Coffs Harbour News

Rebels bring Comets down to earth

Published

2 years ago

1 August 2022

JeffG

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Rebels bring Comets down to earth

By Tim Howard

The South Grafton Rebels have slammed the door on the Coffs Harbour Comets’ Group 2 rugby league semi-final hopes with a 40-12 drubbing at McKittrick Park on Sunday.

Pre game the players and crowd held a minute’s silence in memory of artist and community figure Irene Daley, who died earlier this week.

The Daley name has featured strongly in the Rebels playing roster over the years and Mrs Daley’s son, country music star Troy Cassar-Daley sang the national anthem at the 2016 grand final between the Rebels and Grafton Ghosts.

On Sunday Rebels winger Brian Quinlin-Randall, who had an outstanding game, was the latest member of the family to turn out for the Rebels.

The Comets flared briefly in either half, snatching the lead in the opening minutes of the game with an opportunist try to halfback Joey Cudmore and for a brief period in the second half when skipper Nathan Curry scored a well-worked try to get the score to 22-12. But apart from that the Rebels, with star veterans Hughie Stanley and Grant Stevens leading the way, dominated all facets of the game. But not far behind them were a bunch of young guns like halfback Jordan Gallagher and brothers Nick and Tom McGrady and Quinlin-Randall

The Rebels made that dominance show on the scoreboard, scoring seven tries to two in a shutout performance. Although the Comets were ahead on the scoreboard early, it was the Rebels who were making the play.

Their opening score was a piece of Stanley magic when the big number 6 surged toward the line from 20m out then squeezed a pass to Lewis Cooper backing up on the inside, who crashed over.

Nick McGrady brought the scores level with the conversion. A crucial call came a few minutes later when massive Comets prop Peter Wong appeared to crash over near the sticks.

Instead the referee awarded a penalty for a double movement and the Rebels swept play downfield. Minutes later Gallagher was in for a try after a clever interplay of passes from a tap restart gave him a clear run to the line. Another crucial moment in the game was the sin-binning for backchat of Comets halfback Cudmore 13 minutes before half time.

The Rebels, 10-6 up, piled on the pressure and second rower Thomas Walker punched a hole in the defence. From the play the ball a short pass put a rampaging Tom McGrady under the posts.

The Comets almost paid double when a massive Austin Cooper run secured 70m of territory. Running onto a pass from the kick catcher Cooper smashed through the first up tackles then headed up field, pulling free of desperate cover defenders as he surged forward.

Poor ball security soon after cost the Rebels a scoring chance, but they kept applying pressure. A teasing Stanley kick drew a mistake from the Comets winger which the home team duly punished with a second try to Thomas McGrady.

In the second half the Comets rallied on the back of an extended period of possession and their skipper put them back in the game with a neatly taken try on the left edge. His successful conversion put the score at 22-12 to the Rebels with a comeback possible. But the Rebels soon snuffed that out when centre Aidan Hyland after some slick passing put him range of the line and he stretched out an arm to score. From there it came a procession. Stanley twice more to take the score to 40-12. Under-18s star Waylon Caldwell came on to take the kicking duties from Nick McGrady and kicked three from three.

After the game Rebels coach Ron Gordon was delighted with his team’s combination of slick attack and solid defence. The Rebels have not tasted defeat since May and after the game Gordon said a second place finish was possible if results went their way. They have beaten all the top four teams as they charged up the ladder and now share third spot with the Grafton Ghosts. But the Rebels ahead on points difference and with a game in hand against Macksville have the most capacity to change the look of the table.

The Ghosts edged out competition leaders Woolgoolga 26-24 to continue their rebound to form after a dismal mid-season slump. But with the Rebels facing cellar dwellers, Nambucca in the last game and the Ghosts hosting a Macksville team desperate to get back into the top four, things can change quickly.

The form of both Grafton teams had Gordon licking his lips at the prospect of both Grafton teams meeting in the grand final. “That would be something,” he said. “They have been the only team to really put points on us (42-10) when they beat us over there in the first game of the season,” he said. “But we’ve come a long way since then.”

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“Australian lightweight champion from lil ol’ Swan Bay”

Published

13 hours ago

3 December 2024

Liam

Sunny McLean with his coach, Scott Smith. Boxing Northern Rivers News

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“Australian lightweight champion from lil ol’ Swan Bay”

By Samantha Elley

Maddog boxing’s Sunny McLean has been going from strength to strength this past year, grabbing titles from each of the events he has been fighting in.

Sunny McLean and his coach, Scott Smith, who runs Maddox Boxing, were recently picked to represent Queensland as the fighter and coach team to compete in the national titles in Gosford.

Sunny won all his elimination bouts and beat the NSW champion in the gold medal fight, to become the newly crowned Australian champion in the lightweight division.

They were surprised with a visit from Jason and Andrew Moloney, world champion professional boxers.

“Every state in Australia was there with all the best fighters and the (Moloney brothers) came to support us, so we felt so special,” said Scott.

