Last weekend featured just two Finals games. Thursday night, Division 2 Funkies beat Brothers 4-0, while on Saturday the Ladies lost 1-3 to Brothers. For the Preliminary Finals: the Ladies must beat Rebels Friday 6.30pm, and the Funkies must beat Saints Eagles Souths Thursday 6.30pm to reach their Grand Finals.

Division 2 Men
The C.A. Contracting Funkies faced Brothers in the elimination final. Brothers started strong, but Burdekin scored first through Chris Achille, before Brothers equalised. In the second half, Jack Castrejana gave the Funkies the lead, only for Brothers to level again. Extra time saw Fengil score twice to seal a 4-2 win. Standout performers: Jarrod Dal Santo, Jake Lacey, Fengil, Nicholas Cathcart, Jack Castrejana.

Ladies
Ayr Anzac Club Ladies fell 1-3 to Brothers in the semi-finals. Brothers led 2-0 at halftime, Tegan Johnson pulled one back, but Brothers scored again to win. The Ladies face Rebels Friday night, aiming to bounce back.

Juniors
Townsville teams played the last Saturday fixtures of 2025. Thanks to Saints Eagles Souths FC and all visiting clubs. This Saturday is the final matches and end-of-season breakup.

Masters
Masters Soccer concludes for 2025. Night Soccer has started; Masters returns in 2026.

National & International
European leagues paused for 2026 World Cup qualifiers; resumes this weekend. Matildas next face Wales on 25 October in Cardiff; Sam Kerr is back in training. Socceroos beat New Zealand 1-0 in Canberra Friday, and play again Tuesday in Auckland, with friendlies vs Canada and USA in October.

Quote of the Week is from Terry Venables, then manager of Barcelona. “When I arrived in the summer, one of my predecessors told the Spanish media that I would be gone by Christmas. He forgot to mention which year.”

Delta Cleaners Night Soccer
Night Soccer kicked off its 46th year on Tuesday.

Night Soccer started in 1979 as a means of keeping soccer players fit during the off season. In that first season there were eight teams, and the matches were played in Home Hill. From those inauspicious beginnings the competition has grown to be the number one sporting competition in the Burdekin.

Delta Cleaners have been the competitions sponsor since the very first season – and that must be some sort of record. The younger generation of Nucifora’s weren’t even born when Night Soccer started.

The winners of the competition back in 1979 were Bonato’s Club Hotel and the Ladies joined the competition in 1982. Night Soccer moved to the Brothers Rugby League Club in Ayr in 1980 and to its present base at International Park in 1981. In the 1998 season Night Soccer attracted 84 Senior teams and 36 Junior teams which meant that upwards of a thousand players were taking part in the competition every Tuesday.

In the 2024 season Night Soccer had 28 Men’s and 15 Women’s teams and that included seven teams of Solomon islanders. Hopefully the 2025 season will be at least as good.

Visitors to International Park often comment that the facilities are the best in North Queensland and Night Soccer has paid for a lot of them.

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“We made too many mistakes,” said Burdekin River ladies coach Anita Hagarty after her team went down 24-14 to Western Lions at Brothers on Sunday in the R.L.T.D. Ladies preliminary final in Townsville.

Last week, the team beat Brothers by letting the ball do the work, and the strategy delivered a solid win. This week, they tried the same approach. Toni Daisy crossed for a strong opening try, and with Rebecca Pace’s conversion, Burdekin led 6-0.

However, the experienced and bigger Lions soon pressured the team, exploiting mistakes and using their size to move ahead. Western Lions scored three tries before halftime, taking a 10-6 lead, but Martina Monday’s pace and swerve brought Burdekin back to 14-10 at the break. Ball control remained the key to turning the match around.

In the second half, Lions extended their lead to 18-10. Martina Monday crossed again to make it 18-14. A potential chance to level the scores went unnoticed when a player was lifted and dumped near the tryline without a penalty. The Lions sealed the result with a converted try, finishing 24-14 and booking a Grand Final clash with Centrals.

Despite the loss, Anita praised her team, noting that five players are under 18. Paige Horvat was named best back, winning the Old Boys voucher despite taking several heavy hits. Lily Mills made some strong runs, while Martina Monday continued to shine despite tight marking.

In the forwards, Taleisha Bulgarelli’s tireless effort earned her the Old Boys award, while Rebecca Pace and Sarah Castles put in heavy work in the middle. Overall, the experiment of combining the two clubs has been successful and looks promising for the future.

