By CASEY O’CONNOR
WIMBLEDON is off and running.
It won’t be hard to spot tennis tragics by the end of the tournament – they will be the people with matchsticks propping up their eyelids.
In the opening rounds there have not been any major upsets with all of the top players comfortably through to their next round.
As this goes to print, Bernard Tomic faces a sudden-death decider against Verdancy after play was suspended due to rain. The match is in the balance at two sets all.
His partner in crime Nick Kyrgios manoeuvred his way safely to the next round with a four set win and, surprise, surprise, a code violation.
The Brits will be looking for some joy from Andy Murray after the Brexit result and their loss to Iceland in the Euros.
Their clean sweep series win in the antipodes against the Wallabies must just be too far out of reach to give them any heart at this point in time.
It was a win, however, that has rugby fans in Australia reeling.
The honeymoon between Australian rugby fans and Michael Chieka’s appears to be over while Chieka is keen to divorce the “spider cam” after an incident where a ball hit the offending spider web (wire) and the result went against the Wallabies.
Speaking of honeymoons – the honeymoon, marriage and love affair between Parramatta, the NRL and even some fans and try scoring demon Semi Rradradra seems to be in tatters depending on who you listen to.
Then, of course, there is the very obvious breakdown in the relationship between Foran and the Eels. They have run out of patience with the playmaker and have stripped their big name signing of the captaincy.
And, of course, there is the turmoil right across NSW as Blue turns on Blue in a bid to apportion blame for another series loss to the Mighty Maroons.
Can’t wait to see what will implode if it is a Maroon win after game three. It’s all just such fun.
NRL ROUND 17
Is it just me or is the 2016 tipping season just getting tougher each week?
Round 17 certainly is no walk in the park for tipsters starting with the Roosters and Dogs on Thursday night.
Leaning towards the Dogs despite an improved Roosters performance at their last outing.
The Broncos host Melbourne Storm in what will be a really tough game. My heart says the Broncos but my head is saying the Storm.
The Titans travel across the ditch to take on the Warriors and I think a win in NZ for them is unlikely but they are travelling well and it would not be a complete surprise.
The Panthers to upset the Tigers at home and the Sharks to continue on their winning way with more drama (if that’s possible) in the Eels murky pond. The Raiders will prove too strong for the improving Knights in what is sure to be icy conditions at GIO stadium.
The Cowboys and Rabbitohs travel to Barlow Park Cairns for this clash and it is hard to see the Bunnies coming away with a win.
On Monday night the Sea Eagles and Dragons go head-to-head at Brooky and with DCE and their captain back in business, the Eagles looked much better last week but I think the Dragons will pop up here.
All I can say is good luck – I am almost ready to resort to a pin.
PLAYING THE BACK NINE
Sporters ventured on to the back nine on Sunday. Jim Mitchell got the best out of the very crisp conditions and came away with a win ahead of runner up Mark Lynam.
Paul Armstrong, who is currently playing very consistent golf, had the best gross. Peter Goodsir and Bob Watts took the run-downs.
Chris McEvoy claimed the pin shot at the 12th while the Pro Pin went begging. David St John took home one of the meat trays while the second went to Evans Head visitor Fran Dickens.
Sporters will be out and about next Sunday at the tee off time between 8am and 8.30am and if nothing else it’s sure to be a little frosty.
TIGHT FINISH AT ‘GARRA
Members played a two ball Ambrose at Wallangarra last Saturday.
In a tight finish Steven Hampstead and Brendan McMillan edged out Kevin Williams and Jamie Purcell to take the trophy.
Finishing in third place was the team of Gary Sutcliffe and Andrew Thompson.
The event, which is sponsored by Wallangarra Store, attracted a good turnout and some handy golfers. G. Morris was the only player to claim a pin shot and that was on hole nine. We can only assume some stocktaking was going on.
Another month has dashed by and this this week another Monthly Medal will be up for grabs.
A reminder that the annual Breast Cancer Charity Day has been scheduled for July 24 – cost is $25pp and includes lunch.
A two ball Ambrose for a player and partner will be played and tee off will be between 9am and 9.30am. Contact the club for further information about this popular charity day.
CONDITIONS NO DETERRENT
Conditions could not have been less appealing last week so it was a pleasant surprise for organisers to see how keen the group who play golf croquet have become.
Showers off and an on through the early part of the morning did not affect play too much – it was cold but fun in a perverse way.
