Season 2018
Grand Final
Lions are back to back premiers after defeating Tigers in one of the closest results of the season. Lions did it the hard way after losing to Tigers earlier in the finals series and then narrowly defeating Panthers in the preliminary final earlier in the week that went down to the final two points of the night.
Lions started on the front foot with early wins to Jason Regan, Martin Sheridan and Jim Casanova giving them the edge. Tigers responded through the likes of Joseph Harris and Rodney Scharfe, but still trailed by one after the first round of matches.
Tigers clicked into action in the doubles, turning their deficit of one into a lead of two through winning the close points when it mattered. Adam Walker and Lewis Hains were particularly impressive in their three set win over Ernie Bauer and Wayde Heidenreich.
Lions lifted through the second round of singles with notably Serena Fong coming from two sets to one down to defeat Geoff Nottle in five sets. Along with support from Brenton Stagg, David Sherry and Jim Casanova, Lions moved into a lead of two with just the final round of singles to play.
Lions had one hand on the premiership with the first three wins of the final round to Martin Sheridan, Jesse Marcal and Wayde Heidenreich over Geoff Nottle, Connor Harrison and Adam Walker respectively. Tigers fought back with two tough five set wins, with Rodney Scharfe outlasting Jim Casanova and Lewis Hains playing beyond his years to overcome Ernie Bauer, but still trailed by two with four matches to play. That lead was soon erased thanks to Fred Ettridge and Peter Lee, leaving the scores locked together at seventeen all with the final two matches on the tables. Serena Fong moved Lions to eighteen first with a four set win over Shane Harris, before Tigers’ Joseph Harris completed his undefeated season by coming from behind to defeat Jason Regan in five sets and lock the final scores together at eighteen. A nervous few minutes ensued before a countback of sets declared Lions the winner, going back to back after winning the premiership the previous season.
Best for Lions were David Sherry, Jim Casanova and Brenton Stagg. Best for Tigers were Joseph Harris, Peter Lee and Fred Ettridge.
Round 15
The final minor round matches have been completed with the finals series commencing this week. The round kicked off with Dodgers and Croppos fighting it out, with the loser claiming the wooden spoon for the year. As has been the case for most of the season, Croppos were undermanned and were never in the hunt, with Dodgers running away with the night 17 to 7. The other two contests were previews of the first week of finals. Lions took the psychological advantage over Tigers with a comfortable victory, while Gladiators and Panthers was much closer affair with Gladiators doing just enough at the end to sneak over the line.
The first match of finals will be curious with minor premier Tigers taking on Lions. Lions go into the contest after having the better of Tigers throughout the season and sit as premiership favourites at this point in the season lead by Jason Regan and strengths on every line including Jim Casanova and David Sherry. The loss of Peter Southam to injury is unfortunate but shouldn’t slow them down. Tigers have a few weapons of their own, none better than the undefeated Joseph Harris. Lions overall experience will see them through to the grand final.
In the elimination final Gladiators take on Panthers. For much of the season it didn’t look like Panthers would be playing at this point of the season, but they appear to be peaking at the right time of the year. Daniel Challinger and Nathan Fong have been consistent all season, but the keys to their fortunes will fall with Fred Ettridge and Jerome Ah-kit Burgoyne. Along with the improving play of Jarrad Elson, Panthers have formed into a force to be reckoned with. Gladiators have the reliable Shane Stockham and Joe Perone, but it won’t be enough with Panthers to cause an upset and progress to next week.
Round 12
Lions 27(81) defeated Croppos 9(44)
In a lopsided result, Lions easily accounted for an understrength Croppos outfit. The writing was on the wall early as Croppos top order took control. Kody Rosalia was the only form of resistance for his side, winning two singles. It only got worse for Croppos, with Lions continuing to extend their lead through the middle order and forging on through the bottom order to finish with a crucial percentage building win that should see them now finish in the top two come finals time.
Best for Lions were Jason Regan, David Sherry and Peter Southam. Best for Croppos was Kody Rosalia.
Panthers 19(59) defeated Dodgers 17(58)
Panthers lifted themselves off the bottom of the table with a much needed win over fellow top four aspirant Dodgers. Panthers opened up a lead of six through the top order matches, with Daniel Challinger and Nathan Fong leading the way for their side. Dodgers failed to make any headway in the middle order, leaving plenty of work for the bottom order to steal the result. Max Williams and Jayden Townsend gave Dodgers a chance with some great play, but they fell just short, keeping Panthers season alive.
