It was the return of junior footy in the Central Highlands on the weekend following a break over the Easter school holiday period. The junior teams hit the fields across the Highlands in Middlemount, Gemfields, Clermont, Tieri and Emerald.
McIndoe Park was the venue for the clash between Brothers Blue and Brothers White. Club spokesman, Steve Pyle nominated the Under 14 game as the game of the day and Ethan Bullemore as the player of the game.
“The size and speed of Ethan make him very difficult to contain. He was very dominant.” Bullemore scored three tries in his player of the match performance including a length of the field try.
The sparks Bullemore created on the field were only matched by those off the field which saw a transformer failure leading to the loss of lights on the McIndoe Field resulting in the game being rescheduled to Sunday morning.
Across in Tieri, the Peak Down Pirates hosted Tigers Black in the Under 6s through to Under 12s, and the Blackwater Crushers in the 14s and 16s. It was the Under 14s again nominated as the game of the day by club representative Danny Allen.
“Kyle Bolger was outstanding in the Under 14s game.” Normally chosen as a forward, Bolger was switched to the centres, a change that he relished. “He was great in attack hitting holes in the opposition defensive line, and solid in defence.”
It was similar attacking brilliance nominated by Clermont President Wendy Johnstone in their games against the Emerald Tigers as the highlight of the day. “Zane Brandenburg in the Under 16s was highly effective in attack breaking the defensive line of the Emerald Tigers time after time.”
Brandenburg scored three tries in the game, but it was his turn of speed that saw the Tigers continuously turned around. “He showed everyone how effective it can be to run at the gaps, not over the top of your opposition.”
The Middlemount Panthers hosted the Springsure Mountainmen and club representative, Ally Peters was quick to nominate a parent as deserving of the play of the day. “Christjian put his hand up all day to help out. He was there helping out in the morning to set up, volunteered to be sports trainer all day, and was still there at the end.”
A timely reminder to all that it is the volunteers of the game that continue to keep the game thriving across the Highlands.
