I am asking Spin readers to indulge me a little this week as I pay tribute to a very special occasion. Today, Thursday, July 4 is American Independence Day or Turkey Day as some refer to it. However, of more importance to myself and the O’Connor clan it is the 90th Birthday of Joan, the Matriarch of the O’Connor clan and my mother.
Born in Gympie, raised in Maryborough this is a woman who has seen and experienced many changes in the world as we know it and embraced them all.
She fell in love with Stanthorpe and in particular Ballandean when she came here as a proud member of the Land Army during World War II. Not only did she fall in love with the district but one of the locals, Jack O’Connor and returned to Ballandean to live after they were married.
When they coined the phrase “Life Wasn’t Meant To Be Easy” they could have been referring directly to Joan.
To be widowed at 35 in the mid sixties with six children the youngest not yet at school was not easy – no doubt a daunting task but she was more than up for the job.
Joan, my siblings and I survived and thrived. While Joan is proud of us all she is especially proud of the successes of our younger siblings Terry (CEO of Darwin Port Authority) and Catherine (CEO RMIT Training) – just ask her. Then of course these days there is her band of grandchildren and great children.
Me, I just souvenired the occasional cricket stump and gave her even more grey hairs if you ask her.
Not many people get to stay at the crease until they are 90 and the O’Connor’s are very proud of Joan’s not out innings.
While Joan will celebrate today with friends at Carramar, her home for six and a half years; on Saturday she will be joined by an invasion of family and friends keen to continue those celebrations in style.
May I take this opportunity to just say – Joan O’Connor – 90 Years – Loved; Admired; Appreciated and Respected.
An innings well played with more to come.
Neil aka Casey
CHANNEL SURFING AT ITS PEAK
Channel surfing is in full swing in our household this week as Wimbledon kicks into gear , the Cricket World Cup lurches towards the pointy end and the Southern Stars begin the 2019 Ashes Series.
Only one day old as this goes to press and there have been some major upsets. World No 2 Naomi Osaka has exited stage right after a first round loss. Joining her is Venus Williams who was despatched in the opening round by Cori Gauff. Gauff is at 15 is the youngest player in the draw.
No joy either for Daria Garilova who also bowed out in round one.
All of Australia will surely be tuned in to see Ash Barty open her Wimbledon campaign tonight – let’s hope she goes deep into teh tournament. Sam Stosur will also be hoping to find form in round one.
Alexei Popyrin flew the Aussie flag with a round one win as teh tennis brats Kyrgios and Tomic prepare for their openers. (does anyone care anymore).
Teh Aussie Cricketers are in great form and the Southern Stars will no doubt continue to shine after their good lead up form. Great time to be a sports fan especially if you suffer from insomnia.
STALWARTS ON SONG AT SPORTERS
It was win for the good guys last Sunday at Sporters. Two of the long time stalwarts of golf in Stanthorpe figured in the winner’s circle. Aaron Simmers was the winner on the day and Sporters El Presidente finished runner up. Paul Byrnes returned the best gross of the round. Nick Casey and Dick Hilton featured in the run downs. Dick also sneaking home with one of the meat trays on offer. Stewart Rayner took the Pro Pin and John Rawlings held the Pin Shot at the 12th however there were No Takers at 17.
Mark Lynam was the winner of the second Meat Tray wrapping up a good morning of golf.
The weather forecasters are once again teasing us with predictions of showers not Snowflakes next weekend. Either way Sporters will be out and about on the course from tee off between 8.00 and 8.30am. If you are visiting for Snowflakes you are welcome to bring your brolly or mittens and join the crew.