Best for Dodgers were Max Williams and Jayden Townsend.
Tigers 18(61) defeated Gladiators 18(60)
In the closest result of the round and season, Tigers overcame Gladiators by just a solitary set. Gladiators jumped to the early lead in the top order. Shane Stockham gave the undefeated Joseph Harris a huge scare before hanging on in five sets. Tigers levelled up the scores through the middle order with Lesley Kolega having one of her better nights of the season, winning two singles and pushing Joe Perone to the brink. Gladiators looked to have the night wrapped up with a lead of three with three matches to play, but Tigers stormed back, winning the final three matches of the night, including the final match in straight sets to steal the points from Gladiators.
Best for Tigers were Joseph Harris, Ben Southam and Peter Lee. Best for Gladiators were Joe Perone, Shane Stockham and Cheryl King.
Round 10
Panthers 18(63) defeated Lions 18(60)
In the closest result of the season, Panthers snuck over the line in a countback, but they remain rooted to the bottom of the table. Matches were split in the top order with Lions’ Jason Regan and Panthers Dan Challinger going head to head. It was more of the same in the middle order, with Fred Ettridge continuing his good form of late to win all of his singles matches. With the night going down to the wire, it was anyone’s guess who would win. In the end it was Jarrod Elson who stepped up for Panthers to claim an important win over David Sherry, which led to Panthers winning by just three games.
Best for Panthers were Jarrod Elson, Fred Ettridge and Jerome Ah-Kit Burgoyne. Best for Lions were Jason Regan, Peter Southam and Ernie Bauer.
Dodgers 19(63) defeated Gladiators 17(57)
Dodgers have moved into the top four for the first time this season with a narrow victory over Gladiators. Gladiators burst out of the blocks through the top order with Shane Stockham and Reece Fordham leading the way, while Darren Atkins was the only one to show resistance for Dodgers. Dodgers hit back in the middle order to reduce the margin to just two, with Angelika Sederstrom playing extremely well to cap off a great night when defeating Joe Peron in five sets. Dodgers continued with the momentum and with the night in the balance, they won the final three matches to take the points and move to fourth position.
Best for Dodgers were Angelika Sederstrom, Jayden Townsend, and Alex Hale. Best for Gladiators were Shane Stockham, Joe Perone and Jeff Bowers.
Tigers 23(73) defeated Croppos 13(50)
Tigers returned to the top of the table with a comprehensive win over Croppos. The night began very evenly with the top order matches split evenly. Joseph and Shane Harris both performed well for Tigers, while Lester Barnes was the driving force for Croppos. Tigers took over in the middle order, winning all twelve matches on offer. Croppos had no answer as Tigers’ Slav Kolega, Rodney Scharfe and Lesley Kolega dominated proceedings. With no chance of a comeback, Croppos fought for respectability, and to their credit they managed to reduce the margin, with their doubles play especially a highlight.
Best for Tigers were Slav Kolega, Rodney Scharfe and Lesley Kolega. Best for Croppos were Lester Barnes and Ralph Sandford.
Round 9
Dodgers 24(75) defeated Tigers 12(45)
Dodgers withstood a strong start from Tigers to claim a crucial win. As is the case most weeks, Tigers top order performed strongly. Joseph Harris won all of his matches, but not before receiving a fright from Adam Butterworth. Coupled with a strong doubles outing, Tigers had built a lead of four. Dodgers quickly erased the deficit through the middle order, as they took control over Tigers, despite the best efforts of Rodney Scharfe. Tigers needed a big bottom order to give themselves a chance, but with players missing they failed to fire a shot, with Dodgers running away with the contest comprehensively.
Best for Dodgers were Max Williams, Bev Atkins and Brenton Stagg. Best for Tigers were Joseph Harris and Rodney Scharfe.
Croppos 19(62) defeated Panthers 17(61)
Croppos have hit a patch of form as Panthers fall to the bottom of the table. Panthers started the better of the two sides through the top order with Daniel Challinger leading the way for his side, with Kody Rosalia still performing well for Croppos. Croppos failed to make any headway in the middle order matches, with the matches being split evenly. Jonothan Story impressed again, with tough opposition in Panthers’ Fred Ettridge and Jerome Ah-Kit Burgoyne. With Panthers still leading narrowly, Croppos wanted to solidify their top four position and played with more desperation and the results showed that as Ralph Sandford and Dan Mengis helped Croppos run over the top of Panthers to claim the points.
