Rising

stars hit
Wagga
By TRAVIS COHALAN

DOWN AND OUT: Australias Lleyton Hewitt shows his frustration as he succumbs to Roger Federer of Switzerland in straight sets in the mens
semi-final at Wimbledon last night.

HEWITT HAS
NO ANSWER
LLEYTON Hewitt has again succumbed to Roger Federers class
with a straight sets loss to the top
seed in the semi-final at Wimbledon.
Federer highlighted the huge gap
between world No. 1 and No.2 when
he beat Hewitt for the eighth time
in a row with a 6-3 6-4 7-6 (7-4)
demolition on Centre Court.
Hewitt may be the next best player in the world, but the Swiss has
complete control over him, winning

their last 15 sets. No matter how

good Hewitts speed and defence
were, the Australian had no
response to Federers variation,
precision and power.
Federer had the 2002 champion
scrambling back and forth across
the baseline as each penetrating
ground stroke landed deeper and
wider.
While third seed Hewitt retrieved
shots most other players couldn't

get a racquet to, even his defence

could not save him against
Federers peerless game.
Hewitt has been beaten by the
eventual winner in his last five
grand slam tournaments, three
times to Federer, and has most likely added a sixth to that unwanted
collection as the Swiss chases a hattrick of Wimbledon crowns.
As well as his deep ground strokes
on both sides, Federers slower

sliced backhand troubled Hewitt

who couldnt handle the low bounce.
Breaks were exchanged early in
the first set, but Federer took the
decisive advantage with his sliced
backhand clearing the tape by a
millimetre and bouncing shin high.
Hewitt appeared tentative in the
second set and while only broken
once, he was always struggling to
stay in the match.
More Wimbledon: Page 73

FORMER Australian
Schoolboys
rugby
league representative
Damian Kenniff yesterday
revealed
the
honour and tradition
surrounding
the
Australian Secondary
Schools
National
Championships.
The
Australian
Secondary
Schools
National
Championships will begin in
Wagga at Eric Weissel
Oval tomorrow and
Kenniff believes the
championships are the
pinnacle of
junior
rugby league.
Kenniff, now coach of
Wagga
Kangaroos,
competed in the championships in 1982 when
he played for NSW
Combined
Catholic
Colleges.
As a result of his
standout performances, Kenniff
gained
selection
in
the
Australian Schoolboys
team which toured
Great
Britain
in
1982.
With the championships coming to
Wagga
for
the
first time, Kenniff
described the magnitude of the tournament
and spoke of
the
quality that will be on
display.
This championship
is the best standard of
rugby league for a
schoolboy,
Kenniff
said.
The best junior
players from across
Australia compete in
this event and the quality of play is exceptional it is just second to
none.
For me it was just a
really great experience
... and it was a really
great week of rugby
league.
It is an experience I
will never forget.
It is great for Wagga
and the people of
Wagga to have such a
high standard of rugby
league available to

Continued Page 74

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NSW coach thinks

his charges will win

TEAMS
Australian Secondary Schools 18 Years Rugby League Championship

NSW Combined High Schools coach

Tony Yelavich downplayed the significance of Wednesdays 34-12 loss
against arch-rival Queensland.
Despite making plenty of handling
errors and playing below their best,
Yelavich believes NSW will bounce
back from the loss at Twickenham.
NSW will have a chance at redemption when it takes on Queensland All
School again in its opening round
Pool A game at Eric Weissel Oval
tomorrow.
Yelavich is confident his team can
reverse Wednesdays result.
Im not really taking much out of
the game, Yelavich said.
In the end the game was only a
trial and we will be better for the hitout.
I am confident the boys have the
ability to win the title and we certainly are not going to be going out
against Queensland thinking we are
going to lose.
We are quietly confident the boys
will turn the result around.
NSW boasts a talented line-up,
including stylish fullback Fred
Khouiss, who consistently returns
the ball well and was among the best
on Wednesday.
Pivot Kris Keating performed
solidly on Wednesday and NSW will
be looking to his classy ballplay to
create chances for speedsters such as
Mitchell Brown and Aku Uate.

OFFLOAD: James Taputu-Crombie gets a pass away while NSW CHS player Tohi Leha makes the tackle during a
trial game at Twickenham on Wednesday.

ACT
Colours: Royal Blue, Gold & White
1 Troy OSullivan (Daramalan College)
2 Chris Thorley (Hawker College)
3 Kose Lelei (Erindale College)
4 Mick Brophy (Erindale College)
5 James Stuart (Erindale College)
6 Marc Herbert (Daramalan College)
7 Mitch McAppion (Erindale College)
8 Craig Woodland (Dickson College)
9 Jono Butt (Dickson College)
10 Jay Lasscock Erindale College
11 Brodie RidleyErindale College
12 Simon Morgan (Erindale College)
13 Josh White (Daramalan College)
14 Tsai Tui (Erindale College)
15 Dani Scanlon (Erindale College)
16 Matt Reis (Hawker College)
17 Dan Desousa (Erindale College)
18 Dave Barrie (Dickson College)
19 Adrian McCarthy (Hawker College)
20 Ben Sione Lake (Ginninderra College)
Coach: Jason Gregory (ACTSRL)
NSW Combined Catholic Colleges
Colours: White & Royal Blue
1 Shannon McDonnell (Mt Carmel HS Varroville)
2 Junior Tia Kilifi (St Dominics College Penrith)
3 Michael Jennings (St Dominics College Penrith)
4 Matt Cooper (St Francis Xavier Hamilton)
5 Ryan Duffy (St Pauls College Manly)
6 Jarrod Mullen (St Francis Xavier Hamilton)
7 Mitchell Pearce (Marist College North Shore)
8 Kyle Schuster (St Dominics College Penrith)
9 Ray Nasso (Terra Sancta College Quakers Hill)
10 Robert Worsley (St John Bosco Engadine)
11 Mitchell Aubusson (Xavier College Ballina)
12 Corey Patterson (St Francis Xavier Hamilton)
13 Gavin Quinn (St Gregorys College
Campbelltown)
14 Jarrad Sammut (Patrician Brothers Blacktown)
15 Liam Foran (Marist College North Shore)
16 Tyne Owen (St Francis Xavier Hamilton)
17 Chris Afamasaga (La Salle College Bankstown)
18 Charles Enosi (Patrician Brothers Blacktown)
19 Joel Thompson (Red Bend College Forbes)
20 Aiden Tolman (St Pauls HS Kempsey)
Coach: Craig Culnane (St Dominics College
Penrith)
NSW Combined High Schools
Colours: Sky Blue & Navy
1 Fred Khouiss (Westfields Sports High School)
2 Mitchell Brown (Endeavour Sports High School)
3 James Grehan (Figtree High School)
4 Fetuli Talanoa (Matraville Sports High School)
5 Aku Uate (Brisbane Waters Senior College)
6 Kris Keating (Westfields Sports High School)

