with Chris Karas
VOTE 1 KYMBERLEY!
Tigers Cheergirl Grand Finalist
KYMBERLEY Roebuck is Wests Tigers grand finalist in Big League’s Cheergirl of the Year contest. Kymberley announced at Leichhardt Oval Sunday that she would donate the $2,000 first prize to five year-old Lleyton Giles family if she wins.
Lleyton is battling a terminal liver condition and his family were guests at Sunday’s game and is pictured with Kymberley and his mother Belinda and brother Dennis. TO VOTE for Kymberley text her name Kymberley to 199 87 825 or email blcheergirl@newsmagazines.com.au
TWT on-the-spot PHOTO
Benji & Prince show to whet appetite
By CHRIS KARAS
THEY helped engineer an historic Wests Tigers’ premiership in 2005 and are two of rugby league’s biggest drawcards - now Gold Coast playmaker Scott Prince and mercurial Tigers’ five eighth Benji Marshall are set for one of the duels of the season in this Friday night’s NRL blockbuster at Skilled Park.
Up for grabs is a second place finish leading in to the NRL finals series and calling the shots undoubtedly will be Kiwi Test skipper Marshall and maestro Prince in what is shaping as a promoter’s dream.
Both have produced their tricks-of-the-trade in recent weeks to spearhead important wins and loom as the go-to players for their respective sides.
Wests Tigers reaffirmed their title credentials last Sunday with an impressive 26-14 victory over Melbourne at Leichhardt Oval - but the win has come at a cost.
In a savage blow, gun centre Chris Lawrence was rushed to hospital after breaking his jaw in the fourth minute and will be sidelined for a month.
The Tigers also have impact forward Gareth Ellis (corked calf), fullback Wade McKinnon (hamstring), prop John Skandalis (torn buttock) and Liam Fulton (calf) on a mounting casualty list and in doubt for Friday’s big game.
While hat-trick hero Marshall and hooker Robbie Farah were at their classy best against the Storm, dual international winger Lote Tuqiri produced his finest game for the club with explosive running and punishing defence.
Lock forward Chris Heighington celebrated his 150th top grade appearance with a strong display and was ably supported by co-forwards Ellis, Todd Payten, Andrew Fifita, Keith Galloway, Simon Dwyer and young backs Blake Ayshford and Mitch Brown.
WESTS TIGERS 26 (B Marshall 3, A Fifita, R Farah tries; B Marshall 3 gls) d MELBOURNE 14 (J O’Neill, W Isa, R Hoffman tries; C Smith gl).
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WESTS Tigers U/20s continued their topsy-turvy form with a 20-10 loss to Melbourne in Toyota Cup - and must beat ninth placed Gold Coast this Friday to seal a top eight berth.
The Titans (27) can leapfrog the unpredictable Tiger cubs (28) with a win at Skilled Park after Wests butchered a host of tries in Sunday’s loss to the Storm.
Forwards Matt Hyland, Junior Roqica, rookie pivot Curtis Sironen and centre Jake Clarke tried hard for the cubs who have struggled for consistency all season.
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BALMAIN-Ryde Eastwood grabbed a share of first spot after tossing Shellharbour 31-12 in NSW Cup action last Saturday at Leichhardt Oval.
Tigers’ big guns - prop David Gower, crafty five eighth Darren Nicholls and hooker Ryan Carr - turned in outstanding games to spearhead a comprehensive victory.
Utility Willie Mataka (2), half Blake Lazarus, winger Brett Lane and Nicholls scored tries for Balmain-Ryde with fullback Sean Meaney booting five goals and Nicholls a field goal.
Canterbury and Balmain-Ryde lead the competion on 38 points from Newtown (37), Windsor (32), Western Suburbs (29), Wentworthville (25), Melbourne (22) and Cronulla (17) leading into the final round this weekend.Balmain-Ryde host Wentworthville this Saturday at 3pm during the Balmain Junior League Grand Finals weekend at Leichhardt Oval.
Young swimmer Sophie smashes freestyle record
TEENAGE swim sensation Sophie Taylor of Marsfield has posted the fastest 100 metres freestyle time ever for a Ryde-Carlile female swimmer.
Exciting prospect Sophie,13, achieved a personal milestone when she clocked 56.47 sec at the recent NSW State Age Swimming Championships at Homebush Olympic Pool.
Head coach Toby Condon said it was the fastest time of any female swimmer in the 49 year history of the famous Ryde swimming club. “Her turns were the difference - they were elite level turns” said Condon.
Sophie led the way for Ryde Carlile - capping an outstanding meet with five medals including two gold, two silver and a bronze.
She achieved her two gold medals in the 13 years 100m and 200m freestyle events.