Best for Croppos were Ralph Sandford and Daniel Mengis. Best for Panthers were Daniel Challinger and Fred Ettridge.
Lions 19(61) defeated Gladiators 17(56)
In another close result, Lions came from nowhere to defeat Gladiators. Gladiators dominated the top order with Shane Stockham, Russell Fordham and Reece Fordham all recording wins and Jason Regan the only player to show any resistance for Lions. It was more of the same for Gladiators through the middle order as Joe Perone and Bill Broughton led the way for their side to open up a lead of ten with just the twelve bottom order matches to play. In a seemingly futile position, Lions amazingly won all of the remaining matches to steal the night, with Connor Harrison particularly impressive in defeating more seasoned competition.
Best for Lions were Connor Harrison, Alex Hale and Ernie Bauer. Best for Gladiators were Joe Perone, Shane Stockham and Reece Fordham.
Round 8
Croppos 24(71) defeated Lions 12(46)
Croppos secured their second win in as many weeks, with a surprise win over Lions. Croppos started the better of the two sides in the top order, opening up an early lead of two. Kody Rosalia and Lester Barnes led the way for Croppos, while Jason Regan was the shining light for Lions. Croppos really extended their lead through the middle order, taking full toll on an undermanned Lions side. Geoff McLachlan and Cole Ellul were difficult to get past for Croppos, despite the best efforts of Lions’ Jim Casanova and Jesse Marcal. With the result close to beyond doubt, Croppos made sure of the points and ran out strong winners, lifting them into the top four for the first time this season.
Best for Croppos were Geoff McLachlan, Cole Ellul and Lester Barnes. Best for Lions were Jason Regan and Ernie Bauer.
Gladiators 22(71) defeated Tigers 14(50)
In another occurrence of the lower ranked side being victorious, Gladiators lead from start to finish to account for top side Tigers. Tigers won the very first match of the night through Joseph Harris, but that is where the joy ended as Gladiators took control of the top order to open up a lead of two. Tigers did well to prevent further damage through the middle order, as that is normally Gladiators strength. They were within a whisker of levelling the scores before Joe Perone held off Tigers’ Slav Kolega in five tight sets. Gladiators were not to be denied through and finished strongly in the bottom order, with Jeff Bowers having his best night of the season to win all three of his matches for the night.
Best for Gladiators were Jeff Bowers, Joe Perone and Reece Fordham. Best for Tigers were Joseph Harris and Slav Kolega.
Dodgers 23(71) defeated Panthers 10(45)
On a messy night for the two sides with missing players and forfeits, Dodgers ran out winners but remain at the bottom of the table. Scores were completely even after the top order matches with Daniel Challinger playing well for Panthers to win all of his singles matches. Dodgers began to edge ahead through the middle order, despite Jarrod Elson playing well for Panthers and recording a surprise win over Brenton Stagg. Dodgers thundered home in the bottom order though, winning eleven of the twelve matches on offer to record a much needed win and boost to their lowly percentage, remaining within touch of the top four at the halfway mark of the season.
Best for Dodgers were Max Williams, Jayden Townsend and Angelika Sederstrom. Best for Panthers were Daniel Challinger and Jarrod Elson.
Round 7
Tigers 20(62) defeated Lions 16(59)
Tigers solidified their position on top of the ladder with a comfortable win over second placed Lions. Tigers moved to the lead through their top order with Joseph Harris and strong doubles performances giving them a lead of two. The middle order was where Tigers took advantage of a slightly depleted Lions. Slav Kolega and Rodney Scharfe had excellent nights, winning all of their singles. Lions had too much ground to catch up in the bottom order matches and despite the best efforts of David Hall and Ernie Bauer, they could only reduce the margin slightly.
Best for Tigers were Joseph Harris, Slav Kolega and Rodney Scharfe. Best for Lions were Jason Regan, Martin Sheridan and Ernie Bauer.