“They came to help me prepare Sunny for his last two fights in this event.”

Sunny was competing for Queensland as he already holds the title of QLD/NSW interstate champion.

“His first opponent, the referee stopped the fight in the 3rd round,” said Scott.

“His second opponent was the favourite from Tasmania and Sunny won that fight to go through for the gold medal against the NSW champion.

“Andy (co-trainer) and I worked out a plan to beat him and Sunny did exactly what he was asked and never last control of the situation.

“He is now the Australian lightweight champion from lil ol Swan Bay.”

For more local news, click here.

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Coffs Harbour News

Coffs Bypass Team Seeks Feedback from Residents

Published

3 weeks ago

15 November 2024

JeffG

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Coffs Harbour Bypass Team Invites Community Feedback

The Coffs Harbour Bypass team is once again reaching out to residents, seeking feedback on their community engagement efforts and suggestions for improvement.

Twice a year, the team surveys the community to assess the quality of information, engagement processes, and communication practices. Following feedback from the May 2024 survey, several initiatives were introduced to enhance the project’s accessibility and transparency.

Transport for NSW Regional Director North, Anna Zycki, highlighted the team’s commitment to incorporating community input:

Digital Planning Portal: An innovative tool (soon to be launched) to communicate temporary construction details and final traffic access arrangements.
Online Webinars: Introduced to provide direct access to the project team, explain bypass construction, and update residents on progress.
Take-Home Map: A comprehensive project alignment map featuring design changes, shared paths, and noise walls.
Improved Complaints Management: A refined approach to addressing and resolving community concerns.

“The community provided practical and achievable ideas, and we’re pleased to have implemented many of them,” said Ms. Zycki.
“We now want to hear if further changes are needed to improve our engagement and ensure the best outcomes for the community.”

The current survey is open until midnight, Sunday 1 December, and feedback should focus on the period between July and November 2024.

How to Provide Feedback

Share your views by completing the survey at Coffs Bypass Survey.

For more information about the Coffs Harbour Bypass Project, visit Coffs Harbour Bypass Project.

This project is built for the community, and your input is invaluable in shaping its success.

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Coffs Harbour

Mental Health Service Boost in Coffs Harbour with Opening of Medicare Mental Health Centre

Published

6 months ago

5 June 2024

Liam

Medicare Mental Health Centre Coffs Harbour

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Mental Health Service Boost in Coffs Harbour with Opening of Medicare Mental Health Centre

Communities in and around Coffs Harbour will soon benefit from increased mental health support with the opening of a Medicare Mental Health Centre in late June. Healthy North Coast, which delivers the North Coast Primary Health Network program on behalf of the Australian Government, announced today the selection of local not-for-profit organisation Open Minds as the service provider for the new centre.

Monika Wheeler, CEO of Healthy North Coast, emphasised the importance of accessible mental health services. “It is estimated that 43% of Australians will experience mental health distress at some point in their lives. It is vitally important we have a range of mental health services that are easily accessed in times of need,” she stated.

The new centre will offer free, walk-in mental health services with no appointments or referrals necessary. This model is designed to provide immediate and tailored support to individuals in need. Wheeler highlighted the success of a similar initiative: “Our Lismore Centre, also run by Open Minds, opened in 2022 and has delivered over 9,000 sessions and supported more than 1,000 people. We’re confident that the Coffs Harbour Centre will be a welcome addition for residents looking for a tailored experience and connection to the right support for them and their circumstances, which are different for everyone.”

Rik Barker, General Manager of Integrated Mental Health Services (NSW) at Open Minds, welcomed the announcement. “We look forward to opening the doors in Coffs and delivering a quality mental health service, improving the wellbeing of people on the Mid North Coast,” he said.

Key Features of the New Centre

Staffing: The centre will be staffed by mental health and allied health professionals available to visitors based on their level of need. There will also be a Social and Emotional Wellbeing Worker for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients, in partnership with Galambila Aboriginal Health Service.
Location and Hours: The centre will be co-located with the Coffs Harbour Neighbourhood Centre in Block B of the Community Village, 22 Earl Street, Coffs Harbour. Initial hours of operation will be 8 am to 6 pm, Monday to Friday, with provisions for targeted/appointment-based services for up to four hours on Saturdays.
Accessibility: Residents can visit the centre without prior appointments, and services are free of charge.

Wheeler explained the community’s enthusiastic response to the new centre, noting its welcoming space and easy accessibility. She also encouraged those unable to visit in person to utilize the free Head to Health service by calling 1800 595 212 for phone-based support.

Additional Information

Crisis Services: The Medicare Mental Health Centres are not intended for crisis or emergency services. For urgent support, individuals should contact Lifeline at 13 11 14 or the Mental Health Access Line at 1800 011 511. For immediate help or if at risk of harm, calling 000 is advised.

For more information and updates, visit here.

For more Coffs Harbour news, click here.

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