Round 1
Tasmania v Western Australia
The first set WA team of Howard Jones, Blake Hatchett and Gary Stevens broke the throw of Tasmania’s Kasey Anderson, Colby Dodge and Hayden Scott at the first attempt with Hatchett closing out the leg with double 20. He then closed out with a 62 to help his team take the first set which had seen both legs start at 801. The second set had continuing service for Western Australia as Lindsay Haji Ali, Wayne Egan and Dylan Dunstar dismissed the challenge of Chris Riley, Matt Woodberry and Braydon Abell by two legs to nil. Returning to a 501 target with two players on each side for the leg Hatchett opened the next set with visits of 100 and 140 (his teammate Stevens got a ton in between) Hatchett helped his side set up a check out of 40 which he duly took out on his next time at the oche. He then opened with two visits of 100 (Stevens scoring 140 in between.) Anderson threw a maximum to move to 191 but it was not enough as the WA side took out the leg with their 18th dart. Wayne Egan and Dylan Dunster then threw 78, 135, 140 and 140 to leave Egan needing just double four with the 13th dart of the leg. Despite a 121 from Woodberry WA was still well ahead and Egan converted with that 13th dart. Woodberry then left tops chasing 63 to hold throw for his team and Dunster punished his opponents by checking out with his 24th dart to win the set 2-0. Four sets up and Howard Jones was joined by Lindsay Haji Ali for the fifth set. The first leg was a tight affair against Chris Riley and Brendan Abell but the WA side ended up taking it out without their opponents having a dart at the leg. On throw they had more success. After Haji Ali left 20 chasing a 78 check out Riley stepped up to the oche and threw the 40 required with his last dart in hand to move the set into a deciding leg. Jones opened with a 140 and backed it up with a 125 visit (Haji Ali scoring 100 in between) to set the leg up nicely and with his side’s 20th dart he put away the leg, and the set. Egan then defeated Scott in straight sets, the Tasmanian missing out on difficult opportunities in the final two legs of the set as Egan rounded it out with a 108 checkout. Hatchett then also scored a straight set win, this time over Anderson, that included two 17 dart legs. In the eighth set Howard Jones held throw only for his opponent, Colby Dodge, to do the same after Jones had missed the bull for the set. Mid leg visits of 125 and 100 set up a hold of throw for Jones and he did so with his 18th dart to win the leg. Dodge then held throw again (including a 100 opening and 123 two visits later.) Jones then struggled to round out the deciding leg but was far enough in front to be able to spurn multiple opportunities before converting and winning the eighth set for WA. Gary Stevens then moved past Chris Riley 3-0 which included his last six darts scoring 218 points, including a 118 check out. Leg ten saw Lindsay Haji Ali do the same although John Rowbottom could have gained the second leg had he not been able to overcome the demon that is the mad house on multiple occasions. A 101 check out in the third set was enough to move West Australia 10-0 in front. The final set saw Dylan Dunster miss the bull for a 126 check out on throw but return to take the leg in 20 darts before he broke the Ben Dawkins throw in 18 (including a fourth visit to the oche that garnered him 180 points.) Both players had opportunities in the next leg, Dunster especially, but in the end double one gave Western Australia an 11 set to nil win over Tasmania.
Western Australia 11 Tasmania 0 (2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, 3-0, 3-2, 3-0, 3-0, 3-0)
In other matches in Round One;
NSW v Northern Territory
NSW won the first trios set. Despite dropping the first leg Michael Harrison, Royce Faulkner and Tony Brown were able to win the next two and secure the set. Luke Wilson, David Clegg and Daniel Meyer then won the second trios set in straight sets. The Northern Territory then came from 2-1 behind to win the opening pairs match by three legs to two, Derek Whittaker and Richard Dodd successful. Desean Allen and Troy Papworth then returned the leg lead to two by defeating Ashley Hughes and Dylan Salmon 3-1. With Brendan Taylor McInnes and Mark Webster then winning their doubles match it came down to the singles where Papworth and Brown secured 3-1 wins for NSW whilst Royce Faulkner won in straight sets and Wilson had to win a deciding leg having been 2-0 in front in his match against Salmon, Harrison winning by the same scoreline but being 1-2 down in his singles set against Richard Dodd and leaving Dodd needing just two for the set when Harrison took it. The only singles win for the Northern Territory was Ashley Hughes who was comprehensive in his 3-0 win over Desean Allen.
