geoff.mann@dubbophotonews.com.au
Huge police contingent in Dubbo for cricket comp By JOHN RYAN MORE than 200 police descended on Dubbo in a pre-dawn raid to uncover the state’s best indoor cricket team amongst their number. Contingents from all regions were represented, the 29 teams a 30 per cent increase on last year’s numbers. Organiser Wayne Lollback, who doubles as a Kempsey Highway Patrol senior constable during work hours, said moving the competition from the coast to Dubbo had paid enormous dividends. “It’s good being here, (holding the competition in Dubbo) gives everyone a chance to play because it’s no more than five or six hours from anywhere,� Snr Const Lollback told Dubbo Photo News. In the month before the event police were calling mates at former stations and urging them to put a team together to make
the trip, he said. “You’ll find so many people know mates from other stations and in plenty of cases, even though they’ve moved, they may come to play with a team of former workmates.� “You walk in and it’s really like catching up with long lost mates, sometimes it’s former station mates and others it’s just mates you made from the indoor cricket the year before.� Former Dubbo police officers Simon Madgwick and Paul Stephens came back to town to play with their old workmates. “It’s great, really it’s something that is great in the job – I’m at Walgett now but I’m coming back and playing with the Dubbo blokes, meeting blokes that are in Dubbo now that weren’t here when I was here before, and also running into blokes that I’ve met at other places in the last 10 years,� inspector Stephens said.
Inspector Paul Stephens and Senior Sergeant Simon Madgwick, former Dubbo police officers who returned to the city to play in the Dubbo team.
Blue bulls bounce back
Kiwi centre Filise Pauta shows a clean pair of heels against Mudgee last year Josh Exner, Tuppi Taekata, Tom Parish and Tom Saul
Bear’s blues STEVE HALL built a reputation as a fine footballer, great coach and an advocate for his beloved Aboriginal community at Walgett during a remarkable rugby league career. The dazzling feet, scheming brain and ability to unite blokes into a team led to success at Coonamble, Macquarie, CYMS and at Mendooran in Group 14. He was recognised by selectors at Western Division and Country level and represented both with distinction. Bear was so highly regarded by the powers that he was appointed coach of a Country team once he had finished playing and went on to lead Indigenous teams on several overseas tours. But on Sunday, the boy from the bush wore a City shirt as offside to winning coach Freddy Fittler! To be fair, Bear and wife Margie have lived in Sydney for over a decade where the already well-
qualified mentor has broadened his scope. Initially recruited as NSWRL Development Officer for western Sydney, Bear is now entrenched with the NRL, taking over from fellow Walgettian Ricky Walford with responsibility for the Indigenous Development Program. Bear wasn’t the only local spotted at the revamped Scully Park during the coverage on Sunday afternoon, as Ronny Gibbs, Andrew Ryan and former Westside Rabbitoh-cum-Parkes Spacemen Darren Dun also featured. In fact, Dunn’s passion for art and rugby league has taken him to the top of his field. Both Country and City wore guernseys bearing the designs of the former Group XI point-scoring wizard. Darren will be back in the region over the long weekend in June when Paul Upfield’s premiership-winning team that included Peter Gibbs will gather for the 20th anniversary of their 1996 premiership.
CENTRAL West Blue Bulls claimed the Richadson Shield at last weekend's Country Rugby Union Championships. Dubbo Kangaroos captain Filisone Pauta was back to his line-busting best at Armidale. The former Country centre scored three tries in the Richardson Shield Tier 2 final as the Central West scored an emphatic 64-10 win. Filise was joined in the Bulls by Roos' teammates Benn Wright, John Korff, Anthony Golding and Brad Pugh while injured centre Moa Kavaefiafi was also in the squad. Meanwhile Roos Colts Josh Exner "the XFactor", Tuppi Taekata, Tom Parish & Tom Saul combined in the Blue Calves Under 20s Country Colts Shield win over Illawarra. Congratulations boys, well done!
More Dubboites excel on national scene DUBBO Hockey’s Tracey Hardie-Jones claimed a bronze medal at the Masters World Cup in Canberra last month and now news comes of the success of two more local products. Cathryn Forbes (nee Soden) has a shiny gold medal draped around her neck after her team won the O-50s division while Adam Blackstock has just completed the successful Trans Tasman series against New Zealand with the O-35s. Both learned the basics on the grass at Barden Park and the super-turf at Pioneer Hockey Complex and continue to shine with their respective Queensland and Victorian State competitions. I always like hearing of our “exes� achievements in any sport so please keep the calls coming.
WELCOME OUR SILVER SPONSOR FOR 2016 SWIM WITH THE FISH CYMS v Wellington
(Home Sunday 22nd May)
CYMS v Westside
(Away Sunday 29th May)
CYMS v Parkes
(Home Sunday 5th June) D U B B O P H OTO N E WS | M AY 1 2 - 1 8 , 2 0 1 6
Dubbo CYMS would like to welcome Western Plains Granite as our Silver Sponsor for 2016 westernplainsgranite.com.au
Head to dubbocyms.com.au for coming games & events. 31