Honours shared at annual rugby league carnival in Rockhampton

The annual rugby league carnival attracted 31 junior and senior teams this year. See who took the honours in each of the hotly contested divisions.

Javarn White celebrates as he prepares to go in for a try for Tunuba Dakani in the men's grand final at the Warba Wangarunya Rugby League Carnival.

It was a case of third time lucky for the Tunuba Dakani men at the Warba Wangarunya Rugby League Carnival in Rockhampton.

Beaten in their two previous grand final appearances, they would not be denied this time around, scoring a convincing 32-10 win in the big dance played at Saleyards Park on Sunday afternoon.

Up 16-6 at half-time, they scored three second-half tries in quick time to beat the Emu Park-based Masada Iosefa and Gary Field Memorial Team in a highly skilful and fast-flowing showdown.

It was a better result for the women’s Masada Iosefa and Gary Field Memorial Team, which hoisted the trophy after a 20-10 win over reigning champions Byellee Possums.

Tunuba Dakani beat the Masada Iosefa and Gary Field Memorial Team at the Warba Wangarunya Rugby League Carnival in Rockhampton.

Their talented number nine Patrice Chambers was named women’s Player of the Carnival, while the men’s award went to Tunuba’s Radean Robinson.

The annual carnival ran for four days this year, attracting 31 teams (14 men, five women and 12 juniors).

Players faced not only staunch opposition on-field but also had to battle stiflingly hot conditions.

The event kicked off with the junior divisions on Thursday and Friday.

See photos from the junior games here

Black Boys took out the under-17 boys, Central Coast Cockatoos the under-15 boys and Murri United the under-16 girls.

Black Boys won the under-17 boys division.

Tunuba team member Jayden Vea Vea said the players’ connection was the key to their victory.

“It’s special. We’re all very close,” he said of the Rockhampton outfit, which first formed to play the Queensland Murri Carnival in 2017.

“We’re just a group of boys that have all grown up in Rockhampton and we love playing football.

“We’ve all known each other since we were knee high to a grasshopper so for us to come together and come away with the win, it’s unreal.”

Vea Vea said the team boasted a good combination of youth and experience but said the young recruits certainly stood tall.

“Amaroo Smith up front was so solid, fullback Connor Rothery was really good under the high ball and got a lot of our attack going, and Jondean Asse really tightened up the middle for us playing lock and he’s got that ball-playing ability too.”

The Masada Iosefa and Gary Field Memorial Team won the women's division at the Warba Wangarunya Rugby League Carnival in Rockhampton.

The champion women’s team, captained by Sarah Field, went unbeaten through the carnival.

They had to work hard against the gallant Possums but tries to Gemma Schnaubelt, Lilly Field, Chambers and Lyresh Mara sealed a memorable victory.

It was an emotional one too, particularly for the skipper.

“It does mean a lot,” Field said post-match.

“A lot of the girls are associated with at least one of the men on the jersey. We wear it with pride. It pushes us forward the extra mile when we feel like we can’t go any further.”