Sports Reports: River Murray netball gets new junior grades

This post includes contributions from the River Murray Netball Association, Greyhound Racing SA, Murray Bridge Golf Club, Phil McGee, the River Murray Football League, Murray Bridge Lawn Tennis Association and the Murray Towns Cricket Association.

River Murray Netball Association revamps its junior grades

The River Murray Netball Association will introduce new junior grades in 2022.

Seventeen and under and 15 and under divisions one and two will combine and be called intermediate one, two and three.

Thirteen and under divisions one and two will now be called junior one and two.

Eleven and under and minis will now combine and be sub-junior one, two and three.

Sub-junior three – the older minis – will be for competition points and include finals.

Carnival will still occur, with details to be decided.

Some grades had previously looked likely to not have viable numbers.

Greyhounds’ Murray Bridge Cup promoted to group three status

In greyhound racing, this year’s Murray Bridge Cup will have group three status when it is held on March 20.

A $25,000 prize will be on offer for the winner of the big race.

Greyhound Racing SA announced the race’s promotion from listed status on Thursday.

Murray Bridge Greyhound Racing Club manager Neville Loechel welcomed the decision.

“The quality of racing we see at the cup each year is very high,” he said.

Andrew Meddle shoots the lights out on the golf course

Classy A-grader Andrew Meddle has dominated Saturday’s Stableford competition at Murray Bridge Golf Club, thrashing the field and picking up an unheard-of trifecta of wins.

His sizzling 42 points not only won him the day, but also the pro comp for the best back nine and the yabby, a secondary nearest-the-pin competition on a selected hole, this time on the 11th.

Teeing off in the first group of the day, the tall, elegant right-hander had a solid 18 points on the front nine before starting birdie, birdie, birdie on the back nine, followed by six pars for a 31 off the stick and 24-point run in to top off a sensational effort.

The only thing he didn’t do was score an eagle and win the eagle’s nest – quite careless, really.

While Meddle was unavailable for comment afterwards, if he had been cornered it would have been along the lines of “I took it one hole at a time and didn’t want to get ahead of myself”.

That really was a day out.

• Read more: murraybridgegolfclub.com.au.

Cyclists prepare for Tour of Goolwa

Jaidyn Willis, from Murray Bridge, James Hand, from Tailem Bend, and Adelaide-based Murraylands Cycling Club member Bill Robinson will all compete at the Tour of Goolwa on February 26-27.

Club president Jason Woodard had originally entered to race for Rokit Racing in the open men’s division one, but unfortunately had to withdraw due to an interruption in his training program.

Willis will race for Van Dam Butterfield in open men’s division two.

Robinson will race for FRA Power On One in general division two.

Hand will race for the USB team in general division three.

Each of the teams will compete in four events over the two days, starting with stage one, a team time trial on the Finniss-Milang Road starting at 9.30 am on Saturday; followed by stage two, an 80-kilometre road race on the relatively flat Milang loop starting at 1pm.

Day two will commence at 9am with stage three, a road race on the Waitpinga loop, then continue onto stage four, a hill climb at Crows Nest starting at 2pm to round out the weekend of racing.

Footy umpires needed

The River Murray Football League’s umpires panel is looking for new recruits ahead of the 2022 season.

The league will provide training, coaching and mentoring for the paid positions in a safe and inclusive environment.

Pre-season training will start at 6pm this Wednesday, February 16 at Johnstone Park, Murray Bridge.

• More information: Call Jason Edwards on 0412 429 961 or visit www.rmfl.com.au/umpires.

Murray Bridge lawn tennis results

Pennants

Postel (six sets, 46 games) defeated Schools (two sets, 31 games)

Sportsmen (eight sets, 57 games) defeated Swanport (21 games)

Juniors

Avoca (eight sets, 63 games) defeated Banks (seven sets, 67 games); MVPs: Charlie White, Elise Franke

Coorong (eight sets, 67 games) defeated Swanport (seven sets, 60 games); MVPs: Ruby Thiele, Charlie Lovell

Schools (nine sets, 72 games) defeated Sportsmen (six sets, 72 games); MVPs: Sasha Randall, Jesse Young

Murray Towns cricket results

Mannum 168 (J Boylan 56, D Perks 5/36) defeated Tailem Bend 104

Mypolonga 5/250 (A Zrim 79) defeated Monarto 107

Wanderers 8/206 defeated Jervois 101

Meningie 4/54 defeated Imperials 52

Perponda 4/95 defeated Karoonda 94

Email your sports reports to peri@murraybridge.news or call 0419 827 124.

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