Home Hill’s Second Grade bowlers kept control throughout. Photos supplied

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Contributed with thanks by Home Hill Cricket Association

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Home Hill Pengelly Cabinets sealed a composed six-wicket win in a Second Grade CNQ thriller, chasing down Wanderers’ 7/157 to finish 4/158 thanks to a match-defining innings from Kris Wright.

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Wanderers’ total was built on Reece Power’s steady 40, but Home Hill’s bowlers kept control throughout. Greg Flanagan and Tristan Richards claimed two wickets each, while Ayden Marano and Aaron Mckeown took singles. Five clean catches backed up the attack.

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The chase wobbled early at 1-1, 2-18, 3-45 and 4-85 before Wright took charge. His unbeaten 84 off 68 balls, featuring six fours and four sixes, shifted the momentum decisively. Al Wilkins offered calm support with 25 off 41 balls, guiding Home Hill home in the final overs.

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Third Grade saw Home Hill Evergreen Sheds show plenty of fight, though Saints proved too strong after posting 7/158.

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Home Hill’s bowlers delivered a solid collective effort. Alex Stillhard was outstanding, sending down six overs for just four runs, including four maidens and two wickets. Rohit Kondeti, Dan Olditch and Salvatore Cardillo added tidy spells, supported by five catches in the field.

The chase never fully settled. Early wickets halted momentum, and despite Leo Olditch’s 27 runs, Jay Leckenby’s 15 and several promising starts, Home Hill were bowled out for 94, falling short by 64 runs.

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In Fourth Grade CNQ, Home Hill ML Partners fought hard but fell short as Suburban Parks secured a five-wicket victory.

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Sent in to bat, Home Hill faced immediate pressure from a disciplined Redbacks attack. Andrew Wallwork provided the spark with a brisk 20 from 16 balls, including four boundaries, while Mick Richards added 11. The side reached 72 from 19.4 overs.

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Defending a modest total, Home Hill needed early breakthroughs and found moments of promise. Wickets were shared across the attack, and Andrew Newman impressed with two sharp catches. But the Redbacks’ depth proved telling as they reached 5-126 to claim the win.

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Next weekend will see the Second and Third Grade sides playing at the Nutrien Ag Solutions Cricket Complex against Wests and Suburban Parks, while the Fourth Grade team will travel to Townsville to take on Northern Beaches.

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Will Chandler and Chuck Vidler with Will winning the Arthur Morcom trophy. Photo supplied

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Contributed with thanks by Home Hill Tennis Club

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The Home Hill Tennis Club’s 2026 Closed Championships produced two competitive finals, with Will Chandler and Justin claiming the junior and A Grade men’s titles.

Will Chandler and Chuck Vidler contested the final of the 2026 Junior Club Championship, with the Arthur Morcom Memorial Trophy up for grabs.

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With previous winners including Callan Sunderland, Andrew Casswell, Ryan Davies, Robert Bartlett and Josh Norris, it was a trophy every young Burdekin tennis player would want to have their name etched on.

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Arthur coached juniors on Saturday mornings for many years.

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Will and Chuck did not disappoint, playing for more than two hours. Chuck took the first set 6-2, but Will fought back to win the final two sets 6-4, 6-4.

It was great to see the boys going for their shots and playing with determination.

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The A Grade Men were looking to win the Ian Anderson Memorial Trophy.

Ian was the club champion for quite a few years and a great tennis player. Sadly, he died at a young age from melanoma while still at the top of his game.

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The semi-finals were played between John Chandler and Andrew Wallwork, with Andrew winning 6-2. Aiden and Justin played in the other semi-final, with Justin winning 6-3.

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Justin then played Andrew in the final. Clearly, John had worn Andrew down in the previous set, and Justin took advantage to win the Closed Championship 6-0, which was not as one-sided as the score suggested.

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Justin last won the Closed Championship in 2003, 2004 and 2006, so it was not a bad effort to come back and win it again after 20 years.

The members stayed much later than usual to cheer their clubmates on.

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Thanks to everyone who played in the championship and throughout the term. We look forward to getting more players back to tennis, as the crushing looks like finishing early.

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Fixtures now take a three-week break due to the school holidays and the King’s Birthday.

