Issue 813
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Sports News
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Robert Penman: winner of the Easter golf tournament. |
Easter, as always, lived up to its wet reputation, and it rained very heavily all night Thursday and Friday morning, with thunder and lightning. Because of this the tournament was reduced to a 36 hole event. As far as I can remember this is the first time the tournament has been played as a 36 hole event. NSWGA has sanctioned the three days next year as vardon events which should bring quite a few big guns up from Sydney to take part. As tipped in last week’s Echo, talented young golfer out of Kyogle, Robert Penman, was successful in defending his title, with a fine sub par total (3 under) 137, winning fairly easily by 4 from Lismore club champ Steve Fredericks, with Richard Cross (Coolangatta-Tweed Heads) 2 shots away in third place. The 36 hole Open net winner was Damien Haselden with 136, who is a very talented young player and it’s good to see him back to golf. The runner up, 2 shots behind, was Peter Scully (Ballina), with Lismore’s Steve (Zipper) Button in third place.
The Les Macell Memorial Cup Junior winner was Marcos Zirov, a very young talent out of Byron Bay, with 148, winning by 3 from Bradley Mott out of Mullum, and we will see a lot more of this young fella, if he keeps his head on.
The Lismore Easter Open Senior gross winner was young Penman’s dad, Stuart, with Lismore’s Brian Whelan runner up in the Seniors gross. The Seniors net winner was Ray Hollier (Helensvale) with 140, winning on a countback, from Lismore’s Gerry Lynch.
The winner of the 36 hole A Grade was Lloyd Kelly who recorded a fine par round on day 1, with Casino’s Mark Patterson taking out the B Grade gross, and Col Pratt taking out C Grade. The 36 hole net A Grade was taken out by Lismore’s Trent Webber, with Callum Agnew taking out B Grade and Lismore’s young talent Anthony Maclean winning C Grade.
The best NSW 36 hole gross winner was Ross Ollerenshaw, with regular visitor for many years, with Bruce Burns winning the net.
Well there were a few alterations to the course this year, particularly with a couple of tees, and Robert Penman set a new course record with his 68 on day one. He is a very worthy record holder, a top young fella and a credit to the golfing fraternity and will do very well if he decides to turn pro, like his brother. Good luck mate!
Irrespective of the weather, the 36 hole Easter Carnival was a great success.
The course will certainly be enhanced soon with Workers Club Manager, Barry Crimmins announcing monies will be available to commence fairways watering, which will improve the fairways and rough and should alleviate the melon hole problem.
Thanks must go to Chris and course staff who presented the course in top nick, with all the weather problems and to the tireless work of Sec/Manager Phil (chainsaw) Kelly who spent many long hours at the club ensuring the success of the tournament, together with bar manager Ross (rocket) Fletcher and their bar staff, with restaurant manager Jamie looking after everyone’s needs in the food dept. Looking forward to a bigger, better and much drier tournament next year. Thanks everybody! and particularly a big thank you to all the sponsors who supported this big prestigious event, also making it the success it was, and to all the volunteers, spotting marshalling etc.
This Saturday the April Medal will be played and will be a vardon and eclectic event.
On Saturday week Ballina golfers will visit Lismore for the first round of the annual interclub encounter for the Crandon Shield which Lismore hold!
Last Thursday a single stableford event was played off the front, with veteran Bill (Oogie) Wothersponn winning the day with 42 pts, shooting 3 under his age, 75, winning on a countback, from Bob Sydenham, and Wayne McInness 1 shot further behind, proving practice pays off. Peter Moller took out the front nine by 2 from another veteran golfer Murray Buckley, with Graham Nixon winning the second nine from Mario Ivan and Steve Fredericks winning the gross with 2 under, 68.
The Lismore Ladies played a single versus par last Wednesday, with Sue Pringle winning division 1 with Ev Harding taking out division 2. The division 3 winner was Jean O’Brien with Pam Francis taking out division 4.
