Sports News

Hook, Line and Sinker

Remember to release

Peter Dawson holds up a 12kg Amberjack that he caught off the coast of Evans Head. This fish was released. Catch and release is vital to saving our fish stocks.

The annual 4WD Caravan and Camping Show was held last weekend in Lismore.

It was a great display of everything for the fisher. The biggest selling item was the new "Cat Eye" head torch that clips to your cap or brim of your hat and makes for hands free fishing, camping and climbing. There are just a few left at the show price.

Fishing is picking up since the flood. There were lots of fish caught at the Evans Head Classic with a lucky angler from Glen Innes winning the $35,000 boat. Lets hope many of the fish were released because there were a lot caught.

A photo and a kiss are not always enough to ensure the survival of fish caught and released by recreational anglers. Instead, scientists at the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) will spend three years researching the factors that contribute to the survival rates of various fish species after they are hooked and then released back into the water. NSW DPI and the Recreational Fishing (Saltwater) Trust jointly fund the project, worth almost $1 million. The research builds on an earlier two-year project, which involved estimating the short-term survival rates of many popular recreational fishing species.

Call of the Loon with Laurie Axtens

Mr Bad Example

Last week four Australian hockey players dropped into Lismore to be part of a junior coaching clinic and as I was snapping off a few shots for this prestigious journal I was filled with nostalgia for a time long past.

You see I was one of the very fortunate members of the Under 12 Far North Coast hockey team that was selected to play the Australian men's hockey side in an exhibition match during a junior championship in Tamworth in the late seventies.

The Far North Coast team had earned the right to play the game in front of a few hundred other junior rep players and their supporters by leading the competition at the halfway point.

We, the Far North Coast Under 12s, ran out onto the paddock with only one aim: victory. Before the game we had discussed a match plan with our coach Clint Mallett. He had told us to run between their legs at every opportunity. Considering only two of our players even came up to the chests of our opponents it seemed sound advice.

However, the Olympians decided to use the match to show the collective Under 12 talent of NSW what 'not' to do. Remember this was in the bad old days of 'negative teaching'.

Before the match even started the Australian players burst into an argument over who would play where. One of the backs wanted to play centre forward and they were still carrying on when the opening whistle blew. We won the bully off and picked an obstruction. They argued about the ruling with the referee. Meanwhile the disgruntled back was using his stick to trip the centre forward. We went wide and made it into the circle and got away a shot. It went wide. The Aussie goalkeeper bellowed at his defenders. The referee awarded a penalty corner. There was another argument and this time one of the Olympians was sent off. During the 20-minute game three of the Aussies were sent off. After being sent off one of them sat on top of the goal and yelled sarcastic comments for the rest of the match. It was hilarious, but not for the earnest competitors from FNC.

Despite our best efforts they won 1-nil, after a deflected pass missed my head by a millimetre and slammed into the back of the net. Remember this was the bad old days when goalies didn't wear masks.

It is special thrill to be amongst the sporting elite, particularly for children, and politicians. I would like to personally thank Paul Kelly's company Sports Link International for giving our children a chance to rub shoulders with the best the game has got and for reminding me of happier times. Sure, we had the whole credibility of the Far North Coast resting on our wee shoulders and we lost (it still haunts me to this day), but what a thrill it was.

Twitch, twitch.

Cool under pressure

Athletics trainer and track official, Jennie Duffield, produces a graceful spin for a class of fourth year Southern Cross University students at Riverview Park last Monday, only days after being selected as an official for next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Officiating the big time is nothing new for Ballina resident Jennie Duffield who was recently selected to serve as technical official for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne next year.

Jennie, who will fulfill the role of a track official, was also an official for the Sydney Olympics, the Paralympics, the World Veteran Games, the Goodwill Games and the World IAA Junior Games.

Track officials are the eyes and ears of the track referee. They watch for infringements, such as pushing and running outside the lines. If they see an infringement they are required to put in a written report of the incident to the referee.

As you can imagine there is a great deal of pressure placed on the officials and they must concentrate over an extended period.

Jennie's interest in athletics bloomed over 20 years ago after she enrolled her son in Little Athletics. Her son dropped out but she has gone on from strength to strength as an official and trainer. Congratulations.

King of the K1, OK in K2

Kadina High School student Mark Yager (pictured) won the open K1 division of the Queensland Schools State Kayak Marathon Championships on the Gold Coast last Saturday, after going stroke for stroke for kilometers on end with the eventual second place getter. Mark backed up to come second in the K2. Both races were over eight kilometers.