The Ayr Motorcycle Track is set to roar this weekend as riders from across Australia converge on Ayr for the JR Motorcycles Australian Track Championships on September 19 and 20. Photo supplied

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Contributed with thanks by the Ayr Motorcycle Club

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The Ayr Motorcycle Track is set to roar when riders from across Australia converge for the JR Motorcycles Australian Track Championships on 19th and 20th September.

The Ayr Motorcycle Club is proud to host the Australian Senior Track Titles, bringing some of the country's best riders to the Burdekin for a weekend of high-speed racing and national championship competition.

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Riders will battle it out for Australian Championship honours across Pro 250, Pro 450, MX Open, Pro Open Women, Sidecar and ATV classes, with significant prize money up for grabs. The championship racing will be supported by Junior and Veterans classes, ensuring plenty of action on the track across the weekend.

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Saturday gets underway when gates open at 7am, with the canteen serving breakfast. Riders will then take part in their briefing at 10am, with practice getting underway at 10.15am before the racing begins.

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The racing will continue throughout the day, with plenty of opportunity for spectators to get trackside and watch the riders battle it out for national championship honours.

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Once the racing wraps up, the atmosphere will continue into the afternoon and evening with live music. The canteen will be serving dinner, while JR’s Bar will be open for refreshments, giving spectators and competitors the chance to relax and enjoy the evening. 

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Sunday brings another full day of competition, with gates opening at 8am. The National Anthem and rider parade will take place at 9.15am, with racing getting underway following the parade lap. 

Entry is just $10 for adults, with Under 16s FREE, making it an affordable weekend for families to come along and experience Australian championship motorcycle racing right here in Ayr.

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The Ayr Motorcycle Club would like to acknowledge and sincerely thank the local businesses who have supported the JR Motorcycles Australian Track Titles and helped make the event possible.

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The club extends its appreciation to JR Motorcycle’s, Durrants, I&J Mechanical, Knapton Engineering Service, Delle Baite Earth Moving, Tracpower, Ayrcrete Concrete Pumping, Beric Constructions, Fallons Construction, Cutlers Diesel Performance, Rural Quip, Bendigo Bank, Power Constructions, Burdekin Touch Association and Burdekin Council for getting behind the event.

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The club also acknowledges the countless hours put in by its members, who have worked tirelessly behind the scenes to prepare the club and track for what promises to be a huge weekend of racing. 

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With Australia's top senior riders competing for national titles, along with Junior and Veterans support racing, JR Motorcycles Australian Track Titles promises a big weekend of racing and entertainment for the Ayr and wider Burdekin community.

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Emilee, Cole & Briella (1km podium) Photos supplied

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It might have been a small team, but Ayr Surf Life Saving Club made plenty of noise at the Sarina Classic and Cruise the Coast last weekend.

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The Ayr contingent travelled south for the weekend and came home with a string of podium finishes across the water and beach events.

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The highlight came in Sunday’s 1km ocean swim, where Cole Pontifex, Emilee Wassmuth and Briella Wassmuth completed an Ayr clean sweep of the podium.

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Burdekin local kids who competed over the weekend. Photo supplied: Cassandra Clark

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The Ayr Pony and Hack Club hosted a competitive field of almost 100 nominations across its Open Showjumping and Open Gymkhana events on 12th and 13th September.

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The two-day event drew competitors from as far as Port Douglas, Ingham, Charters Towers, Proserpine and Bowen, with riders ranging in age from four to 65-plus.

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Saturday’s Open Showjumping attracted 49 competitors, with classes beginning at cross rails before progressing to jumps of up to one metre.

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The gymkhana attracted 45 nominations across a range of age groups and events, from under-seven and led riders through to older children and adults.

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Lacey Maitland was crowned Overall Champion at the end of Sunday’s competition, with Archer Carr finishing as Runner-Up.

April Tanner and Alexis Lydom received Best Presented honours for their respective horses, Rosie and Rayner Park Piping Hot.

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Competitors, families and supporters gathered for a dinner following Saturday’s competition, with visitors who travelled for the event also camping locally.

The club will now look towards its 2027 program, with new members and further events on the horizon.

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Local families and riders interested in learning more about the Ayr Pony and Hack Club or considering joining are encouraged to get in touch with the club.

