Category: Match Roundup – Men – 2014

Unfortunately the Tigers mens have finished one game short of the Ch Mens Grand Final. The were beaten by Clermont Bears 38-22 in a replay of last years Grand Final. The Tigers were 24-6 at halftime and needed a big lift to get the boys home. The Tigers lost  prop Dan bock early with a broken hand. After the break the Tigers came out and was on the front foot for the first 15 minutes. The Tigers had a few injuries creeping in and the knee injury to workhorse Griffin Freeman After clawing back to 30-22 with 9 minutes to go the bears scored to make the deficit more than 2 converted tries. With the whistle hurting the Tigers it was hard to gain momentum. The bears finished off with a late try and sealed the Tigers fate. On the day big performances by Matt Langby, Ray Downie and Wade Campbell earned them match points. In a sad day for Tigers Captain Henry Watkins and experienced campaigner Ray Downie retired along side the earlier retirement of Peter Boyze Harbord. Henry Watkins joined the club in 2012 from Springsure Mountainmen as they had folded. His leadership was quickly showing and he was made captain in 2013. The 2013 Grand Final was his first in senior league which he captained. Henry picked up Coahes choice award in 2013 and 2014.

Ray Downie is one of the most experienced Tigers of all time. Hey played for over 10 years and has won “Tiger of the year” in 2007 and 2012 and “Best Forward” multiple times.He has also captained the Tigers.

Peter Harbord retired before seasons end due his work commitments changing to another area. Boyze as he is known is a very likeable bloke amongst the Tiger crowds. His barnstorming runs will be missed. Strarting his career in reserve grade for the Tigers he picked up “Best Forward” 3 years running before joining the A Grade squad fulltime. The Tigers mens would like to thank all of their supporters and sponsors for 2014 and hope to see everyone again in season 2015.

Country Week in Emerald will be an exciting and never seen before event for Emerald. This game is an official round game and points will count towards the finals race.

The Emerald Tigers are proud to bring this great initiative named “Country Week”. The QRL,Nrl and State Government have got behind this great event and with it bringing the 2nd strongest competition in the world to Emerald.

Their will also be alot of development that comes with the weekend. Their will be clinic’s held through the weekend directed by Dom Draper, Beth Harlow, Rhys Wesser, Billy Moore aswell as both Easts and Capras player. Most facets of rugby league in CH will be able to get to development clinics and even the referees will have a clinic on the sunday morning from Intrust Cup Referees.

On the day their will be junior boys and girls rugby league untill 3pm and then the seniors kick in with games for Ladies(Emerald Tigers vs CQ Dreamers 3.30pm), Intrust cup(Easts vs Capras 5pm) and local A grade(Emerald Tigers vs Emerald Cowboys 7pm).

The Maraboon Tavern will be hosting events in partnership with the Tigers. Other events at the Tav on the weekend will be a meet and greet on the friday night(8/7) @ 8pm Maraboon Tavern(guests include Billy Moore, Rhys Wesser, Jason Hetherington and players from Easts and Capras, Saturday Afterparty(9/7) 9pm-2am @ Maraboon Tavern. Their will be FREE BUS TRANSFERS from McIndoe Park back to the Tavern starting around 9pm from the front of the fields.

If you want to watch the Capras or Easts train their will be 2 public training sessions that you can tag along to. Easts will train from 5.30-6.30pm at Mcindoe Park on Friday the 8th August finishing with an opposed session against your local Emerald Tigers. And Capras will be training at the Ag College from 5-6pm on Friday. Come along a watch these guys work on the finishing touches before they go head to head on the Saturday.

We hope that the community gets behind this great event and development opportunity and enjoys what is sure to be a massive weekend!!!!!

Keep updated on www.facebook.com/emeraldtigers

Captain Ray Downie(left), Griffin Freeman(middle) and Pete Eversham celebrate the win.

The Tigers have broken a 2 yr drought and won the Duroux Shield by 6 points. In a game that had everything, the last 25 mins was nail biting.

