Townsville Foley Shield Squads

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The Townsville Stingers Foley Shield Squad to play the Cairns Marlins on September 27 at Dairy Farmers Stadium.
A-Grade: Luke Walker, Simon Phillips, Daniel Harnden, Steven Sheppard, Nathaniel Bowman, Noel Haslam, Noel Goldthorpe, John Beldan, Cameron McPherson, Damien Lynch, Bevan Heuir, Dennis Conlon, Quentin Kersh, Shaun Casey, Brad McNamara, Roy Baira, Ashley Astorquia, Tim Norton. Coach: Mark Crimston.

Under-19s: John Baira, Kevin Rowan, Shaun Jones, Brad Ferguson, Pablo Murray, Allen Peterson, Trevor Bowman, Travis Schmidt, Ben Schumacher, Shaun Ashwell, James Abel, Jamie Geaney, Daniel Sladden, Hayden Lee, Daniel Lyons, Josh Peters, Bevan Cameron, Michael Young, Willie Nain, Algon Congoo.

 

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Stingers buzzing before final
TOWNSVILLE Stingers coach Mark Crimston says a weekend bonding exercise has had the desired effect on his team ahead of the Foley Shield final against Cairns at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday.
The Stingers held a golf day at Willows golf course on Sunday in an attempt to bring the players together as a group following the conclusion of the Townsville and District Rugby League season over a week ago.
Considering the majority of the squad haven't played together since early July, Crimston believed the team had genuinely benefitted from the exercise as the Stingers attempt a fourth consecutive Foley Shield.
"Last year we travelled away to Cairns so we did our bonding there," Crimston said. "I'm really happy with it (the golf day).
"It's allowed us to get things out of our systems."
After losing Mick Casey, Chris Brown and Stephen Corbert through injury, the original 19-man squad has been cut further with the loss of Tarin Bradford and Ashley Astorquia due to personal reasons.
Crimston said it was unfortunate to lose those players, particularly Brown from the Stingers backline after the centre had proved one of the side's form players.
"Chris has been outstanding for last two years," Crimston said.
"He and (Cairns centre) Shane Grainer have had some good battles over the years."
Despite the loss of Brown and Ben Rauter, who failed to play enough TDRL games to qualify for Foley Shield selection, Crimston said there had been fewer casualties this year than in the preparation for last year's final and the team's attitude was intact even though they hadn't played together for some time.
"It can be hard (getting the team motivated after the end of the season). Last year it was and we had a lot of withdrawals," he said.
"It's not that hard this year though. It's been really good actually.
"We've only got a couple of little niggling injuries -- the guys are really enjoying it."
Cairns defeated Townsville 30-24 when the two sides last met at Dairy Farmers Stadium on July 5.
Cairns will arrive in Townsville on Friday to finalise preparations and to avoid travelling on the day of the game.
Townsville bulletin

 

[XXXX Cap]

Just worked out I'm going to be in Townsville on Saturday - this could be a great experience. 8) 8)

Is it played at night ?

 

[Tigertread]

Just worked out I'm going to be in Townsville on Saturday - this could be a great experience. 8) 8)

Is it played at night ?

Be there mate, it will be a great Day.
The Foley Shield Final held at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday 27th September, the games will commence with the Under 17's at 2.00pm, Under 19's at 3.45pm and "A" Grade at 5.30pm.
This game could be a part of history as Townsville goes for four Grand Final wins in a row, four in a row has never been achieved before.

 

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DEADLY DUO ... Townsville Foley Shield players Quentin Kersh and Roy Baira hope to continue a remarkable record today.
History beckons
TOWNSVILLE Stingers players Roy Baira and Quentin Kersh have never lost a CHR Foley Shield rugby league decider -- a record they intend maintaining in their fourth consecutive grand final appearance today.
The pair also have the chance to create a record as part of the first team to win four consecutive grand finals in the competition's history against Cairns at Dairy Farmers Stadium today.
Stingers coach Mark Crimston paid tribute to the blood, sweat and tears the pair had contributed to the Stingers' success in recent years.
"They've given good service to Townsville over the years and if you pick them in the team you know they are going to be the first at training and they are going to give you 150 per cent on the field," Crimston said.
Despite having the opportunity to create history today, Crimston said the team had not spoken at great length about the possible record this week.
"We mentioned it on our first run, we touched on it and that's about it," Crimston said.
"But I'd like to think we've done really well in the modern era of Foley Shield.
"It's coming back from the ground up . . . I'd like to think (we compare) to the Mount Isa side of the 1970s which was a fairly hot side.
"They won three in a row at their peak and at the peak of Foley Shield football.
"It would be great to win four in a row for the sake of Townsville and being our 100th birthday I think that would be good."
Townsville have met Cairns in the past two Foley Shield finals, winning both including a thrilling 28-22 victory last year after trailing 22-2 during the second half.
The Stingers defeated Mackay 40-16 in 2000.
Townsville finalised preparations last night, training with a full squad of 17 for the first time this week, after players from outside Townsville were unable to attend training sessions earlier in the week.
However, Cairns have had their own problems with player numbers at training with coach Brad Arthur only able to settle on a final squad yesterday.
Arthur admitted that his team's preparation hadn't been the best, citing the usual complication of the shield final being played at the end of the season.
"Our preparation hasn't been anywhere near what we would have liked it to be," he said.
"It's a bad time of year to be playing a Foley Shield final. It should be like State-Of-Origin (played in the middle of the year)."
townsville bulletin

