Sport
16 June, 2026
Welsh warlock welcomed back warmly
At the Pub in the Scrub it appeared as if it was going to be, ho hum, just another night at the office for the Loganites and a possible threepeat of dazzling derrieres for the cellar-dwellers.
By BOB WOOLEY
ROUND Seven of the 2026 season of the Inter-Hotels Pool Competition was played last Wednesday and was full of much rejoicing, free-flowing biere and vin.
Particularly in the Parisian quarter of our village at le Farmers Arms’ hotel, as their number One team welcomed back their Welsh warlock captain Leigh Watkins while their number Two team stole the limelight by affecting the great sensation when they visited the Logan station and broke through for their maiden victory of the season.
At the Pub in the Scrub it appeared as if it was going to be, ho hum, just another night at the office for the Loganites and a possible threepeat of dazzling derrieres for the cellar-dwellers.
Ben Pell and Shaun McNaulty opened the scoring against Alayne Cunningham and Jack Swanton respectively, however, the Farmers’ courageous captain Luke Pole had decided that enough is enough and registered their first victory in a frame since May 6.
Stephen Rodger fouled on the black ball then, thus inspired, Bianca Carroll was to taste success against Jacob Vanrenen to have the match at level pegging at the end of the first round.
Ben was to restore the Logan lead at the top of the second round when he eliminated Alayne but the match was to go frame for frame as Jack and Stephen each levelled their contests with Shaun and Luke.
While Bianca excelled to retire Jacob, thereby squaring the match once again. The critical two frames required in the third round were to belong to the now-flying Farmers however as Jack and Bianca eliminated Stephen and Jacob.
They were now leading by six games to four and the closeness of the contest can be appreciated by the fact that, of the ten games played, eight had been decided on the black ball.
The languishing Loganites regrouped to keep the match alive by winning the opening doubles.
But when Luke and Bianca teamed up to beat Ben and Jacob in the final doubles for a 7 –5 win the cries of “Viva Le Farmers’ Deux” was to shatter the peace of the Avoca Forest as they paraded triumphantly back to town.
The Farmers’ Arms One team welcomed back their redoubtable captain in true Celtic fashion as they breezed through the visiting Sporting Club side as Leigh, Ned Gorrie, Hayden Perry and Geoff Watts each won their opening frames against Tim Wright, Dayle Pitt, Jesse Cook and Mitchell Glidden.
At the top of the second round, Leigh retired Tim to the bar to ponder his approaching tying of the of the nuptial knot.
It was left to Dayle and Jesse to finally get the collapsing Clubbers on the board by squaring their matches against Ned and Hayden but it was to be a temporary hiatus as Geoff re-joined the winner’s list against Mitchell.
Ned and Hayden completed the singles rout in the third round.
A share of the doubles saw the Farmer’s Arms One record the biggest win of the night, victorious by nine games nine to three.
With the two teams at full strength, the battle between the two top sides, the all-conquering Country Club Two and the RSL, was expected to be one of the matches of the season. And this was to be the case.
However, once again, the Diggers were to be lethargic out of their barracks and this was to prove costly when lights-out was finally sounded.
It wasn’t until the final frame of the first round that they finally hit a target when Dave Russ was virtually handed the frame as a gift by Grant Doyle.
Earlier, Diggers’ captain Mitch Phillips and the Postlethwaite siblings, Sam and Kyle, had been dressed down by Harley Durward, Will Jackson and Jake Male.
But after Harley sent Mitch to the stockade at the top of the second round, the desperate Diggers staged a counter-attack as Sam and Kyle levelled their matches against Will and Jake.
While for the second time Grant was to hand the frame to Dave on a platter for a self-induced retirement.
The third round was to belong to the Country Clubbers as Will retired Sam and Jake seven-balled Kyle, they then went on to win the first of the doubles to put the issue beyond doubt and consolidate their claim as favourites for a Premiership threepeat with their eventual seven games to five victory.
Ladder
Country Club Two 257.9
RSL 238.1
Country Club One 129.0
Farmers’ Arms One 121.9
Logan 78.4
Sporting Club 1 44.8
Farmers’ Arms Two 32.7
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