This Saturday a single stroke event will be played and will be the April Mug in three grades
On Saturday week another single stroke event will be the second round of club champos. Dean Ferrier to win back to back titles.
Last Wednesday the Ladies played an 18 hole stroke for WGA and club medals. The overall winner on the day was Carol Youngberry, who also won B Grade. Marina Davey won A Grade and Roseanne Kinnane C Grade.
Last Thursday the veterans played a 12 hole stroke with Ernie Doman taking the honours from Warren Woodcock.
Last Saturday the men played a single stableford event with Alan Irvine taking out the overall trophy and A Grade, with Bruce Jacobson winning B Grade and Jim Perry C Grade. The highlight of the day was an ace recorded by John Robinson on the 9-18th. Top Shot Mate! The Ladies played a single stableford with Irene Crampton taking the honours from Jean Pike.
This Saturday the April Medal will be played, with the women to play their third monthly medal.
Brownies’ RSL golfers will host golfers from Coffs Harbour.
Last Wednesday a single stableford event was played and won by David Livingstone. The A Grade winner was, consistent veteran golfer, Ollie Foster from Keith Reibelt, with Ramon Morris winning B Grade from Ray Ogilvy. The C Grade victor was Rex Radcliffe from Colin Huett.
No golf Friday due to heavy rain, while last Saturday another single stableford event was played attracting a very good field of 198 golfers. Garrick Sample was the overall winner, with young club and Northern Rivers talent Nathan Purdy taking out A Grade from John MacPherson. The B Grade victor was another consistent evergreen golfer George Morris from Ronald Langem with Sid Ainsworth winning C Grade from Dan Enright. N/Pins – 3rd P. Brown – 8th A. Dodd – 9th J. Walo – 14th P. Birney – 18th
Last Mon another single stableford was played and won by Scott McDermott, with 47 biggies, from Trevor Schmidt 40, and top fella Cyril Wray 39.
What's My Linewith Ian Clark
Another Easter where the weather did not play to the plan of things for those of us who were out to capture that last little bit of summer before winter casts a shadow.
We headed west into the bush hoping to escape the coastal showers but unfortunately, the rain managed to find us.
We did have one good day out of the four and everyone around the area took advantage of it. We camped and did some four wheeling up in around the far reaches of the Clarence River where we found out about some of the local history and admired the beautiful countryside.
This area is very popular with families. As we found out, there are many campsites along the creek banks that offer tranquillity and a real opportunity to enjoy nature at its best.
The sun still comes up in the morning and sets in the afternoon even though you cannot access mobile phone network coverage, gain internet access, watch TV or pick up a clear signal from a radio station. To fill in the nights you usually make conversation with your family. Something that has been replaced somewhat by electronic mediums in normal circumstances.
All for free – yet top dollars, usually averaging around the $1000 mark, are spent at Byron Bay in an attempt to find similar tranquillity.
The mayor of Byron Shire Council Tom Wilson, who is supported by some councillors, wishes to introduce a tax for day trippers to the town. The idea is that for about $28 you can get to park in Byron Bay have a swim, a beer at the Northern, and walk through the main street for everything you want in your kind of lifestyle.
This proposal has come about from a 24% increase in sewage and 44% increase in water usage.
A big call and one that could set a precedent for other coastal villages of similar nature. Some topics are best left not to comment on and this is one of them.
While still in the Byron Shire: the Brunswick River has been the go if you’re after some mangrove jack action. While at the entrance the tailor are still in numbers off the end of the walls.
The weather has not been all that good for outside but some of the close reefs off Brunswick were good for spotty mackerel.
Back in our backyard Lennox is off and on. Some nice whiting were had on the weekend until the weather came in to spoil it.
Boaties are heading for the protected waterways with Pimlico; the best spot for whiting.
At Evans the lads are getting some muddies and sandies in the higher reaches of the river while tailor and bream are at the end of the walls.
