Well done to the Kookaburras who cemented their spot on top of the ladder with a fighting win over The Bay. The visitors put up a great fight, but ultimately lost by a relatively small margin at the finish. Three teams still in the hunt to finish on top, but the Kookas in the box seat now, with a healthy margin of twelve points over Safety Bay, and fourteen over the fast finishing Eagles.
Skips Beckwith, Carruthers and Holland all in the hunt for the coveted best skip wins over the year.
MANNING 84 (7) v LEEMING 61 (1)
Stephen Hughes 25 v James Newton 9
Shane Adams 18 v Karl Vandersluys 20
Graham O'Brien 22 v Gary Ford 19
Joe Angel 19 v Alexander Anderson 13
Seven points and a healthy twenty three shot margin, all in a good afternoons work for the mighty Eagles. The big winners for the home side was the rink of John Evans, Andy Lill, John Andrew and Skip Stephen Hughes who comprehensively beat the strong Newton foursome by some sixteen shots. All other rinks were very close, with Karl Vandersluys and his rink gaining the only point for the disappointed visitors. Leeming now in no mans land for the rest of the season you would believe, but still need to be a bit careful they don’t end up in the bottom four.
VICTORIA PARK CARLISLE 54 (0) v HILTON PARK 93 (8)
John Hiskins 11 v Gary Dodd 20
Michael Simms 9 v Robert Hunter 30
Jonathan Jermalinski 16 v Travis Simpson 19
James Holland 18 v Craig Standley 24
The high flying Hawks have shown that they mean business this year, their second term in this division. They have been the surprise packet of the year without any doubt. Winning away from home to a team battling relegation, and gaining eight points into the bargain was a mighty effort. Robbie Hunter, Chris McMahon, “ The Saint “ and Shaun Farrell, set up the aggregate win with a big win over Michael Simms and his boys. A twenty one shot margin at the finish, after leading all day, gave the other rinks confidence, and they duly responded by all having wins. The Hawks still a chance of sneaking into the top three. The Reds with some work to do now.
THORNLIE 77 (1.5) v FREMANTLE 81 (6.5)
Paul Pohe 23 v Barry Coote 23
Gary Beckwith 23 v Peter Wachmer 11
Glyn Vaughan 14 v Shaun McCormack 23
Glenn Sewell 17 v Keith Manton 24
What a huge upset the Mariners caused on Saturday, when they won a real cliffhanger at the home of the Ravens by the slender margin of four shots. But this was enough to give them the aggregate and a valuable six and one half points to show that they have a realistic chance of avoiding the bottom two. The two rinks that were skipped by Shaun McCormack and ex Mosman player Keith Manton, both won handsomely to set up the win for the visitors. While for the home side, the foursome skipped by Gary Beckwith carried on their winning ways, beating the experienced Wachmer by twelve shots.
The Ravens would have been expecting to win this one, as they are striving to sneak into the top three to give themselves a chance of promotion.
SPEARWOOD 92 (7) v ARMADALE 60 (1)
Ivan Unkovich 27 v Blair Griffiths 11
Vled Pesich 24 v David Earl 15
Nikola Silich 14 v Chadd Hunt 19
Ken Nadilo 27 v Brandon Heta 15
It must be said that the boys from the foothills at Armadale put up a bit of a fight at Spearwood on Saturday, when they challenged for brief parts of the game. However the home side, showed some real grit and character in the end to win by some thirty two shots, gaining seven points as well. The Storm had a rare rink win when the team of Dale and
Chad Hunt, Steve Wasley and Andrew Brown had a five shot win over the Silich four.
Good to see Ken Nadilo back for the home side, a fine guy and a fine skip to boot.
GOSNELLS 78 (7) v SAFETY BAY 72 (1)
Brett Holland 20 v Christopher Owen 18
Frank Carbone 25 v Ron Hall 13
Grant Nicol 22 v Paul Beaumont 11
Maurice Crabb 11 v Chris Carruthers 30
A fantastic clash between these two great rivals saw the Kookaburras get up in a real nail biter at Gosnells on Saturday. Only six shots separated these two good sides at the finish of an extremely high standard clash. However the Kookaburras gained the Lions share of the spoils with seven points to show for it. The big winner for the home side was Frank Carbone, Ian Farley, Eric McCurdy and Ronnie McKay, who had a very good twelve point win over the strong Hall rink. This result was well and truly countered for, by the strong Carruthers four. They won by seventeen shots, to always give the visitors some hope. Gosnells now in the box seat to finish on top of the ladder.