 

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Foley Shield Results

1948 Babinda 7-2 Ayr
1949 Townsville 22-13 Cairns
1950 Ayr 23-15 Cairns
1951 Babinda 19-15 Ayr
1952 Herbert River 15-4 Babinda
1953 Cairns 18-15 Townsville
1954 Ayr 18-12 Cairns
1955 Cairns 26-17 Townsville
1956 Townsville 23-16 Cairns
1957 Townsville 38-15 Cairns
1958 Cairns 29-15 Townsville
1959 Mackay 29-18 Cairns
1960 Innisfail 12-9 Herbert River
1961 Eacham 35-10 Mackay
1962 Townsville 8-3 Eacham
1963 Tully 29-15 Burdekin
1964 Innisfail 30-8 Townsville
1965 Herbert River 14-7 Cairns
1966 Cairns 14-10 Townsville
1967 Townsville 16-15 Innisfail
1968 Innisfail 22-12 Mackay
1969 Mt Isa 12-9 Townsville
1971 Cairns 37-6 Whitsunday
1972 Mt Isa 19-16 Innisfail
1973 Whitsunday 19-16 Innisfail
1974 Cairns 12-6 Mt Isa
1975 Innisfail 15-4 Townsville
1976 Cairns 11-10 Townsville
1977 Mt Isa 18-16 Innisfail
1978 Mt Isa 15-2 Mackay
1979 Mt Isa 26-6 Townsville
1980 Herbert River 18-13 Burdekin
1981 Mt Isa 13-9 Innisfail
1982 Herbert River 25-25 Townsville (draw after two periods of extra time, declared joint winners)
1983 Mt Isa 22-10 Townsville
1984 Mackay 21-4 Mt Isa
1985 Mt Isa 26-2 Burdekin
1986 Cairns 36-24 Townsville
1987 Townsville 30-26 Cairns
1988 Mt Isa 22-18 Mackay
1989 Innisfail-Eacham 40-12 Mackay
1990 Innisfail-Eacham 28-14 Cairns
1991 Mackay 30-22 Cairns
1992 Mackay 31-12 Mt Isa
1993 Cairns 30-24 Mackay
1994 Mackay 22-6 Cairns
1995 Cairns 34-24 Mackay
1996/97/98 and 1999 no competition
2000 Townsville 40-16 Mackay
2001 Townsville 28-24 Cairns
2002 Townsville 28-22 Cairns
2003 ???????????????

 

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The Townsville Stingers have defeated the Cairns Marlins 28-26 to win their fourth straight Foley Shield.
The Townsville under 19s also won their fourth in a row with a 32-22 win over the Mackay Sea Eagles. Trevor Bowman the man-of-the-match.
Up the Mighty Stingers

 

[mud n blood]

Did they get a good crowd ? Be good to see 10000+ there for it.

 

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CHR Foley Shield Results 2003
A-Grade:
Townsville Stingers 28 (Simon Phillips 3, Nathaniel Bowman, Luke Walker, Bevan Heuir tries; Nathaniel Bowman 2 goals) def Cairns Marlins 26 (Leon Wallis 2, Leon Hallie, Dean Howard, Victor Akiba tries; Victor Akiba 2, Matt Nichols goals)
Half-time: Townsville 20-10.