Some did get out over the bar on the weekend and picked up some jew and small black marlin from North Ground and Red Hill Ground. And a few of those returning were a bit greener than when they left too.
This weekend, if the seas are still up, the north or south wall of the Richmond would be the go. Some nice jew and good tailor have been coming through of late.
The Brunswick walls have been firing but for reliability you cannot go past the Richmond walls.
Until next week,
fun fishing.
Entry forms are now all available for the Maddog regional junior titles from all surfshops and club secretaries.
The regionals will be held on May 25-26.
The Rip Curl Grom Search heats for girls and boys aged 16 and under will be held from April 10-13 at Broken Head. It is a huge series which has heats in all states with the National final at the Rip Curl Pro at Easter next year.
Entries close on April 3 and forms are available from surf shops and club secretaries or by calling Keith Anderson at Surfing Far North Coast on 6685 7822.
Former Australian Hockey captain Michael York with some local hockey players at a coaching clinic last Thursday.
Former Australian hockey captain Michael York was in Lismore last week to share his skills with the stick with local hockey players.
York conducted two clinics at Hepburn Park, Goonellabah.
“The North Coast has a good reputation for its junior development and I am very keen to help support some of the talented players coming through,” York said.
The series of clinics were being promoted as ‘Defence 2002’ and York targeted midfielders and defenders, the positions he played throughout his career.
“I will be encouraging halves and backs to further develop their tackling techniques and to emphasise the importance of ball control in pressure situations,” York said.
Amanda West from Goonellabah was extremely excited to be able to learn from York.
“It’s just great to be able to meet someone who has played hockey at such a high level – it’s so rare for people who play in the country,” she said.
While rumours about Wayne Carey’s playing career abound, this weekend is the chance to see if he will actually join the Summerland Australian Football League.
The season gets off to a bouncing start when the Nimbin Demons take on the Lismore Swans at the Nimbin Showground at 2pm on Saturday.
The Swans have been recruiting hard in the off season and have attracted a lot of young enthusiastic players to their ranks.
The Demons are always a force at home and their supporters will be out in numbers for the first game of the season.
With the home advantage and first game excitement the Demons have to go in favourites.
In the other round 1 game the Grafton Tigers roam north to take on the Ballina Bombers at Fripp Oval, Ballina also at 2pm this Saturday.
While the Tigers are always unpredictable Ballina are always solid and playing in front of a keen, partisan crowd should come away with the win.
The Byron Magpies were an Inaugural Summerland Australian Football League Club and have been one of the most successful Premiership sides in the history of the League.
With seven Flags to the Maggies’ nest, and the last three of those in succession, the pressure is mounting on the team that went through the entire season in 2001 without tasting the sour flavour of defeat.
An awesome effort saw the Byron side remain undefeated last year, and strong recruitment has seen some sides quietly confident of cracking the black and white in the new season.
Premierships in 1985, 1992, 1993, 1994, and then 1999, 2000, and 2001 displays the eras that the Magpies have dominated. Two hat-trick premiership efforts has them pegged against history for another repeat of last year, but there will again be plenty of talent amongst the lighthousiers.
Byron will enjoy an extra week preparation as they fall with the first of four round-byes per team. Australia’s most easterly point has always been a strong attraction to plenty of southern talent, and 2002 should be no different with Byron rumoured to be getting their fair share of University players this year.
The Club will again have stalwarts John Porritt (159 games) and Dave McLean (120 games) lining up, while another top-gamer Ben Turner (137 games) could be returning from an overseas experience in the near future. George Pike has been with the Byron Magpies since 1990 and still retains an executive role as the Club Treasurer.
Byron (MAGPIES) AFC
Coach: John Porritt 6681 3363 (h) 0414 247 225 (m)
Treasurer: George Pike 6684 2007 (w)
Home Ground: Shultz Oval, behind the Bangalow Bowling Club.
