with Chris Karas
Balmain Tigers Centenary Champs
Winning Crew
Balmain continued its Centenary season success by taking out the JJ Giltinan Sailing Regatta last Friday organised by the Men of League Foundation prior to the unveiling of Rugby League’s 100 Greatest Players.
Pictured is the Balmain Tigers’ winning crew that included Club members Chris Bryan, Gordon Brown, Peter Simmons, Bob Wark and Matt Wark, who won all three races in the regatta on Sydney Harbour. Other clubs that participated were Norths, Roosters, Canterbury, Wests, Newtown and Parramatta. The regatta celebrated the Centenary of the Game and links between 18ft Sailing and rugby league through James J Giltinan.
Tigers attack sets up win
SYDNEY first grade cricket team took a giant step towards securing a berth in the 2007-08 finals series after posting an outright win over Sydney University last weekend at University Oval.
The Tigers produced another dominant performance with the ball to collect maximum points and consolidate fifth spot in an intriguing competition.
St George head the table after 17 rounds on 71 points followed by Eastern Suburbs (63), Sydney University (59), Northern District (57), Sydney (54) and Bankstown (53).
Sydney paceman Craig O’Shannessy (3-19 off nine overs) led the way last Saturday as the Sydney attack went into destruction mode to dismiss the Students for a paltry 107 in their second dig.
Resuming at 2-91, the Tigers lost skipper Jon Moss for 49 before Tim Sparke (80), Sri Lankan international Russel Arnold (29), Evan Dix (29 not out), James Crosthwaite (24) and Nathan Ball (19 not out) helped the visitors claim first innings points before declaring at 6-279.
Sparke continued his purple form patch with the bat - clouting eight boundaries as the Tigers took full control.
With 51 overs available, the inspirational Moss (2-5 off seven) snared the key wickets of University batsmen Ed Cowan (13) and Ian Moran (0) before giant quick Adam Maher (2-31 off eight) removed former Balmain and NSW opener Greg Mail for 21. Rookie spinner Luke Donovan (1-2 off three), seamer Ball (1-13 off six) and spinner Arnold (1-27 off four) also chimed in with important wickets to help roll the Students in the 37th over.
University were reeling at 8-66 at one stage before Test spinner Stuart MacGill smashed 30 runs off only 12 balls - a cavalier innings that featured three sixes and two boundaries.
Sydney square off with cellar-dwellars Mosman this Saturday in a two-day clash at Allan Border Oval.
IN minor grade action, talented 16 year old Gladesville junior Nathan Fiore compiled an unbeaten 50 and took 4-46 to steer the Tigers to a fourth grade win over Sydney University at ELS Hall Park.
SECONDS: Sydney University 131 (Matthew Phelps 26, Sutha Sivapalan 23, Anthony Lown 3-7, Andrew Hoppett 3-27, Angus Moncrieff 3-53) & 161 (M Cook 38, A Theobald 25, A Lown 3-33, A Moncrieff 3-53) d Sydney 81 (Vilen Sithloo 18, Andrew Watkins 16, Dave Butchart 4-8, J Toyer 2-20, C Withers 2-20) & 4-150 (A Watkins 52, Marty Paskal 2-40).
THIRDS: Sydney University 227 (T Harrington 55, J Taylor 42, A Cowan 39, V Doddala 4-53, James Pryde 3-71) d Sydney 205 (N Bull 78, D Smith 38, M Grice 29, M Culkoff 4-29, T Stanley 2-37, S Khalko 2-36).
FOURTHS: Sydney 170 (Nathan Fiore 50no, D Jacobs 27, S McLean 2-44) & 7-101 (D Jacobs 29, D Miller 4-31, S McLean 2-9) d Sydney University 154 (D Jessop 66no, S McLean 32, N Fiore 4-46, Phil Caruso 3-44).
FIFTHS: Sydney University 9-163 (C Dowe 61, J Ship 35, P Boyages 4-19, G Livingstone 2-12) d Sydney 161 (B Matthews 56, P Karhawasam 26, J Rodgers 4-37, M Hackett 4-50).
