Sports reports: Murray Bridge defend their title in Lawn Bowls
Plus the latest in speedway, horse racing, 10-pin bowling and more.
This story includes contributions from Derek Vanderzon, Michael Potts and Terry Hann.
Murray Bridge have proven far too strong for Jervois in Saturday's Lower Murray bowls grand final, winning 79-50 with big wins on two rinks.
Bruce Attrill, Aaron Jones, Judy Zadow and Brian Leckie were 34-9 winners over Graeme Herbert, Derek Vanderzon, Shane Fromm and Neil Morris, who had gone into the final with good form but were totally outplayed on the day.
Herbert opened proceedings with a two, but conceded 16 shots over the next five ends before scoring again.
Attrill was in imperious form, adding shots at every opportunity and converting almost every time his rink was down.
Conversely, nothing much went right for Herbert; even when he drove the jack into the ditch it rebounded onto the green for Attrill to convert yet again.
Andrew Stasinowsky, Brian Traeger, Helen Lindner and Ben Traeger were also quickly into stride against Shawn Hicks, Heather Fromm, Tim Hicks and Grace Hameister, surging to a 11-1 lead after just four ends, including a six on the third end.
Hicks worked back into the contest with the next five ends, and twice closed to within four shots, but Stasinowsky always held the upper hand.
Scoring two fours and a five in the second half propelled him to a 31-14 win.
Hicks managed to win 10 ends, but nothing better than two shots at a time while the victors scored much more heavily.
Jeremy Scannell, Graham Fromm, Graham Schenke and Stuart McCulloch tried their best to keep Jervois in the contest with a 27-14 win over Darren McIntosh, Tony Trewren, Troy Penhall and Paul Smart.
Scannell was outstanding for Jervois, and with five, four and two from the sixth end was leading 14-2 after eight.
Despite this, the match was slipping away for Jervois with the other two rinks trailing badly.
A six to McIntosh on the 16th end narrowed his deficit to six shots, and took Murray Bridge's overall lead to 20 shots.
Scannell finished strongly with the last seven shots of the match, extending the margin to 13.
In the end the win was a fair reflection of the dominance of Murray Bridge over the whole season.
They finished minor premier, five wins and in excess of 300 shots clear of second spot, and were clearly the best side, having only lost twice in regular season play.
Jervois showed good late season form to reach the grand final, but Saturday's loss was their fifth to Murray Bridge for the season - their best effort being a one-shot loss in the semi final.
In division two, Murray Bridge were even more dominant.
Their Blue side won on all three rinks in a 35-shot domination of Jervois, who can at least take solace from having teams in the top two division finals this season.
Mannum took the win in division three and thwarted Murray Bridge's chances of a clean sweep with a 44-35 win.
Murray Bridge Darts Club round 10 results
A grade
- Vikings 15 defeated Raukkan 4
- Mannum Club 15 defeated We're Sexy and We throw it A 4
- Tungsten Tossers 14 defeated Mozzies 4
B grade
- Bulrushes 12 defeated Avengers 1
- Junkyard Dogs 9 defeated Dart Addicts 4
- Mud Skippers 9 defeated Average Joe's 4
- We're Sexy and We Throw It B 8 defeated Cod Kickers 5
- Mad Hatters 7 defeated Force Darts 6
Murray Bridge jockey/trainer records her first win at Morphettville
Murray Bridge-based jockey/trainer Stephanie Lacy has had her second career win as a trainer, and first in Adelaide, with the well-supported City Pro, ridden by Todd Pannell.
Lacy trained her first winner, Miss Gabbiano, at Balaklava on July 9, 2025, but was all smiles with her metro win.
Murray Bridge trainer Justin Pickering and stable jockey Maggie Collett provided a knockout blow to punters when Jilladora stormed home out wide to get up on the line in the Charlie Hoile Handicap.
Mid-week at Oakbank, the strength of the day again was provided by Murray Bridge trainers, with Garret Lynch, Gary Boyce, Grant Young and Stephen Theodore winning four of the seven races on offer.
A surprised Lynch said his pre-race confidence with Valued in the opening race wasn’t high.
On a quick back up from Mount Gambier, the winner came from near last on the turn to reel in the field to score well.
New lap record set at Murray Bridge Speedway
The feature race of Saturday night was the 2026 Ross Ryan Memorial Sprintcar Title, which went to Ryan Jones in a new track record time of 6.23.890.
Ross was chased home by Corey Sandow with Keke Fallon finishing third.
Renee Pfeiler took home the V6 Sprints SA title in front of Kim Simon and Jason Wilson.
Joel Chadwick won the wingless sprints event, with Mason Merritt and Thomas Norvill filling out the podium.
Troy Hampel takes out the 2026 Bridge Bowl Tournament of Champions
After four weeks of qualifying, the top 16 have progressed through to the final stage of the Bridge Bowl Tournament of Champions on Sunday, with a staged elimination event narrowing it down to the last two.
After an extremely close finish in the quarter finals, getting through by just three pins, Troy Hampel continued on to win the grand final 192 - 160 over Eric Baker.
Congratulations to Hampel, with a 243, and Baker, with a 259, winning Murray Bridge Club vouchers for high scratch games in block one and two and also to Hampel and Ash Brown, both averaging 205 for the day.
Fabulous Fabian shows his family who's boss
It was a par comp back on the new course at Murray Bridge Golf Club on Saturday, and it was another Poharama leading the way.
This time the A grade one, Fabian, thought it was time to show pops and the boys just how it was done.
Reeling off a blistering front nine five up, he cruised down the back to end his round four up and atop the field.
Well done to Poharama, who also won the pro comp for that outstanding first nine holes.
Luke Woods made the course look short as he blazed his way around for a superb three up and an A grade win with the never satisfied Sappsinator, Mark Sappenberghs, in the runner-up position with two up.
Former member Rob Walters, now gracing the fairways at Tailem Bend, paid Murray Bridge a visit and reminded locals he could still play a bit by winning the B grade from Graeme Munt on a countback.
Mikara Poharama didn't want dad to totally hog the limelight, so he pulled a fine two up out of his kit bag to win the C grade over up-and-down golfer Jeff Wright, who somehow managed a one up after a sensational chip on the 18th which was a delight for anyone who was watching.
It was tough work for anyone hoping to win an NTP on any of the par threes on Saturday, with the winners reading like a who's who of Murray Bridge Golf Club.
Zrim, Edwards A, Thoman J and Kowald took the spoils with only longer handicapper Angus Diment spoiling the A grade party after a great shot on the second.
What are the odds of two eagles on the same hole in the same group?
Probably pretty high but it happened this time.
Luke Woods and Aaron Noske both soared their drives to the edge of the par four 15th green before each chipped in to share the $100 plus eagles nest.
Great stuff chaps.
No doubt Woodsy would have been bemoaning how unlucky he was not to have claimed the whole nest for himself.
Get yourselves ready for some Stableford golf this Saturday.
Email your sports reports to jane@murraybridge.news.