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See more photos here: www.burdekinlife.com/social-pics/a-great-success-large-field-turns-out-for-ayr-pony-club-competitions

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Aaron completes two sessions a day from Monday to Saturday alongside running his own building company. Photo: Jacob Casha

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You may not have heard of HYROX. Aaron Bathis hadn’t either a couple of years ago.

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Yet next year, he’ll be rubbing shoulders with the best HYROX athletes in the world—and the Burdekin athlete fancies his chances of bringing home gold.

Aaron secured his spot at the 2027 HYROX World Championships in Hong Kong after winning the Mixed Doubles 35-39 age group in Perth with teammate Stephanie Wighton last month.

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The race saw duos complete eight one-kilometre runs in between eight functional workout stations—including sled pushes, rowing and sandbag lunges—on their way to the finish line.

The Ayr resident and his South Australian counterpart topped a field of more than 1,000 duos with a time of 53 minutes and 15 seconds.

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Aaron said the result capped off a turbulent few days, pulling through a below-par individual performance the day before to help claim the doubles victory.

“It was a good feeling,” Aaron said.

“I had a s****y race the night before and got in my own head—but I was just like, ‘I can’t let Steph down.’”

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Aaron said he and Stephanie found their stride early, setting the pace for most of the race.

“It was probably at the halfway point that we overtook everyone, and then we just kept on track,” he said.

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The victory leaves the pair as the No. 1-ranked duo in Australia and the No. 4-ranked duo in the world in their age group, with Aaron optimistic about their chances at the World Championships next June.

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“I’m feeling pretty confident [going into it],” he said.

“If we went to the [World Championships] this year with the time we just got in Perth, we would’ve won. But everyone’s getting faster. We’re getting faster. So we’ll just have to see what we can do in Hong Kong.”

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It hasn't taken Aaron long to reach the sport's apex.

Inspired by videos on his Instagram feed, he completed his first race in April 2025, clocking an hour and 19 minutes at the Brisbane event. After a year competing across Australia—including in Melbourne and Sydney—he was posting sub-60 times.

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“I've always been a really good runner, which helps a lot because it’s 70 per cent running,” Aaron said.

Now training remotely under esteemed trainer James Kelly—the fastest HYROX athlete in Australia—Aaron completes two sessions a day from Monday to Saturday alongside running his own building company.

Most of his sessions are done individually, which he said can require manufactured motivation.

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“I’m always watching the fellas down in Brisbane that all train together, pushing each other. Here, I just talk to myself. Manifesting is a big thing,” he said.

“The biggest thing is staying consistent. Consistency will win every time. Just keep going and see what happens.”

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With his World Championship Mixed Doubles berth already secured, Aaron will now turn his attention to the Pro Men 30–34 division, with qualification races in Melbourne in December, Hong Kong in early January and Osaka later that month.

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A run to the third round of the Cincinnati Masters last month means Adam heads into the weekend with momentum

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Adam Walton’s remarkable rise from the Burdekin to the world’s biggest tennis stage has reached a new milestone, with the 27-year-old named in Australia’s Davis Cup squad for this weekend’s clash with Poland.

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WALTON SET FOR DAVIS CUP DEBUT

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Home Hill tennis star Adam Walton is set for his senior debut in Green and Gold after being named in Australia’s five-man Davis Cup team.

The 27-year-old will join world No.7 Alex de Minaur, James Duckworth, Rinky Hijikata and Max Purcell as Lleyton Hewitt’s men head to the Pat Rafter Arena in Brisbane for their World Group I tie against Poland this month.

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Walton’s selection follows a strong year for the world No.93, peaking when he defeated former world No.1 Daniil Medvedev in the French Open in May.

A run to the third round of the Cincinnati Masters last month means he heads into the weekend with momentum.

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Australia will enter the tie as favourites against a Polish side without its highest-ranked singles player, Hubert Hurkacz, who is managing his schedule following injury.

The two nations will go head-to-head in two singles matches on Saturday 19th September, before doubles and two reverse singles matches on Sunday 20th September, with the first to claim three wins progressing to next year’s Davis Cup Qualifiers.

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Whether Walton will feature remains uncertain, with team captains to select players for each match closer to the tie.