NSW 8 NT 3 (2-1, 2-0, 2-3, 3-1, 1-2, 3-1, 3-1, 0-3, 3-2, 3-2, 3-0)
ACT v Queensland
Queensland came out strongly winning both trebles matches (Raymond and Ky Smith plus Brendan Masters winning 2-0 whilst Rob Modra, Anthony Shreeve and Stewart Smith won 2-1.) Laurie Loch and Smith then won their doubles in straight legs as did Modra and Raymond Smith (they won their first leg in 12 darts with Modra checking out 121.) Darren Carson and Judd Hoyle won the first set for the ACT also in straight legs. In the singles Raymond Smith and Loch won 3-0 whilst Modra, Shreeve and Hillcoat only dropped one leg for Queensland. Darren Carson continued his winning ways for the capital though, winning without dropping a leg against Masters.
Queensland 9 ACT 2 (2-0, 2-1, 2-0, 2-0, 0-2, 3-0, 3-0, 3-1, 3-2, 3-1, 0-3)
Victoria v South Australia
Victoria’s Michael Cassar, Dean Gibbs and Barry Ledington survived a battle with South Australia’s Aaron Morrison, Danny Porter and Scott Hallett to win the opening set 2-1 of their match. Karl Shaefer, Brayden Sperling and Keving Young then returned serve, winning the second set by the same margin. Morrison and Schaefer then paired up to win their pairs match 2-0 (winning the first leg in 13 darts) as Victoria’s Brandon Weening and Brody Klinge did the same. Cassar and Gibbs then moved the Victorians in front with a 2-1 win as the teams moved into the singles. Barry Ledington fell a leg behind but won his match 3-1 whilst Scott Hallett won his match by the same margin for the South Australians. Cassar won his match by straight legs but Aaron Morrison made things close again, only dropping a leg against Jamie Liddy (his second being completed in 12 darts with visits of 180, 100, 140 and a check out of 81.) Brody Klinge then won a last leg decider with Kevin Young standing behind him needing only double ten. This was one of the matches of the round as Klinge opened in 13 darts, Young held in 17, Klinge did the same before Young completed a 15-dart leg before Klinge missed chance at a 32 checkout and Young missed out on 52 before Klinge cleaned up in a cracking display of darts from both men. Ballinger then won his own last leg decider with Karl Schaefer needing only double four had the Victorian missed his check out. The overall match went the way of Victoria 7-4.
Victoria 7 South Australia 4 (2-1, 1-2, 0-2, 2-0, 2-1, 3-1, 1-3, 3-0, 1-3, 3-2, 3-2)
Round 2
South Australia v NSW
NSW started the first leg of trios 801 strongly against the South Australian men’s team with Michael Harrison, Luke Wilson and Daniel Meyer picking up 98, 95 and 100 respectively. It set them up for a good leg and when Wilson and Meyer produced strong legs near the end of the leg even a maximum visit from Dwayne Wilson was not enough to deny the sky blues with Wilson checking out 79 for the first leg. The two stars of the next leg were Karl Schaefer with visits of 134, 100 and 81 for South Australia and Michael Harrison with visits of 85, 135 and 180 for NSW. Despite having to delve into the madhouse NSW was far enough in front to see Meyer miss out on 16, Harrison miss out on four, with Wilson throwing double one on his next dart from the oche. The next trios match saw NSW lose out in the first leg despite a 132 from Toy Papworth leaving NSW just 78 away. They failed to take it over the next six darts and in the meantime Aaron Morrison had thrown 76 to leave 40 which Danny Porter collected with last dart in hand. Despite Morrison starting with a 139 (and scoring a ton with his last visit) NSW were good enough to take the leg, thanks in main to strong legs from Faulkner (a 125 start and ton two visits later) and a 135 mid leg by Papworth. The deciding leg would be critical to the end result and with Morrison, Porter and Scott Hallett all scoring 140 through the leg, and Faulkner unable to take out 120 at the end for NSW, Porter’s double 16 left the match at one set all after the trios. Aaron Morrison and Karl Schaefer set the standard in the doubles in the opening leg with a 13-dart leg, set up by visits of 125 from both men and a follow