BRIDGING STANTHORPE
This week we have news from the Bridge table in Stanthorpe. A handful of players last week played a two and a half table Howell with 30 boards. The winners were Margaret and Brough Warren with an amazing 79%. Margaret Finlay and
Carole Lihou finished in second place and Peter Cumming third. If you are interested in joining the Stanthorpe Bridge group they play at the Stanthorpe Senior Citizens rooms at the cnr of Locke and Marsh Streets each Thursday from 11.00am until 3.00pm. Further information is available by contacting Margaret Warren on 0437338987 and new players and beginners are always welcome.
championship play continues
Another week of championship play at Tannymorel. The Tanny troops hit the green last week for rounds of the Open Singles. Despite celebrating a significant birthday milestone recently Myrtle Wagner is still playing good bowls and had a win over Marg Wright.. Philpsy ground poor Walshy into the green. Poor Walshy had to pull the pin after suffering a broken fetlock – news out of the club is fellow players have not put him down “yet” Sue Fritz and Geoffro played a great game of singles. After 40 ends of intense bowls it was Suzy who got the nod final score 25-24.
Aaron scored a solid 26-10 win over Dan Christensen and is playing good bowls. Thommo had his share of luck getting a wick here and a wick there to score a 26-13 win over Lorna. The final of the B singles was played between Sue Butz and Lorna. In a tight game played in good spirit it was Lorna who finally took home the bikkies scoring a 25-22 win.
The final of the Open Pairs was also decided. Aaron and Ron faced off against Butzy and Thommo. Those boys gave Butzy and Thommo a bowls lesson scoring a big 27-6 win. We hear Tho, his partner but word is he was just pretty hopeless and left his partner playing one out which never really works – he has since apologised to his slightly traumatised playing partner Butzy.
This week’s call ups are as follows Aaron v Nick Christensen and Sue v Thommo. Sue is apparently has had plenty to say about the outcome of this game and despite Thommo’s threats to sabotage her bowls form says she could still beat him.
reserve grade set the scene with good win
Wattles Reserve Grade set the scene for their A grade counterparts on Sunday at Platz Oval when they scored an impressive win in the curtain raiser.
Warwick took an early lead when Lance McGrady opened the scoring on the opening play
Wattles hit their straps scoring the next two tries in quick succession. Both were converted by Tom Morris.
Warwick five eighth Raymond Durox scored ten minutes from half time and the conversion off the boot of Lance McGrady was successful.
The sides went to the break with the score at 12-10 setting up an interesting second half.
Wattles winger Blake Lollback crossed for his second try in the shadows of half time and the teams went to the break with the scores at 16-10.
First points in the second half came off the boot of Morris who landed the ball well all day.
Mirroring what was to come in the A Grade game Wattles dominated the second half scoring. Two tries and two successful conversions wrapped up a good win for Wattles. Final score 30-16. The Cowboys only other points coming from a try to Carl Gale.
Garth Lonergan was awarded the Peter Watt Memorial Trophy for the Player of the Match.
In a similar scenario to the A Grade leader board Wattles find themselves sitting in second spot one point shy of leaders Valleys who this weekend have the bye.
Wattles 30 (Blake Lollback 2; Brendan Wilson 1; Garth Lonergan 1;Kurtis Blewitt 1; Tom Morris 4 goals; Brendan Wilson 1 goal) Cowboys 18 (Lance McGrady 1;Raymond Durox 1;Carl Gale 1; Lance McGrady 2 goals)
wattles dominant win
Fresh from their win in the Madsen Rasmussen trophy Wattles scored an emphatic win over arch rivals the Warwick Cowboys in Sunday’s local derby at Platz Oval.
Wattles were quick to find their rhythm. First points for Wattles came on the back of a penalty shortly after kick off. The home side dominated early in the first half scoring three unanswered tries to skip away to a 16 nil lead. The early tries scored by Ryan Duggan, Ty Gardner and centre Michael Marshall.
Poor discipline and a run of penalties against the home side tested the patience of the referee and just prior to half time and Andrew Richardson and try scorer Ryan Duggan found themselves in the bin for ten.
With the Wattles defence reduced to 11 players, the Cowboys spun the ball wide and Joe Fuimaono scored to put his side on the board. With the successful conversion by Cowboy’s captain Mick Bloomfield the teams went to the break with the score at 16-6 and the Cowboys looked to be back in the game.