Shield triumph for North Ryde golfers
NORTH Ryde Golf Club has clinched the prestigious North West Junior Challenge Shield for a third occasion.
Pictured above with team manager and Club director Mervyn Stewart are winning team members Dean Rolfe, Bradley MacRae, Dylan Crockart, Nicholas Yule, Rebecca Vadnay and Ben Wilson.
Absent are Adrian Tomiak and Ashley Agostino. The two day team stableford event is contested by six clubs: Fox Hills, Gordon, Cumberland, Ashlar, Muirfield and North Ryde.
It was a third Challenge Shield victory for the North Ryde club since the event’s inception in 1990 after previous wins in 1994 and 2004.
Team manager Mervyn Stewart was delighted with the way his team performed and the manner in which the juniors represented their club.
Lawrence the centre of attention
WESTS Tigers rugby league team unveiled their exciting young talent during a 34-28 loss to the Roosters in a Foundation Cup pre-season trial last Saturday night at Sydney Football Stadium.
The Roosters retained the Foundation Cup in a bruising tussle but the form of boom centre Chris Lawrence (pictured) and successful comeback of star five eighth Benji Marshall were positives for the Tigers.
Former NSW Origin prop Ryan O’Hara (broken jaw) and Tigers’ team mate Todd Payten (concussion) were nursing their wounds after an entertaining clash that produced eleven tries.
Tigers coach Tim Sheens experimented with youth in the first half before bringing out ‘big guns’ Robbie Farah and Marshall after the interval.
Marshall and Lawrence led the way with strong games as the Tigers outscored the Roosters 22-18 in the second half with Lawrence producing the try of the match - a sizzling 65 metre solo effort.
Classy young half back Mitchell Pearce - a former North Ryde Hawk and son of legendary Balmain lock Wayne Pearce - engineered the Roosters victory with a superb kicking game.
League pundits are predicting big things for Lawrence in 2008 but coach Sheens believes he has unearthed a bright prospect in powerful teenage winger Peni Tagive.
The 97kg speedster - a former Australian Schoolboy representative who missed the entire 2007 season with a damaged shoulder - was blooded against the Roosters and showed his potential with a slick display in attack.
Tagive will start the season in the Wests Tigers’ U/20 Youth Cup team alongside exciting halves Tim Moltzen and Blake Lazarus.
ROOSTERS 34 (S Kenny-Dowall 3, A Minichiello, B Anasta, A Tupou tries; A Roberts 5 gls) d WESTS TIGERS 28 (L Fulton, C Lawrence, J Morris, P Tagive, B Marshall tries; B Hodgson 4 gls).
Trivia Night for Oxfam Trailwalker
BALMAIN Football Club chairman David Trodden and director Danny Stapleton have undergone a gruelling fitness regime in readiness for this year’s Oxfam 100km Charity Walk to be staged in Melbourne during April.
They’ll be joined on a capable Tigers team by ex-Balmain junior and Eastern Suburbs first grade forward Tim Russell and Senator John Faulkner, Special Minister for State.
A fund raising Trivia Night will be held on Friday March 7 in Balmain Leagues Club Auditorium at 7pm to launch the quartet’s 2008 Oxfam Trailwalker campaign.
Tickets are $50 per head and include dinner and drinks. Dress is smart casual.
There’ll be plenty of prizes and lots of fun so come along and support a great cause. Bookings 9556-0459.
J.J Giltinan Regatta Cup win
FRESH from their success at the recent World International Nines Championship, the Balmain-Ryde Eastwood Tigers are celebrating another trophy win in their Centenary season - the JJ Giltinan Sailing Regatta Cup.
Boats representing the foundation clubs and current NRL clubs raced around Sydney Harbour and Clark Island in a three race series last Friday with Balmain defeating crews from North Sydney, Roosters, Canterbury, Western Suburbs, Newtown and Parramatta prior to the unveiling of Rugby League’s 100 Greatest Players.
