Soccer settles for Crozier - Soccer FNC

The Lismore and District Sports Association (LDSA) and Soccer Far North Coast (SFNC) general manager Matt Kelso has hammered out a compromise to hold soccer's ANZAC cup at Crozier Oval rather that its traditional home of Oakes Oval.

During an impassioned presentation at Monday night's LDSA meeting, Kelso cited liquor licence restrictions, the desire for night games and the quality of the pitch as his primary reasons for wanting to stay at Oakes Oval, rather than moving to the nearby Crozier Oval.

Councillor John Chant raised concerns that if the soccer finals were played in the wet the Oakes Oval ground would be badly affected for the City verses Country rugby league match 11 days later, which would reflect badly on the region.

After lengthy discussions the committee decided to allow the ANZAC cup to go ahead on Oakes, granted that the NRL allowed it and that the games would be moved to Crozier Oval should wet weather occur.

However, despite the NRL's subsequent approval (weather permitting), Kelso decided to take up the Crozier option to avoid any late cancellation.

"Although it's a bit of a back down on our behalf, we have come to an arrangement which will alleviate some of the additional costs involved," Kelso said.

Park upgrade uncertainty

Kelso's other major concern raised at the meeting was that funding for the Riverview Park upgrade be made available as soon as possible. Riverview Park is where SFNC have based their representative teams training for the last four years and Mr Kelso was hoping the quality of training facilities would be raised to accommodate the 200 players in this year's elite development program.

The Council had committed $20,000 to the ground upgrade over two years, however, those funds were apparently diverted to cover a blow out in the maintenance budget.

Lismore City Council manager for parks and roads, Gary Hemsworth, told The Echo that the funds were available as part of this year's budget.

"Council had some budgetary issues last year," he said. "The LDSA have been allocated $80,000 to disperse and should they and the Council consider the Riverview Park project a priority, then funds would be forth coming."

However, Kelso was left with the distinct impression that the money would not be forth coming until after the end of this financial year.

"If the approval for Riverview Park funds has to go back through Council for a second time, you can bet that it will end up in the big hole down at the baths," Kelso said.

Colts squad solid - Golf with Stan Bendall

Talented young Northern Rivers representative Luke Henwood will join three other young local golfers - Andrew Kirkman, Brenton Minshall and Brendo Griffiths - in the Northern Rivers colts team, which will play the Mid North Coast in Byron this weekend. Luke, who is only 21, already holds three course records on Maclean, Yamba and Iluka courses. Luke is also the current regional champion, winning the title at Grafton last year. The team will contest a 4-ball matchplay on the Saturday and a single matchplay on Sunday.

The match play between Northern Rivers and Mid North Coast is the first inter-district golf match for the year.

Director's day

Last Sunday in very warm conditions, Yamba Golf Club hosted the annual Director's Golf Day, with the course in top condition and quite a few kangaroos sitting up and taking notice. The day only attracted 80 golfers from 20 clubs, but quality made up for quantity. Maybe the lack of players was caused by the time of the year this event is played, as it can be very hot, and perhaps the Association should look at changing the annual event to April or May. However, the golfers that took part in the tournament had a top day, with the host club member, Sean Kingsley, taking out A grade. Next year's Directors Day will be hosted by Maclean Golf Club.

Sharks seconds slap down star studded Eels

A determined and enthusiastic defence, combined with the deft kicking game of second string pivots Russell Aitken and Greg Bird, set up victory for Cronulla over a star studded Parramatta outfit during the NRL trial match at Oakes Oval on Saturday night.

The Eels, who spent millions on big name players in the off season, must have been mildly shocked when Cronulla half, Russell Aitken, crossed early in the first quarter after some enterprising play down the blind side from Luke Clovell and Tyan McGoldrick.

However, Eels' coach Brian Smith didn't seem too concerned, well, not until five minutes later when the Sharks' big second rower, Phillip Leuluai, pounced on a dropped bomb behind the Eels line for Sharks' second try. Clovell converted both tries and in no time the Sharks lead 12-0.

Finally, the Eels woke up and on the back of some powerful running from Glen Morrison, hooker Mark Riddell forced his way over from dummy half to score next to the posts. Riddell easily picked up the conversion and the men in gold and blue were back in the contest 12-6. Moments later the Eels looked like scoring again and probably should have, except for some poor dummy half work from Daniel Wagon, who passed to no one.