Croppos 22(68) defeated Dodgers 14(55)
Boosted by some key inclusions, bottom side Croppos lifted themselves from the foot of the table with a win against a depleted Dodgers outfit. Croppos effectively ended the night at the start with a dominating top order performance that gave Dodgers little chance of a comeback. Croppos lead of eight was halved through the middle order by Dodgers with Jonothon Story winning all of his singles in his first night of competition for the year. Croppos restored their margin through the bottom order to finish the night off strongly and keeping the hope alive of a finals appearance this year.
Best for Croppos were Simon Strycharski, Dan Mengis and Ralph Sandford. Best for Dodgers were Jonothon Story and Darren Atkins.
Gladiators 20(68) defeated Panthers 16(55)
Gladiators remain safe in the top four with a solid win over Panthers. Panthers started the better of the two sides in the top order with Daniel Challinger, Nathan Fong and Wade Gray sharing the load. Gladiators quickly responded in the middle order to level up the scores, primarily due to the performance of Joe Perone. Gladiators finished off the stronger in the bottom order with Cheryl King and Jeff Bowers getting the job done for their side to leave Gladiators only percentage out of the top two.
Best for Gladiators were Joe Perone, Cheryl King and Jeff Bowers. Best for Panthers were Jarrad Elson, Daniel Challinger and Nathan Fong.
Round 6
Gladiators 20(61) defeated Croppos 16(59)
Shane Stockham and Reece Fordham got Gladiators away to a great start, while Kody Rosalia was the only one showing resistance for Croppos. In the second half James Regan stepped up for Gladiators winning two singles over Serena Fong and Ben Southam, while Shane Stockham had a victory over Kody Rosalia in four sets. In the middle order it was very evenly matched as Joe Perone was his usual best winning all his matches for Gladiators, while Geoff McLachlan came into the Croppos side for the injured Fiona Rosalia, winning two singles over Bill Broughton and Lance Barnett, leaving the scores at six all. In the bottom order, Croppos pushed forward taking some great wins through the much improved Daniel Mengis who defeated Cheryl King and Jeff Bowers, while Ralph Sandford backed up with two singles wins to give Croppos a much improved effort.
Best for Gladiators were Joe Perone, Shane Stockham and Cheryl King. Best for Croppos were Daniel Mengis and Cole Ellul.
Lions 21(70) defeated Dodgers 15(56)
With Dodgers missing Adam Butterworth in their top order this gave the much improved Marc Haning an opportunity to test his skills against the top players. He didn’t disappoint, winning his first match over Peter Southam and then combined with Darren Atkins to win their double over the more experienced pair of Jason Regan and Sally Kunze. Lions’ Sally Kunze defeated Angelika Sederstrom in four sets and Jason Regan won a brilliant match over Darren Atkins to give Lions the edge at the top. Lions strength lies in the middle order with Martin Sheridan leading the way winning all of his singles and David Sherry also won two important matches over Brenton Stagg and Sam Perin, but Dodgers scooped all the doubles to level the scores at six all. In the bottom order Jesse Marcal showed much improvement for Lions, winning all his singles as did Ernie Bauer along with Connor Harrison, who defeated Jayden Townsend, handing Lions victory.
Best for Lions were Jason Regan, Martin Sheridan and Jesse Marcal. Best for Dodgers were Marc Haning and Darren Atkins.
Panthers 21(68) defeated Tigers 15(50)
In a great performance, Panthers knocked off the top team Tigers. In the top order Joseph Harris led the way for Tigers winning all of his singles, while Panthers Daniel Challinger and Nathan Fong won two singles each and two of the doubles for a slim lead. Panthers kept the pressure on in the middle order with Fred Ettridge in fine form defeating Lesley Kolega, Rodney Scharfe and Slav Kolega and then combining to win both his doubles, while Jerome AhKit Burgoyne also won two singles to go further ahead with one round to play. In the final round it was still Panthers all the way as Jarrad Elson and Bob Gibbes both won two singles and then combined to win their double, while Peter Lee could do no more for his team Tigers, winning all his matches but it wasn’t enough.
Best for Panthers were Fred Ettridge, Nathan Fong and Jerome AhKit Burgoyne. Best for Tigers were Peter Lee, Joseph Harris and Slav Kolega.
Round 5
Tigers 32(89) defeated Croppos 4(27)
In the most one sided result for the season, Tigers returned to the winners list by taking full advantage of a decimated Croppos side. The writing was on the wall from the very start as Tigers top order got their team off to a great start. Kody Rosalia was the only one for Croppos who showed any resistance, winning two of his singles. Sadly for Croppos it didn’t get any better from there with only one match won in each of the middle order and bottom order matches to send them to the foot of the table and a huge blow to their percentage.