Contributed with thanks to Brian Carnes.

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Thirty players were on hand for a fantastic spring afternoon. Today’s winners were Margaret Chapman, Lloyd Shepherd, and Des Chapman. Unfortunately, Lloyd had to leave at the end of the game, so only Margaret and Des appear in our winners’ photo. The field consisted of four games of triples and a game of pairs.

On Rink 3, Judy Elton, Sandra Darwin, and Hugh Montgomery proved too good for Paul Vass, Neville Webb, and Phil Marsden. Rink 4 saw Betty Webb, Bruce McCallum, and Wayne Newton account for Bob Pickard, new member Rob Darr (welcome!), and Joe Linton. Rink 5 was a close contest, with Bob Young, Mark Swaine, and Trevor Elton narrowly defeating Henry Hazel, Terry Feakes, Ron Smith, and Mick McClosky. Margaret Chapman, Lloyd Shepherd, and Des Chapman defeated Warren “Yogi” Bunn, Dino Poli, and Steve Doig on Rink 6, while Maureen Marsden and Glen Bones Berryman recorded a good win against Michael Young and Alex Bojack on Rink 7.

A few dates to remember: The Wilmar Challenge is on 21st September, the Giru Open Fours on Saturday 27th September with 8:30am for a 9am start, Brandon Bowls Club celebrates its 70th anniversary on 5th October, and the Bowen Bowls Club Peter Bruce Memorial Open Fours takes place Saturday 25th and Sunday 26th October 2025. Check the notice board for more details.

Thursday’s raffle saw a 2kg piece of mackerel won by Yogi Bunn, while a bottle of wine went to Margaret Chapman, who had a pretty good day on the greens. Weekly activities continue, including Monday morning fitness, Tuesday Trimmers and Tuesday Funday, Wednesday Kraft group and night barefoot bowls, Thursday morning BINGO and social bowls, and Saturday $5 social bowls.

The other photo shows some of the young players enjoying a drink at the end of play. Till next week, good bowling.

Photo and report by Stephen Doig

Winners of the day, Margaret and Des.
Participants enjoying a drink at the end of play.

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The Ayr Bowling Club has enjoyed a fantastic week, with members coming together for a series of competitive and social matches. The energy on the greens has been great, as the club continues to foster a strong sense of enthusiasm towards the great game of lawn bowls. With the momentum showing no signs of slowing, members are eagerly anticipating another month of great matches and good times ahead.

Wednesday’s Men’s Bowls saw great participation, with two games of pairs and a triples game. The successful team on the day was Barry Shepherd and Col Essex who delivered a strong performance to claim the win over Chris Berkery and Barry Hewson. George Nixon and Anthony Bull defeated Dino Poli and Lew Stidston. In the triples game Arthur Gauvin, Ray Wall and Happy Horon defeated Ron Smythe, John Pirrone and Ron Soper.

Wednesday night bowls saw two games of pairs played. The winners of the first game were Margaret McLaughlin and Ross McLaughlin. In the other game the winners were Bertilla Piazetta and Heather Jorgensen.

The Ayr Bowling Club hosted it’s Fun Friday Night Bowls Sponsored by Lawrence & Hanson on Friday. What a great night! So good to see lots of regular and new bowlers coming every time for a fun night. Taking home the prizes on Friday night were Bertilla Piazetta, Tricia Achille and David Burt (1st) Lorraine Wolffe, John Pirrone and Anthony Bull (2nd) Kyle Grabbi, Johnny Grabbi and Joe Grabbi (Sportsman). Big shout out to Lawrence & Hanson for their sponsorship of the night.

Saturday saw our men travel to Bowen bowls club for country pennants while we didn’t come away with the shield our club put up a great performance. We had 3 new bowlers playing their first pennant games for the club. And they performed well for the first time playing pennants well done, Cisco, Al Hardcastle and Shane Stanford. You did yourselves and our club proud in your first pennant games.

If you are interested in giving Bowls a try, Friday Roll Ups are a good place to start. They are held every Friday afternoon from 3:00 - 5:30pm. Whether you're looking to hone your skills, enjoy some friendly training tips, or simply unwind with a drink, these casual roll-ups are the perfect way to kick off the weekend. Come down for some training, enjoy a few drinks, and join in the fun with fellow club members.