John Porritt joined the Magpies back in 1992, and now presides over the Club. He is also their playing Coach, and has taken Byron to their last two Premierships, also coaching last year’s SAFL Representative side who lost the final to the North Coast AFL.
Tuesday and Thursday nights at Shultz Oval, Bangalow from 6pm.
The Beach Hotel, Bangalow Bowling Club, Herns Butchery Bangalow.
Seeking all interested players and past members to attend training and get involved in the challenge to defend the Flag.
When and Where can potential supporters and spectators see the Magpies in action this year?
The first game of the season, for Byron, is at home at Shultz Oval, Bangalow on April 13, and will be a good measure of how the Magpies are shaping up. That first fixture for the 2001 Premiers has a return clash of the 2001 Grand Final when Ballina travel to battle Byron, and is shaping up to be a blockbuster match for all spectators.
The Grafton Tigers are focusing their preparations at Ellem Oval, Grafton, on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings and are still looking for more fresh faces to join the Club. Wayne Phillips 6643 5830 (h) or 0419 982 862(m) is the man to call about signing up with last year’s Preliminary Finalists, and Warren ‘Bags’ Bagnall is the 2002 Coach so far.
Fripp Oval, Ballina is the venue for pre-season training, and the Bombers are showing plenty of enthusiasm for the 5.30pm starts on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Coach Peter Plummer can be reached on 6687 8837.
The Lismore Swans are training at Clifford Park on Tuesday and Thursday nights from 6pm, and many recruits sees them once again looking like a strong Premiership contender. New ideas keep the Club actively growing and there is plenty of excitement amongst the ranks. Contact Coach Ronny Meldrum on 6622 5024 for more info.
Can be found on the Nimbin Showground every Tuesday and Thursday from 5.30pm. Good pre-season numbers have given the returned Club some inspiration, but plenty of more players are needed to make the Demons a serious challenger for the top spots. A fine team spirit was what helped the Demons beat all sides bar the undefeated Premiers last year, and again the strong Club spirit may help to promote the game in the Nimbin Valley, and the Summerland.
More local players and support staff are needed in all clubs as a very competitive season is shaping up. A great bonus for all teams would be the addition of strappers and/or medically minded persons for the purpose of injuries on game days. Most Clubs have untrained volunteers in these roles and it would be of huge benefit to all Clubs if more skilled people came along and offered their services.
It is also hoped that the local councils are going to continue the trend of helping out Aussie Rules Clubs a bit more than they have in previous years, and their grounds, by allowing all-weather games to go ahead as the AFL game has always epitomised the old Aussie Battler in all kinds of adversity. The odd divot and a muddy jumper are well worth the enjoyment gained from one of the country’s best home-grown games.
With the cooling of the weather comes the time many sports fans have been waiting for since they last heard the sound of shoulders smashing into thighs and backs crashing suddenly to earth: footy season, which kicks off at 3pm this Sunday.
While Brothers mass retirement last year meant losing senior players Andrew Hodge, Terry Dare, John Love, Adam Mayes, Mark Siveright, and Joel Piggott, coach Michael Wood is unconcerned.
“We’ve got blokes coming up from reserve grand – locals – no new additions to the club, as always. It’s a matter of all the players involved in the club progressing on from last year. We’ve been working hard in the off-season,” he said.
“Hopefully because of all the changes and losing so much experience we’ll play a slightly different style of football. We will play to the people we’ve got there. This side is younger and they’re very enthusiastic,” Wood said.
Wood also believes this year Group One will be highly competitive.
“With Lower Clarence back in it will be a more even competition this year. Everybody’s strengthened, particularly the Clarence teams and Ballina bought up so it should be a very interesting year,” he said.
Grafton coach Dean Callaway is also expecting a good season.
“We’ve had some pretty good close results in our trial games and our preseason has been injury free. We’re very much looking forward to our opening match against Brothers. They’re a pretty professional side and we’re expecting a hard game. They’ll definitely be ready for us anyway,” Callaway said.
