Bowls worthy of a state title
Williams (Maryborough Services) and Hadley (Broadbeach) in the GOLD medal playoff at District Mixed Pairs – State Final. The 2016 State Final of the District Mixed Pairs is being played at Enoggera Bowls Club this weekend (Oct 15-16).
Maryborough Services Memorial siblings Nicole and Anthony Williams have won through to the GOLD medal playoff in the State Final of the District Mixed Pairs being played at Enoggera this afternoon (Sun Oct 16).
Their challenger is Broadbeach’s Roger Goodridge and Bev Hadley, both winning their sections.
BRONZE medal playoff is between Bargara’s Gail Crompton & Nick Cahill and Suburban Townsville’s Chris Robinson & David Whiting.
CONGRATULATIONS to all state finalists for games well played.
(2016 District Mixed Pairs state titleholder will be advised at COB this afternoon.)
Round 3 Results:
Section 1
N Cahill 20 def C Brownie 15
A Williams 25 def C Jenkins 6
Section 2
D Whiting 29 def J Henman 15
B Hadley 22 def T Newman 20
Round 2 Results:
Man on a mission Anthony Williams has claimed his second scalp of the day, Bargara’s Nick Cahill 25-18.
Broadbeach skip Bev Hadley too is on fire, denying Suburban Townsville’s David Whiting 26-14.
Calum Brownie from West Toowoomba had his first win over Solander Lakes Chris Jenkins 26-20 and Emerald skip John Henman had his first win 21-14 over Manly’s Terry Newman.
Grp 1 (Hadley) and Grp 5 (Williams) were the only ones to finish the day on 2 wins, to lead their sections.
DAY 1 – Finishing Order Section 1
A & N Williams 4 + 16, C Brownie 2 -3, C Jenkins 1-6
N Cahill 1 – 7.
DAY 1 – Finishing Order Section 2
B Hadley 4 + 16, D Whiting 2 + 1, J Henman 2 – 6, T Newman 0 – 11.
Round 1 Results
A draw between Gail Crompton & Nicky Cahill from Bargara and Kim Mogler & Chris Jenkins from Solander Lakes 18-18.
West Toowoomba’s Calum Brownie nominated the game against the Williams siblings from Maryborough Services Memorial as likely to be his toughest clash in the state final rounds, and up against them first today, so it proved, 25-16 to Williams, who is hankering for his first state title after being a runner up FIVE times.
The experienced Suburban Townsville duo Chris Robinson and David Whiting made a strong start, doubling the score 26-13 against Manly’s Robyn Tyson and Terry Newman.
Broadbeach first timers playing mixed pairs together Roger Goodridge and Bev Hadley opened well against the Emerald pairing of Jules Johnson and John Henman, 17-13.
This year’s State Finalists for District Mixed Pairs are:
Group 1 – Roger Goodridge and Bev Hadley (s) (Broadbeach club, Gold Coast Tweed District)
Group 2 – Robyn Tyson and Terry Newman (s) (Manly club, Gateway District)
Group 3 – Lorraine Callaghan and Calum Brownie (s) (Toowoomba West club, Downs District)
Group 4 – Kim Mogler and Chris Jenkins (s) (Solander Lakes club, Caboolture District)
Group 5 – Nicole Williams and Anthony Williams (s) (Maryborough Services Memorial club, Fraser Coast District – men – and Wide Bay/Gympie District – women)
Group 6 – Gail Crompton (replacement) and Nick Cahill (s) (Bargara club, Bundaberg District)
Group 7 – Jules Johnson and John Henman (s) (Emerald club, Leichhardt District)
Group 8 – Christine Robinson and David Whiting (Suburban Townsville club, North Queensland District)
State Finalist – District Mixed Pairs – GROUP 1
Roger Goodridge and Bev Hadley (Broadbeach club, Gold Coast Tweed District)
A pair who enjoy their bowls. They teamed up for the first time for this competition and gave themselves a test drive at State Champs Mixed Pairs in May this year. They call themselves “Dumb and Dumber” (and both agree … Roger is the “dumber”…)
“When we started this competition, we gave ourselves odds of 100-1, yet here we are, just a couple of dags who like to play bowls,” Hadley said modestly.
Roger’s wife Kathleen is at Enoggera this weekend to cheer them on.
One thing, it will never be dull playing these two colourful characters.
Roger played last month in the Bowlers Arm National Championships at Broadbeach
State Finalist – District Mixed Pairs – GROUP 2
Terry Newman and Robyn Tyson (Manly club, Gateway District)
Terry came to QLD from down south 13 years ago in 2003 and quickly identified Robyn as a possible mixed pairs partner. “You see who the better players are, where the higher standard of bowling is at the club, and it turned out we work well together and we respect each other’s decisions,” Newman said.
Robyn has form at high level, winning the 2009 National Champion of Champion PAIRS with Tracy Foster and also previously state runner up in FOURS at QLD Champ of Club Champs in 2010.
“We’ll just go out and see how we go,” Robyn said.