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Lyn’s President’s Day saw 42 bowlers hit the greens in a day full of competition, laughs, and community spirit. Players and spectators alike kept the atmosphere lively, and thanks to the effort of members, helpers, and sponsors Danny and Marissa O’Shea Painting, the event ran smoothly from start to finish.

On the leaderboard, the top prize went to Kaye Garner, Darelle Pearce, and Rhonda Tawse. Runners-up were Irene Adams, Elaine Young, and Colleen Olsen, while third place went to Wilma Berryman, Vanda Ballao, and Aisha Ryan.

The Club Triples produced one of the tightest battles of the week. Glenn Woodford, Jamie Woods, and Gary Pearce edged out Joe Ypinazar, Chris Pearce, and Steve Mottin after 18 ends left the scores locked. An extra end was needed to separate the sides, with Woodford’s team eventually prevailing.

President’s Day once again highlighted the strength of the local bowls community and the value of everyone who puts in the time—whether competing, organising, or simply showing up in support.

Contributed with thanks to Lyn Storrie.

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Lyn’s President’s Day saw 42 bowlers hit the greens in a day full of competition, laughs, and community spirit. Photo supplied
The Club Triples produced one of the tightest battles of the week. Photo supplied

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After starting the year with uncertainty about player numbers, the Herbert River and Burdekin Rugby Leagues decided to combine their personnel and form a single ladies’ team. The experiment proved a success, with the Burdekin River team now just one win away from the Grand Final of the RLTD Women’s competition.

Exhibiting the old adage of “let the ball do the work,” Burdekin River defeated Brothers 20–12 in the knockout semi-final last Sunday at Brothers, booking a place in this Sunday’s preliminary final against Western Lions. The winner will advance to the Grand Final to face Centrals, who beat the Lions 24–10 in the major semi-final.

Coach Anita Hagarty said her team started slowly, leading 10–4 at halftime after Brothers opened the scoring 4–0. “The Brothers team were bigger, but our girls countered that by letting the ball do the work in attack,” Hagarty said. “We were great in defence, with several knock-ons and some outstanding front-on tackles.”

The forwards led the way against the larger opposition, with Taleisha Bulgarelli named best forward, supported by Abby King, Tilney Rowe, and Aleikah Heron. It was hard to separate the backs, with top performances from Martina Monday at seven, Paige Horvat at five-eighth, Tiana Krutzfeldt, and fullback Toni Daisy.

Queensland Country fullback Toni Daisy was outstanding, scoring three tries with her positional play and speed. Hagarty noted that older fans at the ground were reminded of Toni’s father, the great Vern Daisy, as she tore through the opposition. While the coach praised several players individually, she highlighted that every team member did their job.

Burdekin River scorers:
Tries: Toni Daisy 3, Taleisha Bulgarelli
Goals: Tiana Krutzfeldt, Rebekkah Pace

Other semi-final results (all played at Brothers):
Ladies: 2024 Premiers Centrals defeated Western Lions 24–10, advancing to defend their title on Sunday, September 14.
A Grade: Souths defeated Brothers 32–10, advancing to the Grand Final. Brothers will meet Western Lions in the preliminary final after the Lions came from behind to beat Herbert River 42–24.
Reserve Grade: Defending premiers Souths defeated Brothers 28–18, advancing to the Grand Final. Brothers will play Herbert River after the River defeated Western Lions 28–14 in the knockout final.

All players came through unscathed, and Burdekin River is expected to field the same team for Sunday’s preliminary final. Hagarty noted, “While there were the usual bumps and bruises, no one suffered any major injuries. Western Lions have big forwards and experienced inner backs, but we have strong leadership in Paige Horvat and Martina Monday at halves. Toni will be closely watched, giving Tiana, Lily, Abbey, and Tanley a chance to shine.”

“Regardless of the opposition, I know all my girls will give it their best,” Hagarty added.

Contributed with thanks to Brian Carnes

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Twenty players turned out for a very warm winter’s afternoon, with temperatures reaching 30°C at 1:30 pm. You have to love winter in the Burdekin!

On Rink 3 (Pairs), Paul Vass and Steve Doig prevailed on the last end against Neville Webb and Trevor Elton.

Rink 4 (Triples) saw Judy Elton, Elaine Young, and Michael McClosky edge out Bob Young, Mark Swaine, and Warren “Yogi” Bunn in a close contest.

On Rink 5 (Triples), Des Chapman, Ron Smith, and Glen Bones Berryman accounted for Bruce McCallum, Dino Poli, and Joe Linton.

