The Grenfell Dinosaurs NRL Masters team (over 35’s) fly up to the Gold Coast next Wednesday, March 4, 2015 to play in the largest NRL Masters carnival in Australia held at Runaway Bay. The Dinosaurs team to that will travel to the Gold Coast is; Neil Eppelstun, Andrew Clarke, Mark “Trosty” Troth, Craig “Hector” Eppelstun, Trev Mawhinney, Rodney “Stumpy” Harding, Steve “Bear” Berry, Garry Fahey, Chris “ChrisO” O’Loughlin, John “Soupy” Nieuwkamp, Stu “Stuey” Graham, Mick Dumbrell, Richard Eppelstun, Scott Graham, Michael Eppelstun, Phil “Harvo” Harveyson, Will “Purd” Purdie, Tim Stevenson, Mark “Loads” Loader, Mark “Horney” Horne, Wayne “Jappy” Hewen, Ben Armstrong, Greg Nicholls along with team managers Grant “Booffy” Harding, Graham Eppelstun & Peter Fahey.
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The boys will play 5 games over the 3 day carnival. First game Thursday at 1.45pm V Sawtell Rusty Panthers, second game 3.15pm V Warilla Gorilla Old Boys. Home to the pool & replenish some fluids that have been lost during the day. Friday the boys will back up at 10.45am V Gayndah Gladiators. With 2 days out of the way & the final game in sight I’m tipping the boys will venture out Friday night to see what the Gold Coast is all about. Saturday 2.30pm is the final game of the carnival for the Dinosaurs V ACT Valley Dragons, who happen to be staying at the same unit complex with the boys (who knows what will happen Friday night with the makeshift local derby).
Good Luck to boys next week.
I’ll leave you with a recap of last years carnival care of Grant “Booffy” Harding.
The Grenfell Dinosaurs travelled to the Gold Coast for the NRL Masters Rugby League games held at Runaway Bay. The weather was ferociously hot and unbearingly humid.
Our first game was against the Sunshine Coast. Most of the players were coal miners who has scant regard for the rules and belted us at every opportunity, even the protected species - red shorts who should be held and yellow shorts who are touch only were not safe.
The game started badly with Stumpy Harding tearing his Anterior Crutiate Ligament in the second play of the day. Despite the 4-0 scoreline we took positives from the game, like we were still upright and breathing. We were comprehensively beaten, but not boned and looked forward to our next contest against the Warilla Gorillas.
Despite the physical pounding from the previous game, not to mention the searing heat, we were ready for battle. Our boys stuck to the game plan and after a slick backline movement, which went as smoothly as a bowel motion, Andrew Clark scored in the corner. This lifted the players who attacked the opposition tryline relentlessly. A set play from twenty five metres out saw a rampaging David Walsh storm onto a short pass from the gifted Trev Mawhinney. Walshy, who hasn’t played for a decade or two, and who is in peak physical condition, showed little regard for self preservation. He was a wrecking ball on legs, scattering opposition players to all points of the field. Still, with fifteen metres to go Walshy dug deep and carried half of the team over the tryline for a try reminiscent of Steve Jackson’s try in the Raiders epic win over the Tigers in the 1988 Grand Final.......only Walshy’s was better! Again disaster struck, and out Hero (Walshy) limped off with a torn hammy. This was caused by his blinding change of speed, from slow to very slow.
Half time came and so did a welcome reprieve from the heat. A quick reshuffle of personnel and the battle resumed. Soupy (John Nieuwkamp) tore a calf muscle and was stretchered off - sook! To Warilla’s credit they held us in the second half but with full time looming a little show and go, which fooled our defector Tim Stevenson, Richard Eppelstun dummied his way over for a great individual try. This gave us a 3-0 victory. This was our last game of the day and we all were looking forward to a bex and a good lie down!
Day two and we were up against a slick outfit from Sydney, St Christophers of Panania. This was a cracking game and despite a slow start, which we put down to the bex and too much sleep, we soon hit our straps after the Pananians of St Chris had scored two quick tries. One was against the run of play. We attacked their line relentlessly but could not crack it. We think they had some sort of divine intervention or something. The boys came out firing in the second half and after prolonged pressure Gary Fahey scored to get us within a try. This bloke was having an excellent game! Another try against the run of play had the Catholic boys 3-1 up. That would be the final score thanks to Mick Dumbrell’s try saving tackle on their winger who looked certain to score, it was a pearler! The man of the match went to Scotty Graham who is small in stature but big in heart. Both Scotty and Gary played their hearts out, both were busy as Beiruit bricklayers and by the end of the game, both were Beiruited!
We had a coupla hours rest before our next game against Yass. Some had a sleep, Bex has a lingering afterlife! 1300 Hrs Game Faces on, cause these Yass boys are mosters. It’s apparent from the outset we can run these big boys off their feet. Michael Eppelstun scored off a slick backline movement. The cracks were appearing in the Yass defence and Andrew Clark scored his second of the tournament despite carrying a rib cartilage injury into the game.
The second half didn’t reach any great heights as the Ref swapped jumpers with one of the Yass boys. This was not good as many tries were disallowed or called back. Undeterred we continued to throw the ball around and Chris O’Loughlin scored a well deserved try for a 3-0 win. Mark Troth and Trev Mawhinney both notched up their 20th game for the Dinosaurs with Trothy getting Man of the Match. This honour was bestowed upon him for his insight and giving of direction from both the wing and the sideline! There will be no bex and lie downs tonight, instead a team dinner at Cav’s Steak House, home by 1930 hrs to watch the footy and have a cuppa tea!
The final day of competition saw us play Middlemount Panthers Old Boys. Dunno where that is, somewhere around middle earth I think, cause a cuppla these boys looked like orks! Still fiercly hot and with an average age of forty seven our old bones were creaking, but we scratched up a team. The first half was a dour struggle with both teams gong to oranges nil all, Usually a quiet, unassuming man, Neil Eppelstun erupted with a verbal attack on a lack of discipline, commitment and not following the game plan. He went off like a frog in a sock! Must have worked because the boys came out all guns blazing. Within minutes a meretricious bacline move saw Captain Cranky (Neil) throw the final pass to Michael Eppelstun to score. Then - the inconceivable happened, Craig Eppelstun defected to middle earth, he became “Hector the Defector” a marked man. Within ten minutes four more tries were scored. Gary Fahey threw a cut out pass thirty metres to Clarkey to stroll over for his third try of the Masters. I would rate that pass as good as you’d ever see. Not to be outdone Trev went the opposite way, he threw a short ball two feet for Richard Eppelstun to score. Must be something in the Eppelstun D.N.A cause they can all play footy. Two more tries to end the game, one to the try whore, Clarkey (No 4) and the final beauty to Mick Dumbrell, a seventy five metre sprint down the flank to score on the bell.
A great time was had by all, and, with a three win two loss, we went pretty well for a bunch of bushies! Players of the series - Gary Fahey - Outstanding. Richard Eppelstun - not far behind.