State Finalist – District Mixed Pairs – GROUP 3
Calum Brownie and Lorraine Callaghan (Toowoomba West club, Downs District)
These two are familiar faces at state level but they’ve never managed to crack a title – yet.
Lorraine is often the “right hand girl” in a Tracy Foster side but this competition, she’s the main game.
“We had to beat Nathan (Appleton) and Tracy to progress so we had a hard draw, but here we are,” Lorraine said. “My turn to have a bit of fun!”
How did they end up playing together?
“She told me, ‘We’re playing the Mixed Pairs”,” Calum said.
“I was a new member at Wests, Calum was there, we’re both easy going and we seemed to get along so I said let’s play together,” Lorraine said.
Calum has played for QLD in the U25s previously and District Sides for Downs.
He reckons their biggest threat is the Group 5 combo the Williams siblings – who they face in Round 1.
State Finalist – District Mixed Pairs – GROUP 4
Kim Mogler and Chris Jenkins (Solander Lakes club, Caboolture District)
It’s the first time Kim and Chris have teamed up to play Mixed Pairs and they’ve enjoyed their journey to the state titles, facing some tough competition.
“We have the same sort of personality, we laugh at the same jokes – and he lets me do what I want – unless there’s danger!” Kim said.
State Finalist – District Mixed Pairs – GROUP 5
Nicole Williams and Anthony Williams (Maryborough Services Memorial club, Fraser Coast District (men) and Wide Bay/Gympie District (women))
The Williams siblings have been playing bowls together since they were in nappies.
Dad Clive and mum Sue are fixtures on the QLD bowls scene, playing State Champs Mixed Fours together in May. Four grown up kids, Anthony the eldest at 32, Nicole and Fiona are twins at 31, and Peta the baby of the family. (Anthony now has four kids also growing up around bowls, a good omen for the future of the sport?)
How did they get through to the state titles this year?
“She finally played well for once!” the tough elder brother said.
“We used to fight but once we took that out, we started winning, we’ve won our club mixed pairs the last three years in a row, since we stopped fighting each other,” Nicole said.
“I love the competitiveness of bowls, I’m looking forward to playing for the state title.”
There would be no one keener than Anthony to finally hold a State Trophy aloft – he has been a finalist for a state title FIVE TIMES in recent years, including going down to Ryan Bester by just ONE SHOT in last year’s State Champion of Club Champion FOURS, the Maryborough boys showing just how good they were and Australia’s No 1 bowler at the time just squeaking through by the narrowest of margins.
State Finalist – District Mixed Pairs – GROUP 6
Gail Crompton (replacement) and Nick Cahill (Bargara club, Bundaberg District)
How exciting, these two are just delighted to be here together at another state titlefight.
Gail returned home to QLD literally YESTERDAY from the Aust Senior Sides Championships in Western Australia, where the QLD OVER 60 side TRIUMPHED, leapfrogging old rivals NSW in the final round to win the national title, for the second consecutive year.
“Hoping to make it THREE here…” Gail said.
Bargara’s Kay Cook and Nick did all the hard yards but Kay unfortunately was unable to attend the State Final and clubmate Gail was able to step in.
Gail is a two-time State Mixed Pairs winner, back in 2009-2010 for Bargara, teamed up with QLD’s “King of the Mixed Pairs” Kurt Brown, who has won a State Mixed Pairs title FIVE times (twice with Gail, in 2012 with new wife Emma Brown on the pair’s honeymoon, in 2014 with Ester Regan, and the inaugural title at this year’s State Champs Mixed Pairs with Emma.)
On form, the Crompton-Cahill combo is one to watch…
State Finalist – District Mixed Pairs – GROUP 7
John Henman and Jules Johnson (Emerald club, Leichhardt District)
Great to see new faces for Group 7 this year, the Leichhardt District pair winning the Group title against Mackay District.
The “top bushies” spot has been dominated at the State Final of the District Mixed Pairs by colourful North West reps Damo (Damien McGee – Cloncurry) and Bev (Bev Peters – Mt Isa).
John and Jules from Leichhardt have played District Sides and they’ve been playing mixed pairs at club level but this is the first time they’ve got through.
“We seemed to ‘gel’ better this year, we’ve got plenty of experience so I hope we can show what we can do,” Jules said.
Jules was a QLD U18 player going through with Lynsey Clarke and Yvonne Lovelock but after having 15 years away from bowls, she’s back in the sport at 32 and keen to get back into top form. What better opportunity than at a state final!
State Finalist – District Mixed Pairs – GROUP 8
David Whiting and Christine Robinson (Suburban Townsville club, North Queensland District)
These two skips are well known, Christine is calm and steady and seems to never lose concentration even under state finals pressure and David is big and colourful and brings some Wow factor. (You’re probably used to seeing him in his hot red and blue NQ Thunder District Sides shirt…)
These two have been playing mixed pairs together for ages, neither of their spouses play, and they live only 600m away from each other so they’re able to get in plenty of practise.
They’re both skips, they both know how to read a head, another top team to watch.