Ladies Bowls

Denise Wallace

A monumental 94 bowlers attended the Northern Rivers District Women's Bowls Association Veteran's Day recently at Lismore City Bowling Club, including 24 super veterans (80 years old) and two star super veterans, Edna Ireland and Madge Stewart, who are both 90 years old. The winning team on the day was P Williams, B Challis-Phillips, I McPhee and M Bennett with J Bird, J Molyneux, L Simes and B Boyle the runners up.

Glee mauled by Labrador

Glee left back Emily Savins found out how severe a stick check could get when she tangled with the Labrador midfield on Sunday at Hepburn Park. Labrador won 5-nil.

Women's premier league

Glee remain shocked after receiving a 5-nil monstering at the hands of Labrador on the home synthetic of Hepburn Park on Sunday. Labrador player and Australian striker Nikki Hudson was in scintillating form throughout the game, exhibiting great speed and stick work as the women in yellow dominated the midfield in what turned out to be highly charged match.

Meanwhile in Murwillumbah Amy Lesleighter, Carliha Johnston and Michaela Smith all scored for United Vipers to give them a decisive 3-1 win over the Redbacks. Vipers remain the only unbeaten team in the women's premier hockey league.

On the Gold Coast East Lismore fell just short of a fast finishing Capri to go down 4-3. Easts, who were missing five of their regular run on players, came back from a 3-nil deficit to tie the game up thanks to the finishing of Janelle Pitman. Unfortunately for the locals Belinda Morrison scored a late goal for Capri to steal the points.

In Murwillumbah, Kingscliff went on a scoring spree to beat Griffith 9-1 and Northern Star forfeited to Mudgee. Waratahs had the bye.

At Hepburn Park this Saturday the local derby between Glee and East Lismore at 1.30pm could easily be the match of the round. In the following game at 3.40pm Labrador will probably dismember Northern Star, granted the black and white can get a side on the paddock.

The three other matches of the round will be played in Murwillumbah between Capri and United, the Waratahs and Griffith and between Kingscliff and the Redbacks.

Pointscore:

Vipers 14, Labrador 13*, Waratah 13, Mudgeeraba 11*, Redbacks 11, Kingscliff 10, Glee 8, Capri 7*, East Lismore 3, Griffith 1*, Northern Star 1. (*deferred game)

Men's premier league

Competition high fliers Ballina came crashing down on Saturday at Hepburn when Mudgeeraba turned on a stunning performance to take the game 4-3. In a game that Ballina dominated it was the efforts of Mudgee goalkeeper Paul Lim that proved the difference between the sides.

In earlier action Coraki and Labrador played out a tense and sometimes spiteful 2-all draw. The intensity of the midfield tackling forced plenty of mistakes as passions often bubbled over.

In the final match of the day in Lismore, Northern Star snuck away with a 3-2 win over the Mullumbimby Taipans thanks largely to a hat trick by Thomas Vantaggiatto.

In Murwillumbah Alstonville's Adrian Crispo played a blinder to secure the men from the plateau a rare 4-3 win over Allstars.

In a novel return to grass at Kingscliff the home team overcame a late fight back from the United Vipers holding on to win 2-1.

In Burringbar, on grass, an emotion charged game went the way of the Waratah Bobcats as they defeated the Redbacks 4-1.

In the last match of the round on the Gold Coast Capri outlasted Burleigh, winning 4-3. East Lismore had the Bye.

This weekend Lismore will host four matches, three on Saturday and one on Sunday.

The Saturday triple-header gets underway at 2.55pm when Alstonville try to continue their good form against a faltering Mullumbimby Taipans. At 4.20pm Coraki will be keen to get back on the winners board after a lean trot and Northern Star should be well matched when they fight it out against Kingscliff at 5.45pm. The Sunday match between East Lismore and Labrador starts at 2.15pm and again promises to be a fair fight.

Two of the five remaining games will be played in Murwillumbah between the Allstars and the Redbacks and between the Waratahs and United. Meanwhile on the Gold Coast Capri will play Mudgee on Saturday and Kingscliff on Sunday. Northern Star will also back up when they run on against Mudgee on Sunday at 4pm. Good luck.