Doubles were played before the morning tea break with the last first game we played doubles, with two members of the last team to hit off playing two balls each.
John Castles and Judy Lock played for the first time and although they clicked as a partnership they could not match the experience of Dianne Wren and Teresa Payne.
The final score 13-7. Di Wren was in great form scoring nine of her team’s 13 hoops.
Bill Golding and Liz Ellway had a narrow win 7-6 over Val Fancourt and Marion Castles. Bill Golding top scored in this game with five hoops.
Elaine Brown and Bev Sullivan, playing two balls each, at end of time finished with an 8 all draw. Elaine scored a hoop in one.
Following the break the weather deteriorated and there were fewer players who ventured out for the second game.
John Castles deserves special mention he took on the conditions and opposition and top scored with nine hoops while Marian Castles nailed a hoop in one.
HISTORY MAKING MEET AT CLIFTON
In an Australian first, last weekend The Clifton Jockey club hosted Australia’s inaugural standalone Arabian horse race meeting.
The event was a combination of colour and excitement with impressive horses, a market day, a Middle Eastern theme and some serious gallopers.
Jockey Isabella can add winner of the first Arabian race to her resume after Amir Sir Real Kalih (tell me that is not a race callers nightmare) led all the way in the opening event of the five race card.
The four year has previously had success in the show ring but showed on Saturday he has a big future in racing.
COWBOYS DRAW
The Warwick Cowboys sit on 20 points on the TRL ladder, just two points in arrears of leaders Pittsworth after playing a 22 all draw in their game against Valleys at Herb Steinhort Oval on Saturday night.
Valleys, who have had a disappointing season, stepped things up a notch on Saturday and surprised the inform Cowboys.
While the Roosters played out of their skins the Cowboys were left to rue what might have been after a series of handling errors and a poor completion rate in the second half allowed Valleys back into the game.
Warwick trailed 14-12 at half time and late in the second half had turned it around to lead 22-20 before its opponents nailed a penalty to level the scores.
Despite opportunities for both sides, neither team was able to break the deadlock and with a 22 all draw shared the points.
Cowboys coach Craig Mullaly said his team had to be better to mix it with the top sides. Mullaly pointed to Brock Croft, Ryan McIvor and Joe Fuimaono as the Cowboys’ best in the game.
Cowboys fans will hoping for a stronger performance this weekend when the Cowboys take on Oakey at Fr Ranger Oval on Saturday night.
In other games, Valleys defeated Warwick 49-19 in Reserve Grade; Under 18 Valleys defeated Warwick 34-30 and also won the second division game 32-24.
Warwick 22 (Joe Fuimaono 2, Ty Gardner, Craig Donn tries Mick Bloomfield 3 goals) – Valleys 22 (Dylan Chown, Tyren Nicholls, Hnaloan Budden, Dexter Buchanan tries Trent Nicholls 2 Tyren Nicholls 1 goals).
COOL COMPS
Cool pistol competitions were held on Saturday afternoon and Sunday morning at Inglewood.
Cool being the operative word.
In Saturday’s event Tom Donald found the conditions to his liking and grabbed a win over Lynne Shepherd with Wal Shepherd finishing in third spot on the standings.
On Sunday Jason Lewis outgunned Iain Bowen and Wal Shepherd again finished in third spot.
The Inglewood Sporting Shooters have scheduled a clay target competition for Sunday. The pistol and Benchrest ranges will also be open for practice.
A reminder that the AGM is scheduled for Sunday 24 July.
NEW DATE FOR MARYVALE
The annual Fathers and Sons Cricket Match between the visiting Lew Cooper XI and Maryvale Cricket Club has found a new date after the June game was washed out.
The game has been rescheduled for 9 July with Lew Cooper rallying his troops and looking for a win at the MCG (Maryvale Cricket Ground).
Cooper’s team is sure to arrive with some notable former and emerging players.
A dinner at the H & J will be held following the game.
FATHER AND SON WIN
The father and son combination of Wes and Hayden Smith showed they are multi skilled building on previous performances to take out the Four Ball Medley Stableford in Stanthorpe.
Their score of 51 points saw them run away with the trophies donated by club stalwart Bob Watts. Farmers were the runners up – one by name the other by trade.
Jason Lawer and Richard Reardon finished with creditable points.
Taking the pin shots were Jason Lawer (3/12) Hayden Smith (17) and Nikki Rossow (ladies 17).
