Maitland Pickers premiership-winning captain of 2011 PJ Ellis hasended his tenure as captain-coach ofCentral Newcastle.

Ellis had agreed to the role withCentral for 2012 after agreeing to termsin the lead-up to last season’s grand finalvictory with the Pickers, but handed inhis notice last week.

This turn of events begs the questionof the former National Rugby Leagueplayer – where to next?

Ellis has yet to decide but the hookerobviously has strong ties back with thePickers and they are chasing a trifecta oftitles this season in the Newcastle

Rugby League competition. ❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Back to cricket and a few EasternSuburbs first graders saw the lighter sideof sport on Sunday afternoon.

The boys had been routed for 26 byNorthern Suburbs a day earlier in theirfirst grade semi-final fixture and

following the defeat were at Lorn Parkchecking out the action betweenWestern Suburbs and Kurri Weston.

When Kurri Weston went past theGriffins’ total from 24 hours earlier theboys stood as one and offered a congrat-ulatory round of applause.

❑ ❑ ❑ ❑Also on Eastern Suburbs and

Northern Suburbs, in the lead-up to thesemi-final encounter the boys were onthe same path.

With wet weather interrupting out-field training preparations the oppo-nents ran into each other at HunterIndoor Sports at Thornton onWednesday afternoon.

Some 24 hours later they crossedonce more but this time at the mostunlikely of venues – the 10-pin bowlingalley at Rutherford.

❑ ❑ ❑ ❑

Moment That Mattered: The toincoss at both Maitland and DistrictCricket Association first grade semi-final matches on Saturday.

Both skippers who won the toss, RickMeehan (Kurri Weston) and TimPrescott (Northern Suburbs), elected tobowl but it only paid dividends for one.

Western Suburbs scored 280 againstKurri Weston at Lorn Park after beingsent in while Eastern Suburbs wererolled for 26 by Northern Suburbs atJack Collins Oval.

❑ ❑ ❑ ❑Flynn Johnson has found a sport he

absolutely adores in BMX.Since first riding two weeks ago the

three-year-old hasn’t been off the bikeand on Friday night enjoyed his firstofficial race at Maitland-TenambitBMX Club.

But Johnson is also quite the character.

When SE went to interview theyoungster on Thursday morning, he wasforced to wait while Johnson received animaginary phone call from a make-believe manager.

Johnson is pictured with his mentorNathanial Rodway.

❑ ❑ ❑ ❑Numbers Game:100 – the number of

runs scored by losing teams, Kurri Weston(74) and Eastern Suburbs (26), in thisweekend’s Maitland and District CricketAssociation first grade semi-finals.

❑ ❑ ❑ ❑Quote: “He is going to be a massive

signing for us,” Maitland Pickerspresident John Thomas on the clubsecuring the services of PenrithPanthers outside back Ryan Walker forthe upcoming season.

❑ See tomorrow’s Mercury formore Sideline Eye.

20 THE MAITLAND MERCURY � Monday, March 12, 2012 www.maitlandmercury.com.au

FOOTBALLAndrew Parkinson

The Weston Bears kicked offtheir State Cup campaign with a2-0 win over West Wallsend atThomas & Coffey Park.

First half goals from JamieSubat and the returning JasonCowburn were enough for theBears to move into the next roundat the expense of their fellowNorthern New South Wales StateLeague opponents on Saturday.

In warm conditions Westondominated possession for largeparts of the afternoon.

The Bears took the lead afterjust 10 minutes through a low,left-foot strike from Subat aftersome neat football betweenCowburn and Michael Ryan.

Just seconds before half-timeCowburn doubled their advan-tage.

Good lead-up work down theright again unlocked theBluebells defence with Subatproviding the cross for Cowburnto volley into the bottom left cor-ner.

First grade caretaker coach

Steve McIntosh said there weremany positives to take out of thegame.

“I thought we controlled thetempo very well,” McIntosh said.

“We’ve worked really hardover the last few weeks of pre-season but we haven’t done a lotof ball work or structure or tacti-cal stuff.

