Sport
21 September, 2022
Wattles Warriors Winners For 2022
Team captain and coach Travis Burns’ Wattles Warriors first grade team served up their club’s fifth first grade premiership success since joining the Toowoomba Rugby League in 1966 when they dispatched the Gatton Hawks 51 – 20 at Toowoomba’s Clive Berghofer Stadium on Sunday in front of a packed crowd.
While a swansong for the skipper, it was a dream come true for him and his sixteen team mates.
The TRL blue ribbon season decider drew the curtains on the gifted five-eighths rugby league career that included 218 NRL/Super league games.
Burns returned to Wattles in 2018, where his senior league journey began, taking the club’s top-grade team to a grand final only to suffer a loss in the dying moments of the game against the Valleys Roosters.
Sunday saw five years of hard work come to fruition, in a sensational performance that also signalled the end of the TRL careers of stalwart forwards Dale Perkins and Ryan Duggan.
The Hawks were first on the Tom Allen Memorial Scoreboard snatching an early 6 – 0 lead after ten minutes when winger Jayden Williams showed his speed in a runaway try.
The Stillwater Pastoral Company Warriors answered the call with four-pointers by hooker Kai Duggan and fullback Jackson Green to have a 12 – 6 advantage ten minutes prior to half time.
The two sides lived up to their reputation of the top contenders in the TRL, the game looking anyone’s coming in to the break.
The Hawks spread their wings in the final five minutes before half time, slick centre Christian Prince touching down closely followed by an intercept try by team skipper Haydan Lipp to take a 16 – 12 lead into the sheds at the break.
The mood of the game changed from the first minute of the second stanza when eventual Player of the Match and John McDonald Medallist Matt Duggan combined with Jackson Green for what was a match altering try.
Burns’ dressing room speech had made an impression, his team leading 18 – 16, before stacking on another six unanswered touchdowns across the following half hour on their way to an outstanding season climax.
The Hawks tired in the later stages and suffered a lack of ball, compounding their issues trying to come to grips with an up-tempo Wattles outfit who were making every post a winner.
With just seconds remaining on the ground clock and Wattles leading 51 - 16, veteran forward Allan Morris added a little more respectability to the Hawks total with a hard earned try.
Coach Burns couldn’t praise his team enough, indeed all team members throughout the year who contributed to Sunday’s result.
“Every player on the field was a ‘Best Player’”
Halfback Matt Duggan was Wattles standout performer, along with Jackson Green, while Travis Burns provided sterling support and direction in a team of achievers.
Winger Mattew Christensen was another to shine throughout and earned a try double for his efforts.
Wattles forward pack never took a backward step against a Gatton side with a size advantage.
Wattles 51 (Matthew Christensen 2, Matt Duggan, Kai Duggan, Jackson Green, Ryan Duggan, Travis Burns, Mitchell Bourke, Mitch Koina tries: Travis Burns 7 goals, Matt Duggan field goal) defeated Gatton 20 (Jayden Williams, Christian Prince, Haydan Lipp, Allan Morris tries; Haydan Lipp 2 goals).
Wattles 2022 A Grade Premiers: 1. Jackson Green, 2. Matt Christensen, 3. Austin Jennings, 4. Nick Van Der Poel, 5. Mitchell Bourke, 6. Travis Burns (C), 7. Matt Duggan, 8. Mitch Koina, 9. Kai Williamson-Duggan, 10. Jordan Crocker, 11. Tyson Stevens, 12. Ryan Duggan, 13. Dale Perkins – 14. Ryan Stevens, 15. Brendon McBryde, 16. Conor Swinton, 17. Michael Pearson.
Reserve Grade - Wattles Tony Morris Tiling reserve grade team, who also won their way through to the Grand Final, and while 2022 Minor Premiers, fell to the Highfields Eagles 27 – 6.
The Warriors had been in inspiring form in the second round of the season, including the finals series.
They were still in the game at the break although trailing 0 – 14, before the Eagles ran in another two touchdowns in the initial fifteen minutes of the second stanza.
Opportunities presented for Wattles that they failed to bank, but they had to wait until the twelfth minute before the final siren when trailing 26 – 0 before front-rower Mitchell Duff powered over to score his teams only try.
Highfields 27 (Blake Appo 2, Brenden Jacobs, Cooper Bowyer, Jake Brewer tries: Corey Haywood 3 goals & field goal).
Wattles 6 (Mitchell Duff try: Tom Morris goal).
Wattles Reserve grade team: 1. Josh Henry, 2. Alex Morris, 3. Lachlan Henry, 4. Darby Peardon, 5. Aaron Hooper, 6. Joe Morris, 7. Tom Morris, 8. Jordan Henry, 9. Jack Duggan, 10. Mitchell Duff, 11. Garth Lonergan (C), 12. Tim Duggan, 13. Nick Morris – 14. Matt Elijas, 15. Tim Hentschel, 16. Les Hartvigsen, 17. Aaron Scheid, 18. Tom Henry, 19. Dale McAntee, 20. Zac Stevens.
Open Women Grand Final - Gatton 42 defeated Newtown 12.
Under 19 Grand Final - Highfields 18 defeated Gatton 14
- Glyn Rees