up 140 from Morrison. On throw the two were a little less dominant but when Tony Brown left 16 trying to check out 71 Morrison pounced to get the twenty his side required with last dart in hand. There were less firework early in the next match as both Desean Allen (Allen) and Brayden Sperling (SA) busted visits to the oche although Sperling was able to return to make amends shortly after. Against the NSW throw Porter and Sperling were much more effective and completed a 15-dart leg to win the set 2-0. Wilson and Hallett of South Australia then took the break straight out of the gate after Papworth left 18 chasing 103 for the hold of throw. NSW broke straight back though as Hallett left 36 chasing 84 and Papworth threw double 19 to draw level. The last leg was a case of what might have been on the NSW throw after Michael Harrison left ten chasing a 100 check out and Troy Papworth left four on the follow up visit. Whilst Dwayne Wilson could not take advantage of the first chance Scott Hallett did at the second to see his side through to a 2-1 win. Karl Schaefer then put on two outstanding legs of darts as he went to a 2-0 lead after throwing just 32 darts in total. Royce Faulkner then held throw in 17 and with both players off that early pace in leg four Faulkner held on to take out 16 at the second time of asking at the oche to draw level. He then fired off a pair of 140’s across four visits and despite scores of 100, 125 and 139 from Schaefer it was Faulkner who finished the leg first, in 15 darts with Schaefer left standing behind him needing just 13. Troy Papworth took early inspiration and fired off two successive legs against Scott Hallett only to lose the next two. He was not to fall as Schaefer did, however, and an 18-dart leg gave him the match although he had to watch as Hallett just missed the bullseye which would have given him the set with a 122 checkout. Tony Brown then held throw in 18 darts on two occasions and took the break Morrison offered him after spurning so many opportunities at a checkout. The last leg in particular showed the class of the two men with Morrison opening with visits of 140, 100 and 140 and Brown finishing with a visit of 137 and check out of 116. Dwayne Wilson then suffered at the hands of another NSW fight back as he went 2-0 up only for Michael Harrison to secure three successive legs where he did not give his opponent a dart at a check out across those three legs. Luke Wilson and Danny Porter then held throw through their match with Wilson holding the third leg in 17 darts and Porter bettering that effort with a 15 darter in the next leg. The all-important throw for the darts went Porter’s way and when he kept the run of holds going in 17 darts he had taken home a classic set. These were all tight affairs and the deciding rubber went South Australia’s way. Meyer broke the Sperling throw only to lose it straight back. He then broke for the third successive leg, thanks to a 96 checkout but lost his throw straight back after being unable to collect 20 across four visits. With the Sperling break the match went to a deciding leg. Meyer won the throw but that had been a poisoned chalice in this match and so it proved to be once more as 19 darts later Sperling had won the match for South Australia by six legs to five.
South Australia 6 NSW 5 (0-2, 2-1, 2-0, 2-0, 2-1, 2-3, 2-3, 0-3, 2-3, 3-2, 3-2)
In other matches in Round Two:
Victoria v Tasmania
Victoria took a two-leg lead after the trios before Tasmania won their first leg in the doubles. In that match Brandon Weening and Brody Klinge came back to win the set 2-1. Barry Ledington and Liam McDonell then won their set 2-0 before Chris Riley and Brayden Abell took another Tasmanian leg, albeit between two wins for Michael Cassar and Dean Gibbs that gave them the overall set. Weening, Ledingon, Cassar, Jamie Liddy, Klinge and Sam Ballinger all won their singles 3-0 with Kasey Anderson unlucky not to win two legs against Ledingon and Riley, Matt Woodberry and Abell unable to take the chance presented to them to win one of the legs they played in.