7 Daniel Ezekiel (Endeavour Sports High School)

8 Broderick Wright (Baulkham Hills High School)
9 Luke Letele (Endeavour Sports High School)
10 Tohi Leha (Endeavour Sports High School)
11 Joe Picker (Crookwell High School)
12 Martin Lewis (Farrer Memorial Ag. High School)
13 Mathew Hall (Matraville Sports High School)
14 Joel Burraston (Hunter Sports High School)
15 Mick Picker (Crookwell High School)
16 Simon Sneddon (Young High School)
17 Mitch Antony (Mulwaree High School)
18 Luke Muttdon (Kiama High School)
19 Zac Russ (Farrer Memorial Ag. High School)
20 Pierce Sapford (Randwick Boys High School)
Coach:Anthony Yelavich (Blakehurst High School)
NSW Combined Independent Schools
Colours: Navy, Red, Gold & White
1 Caleb Reedy (The Illawarra Grammar School)
2 Matthew Uluikavoro (Christian Community High
School)
3 Tim McAllister (St Philips Christian College
Waratah)
4 Damien Buckley (Emmanuel Anglican College)
5 Jack MacPherson (St Philips Christian College
Waratah)
6 Ryan Stig (St Philips Christian College Waratah)
7 Joseph Zinghini (Chevalier College Bowral)
8 Tim Mannah (Christian Community High School)
9 Joel Brown (St Philips Christian College
Waratah)
10 Daniel Worso-Mansfield (Chevalier College
Moss Vale)
11 Johnny Mannah (Christian Community High
School)
12 Tim Baldwin (Waverley College)
13 Jordan Gillogly (Taree Christian Community
School)
14 James Howell (Hunter Valley Grammar School)
15 Blake Lazarus (Broughton Anglican College)
16 Luke Strother (Bishop Druitt College)
17 Mitchell Watson (Toongabbie Christian School)
18 Rohan Singh (Christian Community High
School)
19 Brenden Lowbridge (St Philips Christian Coll
Waratah)
20 Aaron Brown (Toongabbie Christian School)
Coach: Gareth Hawgood (Hunter Valley Grammar)
Northern Territory
Colours: Black, Ochre & White
1 Lyle Ah Sam (Sanderson High School)
2 Nick Keen (NTIS Darwin)
3 Stefan Dippel (Casuarina Senior College)
4 Damien Shelford (NTIS Alice Springs)
5 Reuben Mack (NTIS Alice Springs)
6 Ben Cribb (Darwin High School)
7 Todd Hair (Katherine High School)

74 Weekend Advertiser, Saturday and Sunday, July 2 and 3, 2005

8 Trent de With (NTIS(Katherine)

9 Anil Shearsby (Darwin High School)
10 Jesse Maclean (Darwin High School)
11 Cameron Mathers (Charles Darwin University)
12 Kieren ONeil (Charles Darwin University)
13 Louka Constantine (NTIS (Darwin)
14 Luke Kelly (Katherine High School)
15 Joey Buckerfield (NTIS Katherine)
16 Myles Bushell (St Johns College Darwin)
17 Paul Jennings (NTIS Katherine)
18 Joel Ross (Darwin High School)
19 Adrian Shelford (NTIS Alice Springs)
20 Liam Philpott (Dripstone High School)
Coach: Michael Rawiri (NTIS Darwin)
Queensland
Colours: Maroon & White
1 Darius Boyd (Palm Beach Currumbin State High
School)
2 Galu Teo (Clairvaux Mackillop College)
3 Daniel Isaac (Shailer Park State High School)
4 Esi Tonga (Marsden State High School)
5 Israel Folau (Marsden State High School)
6 Cameron Heading (Kirwan State High School)
7 Brady Payne (Kirwan State High School)
8 John Clayton (Wavell State High School)
9 Nathan Strudwick (John Paul College)
10 James Taputu-Crombie Wavell State High
School
11 Leo Faagutu (Kirwan State High School)
12 Jay Ashton (Brisbane State High School)
13 Joel Moon (Morayfield State High School)
14 Chris Sandow (Marsden State High School)
15 Casey Lillyman (Kirwan State High School)
16 Joshua Costello (Wavell State High School)
17 Lee McLean (Kirwan State High School)
18 Tamahau Skipper (Kirwan State High School)
19 Isaac Schwenke (Wavell State High School)
20 David Taylor (St Brendans College Yepoon)
Coach: David Ballin (Kingaroy State High)
South Australia
Colours: Black, Red, Blue, & Gold
1 Tyson Williams (TAFE SA)
2 Steven McIlwain (Aberfoyle Park High School)
3 Nathan Satala (Aberfoyle Park High School)
4 Phil Bremner (Glenunga International High
School)
5 Jacob Satala (Reynella East High School)
6 Monty Jenkins (Aberfoyle Park High School)
7 Michael Holland (TAFE SA)
8 Mark Rullo (Mt Carmel College)
9 Mitchell Morton (Golden Grove High School)
10 Wes Toman (TAFE SA)
11 Gary Baker (Gawler High School)
12 Dang Nguyen (Mt Carmel College Rosewater)
13 Nat Gosche (Gleeson College Golden Grove)
14 Josh Koutsoukos (Adelaide High School)

Schoolboys
in Wagga
From Back Page
watch it will be a huge
event.
With names such as
Trent Barrett, Luke
Priddis, Steve Menzies
and Jamie Lyon having
competed in the championships, it is little
wonder
Kenniff
believes a new NRL
superstar
may
be
unveiled next week.
The championships
provide players with
the opportunity to be
selected
in
the
Australian Schoolboys
team, which provides a
stepping stone to a
career in the NRL.
I am certain players
from this event will
play in the NRL in
years to come, Kenniff
said.
NRL clubs look at
the championships and
at the players who
make the Schoolboys
team and it is definitely
a great stepping stone
to the NRL.
I was lucky enough
to
play
for
the
Australian Schoolboys,
and it is an experience
which I will always
cherish.
Kenniff's selection in
the
Australian
Schoolboys team gave
him a pathway to the
top grade, as he played
for first grade at the
Gold Coast club from
1988-91.

15 Jamie Cummings (Port Lincoln High School)

16 Corey Irrgang (Gawler High School)
17 Jarod Mansour (TAFE SA)
18 Ben Evans TAFE SA
19 Tanaka Dzimo Bethesda Christian College
20 Jamie Heard (Paralowie R-12)
Coach: Leigh Charlesworth (Aberfoyle Park High
School)
Victorian Lightning
Colours: White, Navy & Jade
1 Beau Ryan (Bayside Secondary College)
2 Jarrad Stack (Doncaster Secondary College)
3 John Mackai (Sunbury Downs Senior College)
4 Laurance Nathan (Lyndale Senior College)
5 Josh Numoedi (Lyunhurst Senior College)
6 Brogan Faleni-Quedley (Bayside TSP)
7 Josh Lum (Bentleigh Senior College)
8 Josh Fermanis (Monash Senior College)
9 Chris Bodsworth (Shepparton High School)
10 Jordan Moors (Wellington Secondary College)
11 Phil Roberts (c) (South Oakleigh Secondary
College)
12 Adam Leslie (Bayside TSP)
13 James Sandbach (Mt Waverley Senior College)
14 Jarred Hustler (Berwick Senior College)
15 David Seiuli (Lyndhurst Senior College)
16 Daniel Webb (Corowa High School)
17 Davis Savea (Chandler Senior College)
18 Jamie Magelle (Berwick Senior College)
19 Nathan Leslie (Bayside TSP)
20 Terry Constantino (Parade Senior College)
Coach: Paul Boyce (VRL)
Western Australia
Colours: Black & Gold
1 Jack Greenwood (Fremantle Technical College)
2 Jesse Eiao (Belridge Senior High School)
3 Chris Clark (Safety Bay Senior High School)
4 Sam Glasheen (Wanneroo Senior High School)
5 Drew Hunt (Lockridge Senior High School)
6 Jeremy Browne (Aranmore College)
7 Paul Bate (Aranmore College)
8 Arlin Paki (Aranmore College)
9 Josh Fenwick (Kelmscott Senior High School)
10 Phil Faalelea (Belmont City College)
11 Daniel Sneddon (Aranmore Catholic College)
12 Shannon Coleman (Aquinas College)
13 Scott Saranam (Carine Senior High School)
14 Josh Benjamin (Forrestfield Senior High School)
15 Adam Smith (Belridge Senior High School)
16 Adam Pertula (Wanneroo Senior High School)
17 Henry Tardent (Mt Lawley Technical College)
18 Eden Moanaroa (Warnbro Senior High School)
19 Corey Pirere (Aranmore Catholic College)
20 Alex Capes (Safety Bay Senior High School)
Coach: Chris Dever (WARL)

