Your commercial law firm. Canberra | Melbourne Government – Business – Not-For-Profit– Sport Practical. Reliable. Quality. 02 6198 3100 [email protected] www.griffinlegal.com.au Official Partner of Brumbies Rugby. Your commercial law firm. CRUNCH TIME FAST APPROACHING IN PREMEIR DIVISION Photo: Michael Daniel Photography It’s hard to believe, but there are now just Finally, at Jamison Oval the Queanbeyan four rounds left in the Griffin Legal John I Dent Whites continued their upward trajectory this Cup regular season. The season has been season with a convincing, 50-14 win away to largely dictated by the top three sides, the Wests. The visitors systematically shutdown Eagles, Vikings and Royals and in Round 13, Wests throughout the game, scoring some Canberra | Melbourne Tuggeranong made the trip to Nicholls, hoping breathtaking tries in the process. Raw results to knock Gungahlin off their perch. haven’t been in Queanbeyan’s favour of late, but their play has steadily increased the past Government – Business – Not-For-Profit– Sport In a back and forth affair, ultimately the 80 couple of weeks and their win against the Lions minutes of action wasn’t enough to separate should serve as a catalyst for a late season the two sides. 33-33 was in some ways the charge for finals. fair result on a day where both teams failed to Practical. Reliable. Quality. reach top gear. Out at Griffith Oval, Easts face the challenge of the defending Champions, Vikings. It was Vikings were without a number of frontline a tough day at the office for Tim Cornforth’s players, so perhaps they got the better of charges in their last encounter, Easts suffering the tie, especially given Nicholls enclosed is a an 80-15 drubbing at the hands of Tuggeranong. tough place to go and win. However, given that Expect this one to be a little closer, though if Tuggies had a commanding lead in the latter the potential reinforcements Vikings could be 02 6198 3100 stages of the piece, they will probably still feel getting back today in the likes of Noah Lolesio, this one was a win that got away. Angus Wagner and Darcy Swain, it may be [email protected] another long day for the Beasties. The same could be said for Easts who had their best chance to claim a win this season Livestreaming from Nicholls Enclosed, the www.griffinlegal.com.au against Uni-Norths but just couldn’t hang on Eagles take on the Owls. Gungahlin have come the second half. With half an hour to play, the out on top so far in the battle of the birds but Suburbs were up 33-21 at ANU, but thanks will have their work cut out for them welcoming to some inspirational play from halfback an Owls side full of confidence after getting Lachlan Creighton, the Owls were able to claw home last time out, while Queanbeyan take themselves back into the game and ended up on Royals at Campese Field in what could be a Official Partner of Brumbies Rugby. taking a maximum five points out of the game, crutial clash for Queanbeyan's top 4 aspirations. 40-25. 3 TARALGA TIGERS SETTING THE STANDARD Taralga is a town with a long rugby history. In fact, the first rugby game played in Taralga was over 100 years ago in 1886, when the local team would play against Goulburn and Crookwell. The rugby club eventually folded as rugby league took over in popularity but was reformed in 2000 and has been a staple of the community ever since. Taralga Tigers coach Evan Rees played a part in this regional rugby revival back in 2000 Reading the team sheet, it’s hard not to notice and he now takes on the responsibility of the Croker’s and the Bennetts, but there is being the club’s Vice-President on top of also Taralga’s captain and number 8 William his coaching duties. The reigning premiers Hedley, who recently played his 200th game of the South Coast Monaro competition for the club over an impressive 16-year playing have carried their success into 2019 and are career, who is brother-in-law to inside centre currently enjoying another stellar season. Sam Conlon. Pete Aparti as well, is brother-in- law with the Bennett brothers. The Tigers are undefeated after twelve games, impressively amassing a bonus Having a group that all know each other so point in all but one of their victories. well surely helps them find success as a team. According to Rees, their dominance comes Not only are a lot of these players connected down to having the right players, the right with each other off the field, they also connect environment, and the right mindset. with each other during games. Joel Croker, the team’s five-eighth and goalkicker, is the “I think it’s just the group of players we’ve competitions leading point scorer, racking up got really. They’re all pretty good mates on over 160 points already in a dozen games this and off the field, they enjoy each other’s season. Rees says he is a real sharpshooter company,” Rees said. “They set their own with the boot and it’s easy to believe him standard and yeah, there’s no secret to it is when you read the stats. there. It’s just