Former coach, Home Hill Tennis Association Secretary Kate Casswell said the selection was a feather in his cap regardless.

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“I’d like to hope he sees the court—it often depends on how the others have gone in the singles to start with, and then who they pick for the doubles,” Mrs Casswell said.

“[But] his journey is a great example of what regional tennis can achieve.”

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Mrs Casswell said Walton’s selection caps a remarkable rise to the world stage, typified by traits she had seen in him early on.

“You could always see his stubbornness, determination, and his ‘never give up’ attitude,” she said.

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“Adam would go out and play kids that you would expect to beat him, but would just be there grinding and grinding. That takes you a very long way in the sport.”

While unable to attend due to family commitments, Mrs Casswell said that she, like many others in Home Hill, will be glued to the TV this weekend.

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The Under 15s booked their spot in emphatic fashion, smashing Charters Towers 44-4 in Saturday’s preliminary final. Photo supplied.

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The Burdekin Roosters are chasing a premiership double this weekend, with both their Under 15 and Under 19 sides charging into grand finals.

The Under 15s booked their spot in emphatic fashion, smashing Charters Towers 44-4 in Saturday’s preliminary final.

Their older teammates had already secured their place in the Under 19 decider with a stirring 28-24 win over Brothers in the major semi-final.

For the Under 19s, Sunday’s clash with Brothers carries extra weight. The Roosters have not appeared in an Under 19 grand final for 25 years, with their last coming in 2001.

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There is a strong link between the two generations, with brothers and family members spread across both squads.

The Under 19s have also been pushed hard by Brothers all season, with the Roosters winning two of their three meetings by just two and four points.

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Now, with the biggest games of the season looming, the Roosters have a chance to bring two trophies back to Burdekin.

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Burdekin school students will have a new sport to try, with free flag football kits being distributed to schools across Queensland.

The National Football League (NFL) is providing a kit to every Queensland school, meaning schools in the Burdekin will also have access to equipment and resources to introduce students to the sport.

Each kit contains 12 flag belts, three footballs and NFL Flag curriculum and teaching resources for schools.

Flag football is a short-form, non-contact version of American football. Instead of tackling the ball carrier, players stop them by pulling a flag from a belt.

The sport is played by more than 20 million people across more than 100 countries and will make its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

It is also an eligible activity under the Queensland Government’s Play On! Sports Vouchers program.

Queensland Sport and Racing Minister Tim Mander said the kits would give students an opportunity to try a sport that is growing internationally.

“This is a wonderful initiative by the NFL and will encourage more young Queenslanders to get out and be active,” Mr Mander said.

“It’s great that our kids will now become more and more familiar with Flag Football before it makes its Olympic debut in Los Angeles in two years’ time.”

Education Minister John-Paul Langbroek said the kits would give schools another option for getting students involved in sport.

“Sport plays an important role in supporting student wellbeing, engagement and development,” Mr Langbroek said.

“The NFL's provision of these kits gives Queensland schools another opportunity to get students active and introduce them to a new sport.”

Flag football is already being played at several Queensland schools, including Burleigh Heads State School, Varsity College and Benowa State High School.

NFL Australia and New Zealand general manager Charlotte Offord said the program was aimed at making the sport more accessible to students.

“Flag football is one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and Australia is helping to lead the movement—especially across Queensland,” Ms Offord said.

“These kits will provide more young people with pathways to learn the game.”

The NFL said providing equipment free to schools would help reduce barriers for students wanting to try the sport.

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Seniors

The Panther had two matches last Saturday as part of the Finals series. The Premiers played fourth placed Riverside JCU in Townsville, winning on penalties after a 1-1 draw and going into the Preliminary Final. The Reserves played minor premiers Brothers and lost 0-3. However, they will get another chance next week.

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The Colts play Warriors in their Grand Final at 6.30 on Friday night and then on Saturday the Premiers and Reserves are both involved in Preliminary Finals. The Premiers play MA Olympic at 7.00, and the Reserves play Saints Eagles Souths at 3.00pm

Night Soccer kicked off for the 48^th season on Tuesday. Late Nominations can still be accepted. Nomination Forms are at Delta Cleaners, Intersport and Sportfirst.