“But our work ethic has beenvery good and it’s a credit to theplayers the way they’ve appliedthemselves because the attitudeshave been fantastic.”

Weston’s next pre-season fix-ture is on Saturday againstCharlestown City at Lisle CarrOval, with first grade kicking offat 4pm.

SIDELINE EYEJosh Callinan

sport news

S P O R T D E T A I L SS P O R T D E T A I L SNEWCASTLE GALLOPS

Run on Saturday. NSW TABdividends for $1.

Race 1: 8 10 4. Win $29.80place $5.30 $1.30 $2.30. Q:$48.10. E: $112.10. Duets: 8-10:$13.70, 8-4: $22.30, 10-4:$4.00. T: $859.10. First 4: 8-10-4-1: $4,525.40. Sub: 10. Scr:2(L),7.

Race 2: 16 8 3. Win $17.70place $4.00 $1.80 $4.70. Q:$47.90. E: $115.40. Duets: 16-8:$11.10, 16-3: $69.30, 8-3:$9.60. T: $2,618.90. D: $721.20.First 4: 16-8-3-14: Not won pooljackpots. Sub: 2. Scr:1,5,7,10,11(L),15.

Race 3: 4 1 16. Win $2.30place $1.30 $2.00 $12.60. Q:$7.30. E: $11.90. Duets: 4-1:$3.80, 4-16: $28.40, 1-16:$33.80. T: $259.40. D: $51.40.First 4: 4-1-16-9: $1,797.60.Sub: 4. Scr: 2,6,7,11,14,17.

Race 4: 4 6 8. Win $5.30 place$1.90 $4.60 $2.00. Q: $88.60. E:$125.80. Duets: 4-6: $28.10, 4-

8: $3.60, 6-8: $15.00. T:$663.20. D: $16.90. First 4: 4-6-8-10: $6,203.00. Sub: 7. Scr: 2.

Race 5: 1-7dh 5. Win (1)$1.30 (7) $2.90 place (1) $1.80(7) $1.90 $6.10. Q: $7.80. E: 1-7:$5.90, 7-1: $7.80. Duets: 1-7:$3.90, 1-5: $13.00, 7-5: $26.10.T: 1-7-5: $124.10, 7-1-5:$210.40. D: 4-1: $8.60 4-7:$34.50. First 4: 1-7-5-9:$457.10, 7-1-5-9: $438.60. Sub:1. Scr: 4.

Race 6: 5 9 1. Win $5.90 place$1.60 $1.20 $2.10. Q: $3.70. E:$9.80. Duets: 5-9: $2.10, 5-1:$4.90, 9-1: $3.00. T: $51.70. D:1-5: $9.60 7-5: $21.10. First 4:5-9-1-2: $311.70. Sub: 9. Scr:3,4,7,8,11,14,15,16,17,19.

Race 7: 14 16 3. Win $20.60place $4.20 $3.10 $3.50. Q:$87.70. E: $231.10. Duets: 14-16: $29.70, 14-3: $38.00, 16-3:$36.00. T: $4,863.20. D:$246.30. First 4: 14-16-3-5:$10,111.40. Sub: 5. Scr: 2,7,13.

Race 8: 7 3 17. Win $19.80place $6.10 $7.10 $10.90. Q:$263.80. E: $348.50. Duets: 7-3:$158.90, 7-17: $99.30, 3-17:$66.20. T: $13,094.60. D:

$700.10. First 4: 7-3-17-2:$30,705.30. Sub: 9. Scr:11,12,14,15,16,18.

NSW TAB DAILY DOUBLE onraces 6 and 8: Iggi Pop (5)—TheHeights (7) $164.90. Subs: 9,9.

NSW TAB QUADDIE on races5,6,7,8: (1)(5)(14)(7):$3,514.20. (7)(5)(14)(7):$7,225.70. Subs: 1,9,5,9.

EAST MAITLAND WOMENTuesday 13th Thursday 15th Pennants and Social Bowls

Names By 9.00am For 9.30amStart.

Monday 19th Dungog GalaDay To Attent R.Stein,H.Lawrence, M.Acret,J.Lawson.