Dylan Barraclough claimed pro pins at 1/10th and 9/18th and Matt Waterworth at 5/14th.
Waterworth also took the birdies’ nest.
Rundowns went to Bob Watts, Richard Reardon, Trev and Lyn Ludlow, Reno Piovesan Fred Wharton, Tom Page and K Jones.
This week a single stroke event and putting for the July monthly medal is on the program.
The day will be sponsored by Mick O’Brien in conjunction with the Dale Mullins memorial trophy sponsored by Michael Thompson.
Congratulations to Madeleine Jarmen for winning division two sand green championship at Texas
2016.
WATTLES UNDER HAWK ATTACK
Gatton scored a very convincing win over Wattles at Cahill Park as the Hawks forwards dominated. Wattles trailed 12-2 at the break after a very competitive first half but the Hawks returned to the paddock and went on the attack.
The home side racked up 30 unanswered points with Dennis Burgoyne scoring a double off the bench.
The news did not get any better for Wattles in the minor grades with Gatton making it a clean sweep with wins in Reserve Grade (54-10) and Under 18s (42-38).
This task does not get any easier for Wattles this weekend when they travel to Highfields
Gatton 42 (Dennis Burgoyne 2, Alex Groves, Dominic Haak, Allan Morris, Michael Frohloff, Robbie Fletcher, Cliff Brown, tries Callum Woolacott 7 goals) d Wattles 2 (Jason Wilmot goal).
Reserve Grade: Gatton 54 d Wattles 10.
Under 18: Gatton 42 d Wattles 38.
KILLARNEY CUP MEETING ABANONDED
The annual Killarney Cup meeting scheduled for Allman Park last Saturday was abandoned due to the state of the track.
Following overnight rain on Friday, Racing Queensland stewards inspected the track and deemed it unsuitable for racing.
Unfortunately the policy position of Racing Queensland is not to reschedule abandoned non TAB meetings.
CYCLISTS OUT IN FORCE
The Brisbane Camperland Queensland Road Team Series (QRTS) Queensland’s premier road racing series is heading to Warwick and surrounds this weekend for round two of the series.
Twenty six teams of the leading riders in the state compete over four rounds throughout southern Queensland in the series.
It is designed to offer riders and teams the opportunity to test their skills during a range of individual and team time trials, road races and criteriums and ensures a range of development and competition opportunities for riders.
The 2016 series has been expanded to include a women’s section.
On Saturday the road race will see riders cover a course from Warwick towards Killarney, north-east to Tannymorel and then back to Warwick via Yangan.
On Sunday the action turns to Leslie Park which will be the headquarters for out and back time trials.
The course will take riders along the back road to Allora – cyclists leaving at four minute intervals – the men’s distance 20klm – the women 12klm finishing in Guy Street.
Round two will wrap up with what promises to be a spectacular event the one hour criterium through the CBD of Warwick with riders expected to clock speeds of up to 50km/h
Joining the riders in this stage of the series is the professional team – the Kenyan Team Down which recently competed in Victoria.
The team currently based at the Gold Coast has six Kenyan, four Australian and three New Zealand cyclists who are young, extremely talented and hungry for success.
The members of the squad competing in Warwick includes Kenyan pair Ayub Gathurima Kinoti and Samuel Ekiru and New Zealand riders Morgan Smith and Nicholas Miller.
TENTERFIELD CLAIM SILVERWARE
The Tenterfield Tigers have the President’s Cup safely in their trophy cabinet after their win over the Inglewood Roosters on Saturday.
It was a hard fought win and the 52-24 score line is probably not a reflection of the game.
Despite the freezing conditions there were still plenty of passionate fans on hand supporting both sides.
The Roosters were right in the mix at half time with the scores 18-14 in favour of the Tigers.
In the second half, on the back of some solid defence, the Tigers ran way with a convincing win over their closest rivals this season.
The win takes the Tigers to the top of the BRL ladder. With Wallangarra Ramettes short on numbers the scheduled Ladies League tag game became a training run with some of the Tigerettes throwing on an opposition jersey.
The Tigers will go into their game against Stanthorpe Texas confident of extending their lead on the ladder.
The game will be played in Texas on Sunday with both men’s and ladies’ games.
In the other BRL game played last weekend, the Killarney Cutters showed great improvement to notch up a 32-26 win over the Wallangarra Rams.
The Cutters will take plenty from that game as they head to Inglewood this weekend to play the Roosters in what will be a tougher assignment.