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Premiers – Ayr Anzac Club

With the season on the line, the Panthers knew their elimination final against JCU was always going to be a tough contest. Burdekin started brightly and were rewarded inside the opening eight minutes when Oliver Gabiola found the back of the net to give the Panthers the perfect start. From there, however, the momentum began to shift as JCU worked their way into the game and applied plenty of pressure. Jarrod Camer was excellent in goal, producing a crucial penalty save before pulling off another very good savefrom a dangerous free kick to keep the Panthers in front. With just ten minutes remaining, JCU finally found the equaliser to make it 1–1 and send the elimination final into extra time.  

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Neither side could find the decisive goal during the additional period, meaning the season would come down to a penalty shootout. In a tense finish, the Panthers held their nerve from the spot and Camer again played his part as Burdekin prevailed 5–4 on penalties. It certainly wasn’t the easy way to do it, but finals football rarely is. The Panthers survive and advance, keeping the season alive for at least another week.

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Reserves – Burdekin Tyre Service

A team with confidence and capability travelled to Townsville for a semi-final showdown with Brothers. In warm conditions the game was played at a good pace and end to end, both teams creating half chances. A slow start was an issue when Brothers scored from a corner after nine minutes. From there the Panthers created opportunities and the goalkeeper provided several good saves. On balance the game could have been 3-3 all at halftime rather than Brothers leading 1-0.

The Panthers came out in the second half and were the dominant side. A few very good chances could have seen them in front but for some unlucky bounces, desperate scrambling by Brothers and a day where some shots were just off target.  At the hour markand against the run of play Brothers made a run into the penalty box and a soft foul resulted in a second goal from the penalty. Despite being down, the Panthers were still creating opportunities and Brothers were hanging on for the final whistle. With fifteenminutes to go the referee took away any chances of a positive result with a flurry of dubious yellow cards handed out for ‘dissent’. Despite whether it was right or wrong, the end result was Cooper Kross getting two yellow cards in a minute and being sent off.From there the result was inevitable, Brothers move to the Grand Final, and Burdekin will play against Saints next week to book the other grand final placing.

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Masters

The Masters numbers were good again and in cool conditions featured a tussle between Albania and Lichtenstein. This was the final match of the 2026 season. Best players on the night were the Georges, Karagkiozis and Koukouris. Now, it’s Night Soccer time…

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Juniors

The Juniors are officially into the final stretch of the junior soccer season, with just one week to go! Saturday saw the teams back on home turf for another round of local games. With the season coming to a close, it’s been great to see the players continue to get out there, enjoy their football and make the most of every game. One more weekend to go — let’s finish the season on a high! 

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International

The Socceroos have two friendlies against Brazil lined up. The first, on 25 September is in Townsville! And the second in Brisbane. Meanwhile in Europe the new season has started and in the EPL Manchester City and Arsenal are the only teams with maximum points after three games. In Italy’s Serie A, Roma and Inter also have maximum points and in Spain’s La Liga Barcelona are the only team with maximum points after four games.

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Quote the of the Week is from Newcastle and England star Len Shakleton after scoring six goals on a 13-0 defeat of Newport “And they were lucky to get nil.”

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Chad Fraser was named RLTD Under-19 Player of the Year after leading his team to the grand final. Photo supplied.

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At the RLTD Dr Rod Ward Presentation Night at Brothers in Townsville last Friday night, Burdekin Roosters under-19 half Chad Fraser was named RLTD Under-19 Player of the Year.

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Chad has had a great season, leading his team to the under-19 grand final while also playing three A-grade games.

Chad was also captain and half of the Burdekin Catholic High School Confraternity team, which played at Marist Brothers Ashgrove in Brisbane.

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Evergreen utility back Dylan Doak was named the RLTD Best Back in Reserve Grade.

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Even though his team finished well out of the finals race, Dylan was a standout player, scoring many tries as well as kicking some great goals.

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Jake O’Brien has played several positions in the backline for the A-grade Roosters and has stood out in all of them, so much so that he was named on the shortlist of three for the Best A-Grade Player in Townsville.

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Jake was then named the Best Back in A Grade for 2026.

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Roosters A-grade captain and forward Lachlan Shepherd must also have come into calculations, having recently been named by Radio SSS among the top 10 Townsville A-grade players.

