Wayne Cowley was back in Australia on the weekend, from his new home in Bali, to play alongside his father-in-law Kelvin in a division two in a game against fifth-ranked Rich River.
The pair had only played two games together before, in division one three or four years back, but they might not be too keen on repeating the reunion if the result is any indication.
And it was a happy homecoming for the pair as their team won against Rich River by 26 shots – the exact margin that their Bulls won the match by. The rink was very familiar with one another, skipped by one of the chefs at Kelvin and wife Sue’s Old Tongala Pub Jorja Ponton.
They had a great time of it early, leading by 25 shots after 16 ends before losing three of the final five ends. Cowley has time to continue his form as he is back for the remainder of the bowls season.
Two of the three Rich River skips had big days, collecting six-shot hauls on single ends during the afternoon. Tongala skip Phil Cooper led his match from start to finish, but on the very last end dropped six shots and eventually only won by four shots.
Cooper collected six shots of his own on a single rink in a game where big single end numbers were the ‘norm’.
– Tongala division four skipper Rob Hosking produced one of the most amazing finishes to a game in recent times when he collected 10 shots (a four and a six) on the final two ends to turn a five-shot deficit into a five-shot victory against his Rich River opponent in their division four game.
On the neighbouring rinks Frank Walsh led his game from start to finish, but dropped four shots on the final two ends to win by just one shot. Bernie Tinning skipped the remaining rink to a six-shot win with Daryl Reid the only male member of the foursome, alongside Jenny Dicker and Betty Ozols.
The Bulls won the game 60-48 and remain second on the ladder with a 6-2 win/loss record. They have second-bottom Ky Valley View in the final round before Christmas.
– Midweek pennant’s two best division one Goulburn Valley Playing Area teams, Kyabram and Shepparton Park, will meet in the final round before Christmas on December 17.
The round nine clash is a replay of the second round fixture which was won by eight shots by Kyabram, Mal Williams leading the way with a 10-shot rink win.
Kyabram has lost only once this season, to third-ranked Tallygaroopna by 22 shots in round four, when they failed to win a single rink. Since then they have beaten fifth-seeded Shepparton Golf by 31 shots, Seymour (fourth) by six shots, sixth-seeded East Shepparton by 15 shots, and were playing bottom team Euroa at the time of print yesterday.
A second victory against second-ranked Shepparton Park, which has lost twice this year, would extend the Kyabram lead at the top of the ladder with five rounds of home and away competition remaining.
Shepparton Park has two of the top two skips in its ranks, Di Hands and Ross Higgins, with the chance of second-seeded Joe Greco meeting one of those two with his second-seed third (wife Mary) also in his ranks. Shepparton Park’s Kate Bush is the top-ranked third in the competition, ahead of Greco, while the Park club aleso boasts two of the top three seconds (Kyabram’s Chris Preddy is fourth seed) and the best lead, Mia Nowosad.
– Whether or not Stanhope’s promotion to the Campaspe Playing Area’s division one midweek competition has been a pre-Christmas success may hinge on the final round before Christmas.
The team is currently sitting fourth on the ladder with a 3-2 win/loss record, but faces second-ranked Mathoura on December 17 in the final round before the break (competition resumes on January 14).
After the break Stanhope has a comparatively good run home, facing the three bottom teams and the team only two pennant points above it on the ladder (Moama Steamers) in the final five rounds.
The highest ranked bowlers in its ranks this year are Brian Stokes and Jen Crilly (23rd and 25th seeds). Last year, in division two, that pair were ranked sixth and seventh on the player ladder as the team finished third at the end of the home and away competition, but won through to the grand final and beat top team Moama by one-shot in the grand final.
That winning grand final team of 2023-24 has six new faces, with premiership winning skips Geoff Mulcahy and Jono Thorne not involved in the Tuesday competition.
– Kyabram bowlers Paul McInnes and Robert George are among the entries in the GV men’s state singles, starting on December 21.
They will face the likes of Goulburn Valley Playing Area’s top division one bowler, Tallygaroopna’s Geoff Franze, who has a 6-1 record so far this season.
Premiership skip from 2023-24 Mitch Sidebottom is also an entrant, while Shepparton Golf stars Col Power and John Stokes are also in the field, alongside 2023-24 Tatura-Hill Top champion Russell Locke.
East Shepparton division one skip Kelvin Beacon is another entrant.