Sports News

Hooks and Slices

with Stan Bendall

Ballina

On Saturday there will be a single stableford for both men and ladies. Brownies golfers will also be playing a single stableford. Last Saturday Glenn Taylor took out the overall trophy while Neil Bullen won the gross. Scott Bovis got up in A grade, Mark Fryer won B grade and David McFadden took out C grade.

Coraki

On Saturday a single stroke event will be played over two grades. Club captain Dick Garrett won last Saturday's A grade from Jim Ormond. Chris Knight won B grade from Nev Smith.

Kyogle

This Saturday's event will be the December monthly medal. It was a family affair last Saturday with brothers Paul and Tony Hurley taking out the day from Bruce and Scott Wilson.

Lismore

An Irish teams event will be held this Saturday. Last Saturday club president Charlie Johnson and club captain Ed Bennett formed a formidable partnership to take out A grade from Murray Edwards and Garry Underhill. Big Kevin Ezzy took out A grade in fine style. Young Luke McDonald won B grade with Greg Hickey winning C grade.

Due to occupational health and safety concerns it is prohibited to walk animals on the course, leashed or unleashed.

Alterations to the course underway at present include the cleaning up of the sand trap near the buggy shed and alterations to the path at the back of the 16th green with a possibility of the path to go behind the 13th green. A reminder that the green staff has right-of-way at all times.

Congratulations to club secretary/manager Phil Kelly and his wife Marianne on the birth of their daughter Jessica a couple of weeks ago.

Woodburn Evans Head

This Saturday will be a four-person ambrose. Johanna Gibson won the mid-week ladies event, while the veteran's event saw Bill Ferrier victorious. Terry Russell, formerly of Lismore, won A grade on Saturday. Forbes Murdoch won B grade and Brett Rhodes took out C grade. Bernadette Cornelius won the ladies section while Sid Rolfe picked up a victory in the RSL event.

Hook, Line and Sinker

with Lindsay Doust - Suffolks Sports Store

Anglers pay for past sins with action

A moment Lester will never forget... Lester Clements fully appreciates the beauty of pre-dawn fishing, as this photo testifies. He caught this bass on the Upper Clarence at Tabulam on a recent fishing trip with the 'sparrows'.

Another year has rolled around and I trust it has been a good fishing year.

I guess the fish will never be like the old days when catches of bream and tailor numbered into the hundreds. If only we knew what we were doing to the stocks when this was happening. Along with commercial fishing, we have all played a part in the declining stocks.

Today, we have strict bag and size limits, closed areas and seasons, and no doubt that is now all unnecessary. Anglers today catch fewer fish than the old days and need many more hours and skill to get among them. Along with the development of modern fishing tackle, the fishing scene today is more one of a sport and less of an exercise in going out and making a killing.

The Richmond Valley Sportfishing Club last Tuesday released 16,000 baby bass fingerlings into the Richmond River system. They have been spread right across the catchment from the Bungawalbyn to Tintenbar and covering every arm and major creek in between. This is the eighth year of restocking. Have you ever stopped to think how many bass would be there, if this was not taking place. The pressure on bass fishing today is enormous and they are a vulnerable species. If the restocking effort does not continue in the future, stocks will indeed be very limited.

This lot of fish has cost $8,000 with $4,000 being from NSW Fisheries from the NSW Fisheries Licence Fund, that is, a part of your fishing licence, and $4,000 that has been raised by the Club itself. Over the years, other clubs and individuals have assisted with the funds and this has made the task much easier. If you would like to help this year, please contact the President, Danny Robinson, on 6628 0727 or myself at Suffolks Sports Store. The Club does this on behalf of all keen bass anglers and particularly for those who catch and release most of their fish.

Happy Christmas to all our readers and good fishing in the New Year.

Flames shock result - Soccer FNC

The North Coast Flames have conceded a goal! The dominating women's team have shut out every team they have played during the summer season but could not maintain their perfect scoresheet against the Brisbane Tornados, the 18 Years Brisbane rep team. The Flames had taken a 1-nil lead early in the second half before they let in their first goal in over 400 minutes of football. Showing their determination is as good as their high skill level, the Flames responded immediately, not with one, but two goals to run out 3-1 winners

In the Summer Youth League Rochedale Rovers exacted revenge against the North Coast Suns on the weekend. The Rovers sit atop the Pool A ladder after having lost only one match in the first round of the competition - and that was to the Suns in the second game of the season.

Playing at Rochedale's Underwood Park ground on Saturday night Rovers took a 1-0 lead into the half time break. They then extended their lead shortly after the break, finishing 3-nil victors after a late goal. The Suns have also picked up a win after S.W. Queensland forfeited their catch-up game from December 6.

Brothers stay in the family

If opposition clubs were hoping that the professional intensity of Marist Brothers would drop off now that super-coach Michael Woods has left to take over the helm at Brisbane's Norths, they will be disappointed.