TELARAH WOMENPennants 13.3.12 Number 1

team play East Maitland atHome, 15.3.12 Bye.

Number 2 team, 13.3.12, bye,15.3.12 away to East Maitland.

Social Tuesdays: namesdown by 9am for 9.30am start.

Wednesday: names down

4.30pm for 6pm start. Roster:Paula Hunt.

LORN PARK WOMENFriday 9.3.12 Major Singles

Championship finalWinner: J Paviour Smith.Runner Up: R Murray.Monday 12.3.12: Bingo at

noon.Tuesday 13.3.12: Social

bowls names by 9am for 10amstart.

Pennants: Lorn Park vs EastMaitland (1) at Lorn Park andCessnock City b Lorn Park atCessnock City.

Wednesday 14.3.12: Twilightbowls, names by 5pm for a 6pmstart.

Thursday 15.3.12 Lorn Parkbye in the pennants.

LORN PARKResults:Tuesday: M Litchfield and R

Craft, M Adams and J Sullivan.Thursday: R Clark and T

Goodman, T Percival and GWalker.

Saturday: F Freeman, JBoyton and G Cox.

Easts Leisure and GolfSaturday March 10 stroke

Gross: A Grade, Bobby Walker(73), B Grade, Nell Ingham (77),C Grade David Brennan (84).

GradesA Grade: Peter Turner (66),

Tim Stork (66) ThomasWinterburn (66).

B Grade: Nell Ingham (64),Phill Oswald (67) and NowellBradfield (68).

C Grade: David Brennan (63)Matthew Brown (65) andMichael Whipps (68).

Hole In one: Colin Bennett(11th), Luke Mcarthur (13th),Matthew Keith (13th), MichaelHalbert (13th), Michael Wind(17th).

THE VINTAGEMarch 10 StablefordMen’s A Grade: Jack Clark

(39), Paul Fitszimmons (37)NTP: Daryl MacGraw.

Men’s B Grade: Gary Packer(35), Rod Paech (33) NTP: RodPaech.

Men’s C Grade: MichaelBarwick (44), Alexander

McMorron (37).Ladies: Dixie Moores (37),

Hellen Clarke (34) NTP A Grade:Maree Gledhill B. Grade: WendyLatta.

HUNTER VALLEY DISTRICTGOLF ASSOCIATION

PENNANTSSeniors:Stonebridge def Maitland 2-1.Kurri Kurri def Muswellbrook

2-1.Paterson Defeated Singleton

2-1.Branxton def Scone 2-1.The Vintage def Dungog 2-1.Cypress Lakes Def Denman

2-1.Final to be played between

The Vintage and Branxton,venue TBA.

HUNTER RIVER DISTRICTGOLF ASSOCIATION JUNIOR

CHAMPIONSHIPSBoys 15 and underScratch: Hayden Gulliver (74)Nett: Zac Pryor (68), Jush

Tracey (68) Clayton Small (69).Boys 16 and over Scratch: Kade Hardy.Nett: Rhys Pye, Oscar Field,

Ryan Thomas.

Bears off to a great start

OPENER: Jamie Subat scored the first goal for the Weston Bears in their 2-0 win over West Wallsend. Picture by CATH BOWEN 100312CB119

Ellis pulls plug early on captain-coach role with Central

BMX ACTION: Flynn Johnsonand Nathaniel Rodway. 080312SS102

Aussieshave edgeon WindiesCRICKET

The Australian crick-eters’ gruelling homesummer could give theman edge on their tour ofthe Caribbean, accordingto former West Indiesvice-captain BrendanNash.

The Australians, understand-in captain ShaneWatson, have arrived inthe tiny Leeward Islandsnation of St Vincent,where the series startswith the first of five one-day internationals onFriday.

The tour, which alsofeatures two Twenty20matches and three Tests,completes a hectic nine-month period for theAustralians after visits toSri Lanka and SouthAfrica were followed by asix-Test summer and theone-day tri-series whichonly finished with anAustralian victory inAdelaide last Thursday.