The regatta, organised by the Men of League Foundation, celebrated the Centenary of the Game and links between 18ft Sailing and rugby league through famous entrepreneur James J Giltinan.
Balmain Tigers’ winning crew included Club members Chris Bryan, Gordon Brown, Peter Simmons, Bob Wark and Matt Wark, who won all three races in the series.
They competed in the ‘Britannia’ - a boat owned by legendary Balmain halfback ‘Wee George’ Robinson, who figured in six of the Tigers’ premiership-winning teams from 1915-17, 1919-20 and 1924.
Robinson coached first grade in 1933-34 and Balmain’s Presidents Cup team for a record 39 successive years.
Along with Test cricketer Victor Trumper, Giltinan formed the NSWRL and founded rugby league in Australia. Giltinan was also the promoter who started the 18 Footers Sailing League in Australia.
PICTURED holding the JJ Giltinan Sailing Regatta Cup is Balmain Football Club chairman David Trodden with triumphant crewman Chris Bryan of Putney.
Fun Sport for enjoyable exercise & better health
THE FUNGAME - a non-profit program supported by North Ryde RSL Youth Club - is now providing indoor and outdoor venues for a brilliantly designed game for people of all shapes, sizes and age groups from teenage to 60 plus.
This program was especially designed as a safe relaxed sport which is easy to learn and has moves similar to netball, basketball or touch football but with lower skill levels for immediate fun.
After trials and analysis by school teachers and nurses throughout 2006, new rules were introduced last year to minimise the chance of injury.
The great facilities at North Ryde RSL Gym allow the game to be played outdoors on the Oval or indoors on the Olympic quality court to suit the weather.
Keith Harrison, the Club Superintendent, said “many people have been made aware of serious health related issues such as obesity, diabetes 2 and stress and appropriate exercise is an important part of combating these problems”. He added “the Fungame Program, where the age and gender of participants in the teams makes little difference, is one of the most enjoyable mixed group games available.”
The Fungame avoids aggressive competition and was designed to provide first class moderate exercise. People are able to easily learn the skills and teamwork, which makes it so enjoyable and low risk. Many of the players in the 35-55 age group hadn’t played sport since they were at school but with the Fungame skills training sessions, they were able to play the game after only two skill sessions.
This year an invitation is extended to people in the Lane Cove, Gladesville, Ryde and Eastwood districts to also enjoy the game.
An easy to handle, low inflation ball is used for the Fungame and ball passing ability is practiced during relaxed skills training. Players can move forward or backwards by throwing or kicking rather than risking knee or ankle injury by dodging or jinking to evade defenders. The game is played a little more slowly than basketball and consists of 4 x 7 minute quarters. The warm up period and skills training takes 15 minutes.
For more information about the Fungame contact Keith Harrison (Thursday-Saturday) 9878 6128 or Graham Clark (at other times) on 9498 2615. A 16-page booklet on sport and health will be sent to interested residents.