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Contributed by Brian Carnes

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It was a winning weekend for Home Hill cricket, with the fourth-grade side edging Wanderers by two wickets before the third-grade outfit recorded a dominant 153-run victory over Brothers. Photo supplied.

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It was a winning weekend for Home Hill cricket, with the fourth-grade side edging Wanderers by two wickets before the third-grade outfit recorded a dominant 153-run victory over Brothers.

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The Home Hill ML Partners fourth-grade side built their victory on disciplined bowling, sharp fielding and a calm batting effort, reeling in Wanderers’ total with time to spare.

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Wanderers chose to bat first but lost wickets regularly, finishing at 7/91. Daniel Olditch was the standout of the bowling attack, taking 2/7 from four overs, including two maidens, while Kiriti Sanga claimed 2/16 from three overs.

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Travis Butler and Lachlan Brown applied further pressure through the middle overs, taking a wicket apiece, while Leo Olditch and Christopher Penna were both extremely economical, conceding just 1.66 runs per over.

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Chasing 91, Home Hill did not blast their way to victory, instead absorbing the pressure and steadily ticking off the target with composure. Lachlan Brown top-scored with 25, while Travis Butler contributed 19 and Dan Olditch, Kiriti Sanga and Laurence Zappa all added important runs.

Home Hill finished at 8/132, comfortably passing Wanderers’ total and securing the win with two wickets in hand.

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Home Hill Evergreen Sheds then produced a commanding all-round performance to claim a 153-run victory in third-grade CNQ, dismantling Brothers Resilient Projects with disciplined batting, relentless bowling and sharp fielding.

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A strong and balanced batting display laid the foundations for the win, highlighted by crucial knocks from Callum Boland, who made 49 from 44 balls including seven fours, Simon Vickers with 47 from 53 balls including six fours, and Alex Stillhard, who finished unbeaten on 39 from 25 balls with three fours and two sixes.

Lower-order contributions and substantial extras pushed Home Hill's total to a commanding 9/197.

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The Home Hill bowlers were ruthless, sharing the wickets across the attack and never allowing Brothers to settle. Keagan Carter hit an excellent length throughout his six-over spell, taking 3/22, while Aaron McKeown produced a short but devastating spell of 2/2 from two overs.

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Sharp fielding, including catches from McKeown, Brad Parravicini and Scott Richards, further compounded Brothers’ struggles as they were restricted to 8/44.

Home Hill will have three big home games at the Nutrien Ag Solutions Cricket Complex this coming weekend.

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At 12.20pm on Saturday, 12 September, Home Hill Pengelly Cabinets will take on Wanderers in Second Grade, before Home Hill ML Partners face Sub Parks in Fourth Grade at 8am on Sunday, 13 September.

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Home Hill Evergreen Sheds will then take on Saints in Third Grade at 12.45pm on Sunday.

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Come down and support your team!

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Contributed by Home Hill Cricket Association

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Third prize raffle winner Les Hoey & Judy Elton. Photo supplied.

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This week, Home Hill CSC had the pleasure of welcoming the Burdekin Scouts to their Wednesday night social bowls. Seeing the club used in this capacity demonstrates how valuable the clubhouse has become to several organisations. Who knows, given time, some of these youngsters might just decide to give the sport of lawn bowls a try.

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Thursday saw the return of Tony Caruso, who has been unable to play for some time. Welcome back, Tony — great to see you on board.

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Home Hill also had the pleasure of welcoming back, at the recently held Members Invitational, Leon Thoms. Leon was raised in the Burdekin, learnt the game of bowls at 14 years of age and went on to great heights in the sport.

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This Saturday will see another singles game played between Trevor Elton and Wayne Newton, the result of which will be covered in next week’s article.

Wednesday night social bowls saw three games of triples played, along with the Scout group, which made for a very interactive evening of bowls.

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Thursday club day saw four games of triples played. On Rink Three, Phil Marsden, Dino Poli and Margaret Chapman had a close win over Hugh Montgomery, Tery Feakes and Bob Pickard, a game that could have gone either way as it got to the pointy end of the day.

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On Rink Four, Glenn Berryman, Sandra Darwin and Maureen Marsden had a comfortable win over Alex Bojack, Judy Elton and Janet Arthur.