The Ghosts have picked up five new players: Don Walker from Ballina; Matt and Mark Laurie from South Grafton and two English players, Wes McGibbon and Rich Mervill.
Although Grafton should be competitive it’s difficult to believe they’ll trouble Brothers, especially at home.
Ballina Seagulls coach Damon Meaney is expecting a good showing this year.
“We’ve gone through some big changes. We’ve had a big turnover, we lost about eight and picked up about six. We lost all three trial games which might be some of some benefit. We’ve still got a lot of work to do, it’s not a matter of carrying over from last year, we’ve got to go back to the start again,” Meaney said.
“Hopefully we’ll be all right. A number of players who weren’t available last year will be this year. I don’t think we performed that well last season we relied on individual ability rather than team work. Just because we made the grand final doesn’t mean we will this year – it’s not automatic,” he said.
Going on preseason form Workers look like they should take out that game, despite Meaney’s optimism.
Mullumbimby are off to Kyogle for their first game of the season.
Kyogle have retained coach Ken Painter and most of their players from last year. Their pre-season form looked promising and they managed to recruit a couple of good players – Bruce Murray from Charlestown and Andrew Mason from Bundaberg.
Mullum have had the largest numbers for years at training and are also looking like much more of a force this year.
Despite the home advantage to Kyogle, Mullum will probably win this one in a close game.
The Byron Bay Red Devils head to South Grafton to take on the Rebels.
The Red Devils have a new player-coach, Scott Freestone, and after a rebuilding season last year should also be competitive.
The Devils have picked up a heap of new players including a new half back, Steven O’Keefe and player of 2001 Brian Mitchell’s two brothers Paul and Michael from Ballina.
Byron will be running an almost entirely different backline to last year and therefore are a bit of an unknown entity at this stage. Historically the times Byron have introduced new players they’ve been one of the strongest teams in Group One and with South Grafton losing a couple of key players Byron look likely to start the season with a win.
Lower Clarence are also a bit of a mystery at this stage of the season, as they rejoin the competition. Their first game is away at Queen Elizabeth Park against Casino.
Casino have a similar team to last season and should again be a solid opposition. Given that it’s Lower Clarence’s first one back and Casino usually perform well at home Lower Clarence will probably be welcomed back with a harsh reminder.
The carers weekend, which was due to be held at Lake Ainsworth Sport and Recreation Centre has been cancelled due to insufficient enrolments.
For further details about future programs targeting persons who care for people with disabilities please contact Tony Meldrum from the Department of sport and Recreation on 6687 7168.
The 2002 premiership season kicks off on Saturday and, if Anzac Cup form is anything to go by, defending premiers Maclean are facing a host of serious challengers to their twin premiership titles in one of the most wide-open seasons for years.
Traditional Lismore heavyweights Italo Stars and Richmond Rovers are already showing ominous early form and were the only two sides to move into the cup semis by winning all three of their pool games.
Last year’s losing grand finalist Byron Bay also looks set for another strong season, despite narrowly missing out on the Cup semis, but the real wild card in the deck could be Southern Cross Uni.
Uni has recruited well from the incoming crop of students, with several new signings playing a leading role in helping the students move through to the Cup semis with some impressive wins.
While Maclean will be kept busy fending off numerous threats to their premiership titles at the top of the table, the prospect of two clubs being relegated for 2003 will keep tension high at the opposite end of the ladder.
Both Goonellabah and South Lismore will be desperate to lift their performances after surviving what seemed imminent relegation at the end of last year.
A successful appeal from the Hornets has delayed the introduction of the ten-team format until 2003, but early results suggest another long, hard season lies ahead for Goonellabah.
Saturday’s opening round contains some interesting fixtures, including first appearances from Ballina and Alstonville, after both elected not to enter the Anzac Cup.
