Sport
dşĈëō ƆżşſƐƆ IJĶīIJōĶīIJƐƆ Īşſ ǨǦǨǩȁȁȁ lëīżĶĕƆ Ɔŕëſĕ Dd ǖëī
The Magpies were on top of the North Coast league ladder all through the season. Photo supplied The Byron Magpies senior men’s AFL team won the 2023 premiership in fine style by beating Port Macquarie 14.12(96)–5.9(39) in the grand final of the NSW north coast league, played at Coffs Harbour Stadium in September. The Magpies got off to a great start after racing to a
4.6(30)–0.2(2) lead in the first quarter. The competition’s minor premiers didn’t let the pressure off and continued to build through the next two quarters. Port Macquarie reeled in a few points in the final quarter, but the game was as good as won by then.
WAR wins another rugby union competition
Byron Bay Boardriders TEB plays for two ƱĶŕ ŕëƐĶşŕëō īſëŕĎ Ǖŕëō premierships, wins one
Dakota Walters scored well with great aerials. Photo Christopher Smith (Surfing Australia) Byron Bay Boardriders pulled off a massive upset, beating powerhouse clubs to take out the Australian Boardriders Grand Final at Newcastle in February. Byron Bay came out firing on the final day, with Dakoda Walters and Soli Bailey surfing well, to win by a nailbiting margin of just 0.62.
‘The team is so stoked. We’ve been here so many times and just really haven’t performed anywhere near where we should be as a team and as a community from Byron,’ Bailey said. Byron won with 31.83 points ahead of Snapper Rocks (31.21) and Merewether Surfboard Club (30.13).
Mullumbimby Giants beat Mustangs to claim Cook Cup
Defence set up WAR’s grand final win. Photo Vicki Kerry Wollongbar-Alstonville Rugby continued their dominance of Far North Coast rugby with a 23–13 win over the Byron Shire Rebels in the grand final. WAR’s win was on the back of strong defence that limited scoring opportunities even when the side was depleted by yellow cards.
WAR have won eight premeirships in ten years. The Byron Shire Rebels did taste sucess by winning the second grade premeirship beating Cabarita Beach 30–22, earlier in the day at Lyle Park, Wollongbar. In the Women’s 12s Casuarina Beach beat Lismore 12–5.
Nathan Clements scored 103 when TEB won the third grade cricket grand final in March. Photo supplied Tintenbar-East Ballina (TEB) cricket club won the thirdgrade 2022–23 grand final, but lost in second grade after rain stopped play. TEB thirds scored 5/245 against Byron Bay, who could only muster 133 in reply. In second grade Cudgen
Hornets chose to bat and put on a steady 7/191 on the back of Callum Prichard’s 61 and Harrison Hall’s 49. In reply TEB were at 5/114 with 13 overs to play. Umpires decided, via the Duckworth Lewis System, that TEB were behind by 11 and had lost the game.
Bangalow wins football
Bangalow celebrate their premiership win. Photo supplied In first grade the Giants had just four wins in 2023, but they did bring home some silverware. Photo Elna Nelson The Mullumbimby Giants played their way back into the top four of first grade rugby league with a solid 30–14 win over the Murwillumbah Mustangs in June. The win also meant Mullumbimby came home with
the Grant Cook Memorial Cup. ‘We were dominant in the first half but they gave us a bit of a scare in the second. But we were definitely the best on the day,’ coach Cody Nelson said.
The Bangalow Bluedogs won the 2023 premiership league grand final played against Byron Bay 3–2. Byron Bay jumped out of the blocks taking advantage of all opportunities in the first half and went to the sheds with a 2–0 lead. ‘We didn’t take our
chances in the first half, but they did. To be honest we were in shock,’ coach Joel Rudgley said. ‘But we used the break to reset and fix a few things, make sure we were doing the simple things right’. Bangalow scored three goals in the second half.
ࠠ CCTV camera and locators ࠠ High pressure jet rodder ࠠ Electric eel ࠠ 1.7t excavator and 3m tipper truck Family owned and operated local business with 30 years of plumbing experience. Unblock Pipe Clearing has the latest technology and equipment for locating, eliminating and repairing all blockages – >ÌÌiÀ Ü >Ì Ì i à âi° iÌ Ì i L ` i À } Ì Ì i wÀÃÌ Ì it
Phone James on www.echo.net.au
0429 888 683
Lic 378040C
ࠠ Reliable local family run-business ࠠ Blocked drain specialist ࠠ Latest technology and equipment for locating, eliminating and repairing ࠠ 12 month guarantee on most jobs `ëŕƖëſƷ Ǫǽ ǩǧǩǫ The Byron Shire Echo 47