On Rink Five, Joe Linton, Katerina Stuckler and Paul Vass took a marginal win over Trevor Elton, Bruce McCallum and Bob Young.

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On Rink Six, Mick McCloskey, Les Hoey and Laura Webber had a marginal win over Gary Nosworthy, Ron Smith and Tony Caruso.

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Random Rink winners for the afternoon were on Rink Five: Joe Linton, Katarina Stuckler and Paul Vass. Congratulations!

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Raffles for the day: First prize of seafood went to Glenn Berryman, with second prize of a bottle of wine going to Bruce McCallum. The third raffle, kindly donated by Les Hoey, was a ladies' hamper that Les won at a recent tournament. It went to Judy Elton (pictured).

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Les, being a bachelor and a very generous supporter of club raffles, just does not seem to be able to win a prize that best suits his needs. Les, just keep trying, mate—you will crack it one good day.

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Tuesday Fun Day: a morning to meet and greet, which has become a popular outing to enjoy. Just come along around 9.00am.

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Contributed by Bob Pickard

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More than 100 young touch footballers have wrapped up the Friday Junior Touch Football season for the term. Photo supplied.

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More than 100 young touch footballers have wrapped up the Friday Junior Touch Football season for the term, with boys and girls aged up to 12 years taking part in weekly skills, drills and games.

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Burdekin Touch Football president Peter Knapton congratulated the players for their enthusiasm and cooperation throughout the season, while also thanking the coaches who conducted the weekly sessions.

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Friday Junior Touch Football will resume after the school holidays, with sign-on taking place on October 9.

Meanwhile, Round Six of the Coutts Commercial Tavern Mixed Touch competition produced plenty of action across the senior and Under 14 grades.

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Alliance Pharmacy recorded a 13-2 victory over Astute, led by six tries from J Power and three from L Lampton, while Slush Puppies defeated Touch Potatoes 11-5, with L Marshall crossing four times.

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The Predators edged East Ayr 7-6, with L Potter-Geitz scoring three, while One Touch IT and Way To Go B played out a 5-all draw.

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SSS recorded a comprehensive 15-5 victory over Renegades, with D Ludwick scoring four tries and N Walker and W Ghee three apiece.

QMN Petrol Heads narrowly defeated Jigsaw 5-4, while Can't Touch This accounted for Way To Go A 8-4.

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Untouchable produced the highest score of the round with a 17-3 win over Blue Murder. G Dau and K Vitty both scored five tries, while L Saxby added three.

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Redskins received a win on forfeit.

In the Under 14 competition, Chicken Burgers defeated The Divas 5-1, with K Quinlan scoring three tries, while BAYWatch A defeated Red Dogs B 8-2, led by five tries from Adea.

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BAYWatch B recorded a 6-2 win over Blue Blizzards, with Kaylee and Danielle scoring three tries each.

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Silly Soft Serves rounded out the results with a narrow 4-3 victory over Red Dogs A.

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The Burdekin Roosters will feature in two Grand Finals this weekend, with the Under 15s joining the Under 19s after a great 44-4 win over Charters Towers in their preliminary final last Saturday.

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The Roosters Under 19s made their way to the Grand Final on Sunday after a stirring 28-24 win over Brothers in the major semi-final two weeks ago.

Coached by Mark Watson, the Under 15 team has a close connection with the Under 19 team, with a number of brothers playing.

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Chase Power in the Under 15s has a brother, Jack, a leading forward in the Under 19s, while Under 15 Jax Lammon will watch his brother Harrison, the Under 19s lock, with their father Thomas the FAO for both teams.

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Kasdyn Nash is a key player in the Under 15s, being a goal-kicker as well as a leading try-scorer.

Kasdyn's cousin Kobe Geia is a try-scoring centre for the Under 19s, with dad John an assistant coach of the older team.

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The Roosters have not featured in the Under 19 TDRL Grand Final for 25 years, with their last appearance coming in 2001 when the club had three teams in the GF — the Under 19s, reserves and A Grade.

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They were successful in two of them, with the Under 19s defeating Centrals and the A Grade remaining undefeated for the year, defeating the Dale Shearer-led Centrals.

Unfortunately, the reserves went down to an A Grade-stacked Brothers team.