In the past, the few clubs to use this approach haven’t always hit the ground running and match fitness could be a factor for both sides, as Ballina takes on Goonellabah at Weston Park from 6pm and Alstonville host Maclean at 3pm.
Ballina’s cause will not be helped by the loss of three important players with carry-over suspensions from last season.
Rod Troughton, Steve McAteer and Clint Colless will all miss the first round and after just two trial games, incoming coach John Percival admits, “We’ll be a little under-done.”
Percival will promote promising juniors Dane Seymour and Keris Hawkins into the side and with key senior players such as playmaker Troy Percival, giant ‘keeper Lucas Wagland and striker Peter Edwards to help settle their younger brigade, the seasiders will present plenty of problems for the Hornets, who are desperate for a confidence-boosting win after losing all three Anzac Cup games.
Alstonville’s debut against Maclean shapes as an interesting tussle and despite being underdogs, Villa remains largely an unknown quantity with the potential to upset the premiers’ new-look lineup.
Villa is expected to field essentially the same team that survived last year’s return to the premier ranks and will be all the stronger for the experience, while the premiers are missing many of the players that helped them to glory in 2001 and are fielding a younger squad still settling into a new pattern of play under ongoing coach Jamie Harris.
The Bobcats had mixed results in the Anzac Cup with two draws and a loss, but with a full strength lineup for the first time, Harris is quietly confident, despite having plenty of respect for Villa.
“They can knock the ball around well and on their day have the potential to take sides apart, but we’ll be fielding our strongest team and want nothing less than to start with a win,” he said.
While Ballina and Villa will be making their first appearances, four clubs will already be playing their fifth match of the season, as they back up from last night’s Anzac Cup semis.
Both Uni and Thistles will have their stamina tested when they play their second game in three days at Oakes Oval, while Richmond Rovers could also be a little leg-weary for their home clash with Workers and Italo Stars likewise will be nursing a few bumps and bruises for their home fixture against South Lismore.
All three games kick off at 3pm.
The remaining match will see 2001 grand finalist Byron Bay open their premiership campaign with a trip to Casino for a 4.30 kick off against the Cobras at Colley Park.
Byron’s slick young side looks poised for a big season and should take the points from a Casino lineup that failed to win any of its three Anzac Cup outings, scoring just one goal in four and a half hours of soccer.
The Echo will once again be rewarding this season’s male and female golden boot winners with the Hot Shots award of a weekend for two at a luxury Gold Coast motel.
While the Australian Rugby Union spends thousands of dollars flying to Paris to chat about making millions of dollars, local ‘grassroots’ rugby begins with a bang this Saturday when the Southern Cross University Gold Rats head over to Casino for the first game of the season at 3pm this Saturday.
The Rats look to have a pretty handy team this year but Uni are the perennial Hurricanes of the FNC Rugby: so much talent, but more trouble with delivery than Echo distributors.
If anyone knows about the special psyche of the student it should be new coach Luke Prowse who has more degrees than a student revolution and has probably spent more hours on campus than the entire Arts Faculty.
Prowse, an extremely good ex-player, has been taking his team back to basics in the off-season, concentrating on ball skills and the Rats have responded by doing something quite foreign to the ordinary student: showing up for lessons.
For the first time Uni won their own tens tournament in the preseason and in doing so demonstrated a willingness to throw the ball around and attack the line at pace.
If Casino manage to define the terms of the game, as they so often do, then they will win. Their bovine style of strong, heads-down forward play is extremely effective in frustrating opposition backlines; and as every forward knows: the back raring to go usually does so without the ball.
The Bulls showed in preseason competition that they also do have outside backs who are prepared to run when they get the ball.
The combination of strong backs with a forward pack ready to euthanase the ball at any given opportunity should provide Casino with a strong start to the season but Uni did beat them in the final of the tens.
While Casino have the home advantage Uni students usually begin the year well: it’s only when they think they know what they’re doing that they slack off.
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Bowled Over
Hooks and Slices