Victoria 11 Tasmania 0 (2-0, 2-0, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, 3-0, 3-0, 3-0, 3-0, 3-0)
Queensland v Northern Territory
Queensland were almost as dominant in their clean sweep of the Northern Territory. Anthony Shreeve, Stewart Smith and Ky Smith dropped the first leg of the match but won the next two to win the opening set before Laurie Loch, Brendon Masters and Tyson Hillcoat easily won their 801 legs. Loch and Masters then teamed up to win their doubles match before Raymond Smith and Rob Modra did the same. Ky Smith and Hillcoat rounded out a straight legs win for the double’s pairings, defeating Richard Dodd and Derek Whittaker. The singles affairs were more competitive though as Brendan Taylor-McInnes took Rob Modra to a final leg but missed his chance to take the set when he left four and gave Modra the chance to check out, which he did. Raymond Smith produced an outstanding display of dart with his 3-0 win, starting with a 15-dart leg on throw, gaining a 14 dart second leg, and completing it with a 13-dart final leg. Stewart Smith dropped the third leg in his 3-1 win for set eight whilst Anthony Shreeve had to come back from 2-0 behind to dismiss the challenge of Ashley Hughes. Ky Smith won 3-0 but in the final match Tyson Hillcoat had to come from a leg behind and win a deciding leg to complete Queensland’s clean sweep over the Northern Territory.
Queensland 11 Northern Territory 0 (2-1, 2-0. 2-0. 2-0. 2-0. 3-2, 3-0, 3-1, 3-2. 3-0, 3-2)
ACT v Western Australia
The ACT put on a valiant effort against the strong Western Australia side with Mick Mullaney, Perry Butler and Ciaran Holmes winning the opening trios clash 2-1. Howard Jones, Blake Hatchett and Gary Stevens won their trios match in straight legs before Hatchett and Stevens took their doubles match out comfortably. Darren Carson and Judd Hoyle were able to tie things up again with a 2-1 win before Wayne Egan and Dylan Dunster gave WA the lead once more. Lindsay Haji Ali then won a deciding leg against Carson in the opening singles clash before Blake Hatchett won his 3-0. Matthew Vickers gave the ACT a win in his singles match (three legs to one) before Wayne Egan won 3-1 and Jones and Stevens completed the match with 3-0 wins for Western Australia.
Western Australia 8 Tasmania 3 (1-2, 2-0, 2-0, 1-2, 2-0, 3-2, 3-0, 1-3, 3-1, 3-0, 3-0)
Round 3
ACT v Victoria
Michael Cassar, Dean Gibbs and Barry Ledington led the way for the Victorians in the trios with a 2-0 win over the ACT, including a 23 dart second leg break of throw with Michael Cassar throwing three totals equal or over 140. Brandon Weening, Jamie Liddy and Liam McDonnell were almost as dominant in their 2-0 trios win. Corrie Slusse and Mick Mullaney started well in the doubles when they broke the Weening and Brodie Klinge throw only to hand it straight back. The final leg saw them a long way behind as both Victorians threw 140s and Klinge eventually checked out the leg and the set for his team. Ledington and Sam Ballinger threw 18 dart legs to win their doubles match 2-0 before Darren Caron and Judd Hoyle broke the Victorian stranglehold by coming from a leg behind to win their final two legs in 17 darts (the last leg starting off with a maximum from Carson.) The singles saw Brandon Weening start things off with an 18-dart break of throw, a 15-dart hold of throw, including a 142 checkout and a 17-dart break of throw in his 3-0 victory. Barry Leddington also clean swept his opponent whilst Liam McDonell had to come from a leg behind, then survive some nervy check out moments in the second leg before gaining his feet and winning the last two legs, including completing the match with a Shanghai checkout. The other three singles matches were very close affairs. Michael Cassar could not check out eight in his opening leg against Mick Mullaney and the ACT player took full toll. Cassar then broke back in 18 darts before holding throw in 15, including consecutive 140 visits from the start of the leg. Mullaney was not down though and he held throw in 18 darts to tie the set up once more. Mullaney was just a fraction off once Cassar had the throw for the last leg and it was the Victorian who triumphed. Brody Klinge opened his match with a 15-dart leg hold of throw before breaking in 17 darts. He did not convert in the third leg and Ciaran Holmes pounced before consolidating that steal by holding throw in 18 darts. It was a big effort for Klinge to turn it around but he did so before having major difficulties on the small check out again, but eventually he got the job done, thankful that Holmes had been so far behind him in this leg. The impressive Matthew Vickers game held up to Sam Ballinger in the opening leg before Ballinger warmed back up into the match, securing an 18 dart second leg before scoring 100, 100 and 180 on his way to a 13-dart leg. Vickers then held in 16 darts and threw the match into a deciding leg. It may not have been spectacular but Ballinger did a professional job in the last leg to secure his Victorian team a tenth leg.