Rink 6 (Pairs) winners were Betty Webb and Alex Bojack (pictured), who defeated Janet Arthur and Norm Bethell.

The raffle, featuring a meat tray from DNS Butchers, was won by Steve Doig, with second prize—a bottle of wine—claimed by Glen Bones Berryman.

Mark your calendars for 21st September for the annual Wilmar Challenge, hosted this year at Rummeny Green, Home Hill. The event rotates between the four Burdekin clubs. Food and drinks will be available, so come along and support your club.

Regular club activities continue: Monday morning fitness, Tuesday Trimmers and Tuesday Funday, Wednesday morning Kraft group, Wednesday evening barefoot bowls with sausage sizzle, Thursday morning BINGO, Thursday afternoon social bowls, and Saturday social bowls at $5 per game. Last Saturday saw a strong turnout of players.

Until next week, good bowling!

Photo and report by Stephen Doig

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Winners of the day Betty Webb and Alex Bojack.

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AYR BOWLING CLUB WEEKLY REPORT

The Ayr Bowling Club has celebrated another excellent week on the greens, with members coming together for a mix of club Championship games and engaging social matches. The atmosphere and enthusiasm around the club remains high, as members are gearing up for Country Pennants. With Bowen Bowling Club hosting the event Saturday 6th September 2025. We encourage members and anyone who has an interest in bowls to come and support our men during this event. Our men’s pennant teams have been announced and available on the Club Noticeboard.

Tuesday Ladies Social bowls were played in perfect conditions for the afternoon. Winners on the day were. Meryl Smith, Betty Schultz and Mary Poli defeating Karen Shepherd, Rayleen Hervey and Beryl Cornford. Katharina Stuckler, Merle Nixon and Pam Power defeated Jeanette MacDonald, Donna Soper and Dot Cutting.

Ladies Competition three bowl pairs were played on Thursday winners going through to the next round are Beryl Cornford and Mary Poli.

Men’s Social bowls on Wednesday saw three games of triples. Winners on the day were Happy Horan, George Nixon, and Barry Shepherd defeating Mark Pearse, Joe Papale and Dave Harding. The winners on Wednesday night were Bertilla Piazetta, Margaret McLaughlin, Ross McLaughlin and Joe Grabbi. Wednesday night is the perfect opportunity for new bowlers to play and learn the game. Sign up is at 6.30pm bowling commencing 7pm call the club for details or message us on Facebook.

Saturday’s Social bowls saw a turnout of 16 players, with two games of triples and a game of pairs played. The winners on the day were Jennet McDonald, George Nixon and Ron Soper defeating John Pirrone, Merle Nixon and John McDonald. J Fletcher, Donna Soper and Joe Grabbi defeated Aurthur Gauvin, Betty Schultz and Pam Power. In the pairs game Joe Papale and Col Essex defeated Ron Smythe and Wayne Coonan.

On Sunday 31st two games of mixed singles were played. Winners were Gary Pearce defeating Lew Stidston 25 – 19. Ron Soper defeating Maurie Power 25 – 18. Gary and Ron now proceed to the next round.

The Ayr Bowling Club invites everyone to its Fun Friday Night Bowls Sponsored by Lawrence and Hanson on Friday 5th September, starting at 6 PM. This evening promises fun for bowlers of all levels, encouraging participants to bring friends or join solo to meet new people. The entry fee is $10 per game, which includes a sausage sizzle at 6 PM and a light supper after bowling begins at 7 PM.

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Home Hill Cricket Association had the honour of hosting the Wanderers QLD Club on Tuesday, 19 August, as part of the Wanderers’ Country Tour through regional Queensland. The Wanderers, a charity-based side, bring their touring team to country towns every few years, with this year’s schedule including matches in Yeppoon, Mackay, Proserpine, Bowen, Home Hill, Clermont and Maryborough.

Adding to the occasion was the presence of cricket great Geoff Dymock, the former Australian international fast bowler, who travelled with the Wanderers during their stop in Home Hill.

The two sides played a 40-over fixture in front of an appreciative local crowd. The Wanderers batted first and set a strong total of 8/212. Home Hill began their chase positively and remained in contention deep into the innings. With just 30 runs required from the final two overs, the chase looked within reach. However, a flurry of wickets saw Home Hill bowled out for 180, falling short despite a spirited effort.