The Tigers started with the worst first half of season 2014. It was riddled with mistakes and penalties and the man in the middle let us know about it. The penalty count mounted and at one stage the Green and Whites defending 4 sets in a row on their own line.

The Cowboys had a very spirited and young team which kept turning up for each other. The Cowboys easily the better team of the first half going into the break leading 12-4. One of the highlights form the first half was a charge down by 5/8 Brendon O’neill that lead directly to a try for half Brendon Kelly.

Coach Catip was very descriptive in his disappointment of the first half. The lads had a very simple plan heading into the last half but had to stick to it if they wanted to remain in this match.

Tigers started slowly in the second half but were gaining momentum and continued to make mistake at the business end of the field. The game was back in forth untill a very dominate and brutal 10 mins from Josh Binnie. Not long after the rest followed suit by stepping up a level.

The game was very physical and a few of the Cowboys had left the field with injuries and Tigers took the lead 16-12 with 28 remaining. Halfback Brendon Kelly was sent to the bin for 10 but served nearly 13 mins. Cowboys scoring just before Kelly’s re-entry to the field to lead 18-16 with 17 to go.

A few minutes later the Tigers got a penalty from right and front. Fullback Ray Ebsworth made sue of it and it was level at 18 a piece. After a good set from Tigers and a piggyback from a penlty, Ray Ebsworth scored and converted to gain a 6 point lead with 3mins to go.

The last few minutes had everything you could expect out of Rugby League including a Penalty to the Cowboys 20m from the Tigers line which the kicked dead returning the ball back to Tigers with 40 secs remaining and sealing the Duroux shield return to it Namesakes former club.

Player awards and points
3 Josh Johnston(prop)
2 Des Sofea(second Row)
1 Brendon O’Neill(five-eight)
Players Players went to Ray Ebsworth(fullback)
Old Boys Player of the Match went to Captain Ray Downie(
lock)

Tigers A Grade held out against the travelling Blackwater Crushers at the weekend. The Crushers have come off 2 solid wins after a slow start to the season.

Tigers were out of the blocks early with Tani Totau score down the right hand flank after 2 mins and Isaiah Huet scoring 8 mins later to take a 10-0 lead after as many minutes.

Isaiah Huet picked up his second try not long after with a dashing run down the left hand touch line but promoted it  to under the posts giving Ebsworth a easy conversion. Tigers lead 16-0 up untill a good try from Blackwater just before halftime to go into the break 16-6 to the home team.

The home side were slow to start the second half and made consecutive mistakes. Blackwater were unable to capitlize on the Tigers mistake riddled start to the second half and after 11 mins remaining in the game, Tani Totau grabbed a double for his birthday to make it 22-6. The momentum suddenly changed and the Crushers had continued possesion through mistakes and given penatly by Emerald.

Two quick tries and the Big Blackwater fowards were surging. The Tigers defence was exhausted after defending there own line for nearly 6 mins. With the score at 22-18 the game was anyones our Fijian Flyer Wanui Matainavora streaked down the left touch line beating 3 to score and seal the match. Tigers win 26-18 and go to equal second on the ladder.

Points for the game went to
3 Darcy Darby(front row)
2 Brendon O’Neill(five-eighth)
1 Isaiah Huet(centre)
Old boys man of the match Ray Ebsworth(fullback)
Darcy Darby also received players player

Tigers have rejoined the winners circle with a dominate 42-6 win over the Springsure Mountainmen at McIndoe Park at the weekend.

The Mountainmen came out strong and kept the Tigers on the back foot for the first 10 minutes. Handling errors were rife in the first quarter. The Tigers failed to complete their first 3 sets. The first try was almost scored twice by both teams before Tigers eventually crossing the white line 21 mins into the game. Ray Ebsworth crossed first and converted.

The Tigers improved in all departments for the last 15 mins of the first half picking up another 3 tries and keeping Springsure pointless at the break. 22-0 half time.