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Current Under 19 officials John Nash and Thomas Lammon were players in that 2001 team, Thomas at centre and John coming off the bench.

That team, coached by Shane Power, contained a number of players who went on to feature in A Grade matches in later years.

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Phillip Dennis was prominent in the Queensland Cup after transferring to Souths Logan, with Kurt Olsen and Craig Snell playing several years for Burdekin, Townsville and North Queensland.

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Michael Skipper transferred to Ingham, where he coached and played, with Mackenzie Nesbit, Brad Ferguson, Evan Chapman, Mark Watson, Gavin Cave, Drew Donovan, Paul Hudson and Jared Zollner all playing many A Grade games for the Roosters.

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It is also interesting to note the 2001 team was sponsored by Eathornes Sportscene, while the 2026 team is sponsored by Eathornes Sportsfirst.

The team that day, coached by Shane Power, was Brad Ferguson, Michael Skipper, Mackenzie Nesbit, Thomas Lammon, Myran Seeto, Evan Chapman, Mark Watson, Gavin Cave, Philip Dennis, Drew Donovan, Mark Lowis, Kurt Olsen, Craig Snell, John Nash, Paul Hudson, Jared Zollner, Daniel Floriani, Joel Norway and Ashley Wright.

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Minor premiers Brothers flexed their muscles in the preliminary final last Sunday, defeating Centrals 40-6.

Sunday's Grand Final, now to be played at Brothers at 10.30am, will be the fourth time the two teams have met this season.

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Brothers won the first back in April at Brothers by two, 16-14, with the Roosters winning in Ayr in June by two, 28-26, and then the semi-final at Brothers two weeks ago 28-24.

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Roosters Under 19 head coach Alf Cantarella is very proud of his team, saying the early trial win over Norths was encouraging as the numbers increased to 24 registered players.

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Alf said his team has had its fair share of injuries during the season, from a broken nose, hands, an arm and even a vertebrae.

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Thankfully, most have come through okay and we are ready to go.

“We have built up a strong side with several of the boys having played alongside each other for many years.

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“Our halves Kaddy Zaro and Chad Fraser have been playing together since Under 7.

“Chad, KJ, Chekayne Taiters and Tyce Cursio have all played A Grade this year, acquitting themselves well.

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“Our hooker Jack Power would have to be the best number nine in the competition and he has a great future.

“Kirk Viero and Kobe Geia in the centres are strong and fast scoring machines, Kirk a multiple try-scorer many times.

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“We are lucky to have Kobe as he has a contract with the Cowboys and a bright future.

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“Tyce Cursio leads the forwards with passion, helped by Mason Kiehne, Harrison Lammon, Joey Southwell, Leylan Lampton, Dylan Rushton, Brodie and Romeo Waem.

“They are all big, strong, athletic lads who are willing to put in each week.

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“Our wingers are the deadly Taiters boys, Callen and Chekayne, who love sideline tries.

“Calen is a great vocal player driving the team forward, while Chekayne's height gives the advantage under the high ball.

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“Chekayne played for the Artie Beetson team against the Maoris early this year.

“We have utility players Riley Smith and Logan Guglielmania on the interchange who are skilled, experienced players who can fill any role.

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“Alf says he has been coaching for 22 years and he has never seen a team with so much talent, not just in the players but the support staff as well.

“FAO Thomas Lammon, League Safe John Nash and Simon Power are second to none.

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“John is an ex-NRL international player and his knowledge and input to assist me is invaluable.

“Chris Perry is a great help on training days and he, with John, Simon and Thomas, have all helped in getting us to the GF.

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“We also thank Alex Lennox and the committee who have helped us to get to the GF from behind the scenes.

“Up the Roosters.”

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While the Roosters meet Brothers in the Under 19 GF, Centrals will tackle Western Lions in the women's game after Centrals beat Brothers 16-6 for the right to tackle the Lions.

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Western Lions defeated Norths 32-20 in the reserve grade final and will now play Souths in the GF.

In the A Grade, Souths will be attempting to win their third premiership in a row after beating Western Lions last Sunday 46-28.

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Souths will play Centrals, who progressed to the GF after beating the defending premiers two weeks ago in the major semi-final 30-28.

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Contributed by Brian Carnes

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