Foley Shield 2007 draw and results, Foley Shield Under 17's

Thursday 18 th July '07

GOOD GUYS FOLEY SHIELD FINAL
TO CAIRNS a hat-trick of Good Guys Foley Shield titles would be unprecedented. To Townsville that situation would be unthinkable.

Everything goes on the line this Saturday at Barlow Park in Cairns when the Marlins meet the Stingers for the 56th Shield final.

Cairns enters the latest regional grudge match as favourite, having finished on top at the end of fixtures and boasting home ground advantage.

Townsville however is buoyed by a 52-14 win against Cairns just three weeks ago, when both sides experimented with new combinations.

Should Cairns be able to raise the Shield it will be the first time in history the Marlins have completed a trifecta of titles, reigning from 2005-07.

Aside from Cairns’ current streak it also won back-to-back titles in 1970-71.

The only teams to previously claim hat-tricks were the Mount Isa sides of 1977-79 and the Townsville teams from 2000-03 (four titles).

For decades the strength and standard of the Foley Shield has brought praise and admiration from across the land.

Northern Division Chairman John Moore maintains the historic competition is as relevant now as its beginnings in the late 1940s.
“I don’t think it is any coincidence that since the Foley Shield was resurrected (in 2000) that Northern Division has dominated grassroots rugby league in Queensland,” Moore said.

“We are undefeated at senior Division level over the past four years. The quality of the Foley Shield competition ensures our players are battle hardened.”

Cairns and Townsville will also meet in the finals of the Foley Shield Under 17 and Under 19 competitions this year. Kick-off for Saturday’s matches at Barlow Park is 3.30pm for Under 17s, 5.15pm for Under 19s and 7pm for A Grade.

Special guests to be in attendance include QRL Chairman and inaugural State of Origin coach John McDonald, QRL Referees Manager Eddie Ward, as well as Good Guys representatives Michael Aw (Cairns), Troy Williams (Townsville) and John Donnelly (Mackay).

Corporate hospitality is available. Contact Pat Bailey on (07) 4031 6772 or cdrl@bigpond.com to book your place.

UNDER 17 – 3.30pm, Saturday July 21, Barlow Park

TOWNSVILLE: 1. Ben Henaway, 2. Matassa Zaro, 3. Sean Lynch, 4. Simeon Fuller, 5. Rowan Kane, 6. Dan Humphreys, 7. Matt Monoghan, 8. Ben Morgan, 9. Liam Kersevani, 10. Gordon Santo, 11. Brendon Devietti, 12. Luke Skipper, 13. Chris Faust. Interchange: Wes Seri, 15. Chris Eade, 16. Jarl Penna, 17. Reece Steele. Coach: Glen Morgan.

CAIRNS: 1. Grant McIvor, 2. Lance Gibson, 3. Jarrah Kaye, 4. Minimi Murgha, 5. Vernon Yipp, 6. Zac Prior, 7. Theeron Pearson-Yeatman, 8. Jia Mooka, 9. James Segeyaro, 10. Ricki Macri, 11. Padia Musu, 12. Jordan Kane, 13. Trent Barnard. Interchange: 14. Danny Coles, 15. Joel Roxby, 16. Kegan Lay, 17. Joe Sainsbury. Coach: Dean Barnard.

UNDER 19 – 5.15pm, Saturday July 21, Barlow Park

TOWNSVILLE: 1. Luke Hume, 2. Scott Hale, 3. Ricky Griffiths, 4. Steven Beaumont, 5. Joshua Land, 6. Brady Payne, 7. Adam Shaw, 8. Jacob Young, 9. Robbie Congoo, 10. Matthew Martel, 11. John Platt, 12. Daniel Vineula, 13. James Neale. Interchange: 14. Matt Bonanno, 15. Chris Reid, 16. Ryan Heck, 17. Calvin Waia. Interchange: John Little.
CAIRNS: 1. Travis Harrison, 2. Mathew Allen, 3. Sam Bann, 4. Aaron Coghill, 5. Adam Pagano, 6. Chris Riesen, 7. Ryan Getti, 8. Jody Healey, 9. Robert Haren, 10. Anthony Yeatman, 11. Cory Travis, 12. Nick Slyney, 13. Sam Deike. Interchange: 14. Farren Willett, 15. Jack Petersen, 16. Phillop Yasserie, 17. Chris Walker. Coach: Mark Volpe.