Sophie’s recent promotion to the Gold squad at Ryde is a credit to the dedication she showed in Silver squad under the expert tuition of coach Idesa Vincent. Idesa said Sophie’s commitment to training and her great sense of humour make her a great role model for the younger swimmers in the club.
Sophie stood out among the talented Ryde Carlile team who achieved two gold, three silver and five bronze medals across the three days of competition.
There were thirty top 10 finishes and 87 personal best times.
Summer swimming club races get underway at Ryde Aquatic Leisure Centre on October 1 with registration open on-line from the middle of September.
On Friday September 24 registrations can be made at the pool from 6pm.
Young Coppers chase dream
MEET the Balmain PCYC U/10 Division 2 rugby league team that is chasing a fairytale premiership at the Balmain Junior League Grand Finals this weekend at Leichhardt Oval.
Pictured are promising cubs Jack Arve, Samuel Bignold, Liam Cassar, Anthony Dobson, Brendan Doyle, Harley Hopwood, Liam Janson, Abe Joannou, Declan McManus, George Moore, Michael O’Brien, Alessandro Patrielli, Daniel Reynolds,Jack Roddy, Anthony Squadrito, Nick White and Samuel Zammit who have developed into a capable unit this season under the guidance of co-coaches Tony Bignold and Troy Zammit.
The young Coppers stood up to be counted in the major semi final when they toppled the previously unbeaten Dundas Shamrocks 24-18 in a thrilling tussle at Birchgrove Oval to move straight into the Grand Final.
With both sides locked at 18-all, the Coppers stunned their rivals with a spectacular kick and chase try in extra time to seal a memorable win.
Bignold (2), Janson and Zammit scored tries for PCYC with Dobson, Zammit, Arve and Bignold booting a goal each.
Manager Caroline Arve and trainer Charles Arve have also played key roles during the 2010 season - helping the “sky blue and whites” reach their first Grand Final in over 20 years.
Club secretary Kate Dean said she was proud of the team’s achievements and hopeful they could repeat the feat in Saturday’s trophy decider against the Sham-rocks.
Balmain PCYC have produced seven internationals in Balmain legends Fred de Belin, Wayne Pearce, Steve Roach, Norm Pope, Don Furner, Jack Sinclair and ex-Kiwi five eighth Lloyd Martin plus numerous first graders since forming as a club in 1938.
Balmain Junior League Finals
PRELIMINARY FINALSU/9 Div 1: Leichhardt Wanderers Red 40 Enfield Federals 26; Div 2: North Ryde 34 Wanderers Black 6; U/10 Div 1: Wanderers Red 24 Strathfield Raiders 4; Div 2: Dundas Shamrocks Green 38 Leichhardt Juniors 12; U/11 Div 1: Wanderers Red 36 North Ryde 6; Play-off: North Ryde 24 Holy Cross Maroon 12; Div 2: Leichhardt Juniors 16 Concord-Burwood 12; U/12: Shamrocks 20 Strathfield Raiders 6; U/13: Strathfield Raiders 24 Shamrocks Green 0; U/14: Leichhardt Juniors 26 North Ryde 14; COMBINED METRO Preliminary Finals: U/15 Div 1 Play-off: Strathfield Raiders 22 Holy Cross Gold 12; Hurstville United 32 Strathfield Raiders 4; Div 2: Penshurst RSL 28 Kingsgrove Colts 18; U/16: Dundas Shamrocks 24 Strathfield Raiders 14; U/17: Earlwood Saints 28 Shamrocks 18; U/19 Div 1: St George Dragons 34 Mascot 10; Div 2: Greenacre Tigers 27 Bankstown Bulls 16; U/21: Mascot 36 North Ryde 14; A Reserve: Berala Bears 20 East Hills 18; A Grade: Bankstown Bulls 28 Greenacre Tigers 12 . GRAND FINALS: U/9 Div 1: Five Dock RSL v Wanderers Red; Div 2: Strathfield Raiders v North Ryde; U/10 Div 1: Dundas Shamrocks Yellow v Wanderers Red; Div 2: Balmain PCYC v Shamrocks Green; U/11 Div 1: Holy Cross Gold v Wanderers Red; Div 2: Shamrocks v Leichhardt Juniors; U/12: Wanderers Red v Shamrocks; U/13: Shamrocks Yellow v Strathfield Raiders; U/14: Holy Cross v Leichhardt Juniors.COMBINED METRO: U/15 Div 1: Earlwood Saints v Hurstville; Div 2: Brighton Seagulls v Penshurst RSL; U/16: Leichhardt Wanderers v Dundas Shamrocks; U/17: Hurstville v Earlwood Saints; U/19 Div 1: South Eastern v St George Dragons; Div 2: Revesby Heights v Greenacre Tigers; U/21: La Perouse v Mascot; A Reserve: Dundas Shamrocks v Berala Bears; A Grade: Auburn Warriors v Bankstown Bulls.