Pirates Junior Cricket
U/8: Ryde-Hunters Hill Royals 9-58 (Christian Morfuni 10, Prakhan Sharma 7, Tim Khoo 2, Vincent Kerin 2) d RHH Mariners 8-42 (C Morfuni 3-5, Daniel Monardo 2-1, T Khoo 1-4, Jeff Khoo 1-5, Tom Voss 1-6); RHH Jolly Rogers 33 (Lachlan Brooke 18, Zac Knight 5, Daniel Fazzolari 3, Josh Lewis 3-2, Jack Newhouse 2-7, Cameron Dalton 1-4, Tayne Andrew 1-5, Eshen Shaikh 1-7, Tom McEnearney 1-8, Zac Noble 1-12) d RHH Jack Sparrows 15 (Z Noble 8, C Dalton 6, Z Knight 4-4, Aaron Chater 2-2, Owen Turner 1-2); RHH Captain Hooks 40 (Tom Smith 14, Joe Dalton 13, Anthony Lucas 5) d North Ryde RSL Gold 37 (T Smith 2-2, J Dalton 2-7, Gianandrea Serra 1-2); RHH Blackpearls 7-41 (Tohi Fiu 5, Oliver Darmody 5, Harry Johnstone 3) d Concord RSL Red 5-40 (T Fiu 2-6, Daniel Viana 1-3, Ashwin Aggarwal 1-3);
U/9: RHH Jolly Rogers 7-177 (Joshua Bass 36, Joe Hansen 27, Isaac Bloomfield 26, Luke Hodgson 1-10, Liam Clarke 1-14, Alex Graffeo 1-25) d RHH Mariners 66 (Ben Leotta 13, Lachlan Seears 9, Lachlan Anderson 8, I Bloomfield 1-2, J Hansen 1-3, Henry Pascoe 1-5); RHH Buccaneers 101 (Zac Sheffield 26, Max McKay 23, Ethan Annesley 16) d Five Dock RSL Green 7-91 (Z Sheffield 2-11, Nathan Harrison 1-9, Chris De Baets 1-9); RHH Blackpearls 3-155 (Eddie Poolman 30, Dashan Kander 25, Xavier Rickard 24, James Raciti 22, Max Jones 22, Matt Putt 19, Daniel Steel 8, Tom Gannon 5) d RHH Blackbeards 68 (E Poolman 2-1, M Putt 2-6, J Raciti 1-3);
U/10: RHH Mariners 5-85 (Darcy Searl 13 ret, Isaac Lewis 11 ret, Tom Conaghan 8 ret, Oliver Bourke 7, Charlie Hollands 7, Liam Storam 5, Will Dyson 5, Nick McGarry 5) d Five Dock RSL 5-44 (W Dyson 2-1, I Lewis 1-1, Nathan Dufficy 1-3); RHH Buccaneers 6-92 (Joel Forristal 24, Jack James 15, Jason Pidcock 13) d Five Dock RSL Green 6-88 (Sam John 2-3, Daniel Greco 1-8, Josh Kerr 1-9);
U/11: RHH Royals 1-97 (Sagar Nagaraj 26no, Nikhil Jain 24, Daniel Valenthe 6no) d Gladesville RSL Gold 7-96 (Zac Gee 2-9, James Slattery 1-2, Kyle Burnard 1-4);
U/12: RHH Royals 64 (Connor Rae 23) drew with Concord RSL 8-61 (Anthony Meagher 10, Doug Paish 9, Dean Ussher 8); Five Dock RSL 7-63 (Jacob Raineri 3-9 including hat trick) d RHH Royals 9-52.
Top sporting talent on show
MASTERS swimming champion Vicky Watson, Ryde athletics whiz Len Pearce and brilliant Gladesville RSL gymnasts Lisa Jones, Bianca Illacqua and Eliza Hui are the seventh, eighth and ninth monthly winners in the 2007-08 TWT Club Six/Ryde Sports Foundation Sports Star of the Year Awards.
Watson, 41, broke three national swimming records in the 40-44 years Masters age group; Pearce won both the U/17 Boys Long Jump and Triple Jump events at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships while Jones, Illacqua and Hui were crowned National Level 10 Senior Sports Acrobatics champions at the Gymnastics Australia titles in Sydney.
All winners will receive their $300 monthly awards this Friday night at North Ryde Golf Club at 6pm.
A brave VICKY WATSON of Rhodes - a former World Masters gold medallist in 50m freestyle and 50m butterfly - has broken a swag of records despite battling breast cancer since 2006.
Since completing chemotherapy last June, Vicky has continued to compete and set new records at major Masters swimming meets.
At the NSW Masters Relay Championships last year she broke two short-course records held since 1998 by her Ryde AUSSI team mate and former TWT/Club Six Sports Star of the Year Jenny Whiteley and later set the following records in the 40-44 yrs age group: national 50m freestyle; national 50m butterfly; State 50m backstroke and State 4 x 50m freestyle women’s relay in the 160+ age group.