Under-19s:
Townsville Stingers 32 (Trevor Bowman, Sean Jones, Shaun Ashwell, Brad Ferguson, Travis Schmidt, Daniel Sladden tries; Trevor Bowman 4 goals) def Mackay Sea Eagles 22 (Jardine Bobongine 2, Grant Wicks, Chris Schiffer tries; Grant Wicks 3 goals).
Half-time: Mackay 18-12

Under-17s:
Mackay Sea Eagles 36 (Tom O'Connor 2, Eugene Stow 2, Reece Bailey, Jeremy Manz tries; Adam Wright 6 goals) def Cairns Marlins 32 (Stanley Daniels, Daniel Briggs, James Coppen, Cody Ashworth, Walter Nova, Michael Ulidium tries; Stanley Daniels 4 goals).
Half-time: Cairns 22-18

 

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THE Townsville Stingers etched their name into CHR Foley Shield history after holding on to defeat Cairns 28-26 in a grand final thriller at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night.
The Stingers, who equalled Mount Isa's record of three straight Foley Shield victories in the 1970s last year, became the first team to win four consecutive titles and reinforced their dominance in the modern era of the competition.
However, as has been the case in the last three grand finals against Cairns, the game went right down to the dying moments with Cairns staging a dramatic comeback after trailing by as much as 18 points in the second half.
Townsville coach Mark Crimston was put through torture on the sidelines in the second half as his side conceded three late tries and were asked to defend desperately as Cairns peppered their line.
The visitors went within a whisker of snatching victory with less than a minute remaining after a grubber into Townsville's in-goal was almost grounded by several Cairns players in a race to the ball.
Cairns were then given further hope from the ensuing drop-out by Townsville, but a forward pass with seconds left on the clock saw the home side hang on for an emotional and historic win.
Crimston said he was worried Cairns were going to exact revenge on Townsville, who staged a stunning comeback from 22-2 down to defeat Cairns in a dramatic final 12 months ago.
"I just thought everything we've done to them over the last three years was coming back and biting me on the backside," Crimston said.
"It was a mad house there at one stage and when the blokes dug in, they really dug in.
"Noel Haslam and Beven Heuir were just out on their feet (defending) and we really couldn't do anything about it."
Five-eighth Haslam was named player of the match for his efforts, while Crimston paid tribute to the desperation shown by Townsville veteran Quentin Kersh, who along with Roy Baira celebrated his fourth Foley Shield win.
"Quentin I think, to me, he was the best forward on the field by a country mile," he said.
"It was between him and Dingo (Haslam) to get that award but it could have quite easily gone the other way."
townsville bulletin

 

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Four in row to under-19s
JUST as Townsville first grade continued its domination of the CHR Foley Shield competition, so too did the Stingers under-19s after wrapping up a memorable fourth consecutive title at Dairy Farmers Stadium on Saturday night.
The ledger had been locked at one game all between Townsville and Mackay after the preliminary Foley Shield rounds throughout the year, but the Stingers proved too good in the final to run out 32-22 winners.
Although trailing Mackay 18-12 after a tight tussle in the first half, a better start to the second half through unanswered tries to Shauyn Ashwell, Brad Ferguson and Travis Schmidt gave Townsville the lift to go on with the job.
Other tryscorers for the Stingers were classy halfback Trevor Bowman, centre Sean Jones and lock Daniel Sladden, who scored a good try in the corner minutes out from fulltime to seal the win for Townsville.
For Mackay, five-eighth Jardine Bobongie proved hard to handle all match and crossed for two tries while lock Grant Wicks and winger Chirs Schiffer each scored a try.
The win gave coach Wayne Cheeseman his third consecutive Foley Shield title with the under-19 side after Stingers first grade coach Mark Crimston coached the side to victory in 2000.

Mackay however, gained some consolation in the under-17 grand final earlier in the day with a nail-biting, come-from-behind 36-32 win over Cairns Marlins.
Cairns, who had not been beaten all year, led 18-0 during the first half before Mackay stormed home in the second half with a late try to player of the match Eugue Stow wrapping it up for the Sea Eagles.
townsville bulletin

 

[Bomber]

Well done Townsville - a bloody good way to win four in a row.

Not making any excuses or anything, but Steven Sheppard was from Mareeba, whilst Noely Haslam is still a football diety in Mossman (1998 premiers, just quitely). Mind you, nobody holds a gun to their heads and tells them where to play.

The post mortems are well underway in today's Cairns Post, with Nigel Tillett seeking legal advice as to whether players to played in the All Blacks Carnival on the weekend before playing in the Shield Final can have their contracts suspended for next season. On the other hand, Brad Arthur has advocated mid-season Foley Shield finals.

Anyway, it's up to Cairns, Mackay and Mt Isa to match Townsville, whether it be pre-, mid- or post-season.

Cheers
Bomber

 

[XXXX Cap]

Got there for the A Grade. (Still up in Townsville at the moment)

Great night and a great match. High quality game with some wonderful attack - Cairns wouldn't have needed much longer to win it.

A terrific experience. Thought Luke Walker was outstanding as fullback for the Stingers. With his speed and tackling ability, I think we will hear a bit more of him.