A GRADE – 7pm, Saturday July 21, Barlow Park

CAIRNS: 1. Shaun McLean, 2. Brendan Arcidiacono, 3. Craig Wilson, 4. Hezron Murgha, 5. Noel Underwood, 6. Victor Akiba, 7. Richie Marsters, 8. Kieran Hayes, 9. Jason Roos, 10. Richie Laws, 11. Kahu Wehi, 12. David Grainer, 13. Neils Beihler. Interchange: 14. Peter Falefuti, 15. Delaine Edwards, 16. Josh Roos, 17. Joel Toohey, 18. Shem Beguely, 19. Luke Saunders (two to be omitted). Coach: Troy Cummings.

TOWNSVILLE: 1. Matt Sorbello, 2. Luke Murr, 3. Adam Peluchetti, 4. John Anderson, 5. Tremayne Bowie, 6. Steve Sheppard, 7. Tom Humble, 8. Quentin Mitchell, 9. Kieren Quagliotto, 10. Berry Tuia, 11. Lewis Balcombe, 12. Kurt Olsen, 13. Roy Baira. Interchange: 14. Lee McLean, 15. Jim Baira, 16. Ryan Bartlett, 17. Ian Schifilliti. Coaches: Chris Perry & Quentin Kersh.

Dominant tackle: Cairns’s Alex Starmer (ball) tries to shake off a pair of Townsville tacklers as his team rallied towards a fightback in the Foley Shield clash at Innisfail.

MARLINS USE SECOND HALF TO CONJURE WIN
Story By : Emma Greenwood

CAIRNS has its eyes on a third successive Foley Shield rugby league title after a gritty come-from-behind win against Townsville on Saturday night.

The Marlins slipped 14 points behind early in the second half after Townsville scored inside a minute of the restart to extend its eight-point halftime buffer by a converted try.

On the back of a scratchy first-half performance, the Marlins looked long odds to mount a comeback but their collective belief and some magic from canny halfback Steve Singleton helped them to victory.

Singleton scored two tries and set up another to be named man of the match.

The Kangaroos No7 looked dangerous every time he touched the ball, bamboozling the Townsville defence whether running to the line, passing or kicking.

He strolled over for a try in the first half after fooling the Stingers defence with a dummy pass and engineered the Marlins’ comeback with a range of attacking kicks that terrorised the Townsville defenders.

Stingers fullback Chey Bird spilled a towering bomb in his in-goal in the 51st minute, with a grateful Hezron Murgha pouncing for a try.

Singleton gathered his own crumbs next time, diving over after his grubber on the tryline.

That brought Cairns within two points of its rivals and it took the lead five minutes later when Tully’s Kahu Wehi crashed over.

Cairns increased the margin with a try to Yarrabah debutant Keagan Graham but Townsville hit back and the Marlins were forced to defend vigorously in the final minutes to ensure victory.

Marlins coach Troy Cummings was thrilled with his young team’s showing.

"They had to dig themselves out of a hole and they did," Cummings said.

The win – the Marlins’ second from its two Foley Shield preliminary matches so far – virtually places them in July’s Grand Final and gives them a good shot at hosting it.

Foley Shield Action from Round 1.

FOLEY REPS 'UNBELIEVABLE'
Story By : Cameron Storey

CAIRNS Marlins coach Troy Cummings described his team's comprehensive 54-20 Foley Shield win against Mackay yesterday as "dead set unbelievable".

An eight-hour bus trip on the morning of the game for a Cairns team with seven first grade Foley Shield debutants, was a big ask for the Sunday afternoon clash.

But as soon as the whistle blew the Marlins played like a team of veterans, blowing Cummings’s expectations of his young charges out of the water.

"Watching them play was dead set unbelievable today," Cummings said.

