Day 2 Summary - Wheelchair Rugby National League - Brisbane Bash

Day 2 of the 2024 Wheelchair Rugby National League – Brisbane Bash was one to remember with a number of great matches taking place on court and a healthy crowd off in attendance.

Match 1: Hunter Wildfires 51 vs Box Hill 38

The first match of the day saw Box Hill take on the Wildfires with both teams searching for their first win of the competition. Jason Ellery impressed for Box Hill as he showcased his passing game, combining with Robyn Lambird for several Box Hill tries. Canadian Rio Kovac was again instrumental for the Wildfires whilst Ben Leaudais looked solid at both ends of the court as the Wildfires put together several flowing passing moves. The Wildfires on the board. Final score 51-38.

Match 2: DIV 2 Suncorp Queensland Cyclones 57 vs Victoria Protect Thunder 35

As Division 2 kicked off, there was no hangover for the Cyclones as they put together another dominant performance. Gordon Broome looked particularly strong on defence as he limited the Thunder’s Jack Watson and Matthew Kuhne’s influence. Kadir Faki’s passing was exceptional as the Cyclones remained undefeated. Final score 57-35

Match 3: Sydney University 40 vs University of Queensland 45

In a clash between the only two undefeated teams in division 1, a classic was sure to occur. And it did. Chris Bond’s qualities as captain/coach clearly on display as he guided his team to outright top of the table, supported by a strong performance from Dan Horton. For Sydney Uni, AJ Holloway looked good as did Jayden Jackson, their efforts however not enough to defeat the home team. Final score 45-40.

Match 4: Melbourne RUFC 55 vs Bond University 46

On Court 2, Melbourne and Bond played out a tight contest. Ben Fawcett looked good in defence whilst the combination of Jayden Warn and Josh Hanlon were at their formidable best. Ella Sabljak had a good game showcasing her passing ability along side some strong defensive efforts from Lilliana Prucha but it wasn’t enough. Victory for an emerging dark horse in what many would consider a large upset. Final score 55-46

Match 5: DIV 2 SA Sharks 36 vs Suncorp Queensland Cyclones 36

The dominant Cyclones took on a Sharks side feeling good off the back of their first win the day before. Cyclones Dan Clarke and Nathan Plascott had strong games along with another solid performance from Jacob Cremen-Darkin. For the Sharks, Zac Robertson was again the main point of attack. He was supported by impressive performances from James Coleman and Will Taheny. In the end both teams just as good as one another with a rare draw occurring. Final score 36-36.

Match 6: Melbourne RUFC 45 vs University of Queensland 53

A match of great interest played out on Court 1 with the rising Melbourne taking on UQ. Andrew Harrison, Melbourne’s captain/coach, had a good performance alongside Kiwi Keenan Alexander who showed some exceptional passing and offloading skills. For UQ the ever-reliable Chris Bond looked like a man on a mission as he led the side alongside a strong Cam Whittaker performance. In the end, UQ proved too good for Melbourne. Final score 53-45

Match 7: Hunter Wildfires 47 vs Bond University 60

An important game for both teams as Bond looked to get back to winning ways against the Wildfires. Mick Ozzane and Emilie Miller put in a strong defensive performance for Bond aiding Matt Thompson who had a good game up and down the court. For the Wildfires, captain/coach Richard Voris had a strong match but his best efforts were not enough, Bond getting the victory. Final score 60-47.

Match 8: Sydney University 64 vs Box Hill 49

The final Div 1 match of the day saw Sydney Uni look to bounce back. The side looked strong with Ryan Boyd and James McQuillan putting in a shift all low-pointers would be proud of. Tai Martin-Page played well for Box Hill whilst Shae Graham was influential. In the end Sydney Uni came out with the win. Final score 64-49

Match 9: DIV 2 SA Sharks 38 vs Victoria Protect Thunder 42

The final match of the day saw a rematch of a spectacular Div 2 game from the day before. The Sharks were strong out of the gates with Dane Kinder and Zac Robertson having good games. Much like their previous encounter, Jack Watson was good for the Thunder whilst Darren Cuomo and Scott Mackay also impressed with good movement across the court. Another tight one the whole way, the Thunder redeeming themselves with the victory. Final score 42-38

Another successful day for the Brisbane Bash. With the attendance figures looking strong, all eyes turn to Derby Day tomorrow which is shaping up to be a good one. Action starts from an early 9am tomorrow.

Author Ben Hayes

Benjamin Hayes23 June 2024Comment