Sport
5 June, 2026
No Welsh wizard to save Farmers from pool peril
While, with the bye, the exalted ones, the unblemished Country Club Two combatants relaxed in their nuptial couches perched haughtily upon the summit of the ladder.
By BOB WOOLEY
ROUND Six of the 2026 season of the Inter-Hotels Pool Competition was played last Wednesday, and, to correct my musings of last week it was to be the Mean Machine, the Country Club One, who were drawn to face the Farmers’ Arms One side.
While, with the bye, the exalted ones, the unblemished Country Club Two combatants relaxed in their nuptial couches perched haughtily upon the summit of the ladder.
The Farmers’ boys travelled to the Country Club citadel but were once again without their dominant captain Leigh Watkins so there would be no Welsh wizardry to enhance their quest for a return to the winners’ circle.
The Meanies were quick to take advantage of this situation as Paul Mullins opened the scoring against Ned Gorrie then Troy Shields and Dan Harkin were both successful against their respective opponents, George Gorrie and Hayden Perry.
It was pleasing to see Geoff Watts back on the baize for the Farmers’ boys after a series of personal misfortunes.
He was to celebrate by getting his team on the board when he kicked a goal against Des Moulday, whose contemplations were still immersed in the ethereal mists of Pendleburymania.
At the top of the second round Ned got his team back to within one game when he squared his encounter with Paul. However George was to become the first retiree for the evening when he was despatched by Troy.
But Hayden was to square his encounter with Dan and Des, his black-and-white radar finally re-tuned to the baize, squared his contest with Geoff.
At the top of the third round, the Farmers’ boys were still alive in the match but, with no wizardry to enhance their quest, they succumbed in all three frames.
And with the doubles shared, the Mean Machine had secured the points by nine games to four.
The boys from the Pub in the Scrub made the road trip to the bastion on the hill to take on the Sporting Club team.
The home side began well with Dayle Pitt and rookie Mitch Glidden winning tight opening frames against Shaun McNaulty and Stephen Rodger respectively.
However Ben Pell and Peter Anderson restored the match to equilibrium against the Cook siblings, Josh and Jesse.
Round two was to belong to the Avoca Foresters as Shaun and Stephen squared their encounters with Dayle and Mitch while Ben and pizza Pete diced, sliced and oven-baked the Cook brethren.
The struggling Sporties were now on the wood, trailing by two games to six but a fighting resolve by Dayle and Mitch in the third round saw them keep the match alive when they overcame Shaun and Stephen respectively.
But they had cashed in all of their chips, thus allowing the visitors to pull jackpots in both of the doubles and take the points by eight games to four.
For the second consecutive week, the ill-fated Farmers’ Arms Two combination were to be confronted with the daunting task of competing against one of the top two teams, this time at home against the RSL.
The Diggers were to begin their assault with the ferocity of a modern military strike passage and, with the pub trembling on its foundations.
They were to accede only one ball in the opening two frames as Mitch Phillips and Sam Postlethwaite blasted Jack Hodges and Jack Swanton respectively off the table.
After the cue chalk dust had settled the contest calmed down to a period of relative sanity.
But it was all one-way traffic as Mitch and Sam eventually eliminated the two Jacks while Dave Russ and Kyle Postlethwaite took care of the delightful darlings Bianca Carrol and Alayne Cunningham.
The Diggers then went on to win both doubles to enforce upon the floundering Farmers’ Two team the second successive ignominy of a ten games to nil whitewash. Not only that, it was the second double-mooning to appear in the St.Arnaud evening firmament, on this occasion the unfortunate victim being Jack Swanton.
Ladder
Country Club Two 300.0
RSL 238.1
Country Club One 129.0
Farmers’ Arms One 103.4
Logan 80.8
Sporting Club 46.9
Farmers’ Arms Two 20.5
Read More: St Arnaud