The Ballina Rugby Club invites applications for Senior Grade coaches (assistants) in 1st Grade, Reserve Grade,

Under 18’s and Women for the 2023 Season.

Notice: Come along to hear Ben Franklin announce important funding for Ballina Rugby Union Club.

21 days notice is hereby given of our Annual General Meeting.

I spent some time whilst sipping pints during the week pondering what effect a three week break would have on teams prior to playing a grand final, and whether we had the strength in the pack to match that shown by Range in last week’s preliminary final.

The preliminary (elimination) finals in all five competitions of Far North Coast Rugby were successfully completed at Ballina Seagulls last Saturday in perfect spring conditions. Our girls took on Lismore with the winners progressing to next week’s grand final and the losers to drown their sorrows over a few schooners. Lismore had recorded two last gasp victories over our girls during the preliminary rounds.

On return from her RDA duties my wife informed me that community based radio station Paradise FM had announced that today’s preliminary finals which were due to be held at Ballina Seagulls had been postponed due to concerns regarding the state of the pitch and the weather forecast. A quick call to Mick Koellner confirmed that to be the case, the decision made at 0830 by the zone in consultation with Ballina Shire Council ground staff.

The top four teams in all grades of the Far North Coast competition took the field over the weekend at Wollongbar with ten matches played in five divisions. Our three senior teams were involved and in fishing parlance the club caught a mixed bag, unfortunately the big one getting away.

OK, the hangover has gone and the synapses have re-joined……four down with three to go. In mountaineering parlance we’ve reached base camp with three weeks remaining to climb the summit, and the events of Saturday suggest that that goal is attainable.

Floods, ground closures and ‘Covid issues’ have led to postponed and cancelled fixtures, and we are at present playing catch-up rounds. I headed up to Casino with Morgo to watch Division II play Casino, whilst our women were at home against Lismore. My maths suggested that we could finish top two on the ladder with wins against the Bulls and Moonshiners, tempered by the fact that two losses would end their season.

Saturday 13th August, 4.54pm Williams Reserve Lennox Head. Four minutes remain in the match. Ballina playing with 14 men, scoreline Trojans 35-14 and counting the clock down with a string of cynical penalties on their line. We’re shot….season over. I’m thinking how can I softly break this news to my readership of four this week: a successful rebuilding, lost opportunities, close but no cigar, there’s always next year and reserves and the gals are in the semis?

Winners are grinners and winning becomes infectious. Here’s hoping that the current wave of win-22 virus that the club is suffering from remains for another five weeks. In stark contrast to the post match

I found it unsettling to imagine the fields and clubhouse at Rugby Road Lismore having been five metres underwater earlier this year. To their credit the Lismore club has done a remarkable job in restoring their facilities, and a large crowd was in attendance on Saturday.

I found it unsettling to imagine the fields and clubhouse at Rugby Road Lismore having been five metres underwater earlier this year. To their credit the Lismore club has done a remarkable job in restoring their facilities, and a large crowd was in attendance on Saturday.

At 4.30 last Friday afternoon, my good wife alerted me to a Trojans Facebook post regarding dangerous conditions and ground closures. A solid 20 knot soueaster was blowing, the sea was up and the rain gauge suggested 8mm had fallen in the previous day. The 4.35 BOM rain radar (pictured) showed very little possibility of rain in the next set of 24. I thought that the conditions would be dangerous for a nipper’s carnival or rock fishing, but rugby, No!

Despite the fact that Australia is meant to be ‘living with Covid” last weeks home fixtures against Bangalow and Mullumbimby were postponed due to reported Covid cases in both visiting teams. The matches will hopefully be played at a later date. (Ladies Day and this Round of games have been scheduled for 20th August 2022 ) My personal opinion is that an unworkable precedent has been set.

Notification that our matches scheduled for Williams Reserve last Saturday were postponed due to council closure of sporting fields in the shire arrived last Friday. I was naturally disappointed as the local derbies between two clubs that I’ve been associated with in the past have often been great encounters, with both clubs giving their all in order to gain bragging rights.

My best mate ‘Pup’ Campbell was rostered to referee our Division II fixture against WAR, and I had decided to write a light hearted piece about the whistle-blowers for this edition. In view of events that transpired later in the afternoon, a more opportune time for that will present later in the season. There is time enough between our last round matches and the semis to programme a four test cricket series.

A mini fest of rugby took place at Casuarina last Saturday in perfect winter conditions. I must admit to being somewhat confused when I arrived as Casuarina were doing battle with Casino in a Division II fixture on the main oval. A glance to the north confirmed Ballina were warming up for their top of the table encounter with Evans River.

The Division 1 Far North Coast competition had a general bye last weekend due to the Country Championships being held at Tamworth. Congratulations to the following Ballina players who represented the Zone. Ant Lolohea, Stan Lolohea, Sam Pearce and Wilson Lovokuro. Sam Giltrap was a late withdrawal due to injury.

A perfect winter’s day welcomed a large crowd for our last home fixture until the 17th of July. Unfortunately for the spectators, our Women’s 10’s won on forfeit with Evans River unable to field a team.