Sport
Kennedy heaps praise on Qld fullback
THE thought of tackling 193
centimetre, 110 kilogram
Queensland giant Petero
Civoniceva does not scare
NSW rugby league hard man
Ben Kennedy.
But mention pint-sized
Maroons fullback Matt
Bowen and it is a different
story.
The promotion of regular

Queensland reserve Bowen

to fullback at Billy Slaters
expense for Wednesdays
Origin decider prompted
speculation that he would be
a liability for the Maroons.
However, Kennedy yesterday said Queensland would
lose nothing with Slaters
axing, describing Bowen at
175cm and 78kg wringing

wet as scary.
I hate to say it but I would
rather Petero running at me
than him (Bowen). Hes a
scary little man his footwork is so good, Kennedy
said after the NSW team
arrived at Brisbane yesterday.
Asked if Bowen was the
NRLs most difficult to tack-

le, Kennedy said: Probably

and (Penriths) Preston
Campbell is another one who
comes to mind.
The timing of their footwork is pretty spot on. They
are good for the game, they
are exciting to watch.
Kennedy became a Bowen
fan on Australias 2004 Tri
Nations tour and was sur-

prised by criticism of
Bowens
selection
as
Queensland fullback for the
vital Origin clash.
The hulking 188cm, 102kg
NSW backrower agreed with
Blues teammate Jason Ryles
description that tackling
Bowen was like catching a
mouse.
On tours Ive been with

him on, I had a few games of

footy with him. Hes an
unbelievable talent, he said.
His footwork is probably
second to none in the competition. He is going to be dangerous around the rucks
when we get tired we will
work that out at training
and hopefully shut him
down.

OUT OF MY WAY: Mitchell Aubusson of NSW Combined Catholic Colleges attempts to palm off ACT five-eighth Marc Herbert during the opening round Pool A game of the
Picture: BRETT KOSCHEL
Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League Championships at Eric Weissel Oval yesterday.

Talent on show
Rugby league club scouts invade Wagga
By TRAVIS COHALAN
FORMER Queensland legend
Arthur Beetson was among a
large contingent of keen onlookers at the opening round of the
Australian Secondary Schools
Rugby League Championships at
Eric Weissel Oval yesterday.
Beetson, now a talent scout
with Sydney Roosters, was on

BACK PAGE Monday, July 4, 2005

hand to witness an exciting opening days play which included

some brilliant individual performances.
Beetson will be staying in Wagga
for
the
week
and
will
be attending every game of
the championships in a bid to sign
the next superstar of the game.
With names such as Trent
Barrett, Luke Priddis and Braith

Anasta previous players to have

competed at the event it is little
wonder Beetson and other NRL
talent scouts are watching the
championships intently.
Every NRL club in the competition will have scouts present at
this years championship with
the junior players keen to
impress and earn a NRL contract.

Several players from the championships have already attracted

large interest from NRL clubs
and it is believed some players
are close to signing on with a
team.
Not only were NRL talent
scouts checking out the prospects,
players are also trialing for the
honour of being named in the
Australian Schoolboys team.

Beetson and other scouts will

head to Nixon Park in Temora
today where they will witness
another day of enthralling rugby
league displayed by the games
rising stars.

Australian Secondary Schools

Rugby League Championships
four-page special inside
Your Game

NSW
find
revenge
sweet
Twickenham result
reversed in Wagga
By TRAVIS COHALAN
REVENGE was sweet for
NSW
Combined
High
Schools as they gallantly
overcame
a
skilful
Queensland outfit in the
opening round Pool A clash
at Eric Weissel Oval yesterday.
After suffering a humiliating defeat at the hands of
Queensland in a trial game
at
Twickenham
on
Wednesday, NSW reversed
the result and stamped
their authority on the
Australian
Secondary
Schools Rugby League
Championships.
In what may well have
been a dress rehearsal for
the final NSW CHS battled,
gritted and grinded their
way to a gutsy 18-10 victory.
At one stage NSW CHS
was reduced to just 11 men
after two players including
star pivot and captain Kris
Keating was sent to the sin
bin.
NSW CHS coach Tony
Yelavich was delighted
with his teams victory and
was proud of the way his
players
held
out
Queensland.
It is a very pleasing
win, Yelavich said.
All the boys showed a
tremendous amount of
heart and lots of courage
and I am so proud of the
way the boys held on even
though we only had 11 players on the field there for a
while.
The boys had to work
really hard to hold them
out and they were playing

www.dailyadvertiser.com.au

some very good rugby

league and we managed to
hold on which was great.
NSW CHS second rower
Martin Lewis had a massive game and was named
man of the match with his
barnstorming runs and
solid defence a highlight of
the encounter.
Both teams started the
game well with hard running and big tackles dominating
the
opening
exchanges.
NSW CHS broke the
deadlock in the 20th
minute when Keating cleverly dummied and stepped
his way over the stripe to
give them the early advantage.
With only five minutes
remaining in the first half
and Queensland deep on
the attack NSW speedster
Aku Uate took a marvellous intercept and sprinted
the length of the field to
extend the lead to 12 at the
break.
The second half saw
NSW CHS rally with only
11 men as Queensland
began their charge when
zippy utility Chris Sandow
finished off a sweeping
backline movement.
Queensland
halfback
Brady Payne scored a brilliant individual try only
minutes later and when
Sandow converted the margin was reduced to only two
points.
NSW CHS sealed the
game with only seven minutes remaining when Uate
barged his way over from
dummy half.

BREAKTHROUGH: ACTs Tsai Tui attempts to break through the tackle of NSWCCC defenders Kyle Schuster and Gavin
Quinn yesterday.
Picture: BRETT KOSCHEL

Your Game, Monday, July 4, 2005 15

FEND: NSWs Shannon McDonnell gets around ACTs Marc Herbert yesterday at Eric Weissel Oval.

Picture: BRETT KOSCHEL

Poor ball control costs ACT

By TRAVIS COHALAN
POOR ball-control cost ACT in
their opening round Pool A clash
against NSW Combined Catholic
Colleges at Eric Weissel Oval
yesterday.
Plagued by handling errors and
a lack of possession ACT was overcome by a skilful NSW CCC outfit
28-10.
Heading into the Australian
Secondary Schools Rugby League
Championships ACT was hindered
by a limited preparation and yesterday it was a primary factor in
their demise.
ACT failed to hold onto the ball
and was constantly defending
their own line against a talented

Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League Championships draw for today at Nixon Park Temora
11.00am: (Pool A) ACT v Queensland
12.15pm: (Pool B) Northern Territory v Victoria
NSW CCC attacking backline.
ACT coach Jason Gregory
lamented his teams lack of possession in the opening half but
believes his team can bounce back
from the loss.
It certainly was not an ideal
first half for us, Gregory said.
The possession had to be something like 80 per cent to 20 per cent

18 Your Game, Monday, July 4, 2005

1.45pm: (Pool A) NSW CHS v NSW CCC

3.00pm: (Pool B) NSW CIS v Western Australia

in their favour and we just never

had enough of the ball but I was
really proud of the way the boys
defended in that first half to let in
only three tries was a great effort.
We just need to improve our
ball control a little bit and not overplay the game too much and I am
sure we will go better next game.
We are here to compete and all

the boys still believe in themselves

and I believe in them so we are certainly not writing ourselves off.
Despite having a mountain
of possession in the opening half
NSW CCC only managed tries via
Mitchell Aubusson and winger
Junior Tia Kilifi bagging a clever
double. Trailing 12-4 at half-time,
ACT made a solid comeback when

Dan Desousa used his soccer skills

to kick the ball over the line before
diving on it to score cutting the
margin to two points.
But from then on it was all one
way traffic as the skill of NSW
CCC shone through with Dean
Lockhart scoring a superb try.
The ball went through several
sets of hands before utility back
Jarrad Summat put in a clever
chip kick and winger Ryan
OGrady gathered before passing
to Lockhart who went in under the
posts.
Bustling second rower Corey
Patterson made a barnstorming
50-metre run leaving defenders laying in his path to seal victory for
NSW CCC.

