So the whistle has blown for the half time break
Some are bubbly, some are feeling the ache.
The top 4 are standing tall
The teams below are worried about the fall.
So let’s have a look at who did what
Who might have struggled and who were hot to trot.
Sorrento 76 (6) vs Wanneroo 74 (2)
(David Dunstan 16 - Pieter Geus 14) (Lance Martin 19 - Derek Griffin 20) (Ronald Rogers 22 - Kingsley Toster 20) (Timothy Murray 19 - Martin Nievelstein 20)
Sorrento have made it 4 wins from the last 4 games to catapult up the table into 5th place after spending the first quarter of the season in the bottom 2. They now sit just 5 points behind 3rd spot and are the team in form at the moment. Dunstan checked in with a 2 shot win over Geus, while Griffin and Nievelstein both scraped over the line with 1 shot wins over Martin and Murray. Rogers asked his team if they’re ready to fight and win their rink and they all replied “we do Ron Ron Ron” in perfect sync and they recorded a 2 shot win over the dangerous Toster rink. A close 2 shot agg win to end the season for the Swans and I’d suggest the Roos will welcome the break to refresh after a tough few weeks and come out firing in 2025
Yokine 67 (2) vs North Beach 79 (6)
(Ian Cooper 15 - Paul Butler 27) (Richard DSouza 12 - Lee Mitten 17) (Shane Shaw 22 - Jeffery Post 18) (Wayne Coffey 18 - Terry Jones 17)
The Beach Boys travelled to the Kennel and were thinking “Wouldn’t it be nice” if we got an away win to finish off the season against a struggling Yokine side. “God Only Knows” the Doggies were in desperate need of a win after losing their last 3 games, which is not “Fun Fun Fun”. Shane “half a point” Shaw posted a win over well, Post and Coffey fell over the line against Jones by 1. Mitten beat D’Souza by 5 and Butler said “Don’t Worry Baby” as he won by 12 over Cooper to ensure the agg was safe. An important away win for North Beach as they left the Kennel with 6 points and were playing “Good Vibrations” all the way home.
Cambridge 76 (6) vs Quinns Rocks 72 (2)
(Garry Hawkes 23 - Erron Martin 16) (Neil Bolton 20 - Steve ONeill 21) (Nicholas Lewis 10 - Hugh Ward 25) (Scott Palmer 23 - Shane Smith 10)
Shane Smith and his merry men travelled to the fortress that is the Knights Stable that has not been breached this season. The winner of this game guaranteed a top 3 finish at the half way point of the season. Ward beat the strong Lewis rink by 15 shots and Steve O’Neil got over the line by 1 over Lord Bolton. Hawkes recorded a 7 shot win over Erron Martin for the home side and the story of the day was the Palmer rink taking care of the previously undefeated Smith rink by 13 shots in an agg winning victory which means Cambridge take Quinns place in the top 3 to set themselves up for a successful year. Quinns are in 4th and will be looking to finish strong for the race to finals.
Warwick 67 (2) vs Mount Lawley 81 (6)
(Brian Ledingham 22 - Laurence Kelly 14) (Geoffrey Hinge 24 - Phillip Park 21) (Raymond Loran 11 - Enda Munnelly 28) (Sean Wright 10 - John Cottier 18)
The Mounters arrived at the Nest to do battle with the Magpies who have been the surprise packet of the season for me. The favourite sons of Warwick did the damage for the home side as Ledingham beat Kelly by 8 and Hinge took care of the dangerous Park rink by 3. Cottier recorded an 8 shot win over the Wright rink and step up Munnelly and his new right hand man Connell who dominated the Loran rink, winning by 17 shots and securing the aggregate. Warwick should be pleased with the first half of their season as they finish off in 6th, however they have proven they are good enough to beat some quality sides and will take some confidence into the second half. The Mounters go into the break sitting in 2nd spot and with some returning players will look to bridge the gap on the Pioneers for the automatic promotion.
North Perth 74 (5.5) vs Doubleview 59 (2.5)
(Anthony Kay 16 - David Cosgrove 17) (Benjamin Horwood 13 - Lindsay Thorn 17) (Chris McKenna 26 - Cameron Bell 6) (Markus Merz 19 - James Barry 19)
Top of the table North Perth hosted bottom of the table Doubleview for the final game of the round. Prickles was the thorn in Horwood’s bid to complete the first half of the season undefeated as he won by 4 and Cosi fell over the line winning by 1 over the Kay rink. Merz and Barry couldn’t be separated as they shared a point and step up Chris “Happy Gilmore” McKenna who won by 20 shots over the Cameron Bell rink to win the aggregate for his team and go into the break top of the table. Doubleview will need to find some form and consistency in the run home and North Perth will look to start the second half of the season off strongly as the chasing pack are finding some form.
