Cockroach view
It was with high hopes we NSW archers headed to Casino on the annual pilgrimage for a feed of cane toad on a platter. The cooler conditions were ideal for shooting (although the minus temps we could have done without!) & while some of our better archers weren’t hungry enough to go the distance, there were some good-natured taunts & an army of cockroaches ready to back them up.
Rumours were rife about the ranges with the infamous deer range back on the menu. There was a mix of tight & open shots & if you had a preference for any type of terrain or distance, NRFA catered for it. There were plenty of mutterings about the distances on some of the B range targets but at the end of the day they were legal & we all had to swallow the fact that we were outfoxed by the range setters.
An ill wind must have blown down from the border & knocked our NSW rep flat on his backside. His hide was a lot tougher than his hand & he had to retire hurt with an ice pack after the ground he was standing on collapsed under his feet.
Club Teams:
CESSNOCK 2 1302
CAB. BEER HUNTERS 1294
LAKE GLENBAWN 1 1207
HASTINGS HAWKS 2 1178
LAKE GLENBAWN 2 1119
HASTINGS HAWKS 3 1007
HASTINGS HAWKS 1 863
Sponsored Teams:
OCEANIC QLD 909
OCEANIC BOHNING 899
OCEANIC ELITE 880
100s:
Andrew Sherman x 1
Ethan Myers x 1
It was all pretty tight going into the shootoff with some rather fierce (& entertaining) matches amongst both aided & unaided. We were almost “treated” to a certain barebower’s bare…..um….butt & we all (barebower included) breathed a huge sigh of relief that it didn’t eventuate.
Unfortunately, our appetite for victory didn’t quite match up to the Queensland one. The glass platter trophies seemed somehow fitting as our heads were served up to us on a platter – not quite the ending we had in mind, I can assure you!
We may have been defeated by a lousy 2 points (something this archer emulated, much to her own chagrin) but we were all winners, going away with plenty of stories to tell of yet another great State of Origin shoot.
Canetoad view
Not having won for some time, the Queenslanders descended on Casino with all the enthusiasm of the Maroon league team with one win under their belt and the smell of a record 5th season win next Wednesday night.
Chris and Rob revived the safari park theme this year by doubling the pain in having a deer and a predator range across the river. Whilst the open ranges were a change from the tight dark D & E ranges, the dead ground, dark tunnels, quartered and leaning targets challenged everyone.
Not to be outdone, Dawso took a tumble down the bank trying to retrieve an arrow that missed the boar along the river and failed to finish on the Sunday. Not a good way to start his 3 month annual winter trip to north Queensland and the Northern Territory.
The canetoad teams went into the shoot off with a 2 point lead and matched the team cockroach shooters shot for shot to finish 2 points in the lead.
Queensland wins!! You beauty. Bring on Wednesday night when that other State of Origin Team will do it again.