ERNA Grand Finals
Top Ryde City Shopping Centre major sponsor of Holmans ERNA Netball Grand Finals: August 28: 10/1 10/2 10/3 10/4 11/1 NRS d DCEN 19-13 11/2 OLQP d Alex 22-21 11/3 NRRSL d EE 26-2011/4 RRSL d Vla 25-14 12/1 NRRSL d WRR 36-31 12/2 GRav d NRRSL 24-15 12/3 DCen d MBB 37-14 12/4 NRRSL d MBB 19-13 13/1 DCen d WRR 28-17 13/2 SS d NRRSL 28-26 13/3 CC d WW 35-21 14/1 CFlm 12 d CFlm 11 37-24 14/2 DCen d SS 24-17 14/3 MBB d St G 35-27 14/4 GRav d CC 24-22 15/1 NRS d SS 48-31 15/2 SS d YMCA 39-22 CDT 1 SS d CFlm 71-42 CDT 2 RRSL d NRRSL 34-25 CDT 3 DCen d WRR 25-21 CDT 4 MBB d NRRSL 55-26 CDT 5 NRRSL drew SS 35-35 Top Ryde City Cup A1 CFlm1 d CFlm2 53-51A2 WRR d NRRSL 49-44 B1 CFlm d NRRSL 52-36 B2 Alex d WRR 34-27 B3 MBB d WRR 48-20 B4 SS d DUtd 33-22 C1 Alex d DUtd 38-35 C2 CFlm d DUtd 46-34 C3 NRRSL9 d NRRSL10 40-26 C4 MBB d RLdy 48-38 C5 DUtd d ER&N 53-36 C6 Alex d GRav 34-20 C7 MBB d GRav 47-32 D RRSL d GRav 24-20.
Big weekend for ‘69 Tigers
RYDE Ex Services Club played host to members of the famous Balmain 1969 premiership-winning rugby league team last Saturday. Pictured with the Club’s General Manager Bradley Browne standing l to r are Peter Boulton, John Spencer, Allan Fitzgibbon, Joe Walsh, Hal Browne, Peter Fardell and kneeling Bob Smithies and Phil Carey who were later joined by Garry Leo. For many of the legendary Tigers it was a trip down memory lane - a return to the club they frequented during the halcyon days of the 1960s. The group enjoyed a sumptuous luncheon where they relived the glory days with Club members and Tigers’ supporters. The following day they witnessed the Wests Tigers topple Melbourne Storm 26-14 at Leichhardt Oval to cap an enjoyable weekend. TWT on-the-spot PHOTO.
Reds’ rugby honours
DRUMMOYNE Rugby Juniors had plenty to cheer about last weekend after clinching three premiership trophies at the Sydney Metropolitan Northern Zone Grand Finals. Pictured is Drummoyne’s U/12 Golds team celebrating their 36-12 victory over Forest at Boronia Park Oval. The Junior Reds drew 17-all with Hunters Hill in the U/11 decider and 7-7 with St Ives in the U/15s Grand Final to finish joint premiers in both age groups. More later.
U/17 Panther cubs roar to hockey premiership
RYDE’S champion U/17A boys hockey team that defeated Moorebank 4-2 to capture the premiership trophy last Friday night at Cintra Hockey Complex.
Pictured standing l to r Jeff McEwen (coach), Andy Wright (assistant coach), Tom Craig, Luke Dempsey, Tom Wilson, Ryan Craig, James Stephens, Jay Assay, Campbell Clark, Chris Highman (goalkeeper), Geoff Shields (manager); kneeling Ben Craig, Jack Hayes, Adam Shields, Josh Green, Nic McEwen, Ben Modra.(bold)Young gun Nic McEwen capped an outstanding game for the Panthers by grabbing a goal double with Ben Craig and Tom Craig also nabbing goals for the premiers. MENS: Firsts: Sutherland 6 Ryde-Hunters Hill 1 (Matt Wright); Seconds: Sutherland 7 Ryde 2 (Alex Swart, Mark Anderson); Thirds: Ryde 1 (Greg Findlay) Sutherland 0; Fourths: Ryde 3 (Mark Greaves, Tom Sykes, James Abaniel) Sutherland 2; Fifths: Ryde 3 (Brynn Furmidge 2, Scott Familton) Manly 3; Sixths: Ryde 3 (Nick Wakeling, Kerry Marthick, Blake Phelan) Manly 0; 7th: Ryde 3 (Mick Thompson-Blair, Garreth Visser, Jeremy Tuckwell) Sutherland 1; 8th: Sutherland 2 Ryde 1 (Greg Merchant); 9th: Sydney University 3 Ryde 2 (Ken Campbell, James Tuckwell); U/17A Grand Final: Ryde 4 (Nic McEwen 2, Ben Craig, Tom Craig) Moorebank 2; U/17B: Ryde 1 (S Edwards) Sutherland 1; WOMEN: Firsts: Ryde 2 (Jade Close, Jess Brown) Sydney University 1; Seconds: Ryde 3 (Kiona Nicholl, Amanda Wilson, Aimee Sharp) Sydney University 2; Thirds: Harbourside 4 Ryde 1; Fifths: Ryde 3 (Kelly MacDonald, Laura Turnbull, Michelle Giaquinto) Tigers 3; Sixths: Ryde 10 (Rachel Cullen 4, Sarah Braude 3, Rosie Craig 2, Beth Westmore) Sydney University 1.