Sport
PIKE
COULD
BE A
SAINT
Former Lions star tipped
to join Farrer League club

QUEENSLANDS rugby league

pride was jolted yesterday when
the states schoolboy team was
unceremoniously dumped from
the Australian Secondary
Schools Championships.
In a massive upset, the
Queenslanders were bundled
out of the race for the
championship crown for the first
time in nearly a decade, the
Maroons going down
12-4 to ACT in Temora
yesterday.
Full report Page 35

BACK PAGE Tuesday, July 5, 2005

LIFT-OFF: Corey
Patterson of
NSWCCC plucks the
ball out of the air
despite the
attentions of
NSWCHSs Zac Russ
during day two of
the Australian
Secondary Schools
Championship
yesterday.

ONE of the most successful players of

the modern Australian Football League
era, Brisbane Lions backman Martin
Pike, has been linked to Farrer League
club North Wagga.
The four-time premiership player has
emerged as a candidate to take on a
coaching and playing role with the
Saints next season.
When contacted by The Daily
Advertiser yesterday, North Wagga president Col Shipard would not discount
any future involvement with the club by
Pike.
I really wouldnt have a clue,
Shipard said.
I have no doubt someone may have
talked to him but I havent been
involved with any discussions with
him.
Any club would love to have a player
like him but I really wouldnt have a
clue. I just run the football club.
Pike, who won three premierships
with the Lions and the 1999 flag with
North Melbourne, is expected to retire
from the AFL at the end of the season.
The 32-year-old was axed from the
Brisbane Lions senior line-up after
round 10 but still would have plenty to
offer North Wagga and the league.
Pike played up forward late in his
career but he is more widely known for
his defensive skills, however, Lions
coach Leigh Matthews has used him as
the teams Mr Fix It.
A tireless workhorse, Pike would certainly tighten up one of the strongest
backlines in the Farrer League.
Pike played alongside North Waggas
most famous AFL product Wayne Carey
during his stint at the Kangaroos.
In recent times, North Wagga has led
the way bringing players from outside
the region to play Australian football in
the Riverina.
Last season the club had four players
from Melbourne including Victorian
Football League star Adam Winter
playing in their first grade team.

Martin Pike
Guernsey number: 13
Height: 189cm
Weight: 92kg
Clubs: North Melbourne, Fitzroy,
Melbourne, Norwood,
Brisbane Lions
Debut: Melbourne v Hawthorn,
round one 1993
AFL finals: 27
Premierships: 1999 (North
Melbourne), 2001,
2002, 2003
(Brisbane)
Career
Highlights: Fitzroy best and fairest
1996, Grand finalist
1998 (North
Melbourne), South
Australian State of
Origin representative
1998

This season the Saints have bolstered

their ranks by recruiting from as far
away as Queensland and Perth.
Brisbane Lions media manager Ron
McDonald yesterday said Pike had not
made any announcements to the club
about his future.
Im not really sure what his plans
are, McDonald said.
He hasnt said what he is doing next
season.
Pike was unavailable for comment
yesterday.

End of road for Maroons

By LES MUIR
QUEENSLANDS rugby league
pride was given a jolt yesterday
when the states schoolboy team
missed the final of the Australian
Secondary Schools Championships
for the first time in nearly a decade.
In a massive upset, Queensland
was bundled out of the race for the
championship crown at Nixon
Park.

Backing up from an 18-10 loss to

NSW Combined High Schools at
Eric Weissel Oval on Sunday,
Queensland was stunned 12-4 by
ACT in Temora yesterday.
The eight-point loss effectively
ended Queenslands assault on the
Australian
championships
halfway through the qualifying
series.
A
tournament
spokesman
described Queenslands exit from

the title chase as a massive

shock.
He said Queensland had been a
permanent fixture in the championships final since 1997.
Historically Queensland is
always right up there, the
spokesman said.
Even though they have one
game to play Queensland cannot
make the final.
Rebounding from a surprise 28-8

loss to NSW Combined Catholic

Colleges on Sunday, ACT produced
its best form against Queensland.
Any disappointment felt by ACT
coach Jason Gregory after
Sundays loss was wiped away
yesterday.
They (ACT) really turned up to
play, a spokesman said.
It was an excellent performance.
ACT is now within reach of

making the championships final

on Friday.
The fate of the team will be
decided when it plays NSW
Combined High Schools in the
third round at Fisher Park on
Thursday.
Both teams have recorded a win
and loss each in two games and the
winner on Thursday will claim a
place in the final against NSW
CCC.

NRL greats son

makes start on
climb to the top
By LES MUIR
THE son of former State Of
Origin and Test star Wayne
Pearce does not want to live
off the name of his famous
father.
Mitchell Pearce, 16, is
determined to forge a
career in rugby league in
how own right.
At Nixon Park yesterday
Pearce took a giant step
toward achieving his
football ambition by
starring for NSW Combined
Catholic Colleges at the
Australian Second Schools
Championships.
Playing at halfback
rather than lock like his
father, Pearce turned in a
dazzling performance as
NSWCCC upset NSW
Combined High Schools
22-6.
With Pearce showing skill
and daring, NSWCCC gave
NSWCHS a start and a
substantial beating.
Down by 6-0 at half-time,
NSWCCC scored 22
unanswered points in the
second half to win in
runaway style, with Pearce
grabbing a try.
The four-tries-to-one
victory was the second in as

many games for NSWCCC at

the championships and has
secured the team a coveted
place in the final.
NSWCCC overwhelmed
ACT 28-8 at Eric Weissel
Oval on Sunday and will
play Queensland in the
third round at Fisher Park
tomorrow.
However, tomorrows
result will have no impact
on the position of NSWCCC
as one of the two top teams
in Pool A for the
championships.
Meantime, NSW
Combined Independent
Schools had their second
landslide win of the
championships yesterday.
Fresh from crushing
South Australia 80-6 in
Wagga on Sunday, NSWCIS
thrashed Western Australia
60-6 at Nixon Park.
The win virtually ensures
NSWCIS a place in Fridays
Plate Final, which will
involve the first and second
teams on the Pool B table.
NSWCIS will play
Victoria in the third round
at Eric Weissel Oval today.
Victoria was thumped
34-2 by Northern Territory
in the remaining game
yesterday.

Day 2
Game 1
ACT 12 (Mick Brophy,
Marc Herbert tries;
Marc Herbert 2 goals)
d QUEENSLAND 4
(Joel Moon try)
Best players: (ACT)
Jay Lasscock;
(Queensland) Lee
McLean
Game 2
NORTHERN
TERRITORY 34
(Cameron Mathers 2,
Anil Shearsby, Jesse
MacLean, Liam
Philpott, Damien
Shelford tries; Todd
Hair 5 goals) d
VICTORIA 2 (Josh
Lum goal)
Best players:
(Northern Territory)
Louka Constantine;
(Victoria) Phil Roberts

MATCH-WINNER: Mitchell Pearce, son of former NRL great Wayne Pearce, played a
Pictures: KERRIE STEWART
leading role in NSWCCCs win over NSWCHS yesterday.