Best for Tigers was a whole team effort. Best for Croppos was Kody Rosalia.
Lions 22(66) defeated Panthers 14(52)
Lions consolidated their top two position with a solid win over Panthers. Lions wasted no time in taking the lead through the top order with Jason Regan leading the way and a strong doubles showing by the team backing him up. The efforts of Daniel Challinger were futile as Lions lead by four. Lions took all hope away from Panthers through the middle order as they dominated to win all but two matches. Martin Sheridan continued his fine season for Lions in winning all of his matches. To their credit, Panthers continued to fight and finished off strongly in the bottom order through Bob Gibbes and Jarrad Elson, but the damage had already been done and Lions were home.
Best for Lions were Jason Regan and Martin Sheridan. Best for Panthers were Bob Gibbes and Jarrad Elson.
Dodgers 20(62) defeated Gladiators 16(62)
Dodgers scored their second good win in as many weeks, this time over Gladiators. The top half was very even, with not much separating the two sides. Shane Stockham as usual was hard to get past, but Dodgers did enough, especially in the close matches to leave the scores level. Gladiators middle order has been their strength this year, but Dodgers managed to take that away thanks to a surprising doubles round where they swept all three on offer. With Marc Haning continuing to impress and Sam Perin finding some form, Dodgers took a lead of two heading into the bottom order. Gladiators showed signs of a comeback but Dodgers finished strongly right at the end to win the final three matches of the night and take the points.
Best for Dodgers were Marc Haning and Sam Perin. Best for Gladiators were Shane Stockham and Joe Perone.
Round 4
Croppos 19(58) defeated Panthers 17(59)
Croppos recorded their second win for the season with a come from behind victory over Panthers. Panthers started the better through their top half with Daniel Challinger and Nathan Fong playing well against tough competition in Kody Rosalia and Lester Barnes. Panthers’ Wade Gray also played well to defeat Serena Fong in straight sets. Leading by two after the top half, Panthers extended their lead to four through the middle order. Fred Ettridge and Jerome Ah-Kit Burgoyne continued their consistent seasons, but it was Croppos Cole Ellul who caught the eye, starting to find some form after a couple of years out of the game. Croppos needed something special to come back from the death, and that’s what they did. Backed by a strong doubles performance, Croppos stormed home to win eight of the last nine games and steal the points.
Best for Croppos were Ralph Sandford, Lester Barnes and Cole Ellul. Best for Panthers were Fred Ettridge, Daniel Challinger and Nathan Fong.
Gladiators 19(61) defeated Lions 17(59)
Gladiators held on to defeat an undermanned Lions side. Gladiators had the best possible start, winning nine through the top half matches. Shane Stockham was his near unstoppable self, but Russell Fordham had his best night of the year with three singles wins also. Lions had some work to do to get themselves back in the game and with Joe Perone missing from the Gladiators side, Martin Sheridan and Jim Casanova took full toll for Lions to win all of their matches and make up some ground. Lions needed more of the same to steal the win from Gladiators, but despite the valiant efforts of Ernie Bauer and Jessie Marcal, Lions reduced the margin but could not get the wins required to take the points.
Best for Gladiators were Shane Stockham, Russell Fordham and Jeff Bowers. Best for Lions were Martin Sheridan, Jim Casanova and Ernie Bauer.
Dodgers 21(65) defeated Tigers 15(62)
In what was the upset of the round, Dodgers secured their first win of the season, amazingly against top side Tigers but still sitting at the foot of the table. Tigers looked to be in control after the top order matches, leading comfortably by six with Joseph and Shane Harris winning all of their matches. Dodgers turned the tables in the middle order, completely erasing Tigers advantage to tie up the scores. Dodgers Marc Haning continues to go from strength to strength this season, winning another three singles for his side. With the scores level, it was now anyone’s game for the taking, and it was Dodgers who showed the desperation, led by Max Williams with fine wins over Peter Lee, Daniel Mengis and Jayden Townsend.
Best for Dodgers were Marc Haning and Max Williams. Best for Tigers were Joseph Harris and Shane Harris.