41 year old Vicky was diagnosed with breast cancer in December 2006 and required two operations followed by a difficult and debilitating course of chemotherapy.
The first thing Vicky did after the devastating diagnosis of breast cancer was to register for the FINA Masters World Championships to be held in Perth durin this year.
Despite surgery and chemotherapy, Vicky remains on target in her challenge to break Shane Gould’s 100m freestyle world record (40-44yrs) at the Perth Games.
Vicky was chosen to swim with the England Youth team at 15 and continued competing into adulthood. At the 1996 FINA Masters World Championships in Sheffield she broke the world record for 50m freestyle (30-34yrs) and four years later in Munich broke the world record for 50m butterfly in the same age group.
She also competed in Christchurch in 2002 and Italy in 2004.
Vicky joined the Cook & Phillip Masters Swimming Club when she first moved to Australia in 2005 and was active with that club in both training and coaching.
She relocated to Ryde AUSSI Masters in 2007 where she has become an active, valued and popular team member. Despite feeling unwell and in the middle of a chemotherapy cycle, Vicky swam 3km to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Swimathon.
Vicky’s determined and positive approach to life, will no doubt see her achieve her goals and provide inspiration to all who meet her.
LEN PEARCE (pictured) of Ryde is one of the best young prospects to emerge from Ryde Athletics Centre.
Competing at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships at Homebush in December 2007, 16 year old Pearce became the national champion in both the U/17 Boys Long Jump and Triple Jump events.
In his long jump event, Len was a model of consistency with jumps of 6.76 metres, 6.80 metres, 6.81 metres, 6.70 metres, 6.82 metres and 6.89 metres (a personal best performance).
After five jumps Len was locked together with a Victorian competitor who also had jumps of 6.80m, 6.81m and 6.82m. However, when it counted, Len produced the big leap to win the title.
In his triple jump event, Pearce also produced a personal best performance to take out the national title.
Len is the twin brother of promising Ryde sprinter John Pearce.
GLADESVILLE RSL gymnasts Lisa Jones, Bianca Illacqua and Eliza Hui will represent Australia at the World Cup Gymnastics titles in France later this year.
Thirty two year old Lisa and Eliza,16, teamed with Allison Cxolij last year to win the 2007 National Level 10 Senior Sports Acrobatics Championships in Sydney.
The trio also combined to clinch the NSW Senior Sports Acrobatics title.
But Allison has since withdrawn from the team after accepting a gymnastics scholarship at Ollerup Gymnastics University in Denmark.
Her replacement Bianca is a former national champion at various levels. Head coach Don Bollard said World Cup selection for Lisa, a gymnastics veteran, was the culmination of many years of hard work.
Happy Birthday Mark
Mark Lee celebrated his 50th birthday last Saturday night at Minimbah Marsfield with family and friends including members of North Ryde Dockers AFL Club.
He is pictured with wife Margaret and the large birthday cake. Guests included Ryde City Mayor Ivan Petch and Eastwood Chamber of Commerce president Lydia Scuglia. TWT on-the-spot PHOTO.
Mayors in Charity match
RYDE-HUNTERS HILL Pirates Cricket Club will stage their 5th annual Charity cricket match between the Mayors X1 and a President’s Invitational X1 on Sunday March 30 at Eastwood Oval.
Action in the 50 overs per side clash starts at 10am when Pirates’ players and local identities including Ryde City Mayor Ivan Petch and Hunters Hill Mayor Sue Hoopmann pad up for a worthy cause - to raise funds for the Children’s Cancer Institute of Australia.
Cost is $50 per player and includes breakfast, lunch and drinks; a post match barbecue and souvenir playing shirt.
Batsmen retire at 40 runs and bowlers can send down a maximum six overs with a minimum three overs for each player.