Like a true family club Brothers has turned to one of their own, three time reserve grade premiership winning coach, Owen King, to take the senior coaching position at the club for 2004.

Perkins catches seven as Crawford plunders ton

Marist Brother's Tony Bazzano fails to stop the ball after getting both hands to it after Casino's Michael Kilkeary produced a cracking square cut at Oakes Oval on Saturday. The ball ran away from Bazzano allowing the batsmen to cross for three runs.

Casino's Adam Shields casts a worried look back towards the keeper as the close-in fielders start to rise in an appeal for a caught behind decision off the bowling of Tony Collings ...

... and like a true professional, Shields took the not out call as though it was the last thing on his mind, taking an imaginary block behind the wicket. The milling fieldsmen were not quite so sure about the decision.

After winning the toss on Saturday and electing to bat, only one Marist Brothers player, Joe Allen (29), made it to double figures as Brothers were dismissed for just 83 by the Casino Cavaliers.

While the pitch conditions caused serious problems for the batsmen their cause was not helped by the accuracy and venom extracted by Casino opening bowler Al Nowlan. Nowlan finished with 5-35 and was well supported by Wade Sweeney who chipped in with 3-14 from five overs.

In reply Casino maintained their unbeaten record by scoring 6-144, built on an opening half-century stand between Adam Shields (34) and Michael Kilkeary (11). Shields, who has opened for Australian Country, was returning to the top of the Casino batting order after Michael Wood had been given opening duties earlier in the season.

Alstonville scored a first innings victory over Ballina on the back of some fine bowling by opening bowlers Mark Newstead (5-43 and 1-13) and Ben Johnston (3-13 and 2-15). Set a target of 101 for first innings points Alstonville looked in trouble at 6-55 before wicket-keeper Dean Perkins completed an outstanding double, scoring an unbeaten 66 to go with his astonishing seven catch haul in the Ballina innings. Perkins combined with Greg Potter (56) for a 99 run partnership.

In the only other match to have a result Norths Goonellabah RSL scored a formidable 281 thanks to a fine team display including Adam Osborn's 76. Brunswick was never in the hunt after losing three early wickets to be 3-17. They struggled to 7-60 before Scott Thompson (55) and Ben Forsythe (32) added some respectability to their score, eventually being dismissed for 147.

Tintenbar East Ballina showed that they could punish an attack with venom racking up 312 against Easts at Kingsford Smith Oval. Leading the way was captain Brett Crawford who completed the first century on the new ground. His 112 included an 81-run 3rd wicket partnership with David Carney (54). In reply Easts were 4-139 before the rains came.

Souths Len Blok pulled off a six-wicket haul against Lennox Head as they were dismissed for 160 at Nesbitt Park, South Lismore. Unfortunately it was all to no avail as the Souths innings was stalled at 1-23 when the rain hit on Sunday with the game delicately poised.

LJ Hooker League Ladder

Casino 37

Easts 27

Nth G'bah RSL 26

Alstonville 24

Marist Bros 21

Ballina 16

Souths 16

Tintenbar E. Ballina 16

Lennox Head 3

Brunswick Valley 2

A Rosie (&) Hew settles over titles

Lismore's Nick Hew throws his whole body into this serve during the final of the Boys 16 title. Hew swept all before him during the championship.

Talented Lismore tennis player Nick Hew took another huge step towards his ambition of playing professional tennis with an awesome display in the final of the Boys 18 singles final at the Lismore Open Age Junior Championships yesterday.

Playing in the first Australian ranking event ever held on the Far North Coast, Hew was in top form crushing his Brisbane opponent Alex Bothe mercilessly 6-0 6-2.

For Hew it was the culmination of a very special four days. Hew lost only 11 games in 6 matches.

Attending boarding school in Brisbane, Hew said he feels more at home playing a variety of players now and is more confident in his overall ability.

"Playing in the Greater Public Schools competition has been great", Hew said. "I get the chance to play against all the top players in Brisbane on a regular basis and it's made me more comfortable in my own ability to compete well at this level."

Hew made it a double when he collected the winners trophy in the 16 Boys Singles later in the day. He won in straight sets 6-3 6-3 over Sydney player David Currer.

In another excellent result for the local tennis community, the 14 Girls final came down to Lismore's Rosie McWilliam and Alstonville's Emily Wilson.

McWilliam had to battle hard before finishing like a steam train against her friend and arch-rival Emily Wilson in the final of the 14 Girls Singles at the Lismore Open Junior Age Championships. After a slow start McWilliam produced some deadly shots to win the match 4-6 6-1 6-1.

2003 has been a magic year for the Trinity College student who has been selected to represent NSW in the Foundation Cup to be held in conjunction with the Australian Open in january.