"The way they pulled themselves together, the way they came together as a side and the way they went out there and had a real dig today was incredible."

Among the debutants, front rowers Kieran Hayes and Richie Lawes did everything that was asked in the absence of senior hard hitters Fale ApeEsera, Tony Schaaf and Jason Joinbee.

Shaun McLean and Peter Tuccandidgee ran like seasoned campaigners, each picking up a brace of tries from the wing despite playing for the Marlins for the first time.

"Every single debutant was sensational today. They all played well above themselves and they all looked like they fitted in this level of football," Cummings said.

"The whole team just made everything click, I have never seen a side work so well together."

The debutants may have shone but it was a wily but electric veteran who controlled the tempo of the game.

Steve Singleton was a late call-up and revelled in the conditions moving players where he wanted, putting people in gaps and generally swaying the game to his own rhythm.

He finished with a hat-trick of his own as did centre Hezron Murgha.

"I cannot thank Steve enough. He didn’t even really know he was in the side but jumped at it when we got hold of him and he just kept feeding players all day, he did everything he needed to," Cummings said.

"But all those senior blokes were amazing, they were the nucleus of the team, Jason Roos, Robbie Swain, Victor Akiba and Steve. Everyone has so much respect for them and their maturity with the young blokes was incredible."

The Marlins now have three weeks before they face arch-rival Townsville at Innisfail on April 28.

CAIRNS 54 (Steve Singleton 3, Hezron Murgha 3, Peter Tuccandidgee 2, Shaun McLean 2, Alex Starmer tries; Victor Akiba 3, Peter Tuccandidgee 2 goal) d MACKAY 20 (Ben Barba 3, Harley Bicka tries; Ben Barba 2 goals)

UNDER 17's SeaEagles 24 - 34 Cairns Marlins

YOUNGSTERS SHOULDER PACK WEIGHT IN DEBUT
Story By : Cameron Storey

Cairns MArllins ready for the Floey Shield

Up to the challenge: Adam Mills, Peter Tuccandidgee and Victor Akiba are part of a Cairns Marlins team full of debutants ready to take on Mackay in the opening round of the Foley Shield tomorrow.

Sat 7th April '07 A HEAVY burden will fall on the young shoulders of Cairns debutant props Kieran Hayes and Richie Laws in tomorrow's first round Foley Shield clash.

The experienced trio of Fale Ape Esera, Tony Schaaf and Jason Joinbee are missing from the Marlins team for the Mackay clash, which means Hayes and Laws start while fellow debutant, Tully’s Kahu Wehi, will provide bulk off the bench.

It is a big ask for the youngsters against a Mackay team with a traditionally hulking pack, but Marlins coach Troy Cummings has no doubt his new blood has the game to succeed.

"It is a monstrous blow losing players like that but in saying that, Kieran Hayes has been biting at the bit for two seasons to get out there," Cummings said.

"This is his opportunity and I have so much faith in him, he won’t let me down. He plays that tough style of footy and will always go forward.

"Richie Laws is playing great footy as well at the moment and Kahu (Wehi) is just out of the under-19. He is a very big bloke and just has so much potential.

"So yes they are inexperienced but we all have so much faith in them and I know they will give it their all."

The debuts don’t stop there with the Marlins fielding one of its most inexperienced sides in years.

Peter Tuccandidgee, Orisi Kabuyawa, Shaun McLean and Craig Wilson will also pull on the Cairns jersey for the first time.

"There are a lot of new guys here and some of them might have been a bit gunstruck when they first turned up," Cummings said.

"They were a bit stand-offish to start and maybe a bit intimidated by who was around them but their enthusiasm has been incredible.

"And we don’t pick people because they are bad players. These guys can all play football and it is now up to them to lift. They have no choice but to do that in this competition."

Cairns will begin its quest for a third straight Foley Shield title tomorrow against Mackay at Mackay Junior League Grounds. First grade kicks off at 4pm.

There are no Cairns and District Rugby League fixtures this weekend.

HOME

The Mighty Foley Shield Story - visit this info site