UNDER THE
STICKS: Liam
Foran dives
over for
NSWCHS at
Nixon Park
yesterday.

SIDESTEP:
NSWCISs
Damien
Buckley
takes on Paul
Bate (left)
and Drew
Hunt in the
Western
Australian
defensive line
yesterday.
CHARGER: NSWCHSs Zac Russ attempts to halt NSWCCCs
Junior Tia Kilifis progress during the Australian Secondary
Schools Championships at Nixon Park, Temora yesterday.

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Game 3
NSW COMBINED
CATHOLIC
COLLEGES 22
(Michael Jennings 2,
Mitchell Pearce, Liam
Foran tries; Joel
Burraston 3 goals) d
NSW COMBINED
HIGH SCHOOLS 6
(Daniel Ezekiel try;
Daniel Ezekiel goal)
Best players: (NSW
CCC) Matt Cooper;
(NSW CHS) Mitchell
Brown
Game 4
NSW COMBINED
INDEPENDENT
SCHOOLS 60 (Jack
MacPherson 2, Joel
Brown 2, Joseph
Zinghini 2, Jordan
Gillogly, Brenden
Lowbridge, Caleb
Reedy, Edward
Mannah John Mannah,
Damien Buckley tries;
Ryan Stig 4, Joel
Brown, Tim Mannah
goals) d WESTERN
AUSTRALIA 6 (Phil
Fa'alelea try; Shannon
Coleman goal)
Best players:
(NSWCIS) Blake
Lazarus; (Western
Australia) Arlin Paki
Day 3
Draw for today
Eric Weissel Oval
12.30pm: Victoria v
NSW Combined
Independent Schools
2pm: South Australia
v Northern Territory

Tuesday, July 5, 2005 35

Sport
Blues halfback has to be more
dominant in Origin III: coach

JOHNS
MUST
LIFT A
GEAR

Lazarus determined to
make a name for himself
By TRAVIS COHALAN
LIVING in the shadow of a
famous relative is not easy
but a determination to
forge his own rugby league
identity is the driving
factor for rising rugby
league prodigy Blake
Lazarus.
Blake, 17, the nephew of
former Australian and
NSW prop Glenn Lazarus,
yesterday spoke of the
expectation that already
surrounds his future.
Representing NSW
Combined Independent
Schools at the Australian

Secondary Schools Rugby

League Championships in
Wagga, Lazarus has been
one of the standouts of the
competition.
Sharing the same
bloodline is about where
the similarities between
Glenn and Blake end.
While Glenn made his
name as a big, tough and
uncompromising front
rower, Blake is a classy
halfback with superb
vision and ball skills.
Lazarus is proud of his
uncle Glenn, but is
desperate to be his own
man and be remembered

BACK PAGE Wednesday, July 6, 2005

for being himself rather

than being the nephew of
an all-time great.
I am extremely proud of
my uncle, Lazarus said.
I am happy for
everything he achieved and
it is a great honour for me
to be continuing the family
tradition.
But I dont want to be
remembered under his
name I am hoping to
build my own career in
rugby league and do my
own thing.
Continued Page 43
Schoolboys title round-up:
Pages 42 and 43

... I am
expecting a
bigger and
better
performance
from Joey. Its a
big request but
its within him.

MAKING MY MARK: Blake Lazarus of New South Wales Combined Independent Schools relaxes
after the game against Victoria at Eric Weissel Oval yesterday. INSET: Blakes uncle Glenn, who
Picture: LES SMITH
is a former Australian prop.

COMETH the hour, cometh the man.

And when it comes to rugby
league, Origin deciders dont come
much bigger.
Especially when it is celebrating
its 25th anniversary.
But NSW coach Ricky Stuart is
sweating on which player will stake
his claim at Suncorp Stadium
tonight Blues halfback Andrew
Johns or Maroons pivot Darren
Lockyer.
Johns produced a sublime display
to level the series in Origin II last
month.
But Stuart said the scheming No.7
would have to be more dominant if
the Blues are to become only the second NSW team to come back from 1-0
down and win an Origin series.
Stuart was more concerned about
Lockyer, saying the Queensland
skipper was due for a big game.
Hes come out and said that personally he hasnt been too happy
with his first two games, Stuart
said at the Blues final training session yesterday.
When such a great player comes
out and delivers that message I think
you have to show concern as a coach.
The great players have the ability
to have such a high bearing on a
result with the way he plays the game,
when he mentions that he is keen to
lift his performance its obviously a
case for us to show some urgency.
I am expecting Darren Lockyer to
have a big game.
I think you cant discredit NSW
for the way we have controlled
Darren in the first two games but I
am expecting him to lift another
level now. There is a lot at stake.
If Stuart is concerned, the
Maroons would be quite alarmed
indeed by Stuarts call for Johns to
have a bigger and better performance than his Origin II heroics.

NSW coach Ricky Stuart

Queensland coach Michael Hagan
anticipated as much, yesterday
adding the man expected to target
Johns in attack Tonie Carroll to
the starting side and benching lock
Chris Flannery.
However, Stuart said Johns would
need to lift another gear to combat
Queenslands home-ground advantage not just bruising defender
Carroll in such a crucial clash.
If anything we probably need a
more dominant performance (from
Johns), Stuart said. Its going to be
a more spirited, better football team
coming from Queensland.
Playing at home, they will get the
50-50 bounces, they will get the 50-50
calls and I am expecting a bigger and
better performance from Joey. Its a
big request but its within him.
But Stuart remained coy on just
how Johns could lift his game to
even giddier heights.
I think Joey can be more dominant in the game.

South Australian schoolboys trounced by league minnows

Territorians awesome
By TRAVIS COHALAN
THE term rugby league
minnows can no longer
be associated with the
Northern
Territory
after an impressive
thrashing of South
Australia
at
Eric
Weissel Oval yesterday.
Northern Territory
gladly undid the rookie
tag comprehensively
winning their opening
two games of the
Australian Secondary
Schools Rugby League
competition including
yesterday's 54-0 thrashing of South Australia.
In a dominant display of free-flowing
rugby league Northern
Territory put a hapless
South Australia to the
sword with an abundance of sparkling
attacking forays.
The assault commenced in the opening
minute of the game
when
barnstorming
frontrower Trent de
With muscled his way
over the line.
From that moment on
South Australia never
looked a chance as they
were out-muscled, outclassed and outplayed
by a skilful and welloiled
Northern
Territory team.
The halves pairing of
Ben Cribb and Todd

FINE SKILLS: Northern Territorys Luke Kelly prepares to fire a pass at Eric Weissel Oval yesterday.

Hair was instrumental

in the victory and was
one of the real entertaining features of the
game.
The pair was not
afraid to throw caution
to the wind and pass
the ball around in their
own half and the
results came off at a
remarkable rate.
Cribb proved he may
well be a future star of
the game with his lovely cut-out passes setting up a hat trick of
tries for speedy winger
Reuben Mack.
While Cribb did the
fancy work it was the
forwards led by de With
who laid the platform
for the classy backs to
operate.
de With made several
big runs and scored two
tries as well as pulling
off some bone-crunching tackles on South
Australia.
Hair came into his
own late in the game as
he put Nick Keen over
and bagged a double
himself along with
booting five goals.
Utility back Luke
Kelly was among the
best
for
Northern
Territory as he added
another
attacking
dimension to the team
and lead the forwards
around the park.

