Three Falcons make the grade

NAMBOUR teenager Mitch Ward is the bolter for Central Division heading into next month's QRL divisional championships.

NAMBOUR teenager Mitch Ward is the bolter for Central Division heading into next month's QRL divisional championships.

Ward, the son of Sunshine Coast Gympie Rugby League chief executive James Ward, was selected for the carnival alongside fellow Sunshine Coast Falcons Joel Fitzgerald and Jeremy Halls.

Fitzgerald and Halls both play for Kawana and will help form a strong forward pack with Ward, going by their standout performances at last weekend's 47th Battalion Trophy in Bundaberg.

Falcons coach Des Allen – Ward's coach at club level – said the selections were no-brainers.

“He (Ward) picked himself in the team after the first few games,” Allen said.

“It was a real learning experience for him. He didn't look out of his depth as far as I was concerned. He got better each time he played.

“The word I got was that Joel was picked on Saturday, he played that well. When they saw him play he was selected straight away. He really stood out.

“Jeremy goes pretty good too. He hurt his knee against Rocky and I'm not sure how he is, but they're pretty capable and Kawana will be pretty strong this year.”

The Falcons won their three pool matches before losing to Rockhampton in the semi-finals.

Bundaberg went on to beat Rockhampton in the grand final and was rewarded with the selection of six players in the side.

Five Sunshine Coast players were selected in the central division women's team for this weekend's Queensland women's championships at Stockland Park. Annette Brander, Courtney Lockwood, Sarah Robins, Krysti Walk and Kate Hardenbol gained selection after solid performances at the women's carnival in Bundaberg.

CENTRAL DIVISION MEN

Burnett – 1. Dennis Sandow. Bundaberg – 3. Mat Templeman, 4. Shaun Collins, 6. Nathan Sullivan, 11. Matt Curtis, 12. Tyrone Hopgood, 14. Josh Tanner, 15. Clinton Horne. Gladstone – 5. Karl Johnson, 16. Ryan Wilson, 18. Gerard Tema. Rockhampton – 2. Sam Granville, 7. Gavin Duffy, 9. Tom Simpson, 19. Liam Anlezark. Sunshine Coast – 10. Joel Fitzgerald, 13. Mitch Ward, 17. Jeremy Hall. Toowoomba – Eugene Seddon. Coach - Darryl Horstman

CENTRAL DIVISION WOMEN

1. Annette Brander, 2. Klarissa Onoprienko, 3. Nicole Curtis, 4. Courtney Lockwood, 5. Tori-Leigh Nagas, 6. Tegan Sullivan, 7. Natalie Gala, 8. Malia Kaufusi, 9. Naomi Bobongie, 10. Kaitlin Moss, 11. Rhiannon Parsons, 12. Amber Saltner, 13. Natasha Baggow, 14. Casey Wason, 15. Sarah Robins, 16. Cassandra Margerison, 17. Karina Little, 18. Bronwyn Johnson, 19. Krysti Walk, 20. Kate Hardenbol. Coach: Terry Borland

Originally published as Three Falcons make the grade