Springsure started the second half same as the first with solid defence and at times structured play. The green and whites had to wait 11 mins before their next point but from there went on to close out the match.

Springsure had a late concellation try through former Tiger David Brice. The final hooter went with Tigers picking up their first win of the season so far having a draw, a bye and a loss.

Standouts for the night was for the second week in a row the old warhorse Kitione Saukuru picking up players player and Man of the match. Litani Totau featured strongly picking up Old Boys Man of the match and 2 points in his 2nd A Grade game. Clint Day was strong in the centers picking up the final point.

Other highlights for the night were 2 big buslting runs and try assists big Pete Eversham and Josh Binnie. Wade Campbell picked up his first try after receiving a cut out ball by Ray Downie.

The Tigers  Mens are off to Middlemount this Saturday @ 7pm  with the Tigers ladies playing the previous game @ 5.30pm against Middlemount also. The Tigers Ladies will look to remain undefeated and on top of the CH ladder.

Emerald Tigers 42 def Springsure Mountain Men 6
ET Tries: Ray Ebsworth 2, Litani Totau, Clint Day, Sebastian Stiegler, Brendon O’Neill, Brendon Kelly, Wade Campbell
ET Goals: Ray Ebsworth 5
SM Tries: David Bryce
SM Goals: Luke Cronk

OB man of the match- Litani Totau
Players Players- Kitione Saukuru
Points 3 Kitione Saukuru, 2 Litani Totau, 1 Clint Day

Tigers will be looking to back in the winners circle after a 48-20 loss to competition leaders Bluff Rabbitohs. Bluff proved too strong in most departments running away with it in the last 20 mins.

Tigers lost alot of experience in Ray Ebsworth, Josh Binnie, Darcy Darby,  Matt Langby, Brendon Kelly all being not available after representing the Central Highlands Rep team the week before. With Henry Watkins also unavailable Koby Scott got his first full A Grade game as hooker.

Debutants on the night were Jackson Morgan and Litani Totau. Both played well and will grow with time.

Tigers were behind on the scoreboard all night. The green and whites showed glimpses of top level footy but othertimes looked disjointed due to the number of changes in the side. Pete Eversham had a strong night up in the engine room. Points on the night went to

Players Player- Pete Eversham
Old Boys Player of the match- Brendon O’Neill
3 Sebastian Steigler
2 Brendon O’Neill
1 Kitione Saukuru

Tigers look to get back some of the rep players this weekend and put a strong performance in against a hard hitting springsure side. The game will kick off at 7pm this Saturday at McIndoe Park.

Tigers made the trip to Blackwater for their final trial game of 2014. With both sides having extended bench’s it promised to be a fast and free-flowing game.

Blackwater got off to the perfect start with a try in the first minute on the back of a penalty and a mistake by Tigers. Tigers hit back quickly with Halfback Brendon Kelly scoring. Within 3 mins the Crushers had gone over again with communication in defence lacking from both sides.

The Tigers scored the next three tries through Matt Langby, Peter Harbord and Ray Ebsworth. The chance of momentum was partly on the back of front rower Josh Binnie hard running and sting in defence as one of the Blackwater players unfortunatly found out leaving the field to receive stitches after a collision with Josh.

Tigers hit the sheds for halftime leading 24-10. Blackwater scored 2 more tries in the first 15 mins of second half to give the Crushers a chance but the Tigers went on with it after a double by Ryan Home and a try to Kyle Mattingley. Ray Ebsworth was dynamic from the back and kicked well missing only 2 from 7. Brendon Kelly played well after making a few mistakes early but made up for it by steering the Tigers to a win.

Man of the Match which was sponsored by Emerald Air Starters and Equipment went to new halfback Brendon Kelly(3 points). Ray Ebsworth picked up the 2 points with a strirring performance at fullback and Josh Johnston grabbed his first points in A Grade with a well earned 1 point after being very busy all game.