Thomas Cardillo stood out with the ball for Home Hill, taking 2 wickets for just 19 runs off his six overs. With the bat, the top contributors were Darcy Walters (35), Greg Flanagan (34) and Ayden Marano (31), all showing grit against a seasoned opposition.

The Wanderers also took the opportunity to give back to the community, hosting a coaching clinic for junior players. A number of local youngsters took part, gaining valuable skills and experience from the visiting team.

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The Home Hill Cricket Association.
Thomas Cardillo, Geoff Dymock and Leo Olditch,

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Twenty-one Ayr Juniors competed in this year’s Ayr Junior Open on Sunday, following straight on from the Home Hill Junior Open the day before. With 69 players taking to the course, it was a strong turnout and a successful day all round.

Local junior Amaya Mahoney claimed the overall Girls 18-Hole Championship with a score of 82, while Levi Holmes from Proserpine Golf Club took the Boys 18-Hole Championship with 81.

Other standout results for Ayr included Micah Kemp, gross winner for 3-Hole Boys, and Harvey Mauro, nett winner for 3 holes. Oscar Watson received an encouragement award for his first ever golf competition, finishing with a strong 25 gross for 3 holes. In the 3-Hole Girls, River Oar was nett winner, taking home a new tiger club head cover as her prize.

In the 6-Hole competition, Tyler Smith and Maxx Tannock represented Ayr, with Tyler also winning nearest the pin on hole 3. In 6-Hole Girls, Pia Mauro was nett runner-up, while Ivy Land claimed the least putts award.

Ayr had seven players in the 9-Hole Boys field, which saw 18 boys compete overall. Notable results were Riley Dobe, gross runner-up, and Angus Watson, nett winner. In the 9-Hole Girls, three Ayr juniors competed, with Evelyn Mahoney finishing gross runner-up and Teagan Saxby nett runner-up.

The 18-Hole Boys competition featured Oscar Mahoney, who posted a competitive 89 off the stick, while overall winner Levi Holmes secured victory with 81. In the Girls 18-Hole, Phoebe Moffat and Ayr’s Amaya Mahoney tied on 82 gross, forcing a play-off on hole 9. Mahoney sealed the win with a par, edging Moffat by a single shot.

Ayr Golf Club thanked sponsors KJ’s Mining, Oar and Horan Dentists, Sanco Produce, Wilmar, and B & M Drilling for their support.

Attention now turns to the Karrie Webb Junior Open, set for 25–26 October, the next major junior competition to be hosted at Ayr Golf Club.

Contributed with thanks to Laura Mahoney

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Below, Amaya Mahoney, Girls Open Champion.
Levi Holmes, Boys Open Champion.

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Over the weekend, 6 members of the Ayr Surf Club joined hundreds of lifesaving members from across the State for the Surf Life Saving Queensland Conference. The weekend consisted of a wide variety of sessions with information and updates ranging from governance and insurances, membership and development, lifesaving and education and Surf sports, and everything in between.

Two of the youth members, Bella Lawry and Briella Wassmuth attended the Youth Forum to work with 15–25-year-olds to address issues of high importance to the younger members of the organisation and at the end of the sessions presentation six incredible ideas to assist with improving the movement into the future.

The weekend also included the SLSQ Awards of Excellence evening, where nominees from across the 6 Branches of the State are recognised for their dedication in their respective fields. The Ayr SLSC had 4 nominees up for Awards on the evening - Briella Wassmuth: U14 Junior Lifesaver of the Year, Kristy Wassmuth: Master Athlete of the Year, Stephanie Dale: Official of the Year & Kellie Lawry: Lifesaver of the Year.

The very first award for the night was the U14 Junior Lifesaver of the Year, where Briella Wassmuth was honoured with this award for the 2024-25 Season. Unfortunately, the other nominees were not successful in their categories against some very stiff competition. Two other awards went to other the North Barrier Branch, with Forrest Beach SLSC bringing home Innovation Award & Adam Edwards from Arcadian Club winning the Andy Frizzell OAM OBE Award for services to Junior Activities.

Nippers is back at the beach this Sunday. Remember, it's not too late to join, so if you are interested please contact ayrslsc@gmail.com or Kellie Lawry for more information.

