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Year of the Brethren
JESS WEBSTER
December 29th, 2010
JESS WEBSTER looks back on a tumultous year of rugby league in Darwin.
IT was the year that almost wasn't for rugby league in the Territory.
Off-field dramas completely dominated the headlines when all six clubs threatened to boycott the first round of the Darwin Rugby League competition.
League administrators wanted all senior matches played on Sunday instead of Saturday. The clubs eventually won the argument, but not before the drama had attracted the eye of the Australian Rugby League.
They subsequently abolished the DRL and appointed the Northern Territory Rugby League as caretakers, ending 60 years of DRL administration.
Gary Launt quit as general manager of the NTRL after a turbulent 31-month tenure and was replaced by Mike Keech in late July.
Darwin Rugby League chairman Mick Palmer was another casualty in the local league's cleanout.
Meanwhile, the on-field action was in full swing with Brothers and Litchfield making the early jump to be undefeated after four rounds.
The two sides met in round five and the blockbuster match lived up to expectations as the rivals fought out a 24-all draw.
The Brethren remained undefeated until round nine when Nightcliff beat the champs by four points and Litchfield easily defeated them by 24 the next week. But the reigning champs bounced back to finish one point clear at the top of the ladder above Nightcliff at the end of 15 rounds.
Litchfield and Palmerston also tasted major round action, with the young Raiders marking their first top four berth this century.
Nightcliff were heavy favourites to take home the premiership flag but - as they proved twice during the season - the Brethren had the Dragons' measure on the big stage. The 10-point win in the grand final secured back-to-back titles with Aaron Barba at his prolific best, the star full-back entertaining the bumper crowd with four equally impressive tries in the 24-14 win.
It was a disappointing end to a stellar season for the Dragons, missing out on the ultimate victory after winning the 2010 Club Champions award and skipper Jesse Maclean taking home the Frank Johnson Medal.
Meanwhile, North Queensland Cowboy fans weren't disappointed when the east coasters pulled out a dominant 22-4 win against a lacklustre Gold Coast at Richardson Park in February.
More than 300mm of rain hit Darwin in the three days leading up to the game and ensured an old-fashioned, wet-weather contest for the annual practice match.
The Cowboys' forward pack laid the foundation for the victory, especially early in the first half.
Five of our Territory rising stars enjoyed a successful 2010, earning green and gold jerseys following the national under-15 schoolboys' championships in July.
Half-back James Redman, lock David Munro, second-rower Kyle O'Brien, winger Tom Pearce and full-back Leroy Larson were named in the Combined Affiliated States Australian team.
The talented quintet featured prominently as the Territory Titans finished third in Canberra in Pool B even though they won three of their four matches. But it was the success of Dragon young gun Jake Watts in picking up a Cronulla Sharks NRL under-18 contract that tops the individual highlight reel for Territory rugby league in 2010.
The 18-year-old hooker/half-back also took out the coveted Darwin Rugby League A-grade Rookie of the Year award.
The injury-hit NT Titans' senior side ended its Australian Affiliated States Rugby League Championship campaign with a final day win in Adelaide, outgunning hosts South Australia 30-12 at Hindmarsh Stadium to end the three-day carnival in third place. Second-rower Trent DeWith and tireless prop Jarrod Sultana were the standout performers for the Titans, with half-back Chuck Norris impressing in both attack and defence.
The Titans' under-18s finished with the wooden spoon in the Mal Meninga Cup's Northern Conference but the under-16s fared much better in the Cyril Connell Cup.
A 22-12 loss to the Comets ruled out any chance of progressing to the final stage, though the form of Ado Waianga was noteworthy as the Titans defeated Mackay 20-6 in their last match.
Source:http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=...com.au/article/2010/12/29/203841_ntsport.html
JESS WEBSTER
December 29th, 2010
JESS WEBSTER looks back on a tumultous year of rugby league in Darwin.
IT was the year that almost wasn't for rugby league in the Territory.
Off-field dramas completely dominated the headlines when all six clubs threatened to boycott the first round of the Darwin Rugby League competition.
League administrators wanted all senior matches played on Sunday instead of Saturday. The clubs eventually won the argument, but not before the drama had attracted the eye of the Australian Rugby League.
They subsequently abolished the DRL and appointed the Northern Territory Rugby League as caretakers, ending 60 years of DRL administration.
Gary Launt quit as general manager of the NTRL after a turbulent 31-month tenure and was replaced by Mike Keech in late July.
Darwin Rugby League chairman Mick Palmer was another casualty in the local league's cleanout.
Meanwhile, the on-field action was in full swing with Brothers and Litchfield making the early jump to be undefeated after four rounds.
The two sides met in round five and the blockbuster match lived up to expectations as the rivals fought out a 24-all draw.
The Brethren remained undefeated until round nine when Nightcliff beat the champs by four points and Litchfield easily defeated them by 24 the next week. But the reigning champs bounced back to finish one point clear at the top of the ladder above Nightcliff at the end of 15 rounds.
Litchfield and Palmerston also tasted major round action, with the young Raiders marking their first top four berth this century.
Nightcliff were heavy favourites to take home the premiership flag but - as they proved twice during the season - the Brethren had the Dragons' measure on the big stage. The 10-point win in the grand final secured back-to-back titles with Aaron Barba at his prolific best, the star full-back entertaining the bumper crowd with four equally impressive tries in the 24-14 win.
It was a disappointing end to a stellar season for the Dragons, missing out on the ultimate victory after winning the 2010 Club Champions award and skipper Jesse Maclean taking home the Frank Johnson Medal.
Meanwhile, North Queensland Cowboy fans weren't disappointed when the east coasters pulled out a dominant 22-4 win against a lacklustre Gold Coast at Richardson Park in February.
More than 300mm of rain hit Darwin in the three days leading up to the game and ensured an old-fashioned, wet-weather contest for the annual practice match.
The Cowboys' forward pack laid the foundation for the victory, especially early in the first half.
Five of our Territory rising stars enjoyed a successful 2010, earning green and gold jerseys following the national under-15 schoolboys' championships in July.
Half-back James Redman, lock David Munro, second-rower Kyle O'Brien, winger Tom Pearce and full-back Leroy Larson were named in the Combined Affiliated States Australian team.
The talented quintet featured prominently as the Territory Titans finished third in Canberra in Pool B even though they won three of their four matches. But it was the success of Dragon young gun Jake Watts in picking up a Cronulla Sharks NRL under-18 contract that tops the individual highlight reel for Territory rugby league in 2010.
The 18-year-old hooker/half-back also took out the coveted Darwin Rugby League A-grade Rookie of the Year award.
The injury-hit NT Titans' senior side ended its Australian Affiliated States Rugby League Championship campaign with a final day win in Adelaide, outgunning hosts South Australia 30-12 at Hindmarsh Stadium to end the three-day carnival in third place. Second-rower Trent DeWith and tireless prop Jarrod Sultana were the standout performers for the Titans, with half-back Chuck Norris impressing in both attack and defence.
The Titans' under-18s finished with the wooden spoon in the Mal Meninga Cup's Northern Conference but the under-16s fared much better in the Cyril Connell Cup.
A 22-12 loss to the Comets ruled out any chance of progressing to the final stage, though the form of Ado Waianga was noteworthy as the Titans defeated Mackay 20-6 in their last match.
Source:http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=...com.au/article/2010/12/29/203841_ntsport.html