Pointscore:

Waratahs 25, Ballina 25, United Vipers 19, Mudgeeraba 19*, East Lismore 18, Kingscliff 16*, Labrador 16*, Coraki 15, Northern Star 15*, Capri 10*, Mullumbimby 10, Allstars 7, Alstonville 7, Redbacks 6*, Burleigh 4. (*deferred matches)

Workers machine breaks down in Mudgee

Brothers Anthony Graham takes a cut at this inside fastball in the match against Runaway Bay at Baxter Field on Saturday. Batters have about half a second to determine whether to swing at a pitch. Anthony clobbered this one foul.

After almost two seasons undefeated, the Workers juggernaut has finally ground to a halt.

The seemingly unstoppable Workers machine broke down against the Gold Coast champions, the Mudgeeraba Redsox, in Mudgee over the weekend, going down 9-5.

The game began badly for the local champs when the Redsox raced to a 6-nil lead in the second innings. Workers pitcher, the usually reliable Josh Daley, was finding it hard to find the mark and walked five batters and conceded six hits in the opening onslaught. In fact by the time Workers managed to post a run Mudgee had already slugged in nine.

In the other away match for the locals Easts Redbirds stumbled to their second defeat in a row, losing in the last few minutes to Robina 8-7. To their credit Easts did go into the game down on front line players. Coach Nick Shailes praised his team for their efforts, giving special mention to former Australian women's team representative, Karina Sexton, for her poise and temperament in the batters box despite the jibes of the opposition.

The final game in the Gold Coast hat trick was a 10-nil win for lowly placed Runaway Bay against an understaffed and injured Brothers at Baxter Field.

Brothers struggled to keep pace with their rivals, conceding six errors in the field and grabbing just five hits for the afternoon, two of which came from the bat of veteran Dave Youngberry.

This weekend at Baxter Field Brothers play Norths and on Thew Field Redbirds meet Workers. The games get underway at 2.45pm.

Trainers course

The NSW Department of Sport and Recreation will be holding a Level 1 Sports Trainers Course in Lismore from next Wednesday, July 27. The course is held over nine weeks, one night per week, and costs $289.

Coaches, athletes, managers and parents are being encouraged to attend the accredited course to promote player safety during the season.

For bookings phone 6687 7168.

Ballina come home with a wet sail

Grafton's speedster Brett 'Barney' Graham seems to be past City fullback John Lea in this shot but in fact the brilliant cover defender actually succeeded in turfing the winger into touch ball and all. The match at Oakes Oval on Saturday went the way of City.

Ballina, thanks to the attacking flair of Kane Scott and James Bolton, are coming home with a wet sail in the Far North Coast Rugby competition. Only six rounds remain and the Seahorses' outside backs are beginning to run riot. They put on nine tries to one against the Wollongbar Alstonville Pioneers in the 57-7 whitewash, the largest winning margin by any team all year. This weekend they travel to Grafton to fight it out with the Redmen. The match is a classic forward centric team verses a back dominant team. The Redmen play to their strength and their strength is the representative rich tight five. In the match against Lismore City at Oakes Oval on Saturday they kept the ball tight but too often they kicked the ball away. Too often they failed to find touch and opened up the field for the speed and daring of the City backs. If they continue down that path the Seahorses three quarters will cut them to ribbons.

Although the Redmen won't be pleased with how they slipped from the game plan, it was undoubtedly the efforts of the City loose forwards that undermined those plans. James Olivieri and Heath Conlan are the best pairing of breakaways in the competition and they closed down the kicking options of the Redmen at every turn. It was a crucial advantage because there is no doubting the dominance that Grafton had in the scrums and surprisingly at the lineout. Lismore get the bye this weekend.

Southern Cross University must still be scratching their heads after they turned down a penalty goal attempt just before the half time siren against Casino. If they had converted it, from right in front, then perhaps they wouldn't have lost by a single point to the Bulls on Crozier Oval on Saturday. In the end the game went to Casino 32-31.

This weekend both sides should waltz it in. The Gold Rats will host bottom of the comp Yamba and Casino will host Wollongbar. The Pioneers' heads will still be spinning after trying to keep count of Ballina's scoring spree.

Pointscore:

Lismore 49, Casino 44, Ballina 42, Grafton 39, Southern Cross University 28, Wollongbar Alstonville 12, Yamba 9.

Thistles spirit still strong

Souths' Ben Stevenson and Goonellabah's Jared Morrow dancing the tussle in an Under 13 match at South Lismore on Saturday.

Tursa men's premier division

Thistles have a long and glorious history in the premier division. So when the dark shepherd with his crook of relegation hovers over them, they can sit and reflect on the men who have gone before them, give the shepherd the finger and go ballistic, as they did on Saturday in Bangalow when they disposed of the Bluedogs 3-nil.

