Sport
20 July, 2023
Wattles secure tenth Ragh Family Trophy win
Wattles back-rower Ty Gardner played a superb captain’s knock against the Southern Suburbs Tigers at Toowoomba’s Gold Park on Sunday to seal a vital 32 – 14 victory.
The prestigious Ragh Family Trophy has been awarded since 2005.
Gardner, who was named Player of the Match, led the Stillwater Pastoral Company Wattles’ high performing forward pack from the front, gathering a brace of tries for his trouble.
Front-rower Jacob Mouatt came off the bench and made a telling impact, also collecting two tries in arguably his best game of the season.
Wattles debutant back-rower Alex Donn crossed for the initial green and gold try in the thirteenth minute, but Souths fired back with two touchdowns to lead 10 – 6.
Tyson Stevens levelled the ledger ten minutes from half time before both sides slugged it out until Mouatt crossed to allow Wattles an important 14 – 10 lead at the break.
The Warriors struggled in the opening half, but team skipper Gardner was impressed with how his troops took a grip on the match in the final forty minutes.
Mouatt ran in his second touchdown in the opening minutes of the second stanza, while Gardner crossed for his two tries in the later stages.
Coach Travis Burns was more than pleased to have his team back on the winner’s dais after last week’s disappointment against Dalby.
Burns praised his team across the park, in particular younger brigade members winger Jake Meddleton and full-back Joe Willett.
The result has Wattles level pegging with Dalby at third on the TRL Hutchinson Builders premiership ladder.
Wattles 32 (Jacob Mouatt 2, Ty Gardner 2, Alex Donn, Tyson Stevens tries; Braydon Paix 4 goals) defeated Southern Suburbs 14 (Ben Cook, Allister Cameron, Angus Wright tries; Ben Cook goal).
Reserve Grade
After inflicting an eight try to one walloping over Souths in their previous clash in April, the top of the table Warriors struggled against the home side Tigers on Sunday, despite scoring four tries to three in an
18-all draw.
Souths leapt to a 12 – 0 lead by the 27th minute, before Wattles’ wily finisher Warren Draper crossed to keep his side in touch.
Centre Tim Hentschel touched down for the Warriors minutes before the break, the home side holding a 12 – 10 advantage.
Souths led 18 – 10 with eighteen minutes remaining on the game clock, before centre Braydon Wilson collected a try in the second stanza and Draper snatched his second mid-way through the half.
Wilson was in great touch throughout, as were half-back Michael Duggan and hooker Michael Marshall while full-back Alex Morris, centre Caleb King and forwards Tom, Jack and Tim Duggan were among those to shine.
Wattles’ try sharpshooters Wilson and Hentschel are currently level at the top of the competition try scorer tally with fifteen each.
Wattles 18 (Warren Draper 2, Tim Hentschel, Braydon Wilson tries; Alex Morris goal) drew with Southern Suburbs 18.
Under 19
Barnstorming centre Aiden Suhan led the Tigers a merry chase contributing five tries to Wattles total in a one sided 76 – 10 win.
The Black Toyota, Wattles Warriors were unstoppable amassing fifteen tries over the seventy minutes of play.
Two Matthew Simpkin touchdowns saw the Tigers keep in step with Wattles for the initial fourteen minutes, but when green and gold Under 17 forward Sam Gilmore touched down ten minutes prior to half time, the flood gates opened amounting to a rush of 62 unanswered points.
Wattles 76 (Aiden Suhan 5, Chris Watt 3, Lachlan Clements 2, Botrus Stievn 2, Sam Gilmore, Marley Tunstead, Judd Rei tries; Koby de Luca 6, Aiden Suhan 2 goals) defeated Southern Suburbs 10.
Round 14
Wattles celebrate their 2023 ‘Old Boys Day’ on Sunday, and will host the Warwick Cowboys at Platz Oval in Under 19, Reserve Grade and A Grade fixtures.
Everyone with connections to Wattles over the years is invited to don green and gold attire and roll up to what will be a wonderful day of rugby league and memories.
- Glyn Rees
