TODAY’S secondary divisions of the 64th Peel Schools Rugby League Carnival will go head with one major team missing.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
While there are 47 teams from 19 schools playing at Plain Street and Scully Park in Under 13,14,15,16 and Open divisions, there won’t be a Farrer Memorial Agricultural School open side.
Farrer plays St Gregory’s Campbelltown in a GIO Schoolboys Cup game at Farrer’s John Simpson Oval tomorrow and will bypass the open Peel Schools, coach Damien Kenniff said yesterday.
“We’ve got 13,14,15 and 16s but no Opens,” Kenniff said.
“I can’t remember Farrer not having an Open side in the Peel Schools but we have the game against St Greg’s.
“It’s a big game for usand we will be at full strength for it.”
While the Farrer open side kicks off against St Gregory’s Campbelltown at 11.30am tomorrow, some of its younger squad members will play in the Peel Schools in the school’s Under 16 side.
“Zack Leonard, Trent Eather and Callan Hayne will play in the 16s,” Kenniff said.
Leonard and Hayne are talented young players who played for Northern Country Under 16s in a trial against Southern Country in Wyong last Sunday.
That followed Saturday’s heroics where their Group 4 side won the Country Junior Under 16 Plate Final against Group 16.
There were plenty of heroics in the Primary Divisions of the Peel Schools Carnival at Plain Street on Saturday.
One was from the sensational St Mary’s Scone 7s.
They won the 7A Final 24-6 over Tamworth’s St Edward’s Primary but had just the bare seven players.
Coached by former Scone Thoroughbred and Group 21 halfback stalwart Aaron Watts, the St Mary’s side was a stupendous seven-man side.
“We only had the seven players,” Watts said.
“It was a great day for them and for the school.
“They are a great little bunch, all mates – AJ, Jim, Drew, Billy, Griff, Lockie and Ollie.”
To make it even better, Aaron’s son, AJ Watts, was named best and fairest for the final.
The 7B Final was won by Westdale B from Denman.
Denman was also shooting for a third successive success in the 9s, Denman stalwart Noel Barry said.
“We’re hoping to make it three years in a row,” he said earlier in the day.
However Denman had to settle for the 9 Year Division B title after it was runner-up to undefeated Kootingal in the round robin 9 Year Division.
Gunnedah South might have gone home without a title but its open primary side did well considering it turned up and played with just 10.
“I don’t know how we got away with our first game,” coach Garry “Frank” Humphries said.
“We’ve got some good kids but probably only three or four who are regular football players.
“They haven’t trained together but they played well.
“Hawkin Durrant, Bayley Lennox, George Lyne and Isaac Harris are all going well.”
He said his side would now prepare for the 7’s Legends at Narrabri.
“That’s next week – the boys are looking forward to that too.
“But it was good to get that first win before our loss.
“I certainly hope we get to play Tamworth (Public) so we can whip them again.”
The last comment was aimed at Tamworth Public teacher Barry Everingham, an old university mate of Humphries from Wright College at The University of New England back in the late 1970s.