Sports reports: Black Swans win NRL SA minor premiership
Plus the latest in local golf, darts, soccer, footy and netball.
This story includes a contribution from Michael Potts.
The Murraylands’ rugby league club, the MEC Black Swans, has had one of the biggest achievements in its relatively short history, finishing as minor premiers in NRL SA’s metro men’s competition.
The Black Swans had nine wins and one loss during the season.
Three of those wins were by forfeit, but they won the rest by an average margin of 39 points.
They’ll play Western Districts Warriors, winners of five of the past seven premierships, in a qualifying final this Sunday.
Player-coach Donny Clune said the Swans were 100 per cent up for the challenge.
“We weren’t at full strength last time, but this time around we are,” he said.
“We’ve got no excuses now.”
The difference for the Murray Bridge club this year had been consistency, he said, with more of the 35 players on the senior list turning up to training and staying focused throughout the season.
Captain Michael Holland said the Black Swans were the first club from outside metropolitan Adelaide to win the minor premiership.
They had been both the best attacking and defensive team, with the top point-scorer in the competition – Joseph Elkington – and himself as the top try-scorer.
- Watch the latest Black Swans highlights: youtu.be/v1jvpgl5PNM.
Trio inducted into Unity College hall of fame
Meanwhile, three athletes have been inducted into the Unity College Sporting Hall of Fame, and two more elevated to "legend" status, at a ceremony on Friday night.
Surf rower Madi Fielke, goalballer Nikita Grosser and shooter Molly Bretag entered the hall in recognition of their achievements.
Retired AFL player Chad Wingard and rower James McRae had their status upgraded.
Also present at Friday night's ceremony were inductees Hugh Stevens, Jo Carman and Simon Pitsch, plus Andrew Bolt, representing his son Alex; each shared stories from their school and sporting days.
Mikara Poharama takes out Saturday's golf competition
On an unusually still Murray Bridge winter day 75 men tackled the Stableford competition.
Skies were dark, the air was bitterly cold and it was one of the Poharama brothers, Mikara, who won the day.
Having mixed his form in recent times he was on song this time and 40 points was just enough to fend off a trio of challengers and to give him the day's major prize.
Scoring was strong in the lifeless conditions with plenty of players pretty happy with themselves at the end of the day.
This included the three eagles nest winners:
- Club champ Aaron Zrim who scores eagles for fun doing it comfortably on the par five 8th.
- Jedd Rothe who gives the ball a real thump eagling the 12th.
- Doc Altmann who is new to the eagle world but he drained a long putt on the 8th after two great wood shots to share in the spoils much to his delight.
Spare a thought though for Justin Elliott who finished his round mid arvo and punched in a sensational back nine of 24 points.
Certain to win the pro comp with a tally that good. Surely?
Unfortunately for him Adrian Pack marched in late in the day with just as many and, worse still, pipped Elliott on a countback for the $60 prize!
Not that Elliott probably had but one can never count one's chickens in this game.
It's par time for everyone this Saturday so come and try your luck.
Eight score 180s at Murray Bridge Darts Club
- Mozzies defeated Raukkan A 9-4
- Bulls A defeated Vikings 9-4
- Mannum Club defeated Launchers 9-4
- 180s: Martin Rose, Kevin Young, Murray Cathro, Deklan Banks, Leith Kahl, Steve Mitchell, Scott Long, Dion Rehn
- Highest peg outs: Todd McNair 130, Colin Wilson 108, Deklan Banks 103
Emmanuel Slattery scores brace in his 100th game
Murray Bridge United defeated Summit 2-1
- Goals: Emmanuel Slattery 57', 69'
- Bookings: None
Mallee Storm remain on top in RMNA
- Jervois 47 lost to Mannum 51
- Coorong Cats 59 defeated Ramblers 35
- Imperials 69 defeated Tailem Bend 26
- Mypolonga 36 lost to Southern Suns 55
Round 16 for the River Murray Football League
- Jervois 12.10 (82) defeated Mannum 3.10 (28)
Jervois best: Rigby Barnes, Harrison Ingram, Bradley Gabell, Taite Silverlock, Casey Robins. Mannum best: Chad Reschke, Patrick Fahey, Joel Webster, Cody Woolford, Dale Woolford. - Imperials 10.10 (70) defeated Tailem Bend 8.4 (52)
Imps best: Sean Samblich, Cameron Ball, Louis De Michele, Mitchell Carroll, Lucas Young. Tailem best: Jacob Wilson, Ed Schultz, Brodie Edwards, Daniel Zander, Cameron Zander. - Coorong cats 31.13 (199) defeated Ramblers 5.6 (36)
Cats best: Matthew Hartman, Clinton Walker, Brad Thompson, Henry Turner, Darcy Connor, Seb Kerrish. Ramblers best: Alex Pfeiffer, Jamal Harradine, Jacob Trevorrow, Alfie Gollan, Brayden McDonald, Aaron Pratt. - Mypolonga 5.10 (40) lost to Southern Suns 9.14 (68)
Mypo best: Reid Kuller, Roclin Bates, Lochlan Gotch, Todd Howson, Mitchell Pahl. Suns best: Ryan Wurfel, Rory O’Driscoll, Nick Hyde, Charlie Hay, Thomas Wurfel.
Email your sports reports to liana@murraybridge.news.