Briella Wassmuth - U14 Junior Lifesaver of the Year
Nominees - Kellie Lawry, Briella Wassmuth, Kristy Wassmuth & Stephanie Dale
Bella Lawry &  Briella Wassmuth attending Youth Forum
North Barrier Branch Members at Awards of Excellence

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The roar of engines and the spirit of competition filled the air on Saturday, August 23rd, as the Ayr Motorcycle Club hosted a high-energy race day at the Brandon Sports Reserve. Kicking off at 3:00 PM, the event attracted 80 competitors from across North Queensland, with riders travelling from as far as Sarina, Townsville, and Charters Towers to take part.

Spectators were treated to a thrilling afternoon of racing, with events across multiple classes delivering plenty of close battles, skillful riding, and strong sportsmanship.

“It was a fantastic day for the club and the sport,” said Karl Vass, President of the Ayr Motorcycle Club. “We had great weather, strong numbers, and a supportive crowd. It’s always rewarding to see riders from across the region coming together to do what they love.”

The club praised the efforts of its volunteers, supporters, and sponsors for helping bring the event together and ensuring everything ran smoothly on the day.

Looking ahead, the Ayr Motorcycle Club is now gearing up for Founder’s Day on the 27th September. This will be a special memorial event, one of the most significant meets on the club’s calendar, honouring past members and celebrating the club’s racing legacy. A full day of racing and remembrance is planned, with more details to be confirmed shortly.

“Our memorial event is always an important day for our club community,” said Karl. “We expect another strong turnout, and we encourage everyone to come down and be part of it.”

For updates and information on how to get involved, follow the Ayr Motorcycle Club on Facebook.

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Spectators were treated to a thrilling afternoon of racing, with events across multiple classes delivering plenty of close battles. Photo supplied

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On Saturday, the 16th of August, the Burdekin Netball Association (BNA) became a hive of vibrant hues in celebration of their 2025 Burdekin Water Festival Junior Ambassador, Charlotte Sgroi!

As part of her journey as a Junior Ambassador, Charlotte held a wonderful fundraising event at her home courts to fundraise for her club and celebrate her selection to represent the Burdekin Netball Association in such a treasured community event.

Commencing from 2pm, a wonderful mixed netball competition saw plenty of juniors (primary school age) take to the Home Hill courts for a couple of memorable matches against one another to get the excitement flowing and hearts racing! Shortly after, everyone changed into their white t-shirts, ready to be covered in colour, and paint themselves pink, orange, yellow, red, green, blue, purple, or a wild combination of every colour imaginable. Waves of colour climbed through an adventurous obstacle course and slid down the slime slide which was a highlight for many!

“We had over 60 people join in, along with the Ambassadors, and everyone literally had a ball at the colour run - it was  a great chance to catch up with old netball friends and meeting new ones,” explained Charlotte.

The clubhouse was open, serving up plenty of food and refreshments throughout the afternoon, and even as the day began to draw to a close, nothing could wipe the smiles of the faces of everyone at the courts.

“A huge thank you to everyone who came along and supported the day - your energy, smiles and laughter made it a truly memorable event,” Charlotte added.

“A special thanks to our amazing volunteers, sponsors, and families who helped behind the scenes to make the day possible. We couldn’t have done it without you!”

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Burdekin Water Festival Ambassadors Jorja Vasta, Ayve Cursio, Asha Grasso, Hunter Oar, Charlotte Sgroi, Georgia Tomasetig, Nicole Cervoni, Giulia Sarri and Molly Julyan ready to enjoy the Colour Run (Photo Credit: BNA)
2. Over 60 people came out to support Charlotte and the Burdekin Netball Association last weekend! (Photo Credit: BNA)

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The annual Burdekin Mixed Touch football carnival saw teams from Airlie Beach, Townsville and Burdekin clash in Ayr last weekend.

Local team Nrgize with Michael Littlefield, Tramayne Horan and the Lampton family combining, defeated a very competitive NQ Under 16 girls’ team in the Open A final 5 to 3.

Another local team Renegades under the guidance of Brendan Ford and the speedy Brad Johnson were too good in the B final defeating Townsville team The Chokers 5 to 3.

The under 16 division saw some entertaining touch played throughout the day. Whitsunday proved too strong for Baywatch in the final, winning 7 to 3.

The shoot-out competition saw The Chokers win the Open division while Whitsunday won the Under 16 division.

Sprints were conducted with Burdekin players proving too swift in five of the six events.
Winners in the Open division were Kyle Vitty (Renegades) and Maddy Wallace (Nrgize), Over 39’s Michael Littlefield (Nrgize) and Tramayne Horan (Nrgize) and Under 16’s Leo Rattler (Baywatch) and Claudia Ansell (Whitsunday).