Victoria 10 ACT 1 (2-0, 2-0, 2-1, 2-0, 1-2, 3-0, 3-0, 3-1, 3-2, 3-2, 3-2)
In other matches in Round 3:
Northern Territory v Tasmania
The Northern Territory men’s side celebrated their first match win in the team’s event after their return to the Australian championships after they secured a 6-5 win over Tasmania. Adrian McAdam, Brendan Taylor-McInnes and Richard Dodd won their trios match 2-1 after being 1-0 down and watching their opponents miss set darts. The third leg was spectacular as they had five visits of 100 or more and completed 801 in 25 darts. Their teammates Ashley Hughes, Derek Whittaker and Dylan Salmon then did the same trick, coming from a leg behind to win 2-1. Hayden Scott / Kasey Anderson, Chris Riley / Colby Dodge and Matt Woodberry / Brayden Abell clean swept the doubles sets to move Tasmania into the set lead at 3-2. Colley Craig then broke to a comfortable two leg lead in his singles set until Hayden Scott took the third. Craig was able to turn things around again and secure the set 3-1. Dodge survived two comebacks from Taylor-McInnes and a tight decider to win 3-2. Kasey Anderson lost out to the man on fire in his singles sets in Ashley Hughes, whilst, like Hughes, Richard Dodd only dropped one leg in his singles victory. Dylan Salmon did even better by winning 3-0 whilst Woodberry played out three close legs to lead Whittaker 2-1 before comfortably taking out the final leg of the match although it would prove to be too little for Tasmania.
Northern Territory 6 Tasmania 5 (2-1, 2-1, 1-2, 1-2, 0-2, 3-1, 2-3, 3-1, 3-1, 3-0, 1-3)
Western Australia v New South Wales
Western Australia and NSW shared the spoils in the trios matches with Lindsay Haji Ali, Wayne Egan and Dylan Dunster winning 2-1 in their match for WA, whilst Troy Papworth, Royce Faulkner and Tony Brown won 2-0 for NSW in their match. Faulkner and Brown then paired up but had less success as they succumb to Blake Hatchett and Gary Stevens 2-1. Egan and Dunster did keep winning though, as they took out their doubles set 2-1. Howard Jones and Haji Ali were even more successful in taking their match to nil legs. Blake Hatchett went 1-0 and 2-1 down in his match but came through in the final two legs to give WA another set. Troy Papworth then gave NSW a set as he won a deciding leg thriller against Haji Ali. Between them Wayne Egan (0), Howard Jones (1) and Gary Stevens (1) dropped only two legs to win three more sets for Western Australia. Michael Harrison went 1-0 up for NSW only to drop two consecutive legs to Dylan Dunster only to turn around and win two of his own. Remarkably all five of the legs in this set could have gone the other way but Harrison came away with the win, albeit not enough to secure NSW the overall match.