Although Wattles still had players in the sin bin early in the second half centre Michael Marshall managed to score another two tries taking his game tally to three. Duggan adding the extras on the second occasion to push the score out to 26-6.
The Cowboys failed to flatter in the second half as Wattle’s winger Braydon Wilson claimed the next two tries to take his tally for the season to 20 from the 12 fixture games decided.
With just a couple of minutes remaining in the game Michael Pearson scored and Matt Duggan converted to put the icing on a very impressive win for Wattles.
Wattles remain in second spot on the ladder with 18 points one point behind Valleys after the Roosters snatched a last minute victory over Brothers on Saturday night.
The Cowboys (14 points) have slipped to fourth on the ladder overtaken by Dalby (15) points who were big winners over Dalby. Goondiwindi Boars round out the top five sitting on 12 points.
With six rounds of fixtures remaining there is no room for complacency and this weekend Warwick will be looking for a win when they host the Diehards on Sunday at Fr Ranger Oval. Wattles play Highfields on their home turf on Saturday night and the ladder leaders Valleys have a bye.
WATTLES 42 (Michael Marshall 3, Braydon Wilson 2, Ryan Duggan, Ty Gardner, Michael Pearson tries; Matt Duggan 4 goals) defeated WARWICK 6 (Joe Fuimaono tries; Michael Bloomfield goals)
GOOD TURNOUT FOR END OF MONTH HIT
Better conditions and the end of month medley 4 BBB Stableford certainly attracted a good field onto the course at the Stanthorpe Golf club on Saturday.
Matt Waterworth and Santo Cavallaro combined for a score of 46 points. Their score was equalled by the inform Hayden Smith and playing partner Travis Burns. Waterworth and Cavallaro got the nod after the count back relegating the other pair to the runner’s up stall.
Pin shots were shared among several players. Brendon Barker had .success at three; rob Reeves at 12 and Santo Cavallaro was on song at 17. Waterworth collected the pin shot at 1/10. Darryl Boekholt collected the remainders at 5/14 and 9/18. The birdies nest at 16 went unclaimed
Linda Kelly hit the ball well at 12 and had the best approach shot for the ladies on that hole. At 17 Lyn Ludlow had the best approach for the ladies.
The day was sponsored by three of the Ladies Kay Webb, Linda Kelly and Margie Locke. Rather than the normal run down to round out the prizes the Ladies chose to base the final prize on a cut of the cards and the lucky winners were Viv and Neta Thouard. A tasty BBQ lunch was also provided for the starving hordes on the course.
Stanthorpe golfers were pleased to see Bill Pyne return to the fairway after a long layoff; the result of a back injury. It took a few holes before Bill got his mojo back but the more holes he played the better his scores were looking and finally a birdie at 10 and another at 13. Won’t be long and he’ll be back to his best. Unless he overdid the birthday celebrations last Monday.
We closed the door on another month and 2019 is half way over. That means two things – tax time awaits and this weekend a chance for players to qualify for the Medal of Medallists in November of they can snare the July Monthly Medal round and putting competition on Saturday. Saturday’s sponsor is Mick O’Brien and the round will also be played in conjunction with the dale Mullins Trophy sponsored by Michael Thompson.
There is a time sheet on the board at the club house and players are asked to write their names up if they are playing. Tee off this Saturday is from 11.00am.
Like all junior sport, junior rugby league relies heavily on the support of volunteers. This week Stanthorpe’s Mick Mahoney who has been an integral part of the support / management team for the Assumption / St Joey’s Confraternity team for the past 13 years makes what he insists is his last trip to the Confraternity Carnival with the team from Assumption College Warwick. Alongside Mick again this year will be Coach Bob Bell; the pair two of the driving forces behind the Stanthorpe Warwick boys first playing in the competition. Both have plenty of Confraternity runs on the board and their combined contribution to the since 2005 is immeasurable.