Darren Beardow, Anthony Nind and Luke Edwards all found the back of the net for the blues as Bangalow lost its shape and composure as the game progressed.

This Saturday Thistles will need to dig even deeper if they are to withstand a smarting Italo Stars at Thistles Park at 3pm. Stars lost to the ever-reliable Rovers 2-1 at home last weekend in a game where they needed three goalkeepers after injury sidelined two. One of the injuries was a very cruel cut inflicted by the goal post and required hospitalisation. In any case I doubt that Stars will have their full contingent for their encounter with Thistles.

Conversely Rovers are at home to Ballina on Saturday and will play them again on Tuesday in Ballina at 8pm. Ballina bolted out of the blocks this year but the wheels have fallen off recently. Last Saturday they went belly up against the Workers Redmen 2-nil thanks to a dot shot from Lucas McPherson and a poached goal from 'Mr Perpetual Motion', John Wraight. It was the second loss on the trot for the Seahorses and they will be fired up for the Rovers game. Expect a nasty clash.

Meanwhile, Workers will take on Maclean at Oakes Oval at 3pm on Saturday. Maclean wiped the floor with them last time they met in Maclean. This time the Redmen should turn the tables.

Byron Bay stormed the barricades at fortress Wherritt Park to come away with a 2-1 win against Maclean on Saturday. The win put Byron in contention for the minor premiership and considering they play relegation candidate Casino twice this week then they could prove hard to catch. The real acid test will come next round when they go head to head with Goonellabah, the other minor premier front-runner.

Goonellabah should have an equally easy run up to that match when they receive a visit from bottom of the comp Bangalow at 5pm on Saturday and will play them again on Tuesday in Bangalow at 8pm. It should turn out to be a relaxing fortnight for the Hornets who waltzed it in against Casino 3-nil last Saturday.

Pointscore:

Byron Bay 26, Goonellabah 23, Richmond Rovers 21, Lismore Workers 20, Ballina 20, Italo Stars 20, Maclean 12, Thistles 10, Casino 7, Bangalow 6.

SCCU women's premier division

Plenty of goals found the back of the net over the weekend as the top three teams maintained their dominance by clinically disposing of their lesser opposition. Workers got back on the winners board by humbling lowly Casino 5-nil, Ballina trashed Goonellabah 3-nil and Rovers kept their goal average high with a 4-nil smashing of Italo Stars.

During the goal feast Renee McIntosh increased her lead in the Golden Boot with a hat trick against Star and Lisa Kelly picked up a pair to keep in the race for the final prize.

Pointscore:

Rovers 25, Lismore Workers 25, Ballina 25, Italo Stars 15, Goonellabah 14, Byron Bay 10, Lennox Head 10, Casino 7.

Constellation Hotels (www.constellationhotels.com) Golden Boot Award Standings

Men's premier division:

19 - Peter O'Neil

10 - Grant Nielson

7 - Wayne Mortimer, Stewart Coughran

Women's premier division:

21 - Renee McIntosh

15 - Lisa Kelly

11 - Abbey Moss

The awesome foursome paddle to victory

Far North Coast table tennis champions Werner Borkhardt, Col Gradwell, Mike Jenkins and Geoff Simes made the trip to Mackay in Queensland recently to contest the Queensland Veterans Table Tennis Championships.

In the over 50s division the Far North Coast team finished on top in their group and won the final in the last rubber thanks to the steely nerves of Gradwell.

Meanwhile, Borkhardt and his partner Alan Drury from Brisbane won both the over 50s and over 60s men's doubles, with Borkhardt also winning the mixed event with his partner from Toowoomba. However, in the over 60s singles final he was narrowly defeated by his doubles partner Drury.

Gradwell and Simes also teamed up to make it to the over 60s final only to be knocked off by Borkhardt.

Following these excellent performances all four players were selected to represent the state at the upcoming Australian Table Tennis Championships in Darwin.

The three Ninjas

The three Ninjas (l-r) Blake Towers, Natalie Russell and Rhiannan Beardow, all members of the Queensland State squad, performed excellently at the National Karate Champion ship in Brisbane recently.

Nine-year-old Rhiannan took out the girls 10 years National Championship after defeating a Victorian and two NSW competitors. Natalie Russell, also nine, won third place in the same division and Blake Towers came in fourth in the boys nine years division.