Pirates’ head honcho and Gladesville Junior Cricket Association secretary Roy Maggio said the charity match was an important event on the local sporting calendar.
“We all can relate that some kids are not as fortunate as others, so when we take to the field next month we shall be playing for those less fortunate” he said.
Murphy’s Law tastes victory
Dennis McDermott and Graham Bevan in action on ‘Murphy’s Law’.
DENNIS McDermott and Graham Bevan powered “Murphy’s Law” to victory in tailor made wind conditions in the Drummoyne TC16 Hartleys championship last Saturday.
Murphy’s Law was never headed in the event with Uncle Bob finishing second and Tranquil in third place.
McDermott was very excited with the victory and told The Weekly Times that the boat has more improvement in it and can go even faster with the right wind conditions.
Murphy’s Law is now in position to challenge Uncle Bob for the championship when they next meet in the TC16 Hartley heat.
Brett Pollitt’s Benton’s Real Estate continued their fine form with an impressive victory in the 16 FT Skiff scratch start event at Drummoyne.
Bruce Moore’s Delloitte Touche Tohmatsu led the fleet from first marker and was a clear leader up to the halfway mark until it faced rigging problems that allowed the rest of field to overtake the skiff. Bentons Real Estate won the race; second place was Frank Maloney’s Express Boat Covers and third Gary Wills’ “Srixon”.
Winner of the Historical TEN Footer 10FT NSW State Championship on scratch was ‘Irene’; runner up Scamp 11 and third “Keriki”. Handicap winner was “Keriki” 1533 points; second “Merle” 543 and third “Scamp 11” on 509 points.
Sailing star to take on the world
Eight years of competitive sailing and five days of training week in and out have paid off for sailing star Alex South. The 14-year-old Marist Sisters’ College Woolwich Year 10 student is set to make history next month when she becomes Australia’s youngest ever representative at the World Youth Championship in Auckland. Alex’s talent was highlighted at the Laser Nationals held in Victoria last month when she collected an unprecedented four awards, including a first place for boys and girls under 16, a second place for under 19 girls, a third place for under 19 boys and girls, and a fourth place in the women’s all age. Alex said: “It’s 25 per cent conviction, 50 per cent natural talent and 25 per cent technique. We don’t ever say we rely on luck.”
Top displays by Matt & Jehan
OUTSTANDING performances by promising North Ryde RSL all rounders Matthew Hoenig and Jehan Bilimoria steered their side to a decisive win over St Patricks Gold in the Northern District Junior Cricket Association U/16 competition last weekend.
Hoening (59) and Bilmoria (53 not out) posted impressive half centuries before capturing 4-17 and 4-6 with the ball respectively.
U/8: North Ryde RSL Blue 4-82 (Jackson Fennell 16, Hamish Nicol 14, Shannon Condon 14, Alexander Lessing 1-4, Joshua Zuffrey 1-4) d Holy Cross Crusaders 5-44 (David Moraitis 12no, James Bradshaw 5no, H Nicol 2-8, Robert Smith 1-3);
U/9: Ryde-Hunters Hill Jolly Rogers 183 (Alex Halliday 1-18, Corey Fernandes 1/24) d Holy Cross Crusaders 40 (Luke Counsell 14); North Ryde RSL Gold 109 (Dan McDermott 21, Luke Jeffery 18, Josh Condon 18) d Five Dock Green 60 (Andrew Bowman 5-9, Joel Mead 4-7);
U/13: North Ryde RSL 135 (Daanish Faiz 36, Liam Giblin 27) d Epping YMCA 126 (Harry Tonkin 3- 12,Mitchell Baldwin 2-18, Anshdeep Dhaliwal 1-9, Chris Mather 1-18, D Faiz 1-28);
U/16: North Ryde RSL 6 dec 169 (Matthew Hoenig 59, Jehan Bilimoria 53no) d St Patricks Gold 48 (J Bilimoria 4-6, Greg Denlow 3-10) & 6-83 (M Hoenig 4-17, G Denlow 2-13).
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