Pictures: LES SMITH

SANDWICHED (right): South Australian prop Dang Nguyen (centre) wrestles with Northern Territory defenders Luke Kelly (left)
and Nick Keen at Eric Weissel Oval yesterday.

Lazarus determined to
make a name for himself
From Back Page

The speedy and daring halfback is currently a

member of the Bulldogs SG Ball team and is keen to
further his career at the highest level.
The modest Lazarus is hopeful his brilliant form
over the opening rounds of the competition has
been noticed by Australian Schoolboy's selectors.
Lazarus is hopeful of making the Australian team
to play New Zealand at the end of the year and said
his ultimate goal was to play in the NRL like his
uncle.
It will be really tough to make it (Australian
Schoolboy's team), Lazarus said. I am really hoping
that I do make the team it would be a really massive
honour and something which I would never forget.
My major goal is to keep playing good rugby
league and I really would like to earn an NRL contract and play in the best competition.

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Unknowns blitzing all comers

By TRAVIS COHALAN
THE Northern Territory is not renowned
for its rugby league prowess but if current results at the Australian Secondary
Schools Rugby League Championships
are an indicator the area is on the rise.
The Northern Territory is blitzing
opposition teams in the Pool B competition and has emerged as favourite to take
out the plate.
But the team is just pleased to be at the
championships and experiencing a high
level of rugby league.
For many of the Northern Territory
players rugby league is a rarity when at
home with most combatants having to
travel over three hours to even play a

game on a weekend.
Northern Territory front-rower Trent
de-With yesterday spoke to The Daily
Advertiser about rugby league in the
Northern Territory and the honour the
team feels regarding the championships.
Rugby league is not that strong back
home, de With said.
I live at Katherine and every weekend
we have to drive three hours to play in
the first grade competition but that
doesnt worry me I love my rugby league.
Interest in league is increasing back
home but it is still nowhere near as
strong as states like NSW we dont even
have an under 17 competition.
We are really very honoured to be
here competing at such a high level and it

is great to come down here and play at

this event.
In a remarkable achievement the hulking front-rower de With is a veteran of
the championships having competed for
the past four years.
While Northern Territory may be content just to experience rugby league at
this level, its recent form suggests the
team has a strong chance of winning the
Pool B competition.
De With believes Northern Territory is
capable of winning the competition and
said it would be a massive honour to win
the plate.
It would be huge not just for us but for
the whole of the Northern Territory, De
With said.

Wednesday, July 6, 2005 43

 Game 1
NSW COMBINED
INDEPENDENT
SCHOOLS 40
(Blake Lazarus 2,
Tim Mannah, Tim
McAllister, John
Mannah, Jack
McPherson, Joel
Brown tries; Ryan
Stig 4, Blake Lazarus
2 goals) d VICTORIA
28 (Josh Fermanis,
Josh Numoedi, Daniel
Webb, Brogan FalediQuedley, Jarrad
Stack tries; Josh
Lum 4 goals) Best
players: (NSWCIS)
Mitchell Paczkowski;
(Victoria) John
Mackai
Game 2
NORTHERN
TERRITORY 54
(Reuben Mack 3,
Trent De Witt 2, Liam
Philpott, Stefan
Dippel, Myles
Bushell, Jesse
Maclean, Nick Keen,
Todd Hair tries; Todd
Hair 5 goals) d
SOUTH
AUSTRALIA 0
Best players:
(Northern Territory)
Luke Kelly; (South
Australia) Tanaka
Dzimano

HAIR APPARENT: Teenage rugby league player Davis Savea yesterday sported a mop-top which would make even Bulldogs NRL star Willy Mason envious.
Savea was playing for Victoria against NSW Combined Independent Schools during the Australian Secondary Schools Championships at Eric Weissel Oval
Pictures: LES SMITH
in Wagga.

Day 4
Draw for today at
Fisher Park
11am: Northern
Territory v Western
Australia
12.15pm:
Queensland v NSW
Combined Catholic
Colleges
1.45pm: ACT v NSW
Combined High
Schools
3pm: Victoria v
South Australia

NSWCIS holds off determined Victoria in entertaining affair

Unbeaten run continues

By TRAVIS COHALAN
NEW
South
Wales
Combined
Independent Schools continued its
unbeaten run as it downed a resilient
Victoria outfit at Eric Weissel Oval
yesterday.
In an entertaining affair the skill
and experience of NSWCIS eventually
allowed it to hold off a determined
Victoria 40-28.
The individual efforts of stylish
halfback Blake Lazarus and his fiveeighth and partner in crime Ryan Stig
was significant factors in the victory.
The duo orchestrated skilful attacking plays and had the Victorian
defence in disarray with their clever
passing coupled with deadly dummying and ball running.
NSWCIS dominated most of the
game but could not find a way to shut
Victoria out as the Lightning continually fought back to keep NSW under
pressure.
NSWCIS coach Gareth Hawgood was
pleased with his team's victory but
believes mistakes and unnecessary
penalties kept Victoria in the game.
Victoria came at us really hard like
we knew they would, Hawgood said.
It was really good to get the win in
the end and it was a really good fight
but we could have put them away

42 Wednesday, July 6, 2005

earlier if not for some errors.

We did not control the ball as well
as I would have liked and when we did
control it we showed how good we can
be but at times we lacked that control.
We are looking to win the plate but
the boys will need to improve their ball
control and tighten up around the
rucks.
NSWCIS started the game in brilliant fashion when Tim Mannah
crashed over from close range in the
opening minute followed by a great cut
out pass from Stig which lead to a Tim
McAllister try in the fifth minute.
The game developed into a try scoring
frenzy as Victoria hit back in the 15th
minute when big front rower Josh
Fermanis bullied his way across the line.
Individual brilliance from Lazarus
who bamboozled the Victorian defence
with an excellent dummy before scoring under the posts allowed NSWCIS to
go in to halftime with the lead.
In the opening minute of the second
half Johnny Mannah found his way
through some feeble Victorian defence
but the Lightning refused to give in
with pivot Brogan Faleni-Quedley burrowing over bridging the gap to 34-24.
It took a late intercept try to NSWCIS hooker Joel Brown to seal the victory with only minutes remaining on
the clock.

RISING STAR: Victorias Nathan Leslie (centre) takes a bomb as the NSW defence converges at
Eric Weissel Oval yesterday.

Sport
South Australia
puts its name on
the league map
By TRAVIS COHALAN
DESPITE not winning a game at the
Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League
Championships, South Australia established its
position on the rugby league map.
With only a junior base of 600 players to
choose from and few funds being pumped into
the game, travelling to Wagga to compete in the
event was bound to be a difficult task.
But the South Australian team displayed
immense courage, pride and heart and proved it
is a rugby league area on the improve.
South Australia put in what one Australian
Rugby League official described as the
best performance by any South Australian
rugby league team ever seen yesterday as it
narrowly went down 24-20 against Western
Australia.
That was definitely the best I have ever
seen a South Australian team play, the official
said.
The South Australian team admirably fought
back from a 20-point deficit to only just go down
by a solitary try and the slender defeat was
almost as sweet as a win as the South
Australian camp rejoiced.
Continued Page 52

MOVING FORWARD: Jamie Cummings of South

Australia makes a run as Chris Clark and Adam
Smith of Western Australia close in at Eric
Weissel Oval yesterday. Picture: BRETT KOSCHEL

Diesels to fight Sweeneys 18-month penalty

BAN APPEAL
threatening a Group Nine referee.
Cited following a complaint by
referee Trent Webster, Sweeney
was suspended this week by the