Round 3
Panthers 20(67) defeated Dodgers 16(62)
Both teams began the night short of players, however Panthers’ Daniel Challinger got his team off to a good start posting a win over Angelika Sederstrom, as Wade Gray accounted for Adam Butterworth in four sets. Dodgers’ Darren Atkins had to pay attention to Nathan Fong to win in four sets. With Panthers sweeping Dodgers aside taking all doubles, they kept their momentum going as Nathan Fong impressed the crowd as he defeated the more experienced Angelika Sederstrom and then followed up with a fine display defeating Adam Butterworth in five sets. Wade Gray also notched up his first ever victory over Angelika Sederstrom. In the middle order teams were fairly even. Dodgers’ Marc Haning impressed by defeating Jerome Ah-Kit Burgoyne and Fred Ettridge both in five sets, while Fred Ettridge won a couple of matches for Panthers. In the bottom order Max Williams won a fine match over Jarrad Elson in five sets to give Dodgers the boost they needed, while Bob Gibbes also battled through a long match to defeat David Hall. It was in the doubles where Dodgers shone though, winning all three over Panthers for a handy lead. Max Williams completed a great night for Dodgers adding two more wins, while Panthers Jarrad Elson won matches over Bev Atkins and David Hall, both in five sets.
Best for Panthers were Daniel Challinger, Nathan Fong and Jarrad Elson. Best for Dodgers were Max Williams and Marc Haning.
Tigers 22(70) defeated Gladiators 14(51)
Top of the table Tigers pushed Gladiators down to fourth with their victory. Gladiators had the upper hand in the top order with Shane Stockham and Russell Fordham posting early wins, while Joseph Harris stood firm for Tigers against Reece Fordham. Tigers were stronger in the doubles to level the scores but Gladiators hit back in the second half through Reece Fordham defeating Shane Harris and James Regan in two tight matches while Joseph Harris has climbed to another level to be near unstoppable. In the middle order one would normally back Gladiators every time with Joe Perone in the mix but the Tigers trio had other ideas as the Kolega’s, Slav and Lesley came out firing winning the opening matches over Lance Barnett and Bill Broughton in fine style, while Joe Perone put away Rodney Scharfe in straight sets. Gladiators levelled the scores at the halfway mark but the best was yet to come from Tigers as Rodney Scharfe wore down Lance Barnett in five sets and Slav Kolega defeated Bill Broughton in four sets and then overcame Joe Perone for his best win of the season. Tigers bottom order all performed well with Jayden Townsend winning all three singles and Daniel Mengis two singles while for Gladiators Cheryl King had a fine win over Peter Lee and Jeff Bowers likewise over Daniel Mengis.
Best for Tigers were Joseph Harris, Slav Kolega and Jayden Townsend. Best for Gladiators were Shane Stockham, Reece Fordham and Joe Perone.
Lions 23(72) defeated Croppos 13(43)
Croppos were no match against Lions who sit in second place. Croppos did well in the opening round with Ben Southam coming into the side to defeat Sally Kunze, while Kody Rosalia started well winning in four sets over Peter Southam. Lions took a firm grasp on all the doubles to lead at the halfway mark but Serena Fong showed no fear as she accounted for Peter Southam in four sets and then backed up for another win over Sally Kunze also in four sets. Ben Southam got the better of his father, Peter to defeat him in four sets. Kody Rosalia then pulled his best out for the night defeating Jason Regan in four sets. Lions middle order steamrolled the Croppos team taking all but two games. Brenton Stagg had an outstanding night winning everything, Jim Casanova won both his singles over Fiona Rosalia and Vic Ellul, while for Croppos Fiona Rosalia claimed an upset win over Martin Sheridan and Cole Ellul fought hard to defeat Jim Casanova. Lions again showed their strength in the bottom order through David Sherry, Jesse Marcal and Ernie Bauer who all won two singles each, while for Croppos Ralph Sandford stood out winning three singles and a double.
Round 2
Panthers 20(67) defeated Gladiators 16(60)
Panthers had a solid win over the more fancied Gladiators. Panthers top order had their team off to a solid start with Wade Gray causing an upset win over Russell Fordham. Panthers also performed better in the close matches, winning all of the matches that went to five sets. Leading by two after the top order, Panthers maintained their advantage through the middle, despite the best efforts of Gladiators’ Joe Perone. Panthers cruised through to the end of the night and wrapped up the points thanks to a much improved effort by Jarrod Elson, whose work on his game is starting to pay dividends.
