CDRL: Leprechauns’ Aaron Jolley earns praise in new role

Innisfail coach Leon Hallie is looking forward to seeing where Aaron Jolley can take his game after making the switch to the five-eighth position this season.

Innisfail coach Leon Hallie is looking forward to seeing where Aaron Jolley can take his game after making the switch to the five-eighth position this season.

Jolley spent most of the 2019 Cairns District Rugby League season at fullback, after starting the year at hooker, but has donned the No.6 in both games so far this season.

Hallie (right) said it was a trend that was likely to continue, based on recent form.

“He does a bit of everything really,” Hallie said.

Innisfail Leprechauns’ Aaron Jolley. PIC: CHRIS HOLMES

“He’s a good organiser, which, due respect to anyone else who was there last year, is something we’ve lacked in the last few years, with the youth we’ve had in the halves.”

He said Jolley’s combination with Northern Pride-allocated player and halfback Matt Egan was improving.

“It’s starting to get there,” he said.

“Matt Egan’s starting to know how the boys play and what works for them. Not that we expect to have him for too long, but who knows.”

Egan came off the bench in the Leprechauns’ season opener against Edmonton, but started at halfback in last week’s win against Kangaroos.

Innisfail will play their first home game of the season this Saturday against Southern Suburbs at Callendar Park.

“We played them twice in the pre-season,” Hallie said.

“They’re always a hard side, they always make your work for your points and hang in there and grind away.”

Hallie said keeping it simple would be the focus as they chased their second win of the season.

“We’re just trying to get some consistency and keep the errors down, like everyone I suppose,” he said.

“I think it’s taking a bit longer, or finding it a bit harder with the break, the year off, but just trying to get that consistency in our game.”

Kick-off is at 6pm.

CDRL tribunal to be busy after fiery clash

The Cairns District Rugby League judiciary will be kept busy with several players expected to be in trouble for numerous brawls in Sunday afternoon’s Round 2 clash between Edmonton Storm and Yarrabah Seahawks.

Three Yarrabah players and a trainer were sent off and several players from both teams were sin-binned in the heated Petersen park clash, which Edmonton won 36-30.

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Tempers boiled over on several occasions in the Cairns and District Rugby League (CDRL) match between, the Edmonton Storm and the Yarrabah Seahawks, held at Peterson Park, Edmonton. Picture: Brendan Radke

It is a game Yarrabah were dominating but they shot themselves in the foot by having players sent from the field.

After full-time, Edmonton coach Anthony Satrick said it was a terrible game, but he was happy to escape with two competition points.

“They niggled well, we took the bait, and didn’t keep the discipline,” Satrick said.

Yarrabah's Guwelle Costello jumps at Edmonton's Wes Walker. Picture: Brendan Radke

“I was always confident we’d get them in the back end of the game.

“At the end of the day, if we can ugly, it’ll come good.

“I spoke to the players about trusting in the process.”

Yarrabah's Coleridge Pabah and Edmonton's Daniel Lazarus. Picture: Brendan Radke

Satrick said middle forwards Masi Nona and Aaron Daniel were strong for the home side, while Tyreece Crathern steered the side well at five-eighth.

Crathern and Daniel each scored twice in the seven-tries-to-five win.

Mark Rosendale also put in another strong performance at fullback, as he works toward a promotion to the Northern Pride’s Intrust Super Cup side.

Yarrabah officials did not return calls.

Edmonton's Tyreece Crathern stands over Yarrabah's Coleridge Pabah. Picture: Brendan Radke

It was the first time Yarrabah have played a CDRL game since the end of the 2019 season, when their major semi final loss against Atherton ended 44 seconds early because of an ugly brawl, from which three Seahawks were referred directly to the tribunal.

There was no CDRL competition last year due to the coronavirus, and Yarrabah had the bye in Round 1.

It is a disappointing set of circumstances for a team which is one of the most exciting CDRL teams to watch.

Tempers boiled over on several occasions in the Cairns and District Rugby League (CDRL) match between, the Edmonton Storm and the Yarrabah Seahawks, held at Peterson Park, Edmonton. Picture: Brendan Radke

They have the talent to match any team on their day, and as proven by their previous finals runs, have the ability to challenge for the premiership.

“They’re clearly a very good team – they’ll be a handful for plenty of teams this year,” Satrick said.

The tribunal outcome may well leave the Seahawks short a few players for this week’s Round 3 games against the winless Roosters at Atherton.

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CDRL secretary Pat Bailey said the game should have been stopped when Yarrabah was reduced to nine men, in line with the laws of the game, but she said Seahawks played on with only eight players.

But the game was allowed to continue as two of those players were sin-binned, and not barred from returning.

Edmonton have a short turnaround, with a Friday night clash with 2018 and 2019 champions Mossman-Port Douglas Sharks.

Follow @MMcInerney89

Originally published as CDRL: Leprechauns’ Aaron Jolley earns praise in new role