Group Nine board of management for his actions in a game at

Willow Park last Sunday week.
Sweeney, who did not attend the

board hearing on Monday night,

was yesterday given leave by
Riverina Division to appeal
against the verdict and hefty sus-

pension. The appeal is expected to

be heard by Riverina officials at
Leeton on Monday night.
Continued Page 54
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JUNEE rugby player Shane

Sweeney has been granted an
appeal against an 18-month ban
he received for abusing and

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NSW does it hard

against northerners
By TRAVIS COHALAN
NEW
South
Wales
Combined Independent
Schools did it the hard
way against Northern
Territory in the penultimate round of the
Australian Secondary
Schools Rugby League
Championships at Eric
Weissel Oval yesterday.
In what was a dress
rehearsal for today's
Pool B Sam Davey Plate
final NSWCIS crawled
over the line against an
ever-impressive
Northern Territory 2220.
NSWCIS started the
game in tremendous
fashion with speedy
winger
Jack
MacPherson finding his
way over in the fifth
minute before prolific
try-scorer
Tim
McAllister burrowed
over from close range
making it 10-0.
Mistakes riddled NSWCIS attacking raids and
let Northern Territory
back in the game with talented five eighth Ben
Cribb darted over to
make the score 10-4.
A brilliant solo effort
from utility back Liam
Philpott where he won
the scrum feed and
stepped his way past
some feeble NSWCIS
defence levelled the
scores late in the half.
However barnstorming NSWCIS front rower
Tim Mannagh barged
his way over from close
range to give NSWCIS a
16-10 lead.

In a handling error
plagued second stanza
NSWCIS got the early
advantage
when
Mannagh again crashed
his way over but the joy
was short-lived.
Lanky
Northern
Territory second rower
Cameron
Mathers
crossed the line with
some strong running to
cut the margin to just a
converted try with 15
minutes still to play.
NSWCIS continued to
make errors deep in its
half which allowed
Northern
Territory
plenty of
attacking
chances which it capitalised on when Stefan
Dippel dived over in the
corner with five minutes to play.
Dippel failed to convert his own try and
NSWCIS managed to
limp out the remaining
minutes for victory.
NSWCIS
coach
Gareth
Hagwood
believes his team is
capable
of
further
improvement and was
not entirely happy with
the performance.
We did it the hard
way again, Hagwood
said. In the end we did
get the win which is
good but we can still
improve on our ball control and defence on the
edge of the ruck.
NSWCIS and Northern Territory will do it
all over again today
when the two clash for
the Sam Davey Plate at
10.30 at Eric Weissel
Oval.

Game 2
NSW COMBINED
INDEPENDENT
SCHOOLS 22
(Tim Mannagh 2, Jack
MacPherson,Tim
McAllster tries; Ryan Stig
4 goals)
d NORTHERN
TERRITORY 20
(Ben Cribb, Liam
Philpott, Cameron
Mathers, Stefan Dippel
tries; Stefan Dippel 3
goals;)
Best players:
(NSWCIS) Tim Mannagh
(Northern Territory)
Stefan Dippel

SA writes
name on
league map
From Back Page

TOWER OF STRENGTH: NSW Combined Independent Schools Tim Mannah is tackled low by Northern
Territory defender Stefan Dippel (left) as NT five-eighth Ben Cribb moves in at Eric Weissel Oval
yesterday.
Pictures: BRETT KOSCHEL

Competition minnows
in battle of enthusiasm
WHAT the game lacked in skill, it
made up in enthusiasm as Western
Australia and South Australia
slogged it out in a spirited encounter
at Eric Weissel Oval yesterday.
It was both teams final game of
the Australian Secondary Schools
Rugby League Championships and
both certainly saved their best to last
as Western Australia narrowly
escaped victors 24-20.
Both relative minnows of the
competition Western Australia and
South Australia battled it out in a
physical affair.
After Western Australia shot out
to an 8-0 lead early in the game,
South Australia hit back with a brilliant individual try to skilful lock
Nat Gosche.
Western Australia managed to
extend its lead just minutes before
halftime when Josh Benjamin capitalised on a brilliant backline move-

ment to cross in the corner.

The second half saw Western
Australia continue its dominance
when Henry Tardent took a clever
intercept 0and sprinted 90 metres to
score under the sticks.
From then on it was all South
Australia as the rookies took the
challenge to Western Australia with
Gosche inspirationally crossing for
his second.
South Australia lifted its intensity
with hulking front rowers Jamie
Cummings and Tanaka Dzimo making several damaging runs.
South Australian custodian Tyson
Williams found the line with ten minutes remaining to give them a sniff.
A superb individual effort from
centre Nathan Satala which saw him
chip and chase and re-gather to score
under the posts in the final minute
was not enough to secure victory as
Western Australia limped home.

Draw
Today at Eric Weissel
Oval
Pool A (9am) Play off for third and fourth: Queensland All Schools v ACT
Pool B (10.30am) Sam Davey Plate Final: NSW Combined Independent
Schools v Northern Territory
Pool A (12pm) Championship Final: NSW Catholic Colleges v NSW
Combined High Schools

52 Friday, July 8, 2005

DAY 5
Game 1
WESTERN
AUSTRALIA 24
(Sam Glasheen 2, Chris
Clarke, Josh Benjamin,
Harry Tardent tries;
Shannon Coleman 2
goals)
d SOUTH
AUSTRALIA 20
(Nat Gosche 2,Tyson
Williams, Mitchell
Morton tries; Mitchell
Morton 2 goals)
Best players:
(Western Australia) Sam
Glasheen (South
Australia) Mark Rullo

NT rising star says

experience priceless
By TRAVIS COHALAN
THE experience of competing at the Australian
Secondary Schools Rugby
League Championships
has been invaluable to rising Northern Territory
front
rower
Adrian
Shelford.
Playing against the
best junior players from
across the country in the
most prestigious junior
rugby league carnival in
the world will be an experience Shelford will
always remember.
While players around
him are caught up in the
hype of the lure of
Australian Schoolboys
selection and possible
NRL contacts, Shelford is
content just representing
at a high level.
Shelford who hails
from Alice Springs and
does not have the opportunity to play football
every weekend is relishing the opportunity of

Adrian Shelford
engaging in regular football.
This standard is a lot
quicker than at home,
Shelford said.
I am really enjoying
the football down here
and I am having a good
time playing I really
enjoy playing and this
has been a great week.
It is an honour to represent
Northern
Territory and this experience will be one which I
will never forget.

Shelford admits the

attraction
of
an
Australian Schoolboys
jumper and the possibility of being signed by a
NRL club is extremely
enticing.
My major goal is to be
signed by a NRL club,
Shelford said.
And it would be great
to make the Australian
team but in the end I am
just happy being here and
playing regular football.
I have been playing
rugby league for seven
years and this is easily
the best quality I have
played and also the most
enjoyable football I have
played.
Shelford has the opportunity to gain another
momentous piece of
memorabilia from the
championships
when
Northern Territory play
off
against
NSW
Combined Independent
Schools for the Sam
Davey Plate today.

South Australia coach

Leigh Charlesworth was
elated with the performances of his team
throughout the whole
carnival.
I am so happy with
the boys, Charlesworth
said.
It is fantastic and
even though we did not
win a game the boys
showed a tremendous
amount of heart and
courage to come over
here and play the way
they did against the
best quality opposition.
They are a great
bunch of kids with
plenty of heart and the
results out of this
championship will go a
long way to establishing
South Australia as a
rugby league state.
South Australia is a
predominately
Australian football orientated state and amazingly
members of the rugby
league team only play
league once a fortnight.
Charlesworth
was
pleased with the way
South
Australia
bounced back from
shattering defeats at the
hands of NSWCIS and
Northern Territory.
The South Australian
mentor also believes the
performance of his
team is largely testament to a five year plan
the South Australian
Rugby League has
implemented.
I was really happy
with the way the boys
came back after the
losses, Charlesworth
said.
It was an honour to
coach these boys and
the way they played
throughout the whole
carnival was great.