Best for Panthers were Daniel Challinger and Jarrod Elson. Best for Gladiators were Joe Perone, Shane Stockham and Cheryl King.
Tigers 19(63) defeated Lions 17(57)
Tigers remain the only undefeated side of 2018 with a come from behind win over Lions. Tigers jumped to the early lead through the top order with Joseph and Shane Harris doing the damage for their side. Lions responded quickly through the middle order, winning nine of the twelve matches on offer, much like the previous week, with Martin Sheridan and Brenton Stagg again hard to get past. Tigers were not to be outdone and had a response of their own. They returned the favour to win nine matches in the bottom order to erase the deficit and run over the top of Lions.
Best for Tigers were Joseph Harris and Peter Lee. Best for Lions were Martin Sheridan and Jim Casanova.
Croppos 19(62) defeated Dodgers 17(65)
Croppos recorded their first win of the season against the winless Dodgers, who remain at the foot of the table. Croppos moved to an early lead of four in the top half with Kody Rosalia playing well and Serena Fong impressing in her first night in the top order, claiming a win over the more experienced Angelika Sederstrom. Croppos extended their lead in the middle order thanks to the efforts of Cole Ellul. Dodgers bottom order showed some fight and signs of a comeback, but it was too great a hill to climb as Croppos hung on for the win with Wayde Heidenreich winning a couple of crucial matches.
Best for Croppos were Kody Rosalia and Cole Ellul. Best for Dodgers were Max Williams and Marc Haning.
Round 1
The 2018 Table Tennis Season got under way with thirteen new players joining in the competition. The format is the same as last year with six teams of nine players. Each team has groups of three playing three singles and two doubles each.
The results were varied after the first round with two teams in particular Lions and Gladiators, posting very strong wins.
Lions 28(84) defeated Dodgers 8(37)
The top order had a fairly even contest with Lions taking the upper hand in the first half through Jason Regan and Peter Southam, while Dodgers reversed the trend in the second half with Adam Butterworth defeating Sally Kunze in four sets, Angelika Sederstrom sneaking home in five sets over Kunze and Darren Atkins recorded a win in five sets over Jason Regan. In the middle order Lions were particularly strong winning all twelve matches through Martin Sheridan, Marc Haning and Brenton Stagg. In the bottom order new player for Lions Jim Casanova was outstanding winning all his matches with great support from Jack Meaney and Jesse Marcal.
Best for Lions was a team effort. Best for Dodgers was Darren Atkins.
Gladiators 22(74) defeated Croppos 14(49)
In another one-sided match Gladiators proved too strong for Croppos, but there was a great deal of interest in the new players on their first outing. In the top order Shane Stockham continued his good form from last year. Supported by Russell and Reece Fordham, Gladiators took control of the Rosalia’s who fought valiantly for Croppos. In the middle order, Gladiators three of Joe Perone, Bill Broughton and Lance Barnett were too strong for Croppos. Vic Ellul played well to score a win over Lance Barnett and new talent Serena Fong pushed veteran Joe Perone through four tough sets. In the bottom order Croppos had a win over Gladiators with teenager Lewis Hains showing great talent in his first night out, defeating the more experienced Cheryl King in five sets and Clarissa Barnett went down fighting in a tight three sets against Jeff Bowers. Ralph Sandford also performed well winning three singles.
Best for Gladiators were Shane Stockham and Joe Perone. Best for Croppos were Ralph Sandford and Lewis Hains.
Tigers 19(71) defeated Panthers 17(59)
Panthers top order started strongly in this encounter against Tigers to win four of the first six matches. Panthers’ Nathan Fong won on debut with a five set victory over Geoff Nottle, while Joseph Harris continues to become near unstoppable. Tigers showed glimpses of a fightback through Joseph and Shane Harris, but Panthers did enough to maintain their lead. Panthers extended their lead through the middle order with Jerome Ah-Kit Burgoyne, Fred Ettridge and Ellen Challinger all playing extremely well. With a lead of six and only the bottom order to play, Panthers could have been forgiven for thinking they were safe. Tigers had other plans though and stormed home, including winning the final six matches of the night to win by two to steal the points.
Best for Tigers were Peter Lee, Slav Kolega and Joseph Harris. Best for Panthers were Nathan Fong, Jerome Ah-Kit Burgoyne and Fred Ettridge.
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