Brookers chase five on the trot against Osborne

From Tumbarumba Times by Jeff Hanson

After four rounds of the Hume Football and Netball men’s first grade competition, the Holbrook Brookers remain unbeaten after knocking off Rand-Walbundrie-Walla 15.12-102 to 8.3-51 in Rand on Saturday.

Ewan Mackinley kicked six goals in the big win, while Nick Locke was the best on ground.

In what has been a ‘dream’ start according to Holbrook president, David Morton, the Brookers have won all four of their games on the road, and will finally make their home-debut when taking on competition favourites, Osborne, on Saturday.

“Our four wins have been all away games and we have shown some resilience,” Morton said.

“For the first four games, we have played three out of the four finalists from the previous season – that is the sort of start you dream of.”

Saturday’s blockbuster against an unbeaten Osbourne, who sit atop the Hume League table due to percentages, is shaping as a finals preview, but Morton wasn’t getting too carried away just yet.

“We aren’t getting ahead of ourselves; we are just going about our business,” Morton said.

“Within the club, we are very confident of how we are going to go this year, but as the old cliché goes, we are going to take it one week at a time.”

Osborne Tigers coach, Joel Mackie, was expecting a tough outing against Holbrook, but he was not looking too much at his opposition at this early stage of the season.

“It should be a pretty good game, but to be honest, I am treating it like any of our first four games,” Mackie said.

“We knew we would have a tough run, and Holbrook did too, and now we both meet each other with four wins.”

Mackie, who is only new to the Hume League, said he didn’t have too much knowledge of the Holbrook line-up, and would heed the advice of his Tigers’ coaching staff ahead of the much-anticipated contest.

“With me not knowing a lot of the competition, I will take it as it come, but it does mean that I am relying on my assistant coaches to brief me on Holbrook and how they have played in the past,” Mackie said.

A win against Holbrook would send a message to competitors that Osborne are the team to beat in 2021, and while a victory on Saturday is the goal, Mackie envision that a tougher second half of the season would set the stage for an epic Hume League finals series.

“The competition will get stronger in the second half of the season,” Mackie said.

“When you are starting the season like we have, everyone is chasing us and Holbrook, so beating them is important but to be honest, we haven’t hit our straps yet, and we are far from our best and players are still getting used to my style of coaching and there is plenty of improvement left in us.”

In a massive round five of the Hume League, the only other unbeaten team in CDHBU take on Culcairn, while Henty play Lockhart, Howlong are up against Brock/Burrum, Billabong Crows host Rand-Walbundrie-Walla and Murray Magpies and Jindera are both searching for their first win when they meet at Urana Road.

Holbrook take top spot in reggies

The Holbrook Brookers reserve grade team made easy work of the Rand-Walbundrie-Walla Giants in Rand on Saturday, winning 14.7-91 to 3.3-21 in warmer than expected conditions.

Andrew Wettenhall led the way with three goals and was deemed best on ground, while Lewis Bowen, Connor Smith, Charlies White and Brad Finlayson all kicked a brace.

The win has the Brookers unbeaten after four games and on top of the reserve grade table ahead of Saturday’s game against a third-placed Osborne.

The under 17s are also unbeaten and sit second on the ladder after thrashing the Giants 11.4-70 to 1.2-8.

Jayden Hucker and Jett Liddell kicked a handful each in the big win, with the latter of the two named best on ground.

The under 14s bounced back from their first loss of the season against Howlong last week, knocking off the Giants 9.14-68 to nil.

Izak Schirmer kicked three and the young Brookers sit third on the Hume League standings.

Hume league round 5 results

Seniors:  Brookers 15.12-102 def RWW Giants 8.30-51

Reserves: Brookers 14.7-91 def RWW Giants 3.3-21

Under 17s: Brookers 11.4-70 def RWW Giants 1.2-8

Under 14s: Brookers 9.14-68 def RWW Giants 0.0-0

Holbrook netballers fall to Giants

It was a tough day on the courts for the Holbrook netballers, with all four senior grades defeated by the Rand-Walbundrie-Walla Giants in round five of the Hume League competition on Saturday.

The Brookers did have some luck in the juniors, with the under 17s, 13s and 11s flying the club’s flag – all three teams recording good wins.

It gets tougher for the winless Holbrook A-Grade side this weekend, when hosting the unbeaten Osbourne Tigers.

Hume League round 5 results

A-Grade: RWW def Holbrook 59-25

B-Grade: RWW def Holbrook 48-38

C-Grade: RWW def Holbrook 52-29

C-Reserve: RWW def Holbrook 39-13

17s: Holbrook def RWW 44-26

15s: RWW def Holbrook 32-31

13s: Holbrook def RWW 21-18

11s: Holbrook def RWW 26-4