The quality of play in the first quarter was good but from then on the match degenerated into a mistake fest. During the next quarter Cronulla extended their lead to 18-6 after flashy Sharks winger Nathan Merritt cut through some frail defence at the edge of the ruck for the Sharks third try. Parramatta tried to hit back down the flank through origin star Timana Tahu but his endeavours were constantly snuffed out by determined cover defence.

The third quarter looked set to be all Parramatta when five-eighth John Morris benefited from some excellent lead up work from Riddell and Dean Widders to score close to the posts. Riddell picked up the extras as the Eels fought back to 18-12. Handling errors were starting to dominate the game till a penalty for racking gave the Eels a chance to get within scoring distance.

When Wade McKinnon punched his way over from dummy half to level the scores Parramatta must have felt the game's momentum had changed. Perhaps they would run over the top of the second string Sharks unit in the last quarter?

Nothing could have been further from the truth. The last quarter was so riddled with turn-overs it was hard to work out who had the ball. The crowd started a Mexican wave they were so spellbound by the play making in the middle. Not.

Through the final session Sharks camped down in the Eels 20 metres thanks to some clever grubbers behind the line by Aitken and Beau Scott, which trapped the Eels behind their own line. Finally, after being denied one try due to a double movement, the Sharks finally crossed for the winning try when Cameron Ciraldo ran a good angle to break the over stretched defence. The final score was 24-18 and the Sharks had only brought their seconds. Looks like the Eels have a tough season ahead.

Big hitters have their day

Southern Districts and Norths Goonellabah RSL smashed their way to the top of the LJ Hooker League last weekend.

Anthony Nind exploded out of the blocks for Souths in their second innings against Workers Club at Nesbitt Park, South Lismore. Anthony bludgeoned 66 in 14 overs as the men in green and gold scored at 8.5 runs an over to pull off a surprise outright against Workers. As it turned out Souths were fortunate to get the first innings points when they were rolled for 98, only 6 runs ahead of Workers first innings total.

Meanwhile out at Casino's Queen Elizabeth Park pitch, former Country NSW batsman Joel Henderson (88) and chunky lefty Rodney Wells (86) helped plunder a massive 5-274 for Norths Goonellabah RSL against Casino Cavaliers in their one-day match. In reply the Beef Capital kids could only manage 186, thanks to six slippery overs from Sean Mead (5-25). The loss forces the Cavaliers out of the top four as they make way for Lennox Head.

Lennox won through in their game against a resurgent Ballina Bears by a mere 9 runs as the two teams vied for a spot on the top shelf of the competition. Ben Legzdins (4-44) led the way but when it came to the crunch captain Shaun Savage (2-43) finished off the tail.

This weekend Souths take on Lennox Head at Saunders Oval as the seasiders eye off third.

Third placed Tintenbar East Ballina, after a horror start to their match with Marist Brothers last week, righted their ship and polished off the Brethren 40 runs shy of the target. Only the elegant Chris Matthews (69) looked at home on the placid Kingsford Smith pitch as the Bar's bowlers shared the scalps; Mark Newstead (3-41), Luke Shay 93-19) and Mark Grant (3-44).

The Bar will have to work hard to retain their spot in the finals race as they come up against second placed Norths Goonellabah RSL.

Marist Brothers and Alstonville will stroll onto Oakes Oval to battle it out for the wooden spoon. Alstonville (77) went belly up against Easts out at Hill Park as their season to forget continued. Easts' representative bowlers Ian Gregory (4-27) and Jake McKinnon (4-30) did the damage in the first innings.

Having taken the first innings points Easts tried to outright the red soilers but only managed to play Greg Potter back into form.

Potter's 69 has been long awaited this year and it couldn't come at a worse time for Brothers as they battle for bragging rights. Interesting to note that veteran stroke-makers Chris Matthews and Greg Potter have both come into form at the same time and with the same score - 69.

In the other match Workers will travel to Fripp Oval to battle it out with a very youthful Ballina Bears outfit. Both teams are still have an outside chance of making the semis, so expect a determined struggle.