Shane Muriata

THE trip over the Palmerston Highway to face the Atherton Roosters is said to be one of the most challenging tasks in rugby league for any team in the North. So it was with great relief that the Tully Tigers A-Grade side rolled into Gumboot town late last Saturday night with two valuable competition points after beating the Tablelands team in a close contest.

It was an effort that has set up the biggest, if not the most crucial, game in the club's history when they head up to Calendar Park to take on the inform Innisfail Leprechauns this Saturday night.

For a minute, if you will, imagine Superman taking on Thor, or KFC tackling Maccas, Tully River going head-to-head with the Johnston River, then times that by at least 6 million, because that will be what it will be like come the night after Friday evening in Innisfail when the local derby takes centre stage.

Former Tiger and current Leps coach Leon Hallie will be up for the game, as always, when these games roll around, so it will be a challenging task for the Tigers.

If we are to break this game down to footy talk, we must recognize the Leps forward pack, which is easily the best in the comp. With current Foley Shield players amongst their ranks, this game will definitely see if the black and gold are contenders or pretenders. The most dangerous player for the Leps is none other than Aron Jolly. His kicking game and footy brain will be the key to how this game will pan out; plus, I know the bloke, and he's one of the good ones.

For the team from under Mt Tyson, their main strike guy is former State League player and Hopevale product centre Mark Rosendale. His size and strength have been a sight to see in recent games, and the speed he possesses is just a little slower than me in

These games were part of a massive weekend of soccer at Castor Park, Mourilyan. The Johnstone River Conference hosted its first games of the season, which saw over 40 junior teams in action from Under 6/7 to Under 12.

Last Friday evening, Innisfail United Ladies secured their first win of the season with a 3 - 0 win against Southside Comets at Walker Park, Edmonton.

Round 8 -FNQPL Far North & Gulf fixtures - May 5 - 6

May 5 - Steve Corica Oval, Mourilyan Innisfail United Division 2 Men’s vs Southside Comets

Full time: 7 - 1 to Innisfail

Innisfail United Division 1 Men’s vs Mareeba Bulls

Full time: 1 - 0 win to Innisfail

May 5 - Walker Road, Edmonton

Innisfail United Women’s vs Southside Comets

Full time: 3 - 0 win to Innisfail

Goals:

Bianca Borg (penalty goal)

Chloe Musumeci

Isabelle Bushby

May 6 - Steve Corica Oval, Mourilyan

Innisfail United Under 12 vs Mareeba Bulls

Full time: 5 - 5 draw

Innisfail United Under 13

Division 1

Full time: 10 - 2 win to Innisfail

Innisfail United Under 18 Men’s vs Mareeba Bulls

Full time: 3 - 2 loss to Innisfail

Goals:

Tyler Purcell

Jasper Di Carlo

Innisfail United Under 23 Men’s vs Mareeba Bulls

Full time: 2 - 1 win to Innisfail

Goals:

Jacob Moloney

Leo Di Carlo

Innisfail United Premier Men’s vs Mareeba Bulls

Full time: 2 - 2 draw

Goals:

Patrick Pat

N Iaukou

Innisfail the KFC queue.

Suppose you're not too busy this Saturday night and fancy some good live footy. In that case, you're in luck because the North's most extraordinary rivalry will once again commence banter in a clash that will make Elvis Presley's dance moves look like housework.

This game will have more Stars than Star Wars and Star Trek combined. The last time the planets aligned for something this big was when the dinosaurs got wiped out by a gigantic asteroid. This time, the biggest rock will be the players wiping each other out.

Brace yourself; it's the Tully Tigers V the Innisfail Leprechauns this weekend when Calendar Park becomes the centre of the Rugby League universe. Be there, or be square…….

What do you call a dog that does magic? A LabraCadabra-dor. With my best impersonation of a magician out of the way and well behind me, the real fairy-tale stuff happened in the real world of Rugby League was when the NRL went to Brisbane for their annual Magic Round, where all single games were played at the one venue.

It was the greatest weekend in footy, and by all accounts, was the most attended footy festival in history, with over 140,000 people coming through the gates at Suncorp Stadium.

If there's one thing that the league does when a footy marathon hits the TV nonstop all weekend is make you feel a part of the atmosphere, and boy, was I a happy

Chappy after Friday night.

The Broncos continued their winning ways when they ran over the Nicholas Muriata's Manly in a onesided affair.

The Raylene Leo Raiders showed how mean the green machine could get.

Rohan Nona's Rabbits blew the Storms away, and Linda Davis Cowboys finally had something to smile about when they managed a rare w in 2023.

The New Kids on the Block sang their way to victory when the Dolphins celebrated the Master coach Wayne Bennett's 900 games in the top league by winning their game.

Followed by the Titans completing the quadfector for Qld teams by bringing down the Sharks in an incredible fashion.

Stuart Russell's West Tigers blew the Dragons away spectacularly to round out the weekend's shenanigans.

I cannot recall when Rugby League has been so far ahead of every other code in this country since the incredible Tina Turner anthem days. When our game ruled the nation's favourite weekend pastime, which is a testament to the players and people running the game.

Well, done to all teams who played well at Magic Round; that was more fairy-tale-like than any jokes I have ever told. Bring on the rest of the season 2023.