hard work.” Rees also mentions the team’s young hooker As Rees reflects on the team and its players, Isaac Elliott. Isaac is only 21 years old and has it becomes evident just how close knit the huge potential; his older brother Carl plays community is and how that impacts the first grade for the Queanbeyan Whites and playing group. “We’ve got cousins, the is well known in the ACT competition for his Croker cousins, we’ve got Bennett brothers, ability and aggression. Rees coached him as a we’ve got brothers-in-law,” laughed Rees. schoolboy at Trinity in Goulburn so has known “Yeah they’re all cousins or related or the family for quite some time. mates, it’s a small community.” This week the Taralga Tigers are coming up 4 against the bottom-of-the-table Broulee Dolphins. The team will make the 3 hour, “It’s pretty important in bringing the town 217km bus trip down to the coast but the together,” Rees admitted. “The majority of Tigers Head Coach says some of the players our players are local boys, if they’re not local really enjoy their away matches. The long they’re mates of the blokes who are. All of our trips for away games, which see them travel sponsorship comes from local businesses; we all the way to Jindabyne occasionally, are a get a lot of support from the Taralga Sports quite unique aspect of the competition. Club who are our major sponsor. We also get a lot of parents coming to games as well as “It’s funny because some blokes really like girlfriends and wives. it, the bus trip. But I guess it’s a lot harder playing away,” says Rees. “You get up a bit “Just being a small community it’s amazing easier when you’re playing at home in front how much support you get as a club and of your home crowd so there’s a mental its very important for the district to have a aspect to it. Stepping off that bus and being team. It’s a social thing really isn’t it? It’s a lot ready to play, it’s quite hard sometimes. Your of travel but we enjoy playing in the country heads not in the game until after half time comp, it’s a completely different atmosphere really.” than the professional side of things, most of them work as tradesmen these days and The South Coast Monaro competition, they just enjoy playing footy together and a vibrant social league, is vital for small socialising.” rugby communities, as it brings the towns together in a family-friendly, healthy, social Words: Pat Woods environment. Photo: Taralga Facebook page 5 V GRIFFITH OVAL, 3.05PM Andrew Whittle 1 Charles Pratt Samuel Samuelu 2 Samual Thomas John Bosco Tagaloa 3 Sione Taula Augustin Limaleba 4 Jack Wright Peni Nifo 5 Jayme Field Blake Enever 6 Ablert Watego Curtis Malaeatsi 7 Luke Gersekowski Langi Lolotonga 8 Angus Allen Liam Harrison 9 Ryan Lonergan Darcy Eason 10 Isaac Thompson Daniel Greig-Williams 11 Joe Langtry Aaron Collins 12 Trai Henderson George Morseu 13 Len Ikitau Tiko Twist 14 Maika Ravouvou Jacob Angelatos 15 Ernest Suavai COACH: Tim Cornforth COACH: Nick Scrivener PREVIOUSLY Premier 1st grade CELEBRITY TIPPER: MATCH OFFICIALS: Referee: James Morris Round 7: 18th May, 2019 Costa Georgiadis Vikings 80 – Easts 17 (Logie Winner) AR1: Dennis Beisnner (Viking Park) - VIKINGS - AR2: Rhianna Burke 7 V SATURDAY 6 JULY, GRIFFITH OVAL 12.15pm 1.40pm Phillip Fanene 1 Jean-benit Madjaga Risati Soanai 1 Junior Sotogi Tamati Abel 2 Alexavier Punou Kiev Taiese 2 Michael Henry Vai Maake 3 TJ Sione Robert Donaldson 3 Benjamin Gillespie Oliver Newham 4 Zac Bursey Gavin McMullan 4 Ethan Brazel Felix Buxton-Leslie 5 Bailey Goymer-Peak Tamati Abel 5 Zac Bursey Callum Sewell 6 Kieran Reilly Daniel Messanger 6 Rhys Griffiths Tobias Sanerive 7 Timothy Cushan Lachlan Jackson 7 Justice Henderson Luke Seruwaqa 8 Thomas Hooper Lisiate Unga 8 Richard Joyes Hamish Scott 9 Reupena Elise Simon Webber 9 Seamus Smith Todd McManus 10 Joshua Story Joel Etherington 10 Billy Carberry Keegan Loadsman 11 Thomas Brewer Benny Ng 11 Jeremy Mututu Brandon Donnelly 12 Billy Carberry Brad Dale 12 Travis Pula Sean Smith 13 Hunter Davis Zac Rosser 13 Hunter Davis Isaac Heslop 14 Cooper Spencer-Jones Anujaya De Silva 14 Jy Clarke Buddi Baira 15 Jed Englert John Sutcliffe 15 Blake Henman COACH: AJ Abel COACH: Robbie Kydd COACH: Peter Ingram COACH: Brendan Allardyce PREVIOUSLY Colts 2nd Grade Round 7: 18th May, 2019 Round 7: 18th May, 2019 Vikings 47 – Easts 24 Vikings 57 – Easts 12 (Viking Park) (Viking Park) MATCH OFFICIAL: MATCH OFFICIAL: Referee: Damien Mclachlan Referee: Dennis Beissner 8 Platinum Sponsors Gold Sponsors Silver Sponsors Player Sponsors Committed Few Fitness | Elephant in the Room Training & Consultancy | Griffin Legal | Hayman Partners | Luton Properties | MOX Swim School | NCG Global | New Level Landscapes | One Agency - Michael Potter | Quaama Bobcat & Tipper Hire | Stylecon CONGRATULATIONS TO TRISTAN STANLEY OF GUNGAHLIN WHO WAS NAMED THE TRUEFITT & HILL/PTP MAN OF THE MATCH FOR HIS OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE IN THE ROUND 13 CLASH BETWEEN GUNGAHLIN AND TUGGERANONG.