The finals of the annual Under 14 Central Outback Broncos Challenge were played on Saturday at the home of the mighty Benderoo Bulls, Surat.
There was a different format for the carnival this year with teams competing in a preseason competition recently, which also doubled as selection trials for this year’s Roma and District junior representative teams.
The selected Under 13 and 14 teams will next travel to Brisbane and Toowoomba this weekend for games ahead of the South West Mustangs trials.
It was the first time that Surat had hosted games in the Challenge and the volunteers were incredibly accommodating; the food was great, the fields were as good as can be expected in the current climate and the footy was spectacular.
Players came from nearby towns and even travelled up to an incredible 500 kilometres to be involved in the day.
The effort players and parents go to so they can play footy never ceases to be amazing.
The coaching staff are doing a tremendous job with their players with many standing out.
Five teams participated this year with every team having big numbers due to a direct result of the Roma and District JRL competition, the Adrian Vowles Cup and the ongoing efforts of the clubs involved.
This year’s final was played between the crowd favourites, Benderoo and St George, the defending champions.
The Bulls had gone through the competition undefeated, but St George were certainly not going to give them an easy game in the final.
Both teams put in everything during the final with the hometown running out winners 16-8.
At the conclusion of the carnival, the Best and Fairest players were announced for each team:
Roma: Charlie McInnerney
Carnarvon: Ashley Knapp
Mitchell: Jacob O’Toole
Wandoan: Charlie Hay
St George: Lachie Webster
Benderoo: Matthew Williams
The five teams involved will now participate in the local Roma and District JRL competition which kicks off after Easter.
