’BEST IN YEARS’
BRETT WILKIE’S EPIC LEAGUE PRAISE
PREMIER League has been run and won with another quality final series at Club Helensvale.
I believe this season has been the strongest ever with many international players adding flavour to the competition. The introduction of world-class players like Aron Sherriff, Shannon McIlroy, Jeremy Henry, Aaron Teys, Corey Wedlock, Leif Selby and Wayne Turley, together with teams recruiting well from local non-Premier League clubs, created much interest.
The spin-off was the wealth of depth in the league,
which really showed in the quality of the reserve grade.
Many players who previously played in the Premier Grade were lowered to the reserve grade, which was won by Broadbeach this year.
Helensvale claimed a record eighth title in the Premier Grade.
A total of 30 senior and 12 under-25 current or former international players were involved in this year’s competition from countries including New Zealand, Scotland, Canada, Ireland, Hong Kong, India and Australia.
Interesting news has surfaced over the weekend that at least nine Premier League players are exiting South Tweed, with six heading to neighbours Tweed Heads and three to Beenleigh.
More may go as well, which will deplete the usually competitive club.
South Tweed, which has been a regular in the PLQ finals, finished seventh this year, while Tweed Heads claimed two wins for the season to finish 11th.
■ Premier Sevens semi and grand finals are on this weekend at Mermaid Beach Bowls Club featuring seven divisions of varying abilities.
More than 3000 players in 290 teams from 100 clubs started in this competition spanning from South Tweed north to Tewantin, east to Russell Island and west to Chinchilla.
This competition continues to grow each year featuring singles, pairs and fours disciplines, which are open to men and women players.
■ The Gold Coast leg of the State District Mixed Pairs Championship is down to the final with defending champions Dee-Anne Robertson and Sean Ingham taking on Gail Crompton and Phil Brandon. This will be held on Friday at Musgrave Hill at 8:45am.
■ Bowls Queensland will hold its AGM tomorrow with Carmel Gibb from Helensvale and Colleen Ryan from Paradise Point renominating for the Board unopposed. vicepresident Kerry Green and director of finance Greg Flynn are also unopposed.