Western Australia 8 New South Wales 3 (2-1, 0-1, 2-1, 2-1, 3-0, 3-2, 2-3, 3-0, 2-3, 3-1, 3-1)
South Australia v Queensland
Queensland got off to a great start with a 26-dart hold of throw and a 24-dart break of throw for the trio of Raymond Smith, Laurie Loch and Tyson Hillcoat in the chase to check out 801. Rob Modra, Anthony Shreeve and Stewart Smith then dropped the opening leg but won the next two to take the second trios match for Queensland. Modra and Smith then dropped the opening leg of their doubles set to Aaron Morrison and Karl Schaefer, the South Australians securing the leg in 19 darts. That would pale to the next leg though as visits of 100 and 177 to Smith and 180 and a check out off 44 to Modra gave them a 12-dart leg. Schaefer left 24 when trying to check out 84 in the deciding leg and Modra and Smith completed the leg after Smith had thrown a 180 to leave Modra to check out 42. Anthony Shreeve and Laurie Loch then won their match 2-0 including a 17-dart hold of throw in the final leg before Brendan Masters and Ky Smith won their doubles set 2-1. They won the first set after a 180 from Masters left Smith to convert 20. In between they had to hold their breath as Kevin Young missed double 18 to check out 101. 17 darts later Young and Scott Hallett were back in the match but with Hallett unable to clear out 46 Masters stepped up and checked out 52 to win the deciding leg. In the singles Raymond Smith pulled out something special again as he defeated Aaron Morrison 3-0 in 14, 12 and 18 darts. Morrison, too, played well in the set but Smith was unplayable at times. The second leg of 140, 131, 100 and a check out of 130 was incredible. Modra and Shreeve both won 3-0, Modra collecting the last leg in 13 darts, missing the double 12 for a 12 darter, having opened with a 15-dart effort and thrown 18 darts in between. Karl Schaefer kept the South Australian interest up by defeating former South Australian Laurie Loch 3-1. Scott Hallett took Queensland’s Tyson Hillcoat to a deciding leg after a 16 dart fourth leg and won it to take a set for South Australia. In the last set Ky Smith broke the throw of Brayden Sperling at the start only to lose his own in 15 darts in the second leg. Sperling then held throw and broke his opponents in the fourth to secure a third set for his South Australian team.
Queensland 8 South Australia 3 (2-0,2-1, 2-1, 2-0, 2-1, 3-0, 3-0, 3-0, 1-3, 2-3, 1-3)
Round 4
Queensland v Western Australia
Despite the big power scoring of the Queensland trio of Ky Smith, Rob Modra and Brendan Masters it was Lindsay Haji Ali, Wayne Egan and Dylan Dunster who took the first leg of the trios first match up. They then back this up by breaking the Queensland throw and winning the first set, a 139 from Egan setting up Dunster to land his dart in the double 20 bed for the win. Blake Hatchett, Howard Jones and Gary Stevens almost won the first leg of their trio’s match but Hatchett busted 32 and Tyson Hillcoat stepped up and secured the check out to move a leg in front. In the next leg a 118 from Hatchett at his final visit was not enough to stop the Queenslanders of winning the leg. Hillcoat checked out once more to give he, Raymond Smith and Laurie Loch a trio’s victory. Raymond Smith and Modra then carried on their winning ways by starting off the doubles sets strongly; however, Blake Hatchett and Gary Stevens were aware of what stood in front of them at the oche and they fought fire with fire as they fired home a 15-dart leg to get in front. Smith and Modra broke straight back and then held their throw to survive the scare and win 2-1. Egan and Dunster then broke the throw of Shreeve and Loch but once again the team broke straight back. Unlike the previous set, however, this time the third leg did not go the Queenslanders way, a ton from Dunster giving his teammate Egan a shot at a 16 check out the following leg, one which Egan took with gusto. Haji Ali and Jones also teamed up and despite issues with checking out they registered a 2-0 set win. Blake Hatchett opened with a 16-dart effort against Rob Modra, and Modra responded in type two legs later. Hatchett was good enough to turn the tide of the game and in the deciding leg he scored three visits of one hundred or more. Raymond Smith did the job against Haji Ali (3-0) whilst Loch did the same to Dunster. Wayne Egan stopped the rot by defeating Anthony Shreeve 3-0. Howard Jones could not keep that momentum although he did win the first leg. Masters powered through the backend of the set to take it from Jones. Tyson Hillcoat won two successive 17 dart legs before cleaning up the third in 19 darts to take the final set 3-0 for Queensland. It was quite a turnaround for Queensland who were 2-4 down at the halfway point.