At presentations, Burdekin President Peter Knapton thanked Wilmar Sugar and the Burdekin Shire Council for their generous support.

“All carnivals need volunteers to make it a success,” said Peter Knapton.
“I cannot thank enough our hardworking cooks, canteen staff and the referees who worked tirelessly in the hot conditions, “he said.

All teams thanked the organisers and were already looking forward to returning next year.

Contribiuted with thanks to Bruce Johnson

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The Burdekin Roosters Rugby League season ended on a high last Saturday night at Bendigo Bank Park, where a strong home crowd watched the A Grade side defeat Herbert River 24–18.
While the Crushers progress to face Western Lions in the RLTD semi-finals, the Roosters will reflect on what might have been.

Saturday was also Sponsors Day, with the club acknowledging the generosity of its backers. The players repaid that support in style, delivering a complete performance.

Coach Steve Lansley praised the effort, saying his side signed off with a commanding victory on a sun-drenched paddock. Built on forward dominance and a superb tactical kicking game, the win gave home fans optimism heading into 2026.

The Roosters started with energy, completing their sets and marching upfield with purpose. Early pressure produced a quick try down the right edge to establish a 6–0 lead they never surrendered.

Halfback Jye Olsen was the architect, controlling the match with a near-flawless kicking display. His towering bombs and perfectly weighted grubbers repeatedly trapped the Crushers in their own half, forcing errors and drop-outs.

Up front, the brutal work of Hayde Munro and Nemia Nawave set the platform. Munro, in a man-of-the-match effort, broke the line with every carry and attracted multiple defenders, while Nawave’s hard running and defence added punch. Quick play-the-balls gave Burdekin plenty of strike power.

Herbert River never gave in, capitalising on Roosters ill-discipline to close the gap to 22–14. But Burdekin steadied, with Dylan Doak kicking a penalty goal and Munro leading the forwards back on top.

Terry Connors scored two tries for the Roosters, with Jones Munro and Terrence Mosby also crossing. Doak added four goals.

The win capped off a strong finish, giving Burdekin a clear blueprint for next season.

Reserve Grade

Herbert River turned the tables in reserve grade, running out 52–28 winners despite trailing 18–10 at halftime.

The Crushers hit back through speedster Tremayne Priestly, whose pace, along with that of Jerraime Nean, Jakobym Assan and Bailey Skipper, proved decisive as Burdekin’s forwards tired.

The Roosters were kept in the contest early by the strength of Llama Ghee, Caleb Noah and John Zaro, while centres Morgan Noah and Bokeem Moore Reid also impressed.

It was a learning experience for a young Roosters outfit, with many playing their first senior season. A fifth-place finish is a solid platform to build from.

Ghee was among the best, alongside Noah, Jack Rushton, Morgan Noah and Lincoln Boccolastte. Doak again starred, backing up for both grades.

Tries came through Reid, Noah, Doak, Ghee and Zaro, with Doak adding four goals.

Other Results

A Grade: Norths def Brothers 32–16; Burdekin def Herbert River 24–18; Western Lions def Centrals 22–20. Souths and Charters Towers byes.

Reserve Grade: Herbert River def Burdekin 42–28; Bowen def Charters Towers 30–18; Brothers def Norths 44–18; Western Lions def Centrals 28–14. Souths bye.

Women: Charters Towers def Bowen 42–8; Western Lions def Centrals 10–4; Brothers def Norths 48–0. Burdekin River bye.

This Week’s Semi-Finals

A Grade: Souths v Brothers (major), Herbert River v Western Lions (minor).
Reserve Grade: Souths v Brothers, Herbert River v Western Lions.
Women: Western Lions v Centrals, Brothers v Burdekin River.

Brothers and Burdekin River finished with almost identical records. Brothers ended with 27 points (7 wins, 1 draw, 3 losses, 6 byes, 260 for/122 against, +138). Burdekin River tallied 23 points (7 wins, 1 draw, 5 losses, 4 byes, 326 for/194 against, +132).

The combined Burdekin River side only formed after the season began but has shown plenty of speed. Brothers boast the bigger pack, but Burdekin River are led by one of the smartest players in the competition, Paige Horvat.

If Horvat at five-eighth gains good ball, the pace of Tiana Krutzfeldt, Martina Monday, Toni Daisy, Tanley Rowe and Abby King could prove decisive.

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