In 2018 the team had three wins and three losses finishing at the top of B Division. Coach Bob Bell was confident the side could improve on that performance with several members of the2019 team making their second appearance at the carnival which at the end of the day is about a whole lot more than just football.
Assumption got 2019 off to a good start with an 18-12 win over Ryan Catholic College 18-12. They found All Souls too hot in their second game and were soundly beaten 34-0.
On Tuesdays morning they backed up for their third game. Unfortunately they were defeated by St Laurence’s College 16 nil.
The 2019 competition is based in Bundaberg where Shalom Catholic College are the hosts. Confro is returning to the centre where it debuted in 1980. Since those early days the competition has grown into the largest schoolboy carnival in Australia with forty-eight schools competing in two divisions.
It is certain to be a busy time in Bundaberg with the city also playing host to the Queensland Independent Secondary Schools Netball Carnival (QISSN) this week.
COUTNDOWN TO DECIDER
The countdown to Origin three is well and truly on and once the final game of the series is “The Decider”. The Queensland maroons are certainly under the pump after their dismal performance in WA. In fact I’m sure it has turned most Queenslanders off even wanting to visit that state.
Queensland Coach Kevin Walters has made several changes to the Maroon’s line up and in an unusual move named his squad in alphabetic order rather than positional order. Walters insists he is not playing coy just assessing the options open to him to fill the number one jersey after Kayln Ponga was ruled out with injury.
Joe Ofahengaue returns to the side after he suffered a nasty cut to his knee in game one. Joining him in Maroon are Corey Norman and Christian Welch.
It was no surprise when NSW named an unchanged Blue’s side after their demolition of Queensland in Game Two.
This is the Maroons line up:- Will Chambers (Storm); Daly Cherry-Evans (c) (Manly; David Fifita (Broncos); Dane Gagai (Bunnies); Matt Gillett (Broncos); Tim Glasby (Knights); Ben Hunt (Dragons); Felise Kaufusi (Storm); Moses Mbye Tigers; Josh McGuire (Cowboys); Michael Morgan (Cowboys); Cameron Munster (Storm); Corey Norman (Dragons); Corey T
For Queenslanders game two was difficult to watch with many supporters running up the white flag at half time and heading for bed hoping to wake up realising the first half was just a bad dream. Unfortunately the second half just got worse.
I doubt that a Maroon’s side has played a worse game of football. In fact if you combined all of their poor performances I don’t think they would hold a candle to game two.
For that reason and the fact that we Maroon’s stick solid I say all power to Kevvie and his boys. Success in game three is a big mountain to climb but hey you’re Maroons
NRL Round 16 – some sanity please
Tipsters will be hoping for a little sanity to return to the NRL after many were left concussed after last weekend’s results. I’m beginning to think that there will need to be a HIA for supporters soon as many were left head butting walls and walking in ever decreasing circles last weekend.
Heading into a reduced round due to Origin here’s hoping for some joy.
The round opens with the Dragons and Storm at WIN Stadium. Melbourne head into the game short priced favourites to continue their winning streak and it would be hard to bet against that as they are one team who has held their form. (Hope I have just put the mock on Bellamy’s boys).
The Roosters will be without several Origin players as they take on teh Tigers this week. I’m tipping the Tigers to get the job done in this game at Bank West Stadium after they dealt with the Bunnies last week.
The Knights are in a purple patch of form and although without Ponga have retained Mitchell Pearce. I think they will be too strong for the Warriors with the home ground advantage.
The Brisbane Broncos look to be in more trouble than Bourke and Wills. There fans are asking serious questions about their dismal performance and the wait till next attitude of their coach is not exactly going down like a sugar coated sweet. Neither is the lack lustre performance of their captain Darius Boyd something fans are accustomed too. Brisbane are without their biggest names this week and they will get no favours from teh Sharks or their fans when they run out on the Shark’s home turf. There could be a massive upset here but I don’t think it’s likely.
Casey’s TIPS ROUND 16
Storm; Tigers; Knights; Sharks and fingers crossed the Ma
