Sport
9 October, 2024
Town triumphs on footy field, Country prevail on netball court
Honours were split in the Town v Country clashes at Julia Creek.
Bragging rights were shared at Kev Bannah Oval on Friday night as Town and Country were forced to split honours.
Country had to fight off a plucky Town side on the netball court, but it was a different story on the rugby league field as a Town team with a few “ring-ins” dominated with a massive 44-4 win.
It was the 11th year of the Town v Country series and it was capped off on Saturday night with a ball at the Julia Creek Civic Centre.
Junior clinics were also staged on Friday afternoon, with about 40 local youngsters participating, and a band had the crowd of about 400 kicking up their heels when the rugby league match finished.
Darcey Shiel, the “unofficial captain” of the Country netballers, said she was “very excited” to win.
“I’ve never won before; I’m very happy and very excited. I last played two years ago and most of us have never played together before so it was great to come together and play so well,” she said.
Shiel oversees Carrum Station for AACo and has lived in the Mid West for the last decade, having grown up in Brisbane.
“I love it out here,” she said.
“It was great to get everyone together (for the netball) and it’s nice to have something different to look forward to.
“You get a different crowd at these events.”
Country led 5-3 at quarter-time, 12-7 at half-time, 19-14 at the final break and won 29-22.
However, it was a Town player who claimed MVP honours, with Hayley Zadow named player of the match after an impressive game in attack.
Country’s gloating was short-lived, however, as Town put on a dominant display under lights on the rugby league field.
The match was broken up into 20-minute quarters to help cater for the fitness levels – or lack thereof.
Town led 6-0, then 10-0 at the half, before extending it to 22-0 with one quarter to play.
Country scored first to bring it back to 22-4, however it was all one-way traffic after that.
A miracle try from Calem Fegan on the full-time whistle resulted in a 40-point win for the Town side.
Fullback Harry McQueen was named player of the match.
Town captain Fegan, who was competing against his brother Jesse (work that one out) said he might have brought a few too many mates from the east coast to pull on the boots for Town.
“To be fair, none of them were first graders,” he said of Town’s ring-ins.
“They played really well. I know the scoreboard said it was a blowout but the game was a lot closer than that.”
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