Tigers sign Thornely & Denly
SYDNEY Cricket Club have pulled off a major coup with the signing of former NSW all rounder Dominic Thornely, England international batsman Joe Denly and emerging pace bowler Mitchell Clayton for the 2010-11 season.
Thornely, who retired from first class cricket at the end of last summer, is a huge gain for the Tigers and will skipper the side in the Sydney first grade competition.
Denly, a prolific scoring opener with Kent, got his international call up in 2009 in England’s one day squad that played Australia after averaging 51.85 in the Friends Provident Trophy.
He is returning to the club after two successful summers with the Tigers in 2005/06 and 2004/05.
MEANWHILE the Sydney club will hold its fourth annual Tigers Open Day this Saturday September 4 at the Sydney Cricket Ground nets.
Men players will conduct net sessions from 9am to 1pm; women from 12 noon to 3pm and Academy players from 12 noon to 3pm.
There’ll be a barbecue from 12 noon and you can purchase your 2010-11 SCC merchandise; have a look at the current players or catch up with old friends.
Milestone for Pride
GLADESVILLE’S Belinda Pride has made Sydney Women’s AFL history by becoming the first player ever to kick 100 goals in a season.
Pride, a talented full-forward, has been the star of the Balmain Dockers all year and has played an influential role in the club’s undefeated season to date. The 27-year-old said she was very nervous walking in to take the kick but is hopeful her nerves are out of the way.
“I think I just wanted to kick it to get it out of the way,” she said.
“My teammates helped me a lot to get to 100 goals so I wanted to kick it more out of relief than anything else. I needed to kick eight on the day and I had kicked seven already and I ended up kicking about ten.
“Once I kicked 100 I was able to relax.” The Balmain Dockers have had a season to remember.
Not only has the club finished the home and away season without a loss the Dockers recently travelled to Perth to play the curtain-raiser to the Fremantle and West Coast Eagles AFL derby at Subiaco Oval.
Pride said her century of goals is a fitting reward for a lot of hard work put in by the playing group and the way the side celebrated the milestone is indicative of the club’s team-orientated culture. Media Enquiries.
Joeys in Cup final
ST JOSEPHS College Hunters Hill 1st XI football team will battle it out for the title of NSW Independent Schools Cup champions today (Wednesday) after a spirited win against St Paul’s Grammar School, Cranebrook in the semi-final.
SJC took out the semi-final 3-2 in an exciting match held at Melita Stadium South Granville.
It was a torrid affair with Joeys jumping to a 2-0 lead at half time, courtesy of outstanding goals to Michael McGinely and captain Nathan Sansom, who has represented the First X1 over the past four years.
Within the first minute of resuming play after the break, Sansom netted again to give his side a 3-0 lead.
St Paul’s rallied and pulled back two goals, leaving a tense final 15 minutes for SJC to hold on to the lead for victory.
The win was a gutsy effort and a well deserved result. Qualifying for the final is another stage in what has been a very successful football season for the College, with both the first and second elevens finishing third in the GPS competition and enjoying wins in the last weekend of competition at home to SCEGS.
The Independent Schools Cup is a state-wide knock out competition and the successes of the St Joseph’s boys has meant two games a week on several occasions.
A very fit Joeys team has lapped up the extra work with wins against Newington (2-1), Thomas Hassall Anglican College (3-1), Shore (4-0) and St Pauls (3-2) in close succession.
In fact, the team has been in fine goal-scoring form this year with every field player bar one making the score-sheet. This achievement comes on top of the team’s 2009 effort, when every field player found the net.
At end of season celebrations, coaches Craig Sharpley and Darren Frost attributed much of the boys’ success to a disciplined training regime as well as the momentum gained from the 2009 tour of the United Kingdom and Spain.
Several of the younger squad members will tour again in April 2011, journeying to major clubs in England and Italy.
Nathan Sansom in action for St Josephs. Photo by Clay Cross.
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