Queensland 6 Western Australia 5 (0-2, 2-0, 2-1, 1-2, 0-2, 1-3, 3-0, 3-0, 0-3, 3-1, 3-0)
In other matches in Round 4:
Northern Territory v South Australia
The two sides split the trios with both winning their sets 2-0. Aaron Morrison/Karl Schaefer and Danny Porter/Brayden Sperling won their doubles matches (2-0 and 2-1 respectively) whilst for the Northern Territory Adrian McAdam and Brendan McInnes came away with a 2-0 win. Morrison, Mark Carter and Scott Hallett all won their singles matches without dropping a leg for South Australia. Karl Schaefer left four on his second leg and Richard Dodd pounced to draw level at 1-1 in the seventh set but Schaefer won the next leg comfortably and took the set 3-1 after a very close final leg with Dodd. Dylan Salmon won his match for the Territorians 3-2 whilst Ashley Hughes pulled off a surprise by coming back from a leg behind to defeat Danny Porter 3-1.
South Australia 7 Northern Territory 4 (2-0, 0-2, 2-0, 0-2, 2-1, 3-0, 3-1, 3-0, 1-3, 2-3, 3-0)
New South Wales v Victoria
NSW opened up with a trios win against Victoria but they would only win one more leg in the match. Michael Harrison, Daniel Meyer and Desean Allen were victorious 2-1. In the other trios set Brandon Weening, Brody Klinge and Jamie Liddy came from a leg behind to draw the match level after two sets for Victoria. Weening and Klinge stayed on their winning ways by defeating Royce Faulkner and Tony Brown 2-1. Troy Papworth and Harrison then won their doubles match for NSW by the same scoreline. Michael Cassar and Dean Gibbs closed out the doubles with a 2-0 win. Barry Ledington, Brandon Weening, Michael Cassar and Sam Ballinger all recorded 3-0 victories in their singles clashes whilst Jamie Liddy and Brodie Klinge dropped one leg each (Liddy the first to Royce Faulkner and Klinge the third to Tony Brown) but still recorded 3-1 wins in their singles sets. Thus, Victoria won the match by nine legs to two.
Victoria 9 New South Wales 2 (1-2, 2-1, 2-1, 1-2, 2-0, 3-0, 3-1, 3-1, 3-0, 3-0, 3-0)
Tasmania v ACT
The men from the ACT opened their account with two trios’ victories against Tasmania, Mick Mullaney, Ciaran Holmes and Corrie Slusser winning 2-1 whilst Darren Carson, Judd Hoyle and Matthew Vickers won 2-0 although their opponents missed chances to win both these legs. Hayden Scott and Kasey Anderson won their doubles match for Tasmania but Clusser / Vickers and Mullaney / Perry Butler took out the other two doubles matches for the ACT, all three finishing 2-0. Darren Carson then won 3-0 for the ACT whilst Mick Mullaney and Colby Dodge put up strong fights against each other before Mullaney triumphed 3-2. Ciaran Holmes also had to win a deciding leg to gain another set for the ACT whilst Matthew Vickers made it three wins from three deciding singles legs for the ACT in his set over Ben Dawkins. Kasey Anderson defeated Joe Stockl 3-0 to restore some Tasmanian pride but Judd Hoyle finished the match off with a 3-0 win to secure the ACT’s ninth set of the match.
ACT 9 Tasmania 2 (2-1, 2-0, 0-2, 2-0, 2-0, 3-0, 3-2, 3-2, 0-3, 3-2, 3-0)
After their up and down day Western Australian team manager Glen McLeod was philosophical about the events of the day but looking forward to tomorrow,
“The day started out well and we had a great day until the very end there – it went right down to the wire but that’s the game unfortunately and a 6-5 loss is almost acceptable.
“However tomorrow is another day, and we will be back fresh and ready to get back into it from where we left off. Anything can happen and tomorrow is a new day – a new dawn as they say.
“The team has been good – we have a great mix of guys with a little bit of experience together with some new fellas – a few rookies in the team, and they have all gelled pretty well and we’re quite happy with their progress.”