KICKING OFF
Results from last nights AFL
and NRL games and other
football news

PAGES 72 and 73

THE FACES SAY IT ALL: NSW Combined Catholic Colleges players give their victory salute after taking out the Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League Championship
Picture: LES SMITH
final at Eric Weissel Oval yesterday.

Top of the pack

By TRAVIS COHALAN
NEW South Wales Combined Catholic
Colleges reigned supreme in the final of
the Australian Secondary Schools Rugby
League Championships at Eric Weissel
Oval yesterday.
NSWCCC claimed the championship
title in style as it thrashed a hapless New

South Wales Combined High School outfit

36-0.
The skill of NSWCCC halves pairing
Jarrod Mullen and Mitchell Pearce was
too much for NSWCHS to handle as the
duo orchestrated the assault and were
instrumental in NSWCCC being crowned
champion.
While the skill and class of NSWCCC

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DEAL DIRECT WITH THE BUILDER

was a telling factor, NSWCHS became its

own worst enemy as it constantly made
handling errors and gave away an abundance of penalty.
NSWCCC coach Craig Culnane was elated with his teams victory and attributed
the triumph to the work ethic of his players.
I am really happy with the boys and

the way they played, Culnane said.

The boys worked really hard for this
result and we really played as a team and
to be crowned the champions is a tremendous honour.
I am very proud of all of the boys and
I think the whole team played well the
Continued Page 70
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NT gets over the line

Stories by
TRAVIS COHALAN
A REMARKABLE lastminute try allowed
Northern Territory to
overcome
NSW
Combined Independent
Schools and win the
Sam Davey Plate at
Eric Weissel Oval yesterday.
In
a
thrilling
encounter
the
Northern
Territory
snatched victory from
the jaws of defeat when
classy fullback Lyle Ah
Sam dashed over to
shatter NSWCIS hopes.
Scenes of euphoria
followed with the 20-16
victory certain to help
establish the Northern
Territory on the rugby
league map.
Northern Territory
dominated most of the
game and even led 14-0
at half-time, before the
previously undefeated
NSWCIS
made
its
comeback.
Northern Territory
coach Michael Rawiri
was content with the
victory but believes the
result could have been
different.
I am extremely
happy with the win,
Rawiri said.
The win will definitely
holds
the
Northern Territory in
good stead we have
been building for a
number of years and
this is a really significant step.
In the end it took a
last-minute try for us to
win it could have
been a different story
NSWCIS could easily
have won the game
because there was
nothing between the
two teams.
I am so proud of my
boys because they
showed their will to
win and playing five
games in five days is
certainly a test of character.
Northern Territory
shocked NSWCIS early

Front rower finally

enjoys taste of success
WINNING the Sam Davey Plate Final of the
Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League
Championships was the highlight in the
rising career of Trent de With.
The hulking Northern Territory front
rower who has remarkably played in the past
four championships was ecstatic to have
finally tasted success.
De With made several barnstorming runs
and was voted best on ground in yesterday's
Pool B final as the Northern Territory
narrowly escaped victors 20-16 at Eric
Weissel Oval.
The thrill was doubled for de With when
he was named in the Australian Schoolboys
Affiliated States team for the second year in
a row.
The solid forward believes the victory will
be a massive boost for the whole Northern
Territory community and rated it the biggest
honour of his career.
We have worked really hard for this and I
am really happy and proud of the boys, de
With said.
It is great to have been involved in the
championships against the best junior
players from across Australia and I am so
excited that we won.
All the boys stood up today and that is the
best thing about the Northern Territory
team - we never give up.
This was the fastest game I have ever
played in and we will all remember this win
for a long time.
It is not just exciting to the team but to
the whole Northern Territory community
back home we are a growing rugby league
area and this will is a great result.
De With was at his best yesterday as he
ruthlessly tore the NSWCIS defence apart.
in the game as fiveeighth Ben Cribb dummied his way over the
line followed by an
extraordinary effort
from Rueben Mack.
The speedy winger
Mack, scored the try of
the carnival as he took
the line on before kicking close to the touchline and re-gathering
before NSWCIS fullback Caleb Reedy to
score in the corner.
NSWCIS hit back
when classy half back
Blake Lazarus rolled a
kick into the in goals
where hooker Joel
Brown pounced to
score.

The second half saw

NSWCIS
challenge
Northern Territory as
Lazarus burrowed his
way over and Brown
scooted through to give
them the lead.
The plate looked certain to be NSWCIS but
in the dying stages
winger Nick Keen
made a fundamental
error only 20 metres
out from his line.
Northern Territory
capitalised when utility back Luke Kelly took
the ball to the line
before getting a miraculous offload to Ah
Sam who scored the
game-winner.

BUSTING THE WALL: Northern Territorys Cameron Mathers tries to barge through the defence at
Eric Weissel yesterday on the last day of the Australian Secondary Schools Rugby League
Pictures: LES SMITH
Championships.

NSWCCC takes title

From Back Page
boys have such a great work rate and they have
been training hard for this and thoroughly
deserve the win.
The thrashing commenced in the ninth minute
when Shannon McDonell cleverly switched the
ball on the inside to Michael Jennings who
crossed in the corner.
Jennings had a day out bagging three tries and
causing constant problems to the NSWCHS
defence and his efforts earned him the medal for
best player on the ground.
Brilliant goalkicking from Jarrad Sammut and
a late try to Mitchell Aubusson who capitalised on
a towering bomb from Mullen saw NSWCCC lead
14-0 at half-time.
Newcastle Knights five-eighth Mullen displayed
his class in the second stanza as his kicking game
allowed repeat sets for NSWCCC.
Pearce led the forwards around the park as
hulking front rower Edward Pettybourne made
several big charges.
Jenkins crossed for his second only minutes
into the second half.
NSWCHS continually made mistakes and tested
the referees patience while NSWCCC continued
its march as McDonell stepped his way over the
line before winger Ryan Duffy crossed in the final
stages to ensure victory.

RESULTS
Australian Secondary Schools
Rugby
League Championships
Championship Final
NSW Combined Catholic Colleges 36 (Michael
Jennings 2, Mitchell Aubusson, Shannon McDonell, Matt
Cooper, Ryan Duffy tries; Jarrod Sammut 6 goals) d
NSWCHS 0
Australian Training Company player of the final
NSWCCCs Michael Jennings (St Dominics College
Penrith)
Sam Davey Plate Final
Northern Territory 20 (Ben Cribb, Rueben Mack,Trent
de With, Lyle Ah Sam tries; Damien Shelford, Stefan Dippel
goals) d NWCIS 16 (Joel Brown 2, Blake Lazarus tries;
Ryan Stig 2 goals)
SFX Player of the Championship
Queenslands David Taylor (St Brendans College Yepoon)
Queensland 34 (David Taylor, Chris Sandow, Galu Teo,
Daniel Isaac, Lee McLean, Nathan Strudwick tries; Chris
Sandow 4, Galu Teo goals) d ACT 4 (Marc Herbert try)
BIG FUTURE: NSWCISs Tim Mannah was voted affiliated states
player of the tournament and here tries to evade Northern
Territory defender Nick Keen. All pictures taken at the
championships can be purchased at The Daily Advertisers
office.

70 Weekend Advertiser, Saturday and Sunday, July 9 and 10, 2005

Player of the Affiliated States Championship

NSWCISs Tim Mannah (Christian Community High
School)