Camels get over the hump
26 Tpt Sqn wins back the Wagoners’ Way Cup

The cup: Pte Ashley Smith, 26 Tpt Sqn, and Pte Gregory Jones, 176 AD Sqn, proudly display the Wagoners’ Way Cup.

Boot it: 26 Tpt Sqn (red) defence holds off a 176 AD Sqn attack during 26 Tpt Sqn’s 1-0 win.

Top marks: 26 Tpt Sqn outplayed 176 AD Sqn in the AFL match. Photos by Bill Cunneen

By Cpl Damian Shovell

THE wagons were circled at Randwick Barracks for an ol’ fashioned sports carnival showdown when 9FSB sub-units 26 Tpt Sqn and 176 AD Sqn challenged each other for the annual Wagoners’ Way Cup.

OC 9 LSC Maj Marty Pall said this year’s two day carnival saw teams from the two squadrons competing in men’s rugby and AFL and in mixed volley ball, netball and soccer, with 26 Tpt Sqn this year defeating 176 AD Sqn convincingly to win the cup.

“One match is played in each sport of the Wagoners Way Cup, with the end result being 26 Tpt Sqn winning four out of the five matches,” he said.

The two traditional contact sports of rugby and AFL attracted the most spectator attention.

“The rugby was considered an upset win to the Victorian based 26 Tpt Sqn led by Capt Jim Matchett (former Army and ASRU rugby rep) as the NSW based 176 AD Sqn fancied themselves in this discipline,” he said.

“At half time two converted tries to one converted and one unconverted try had 26 Tpt Sqn in front 14-12 and the game was anyone’s until the ‘clincher’ try was scored by the prop forward Pte Ash Smith in the final minutes to seal the win 19-12.”

The mixed volleyball was played next and provided 176 AD Sqn’s only win during the carnival.

The soccer also provided a close fought game, with 26 Tpt Sqn just managing a 1-0 victory off the boot of Cfn Jason Fernie.
Cpl Pete Dougherty, 26 Tpt Sqn, coached the soccer side to their win, and said 176 AD Sqn fielded a determined soccer team that provided close competition.

“They saved their team and they didn’t play in too many events over the two days,” he said.

“To play today we had a lot of people backing up from other matches, and in the last 20 minutes of the match the guys lifted to get us home.”

Maj Pall said day two saw 26 Tpt Sqn hold a decidedly large advantage in the AFL with their Victorian influence clearly visible.

“Led by Pte Danny Nicholson they completely dominated and were never headed,” he said.

“However, the game was still entertaining and there were skills shown by the dominant mid fielders such as of former WAFL player Pte Sean Johnson, who constantly won the ball from the centre square and got it to the forwards.

“And when it all but appeared to be a whitewash, 176 AD Sqn, much to the delight of their loyal fans, scored their only goal in the dying minutes of the game in general play where the ball was soccered through from a wide angle about fifteen metres out.”

The final game of the series was the mixed netball and 26 Tpt Sqn finished off with a comfortable win 20-13.

At the conclusion of the Wagoners’ Way Cup competition, teams in all five sports were selected to represent 9FSB in matches against combined 1HSB and LSF Signals teams in the inaugural LSF Shield.

“In addition to the Shield events, we also held a game of mixed touch football to wind-up the carnival,” he said.
Maj Pall said the LSF Shield competition ended in a three- all draw.

The Wagoners’ Way Cup was first contested in 1979 by sub-units of the former 9th Transport Regiment.
Its first winner was 18 Tpt Sqn, and it was contested each year until 1988.

For reasons unknown, it was not contested again untill 2004 when the current CO, Lt-Col Tony Hambleton, resurrected the competition between the two senior squadrons.

The Winners

Rugby 19-12 (26 Tpt Sqn)
Mixed Volleyball 3-1 (176 AD Sqn)
Soccer 1-0 (26 Tpt Sqn)
AFL 24/23/167-1/1/7 (26 Tpt Sqn)
Mixed Netball 20-13 (26 Tpt Sqn)

176 AD Sqn best players
Rugby – Cpl Lee Tracy
Soccer – Lt Matt Duquemin
AFL – Pte Derek Long
Volleyball – Pte Tim Bielski
Netball – Pte Rose Byass

26 Tpt Sqn best players
Rugby – Pte Ash Smith
Soccer – Pte Naomi James
AFL – Pte Sean Johnston
Volleyball – Cpl Sam Berkeley
Netball – Pte Felicity Geosits