Sydney area heats up during SPORTEX ONE

LSCIS Rob Leak and ABCSO Simon Pyle (foreground) vs LEUT Steven Dickfos and LEUT Marcus Baxter during the tennis doubles at White City.

Photo: LSPH Bill Louys

Leigh Quinn from Albatross (blue) eyes the ball in the Father Mac Cup against FIMA.

Photo: ABPH Nina Nikolin

Kuttabul II, winners of the Eastern Australia Area netball.

Photo: ABPH Brenton Friend

A player from Maritime Command (yellow and blue) bursts through the defence of Systems Command.

Photo: LS David McMahon

Kelli Douglas (Kuttabul) shoots for goal in the netball final against RAAF Richmond. Kuttabul won 15 to 13.

Photo: ABPH Brenton Freind

The Albatross Sharks won the Jubilee Shield hockey at Olympic park in a penalty stroke shootout 3 to 2 against the RAAF.

Photo: ABPH Helen Frank

Water sprays off the pitch during the Jubilee Shield Hockey at Homebush.

Photo: ABPH Helen Frank

CMDR Peter Fatouris serves in the Men’s singles final at White City.

Photo: LSPH Bill Louys

Systems Command (blue and red) tested Maritime Command in the Challenge Cup Rugby, going down by just 4 points at the final siren. The final score was Maritime 25, Systems 21.

Photo: LS David McMahon

The 1,000 spectators watching from the grandstands knew the minute the teams representing Systems Command and Maritime Command (Fleet) ran on to Coogee Oval on April 22 for the inaugural Challenge Rugby Cup, they were in for a
no-holds-barred match.

They were not wrong. The players were “psyched up”.

All were grim faced, many already sweating from robust dressing shed warm ups and a number repeatedly crashed their clenched left fists into their opened palmed right.

Not only were the players representing their commands they were vying to represent Navy in a series of ADF games against Army and Air Force late in May.

In the week before the Challenge Cup the players had taken part in the multi service Mons Cup from which selections were made.

Those who missed out for selection for the two Challenge Cup sides had earlier in the day played a “curtainraiser”. Systems Command won this match as did a women’s side from Systems.

Fleet was to make amends in the main game.

The Challenge Cup had its genesis last October at the Chief of Navy’s Conference. CDRE Russ Crane of Systems Command threw down the gauntlet to the Maritime Commander, RADM Raydon Gates, that a team formed from Systems Command could beat one raised from Fleet.

RADM Gates accepted the challenge and arrangements were made. Navy Health came on board as the principal sponsor.

The curator of Spectacle Island (where the RAN’s artifacts are kept), CMDR Shane Moore, located the Lord Denham Cup and brought it to the field to become the trophy for the Challenge.

There was more at stake, however, than just the Rugby.

The Chief of Navy, VADM Chris Ritchie had declared he wants a fitter navy and
he wants to improve leadership. Systems Command officers decided to answer the fitness call by running Sportex One, a series of sporting events in Sydney.

The Challenge Cup would be the culminating event. Sportex One began on Monday April 19 with a mixed tennis tournament at the White City Tennis Centre.

Leading Seaman Rob Leak won the Carr Cup singles defeating CMDR Fatouris 5/1. Lieutenants Steven Dickfos and Marcus Baxter of Albatross defeated Justin Francis and US exchange officer Gregg Hudak 5/4 in Burrell Cup doubles.

Drummoyne Oval the following day was the venue for the Father McDonald Cup, a round robin AFL tournament. Four teams took part with Albatross defeating the FIMA/ Sydney “Farmers” 4.4 28 to 4.0 24 in the final.

On the same day at the Anne Clarke Centre 13 teams were competing in netball. In the final Kuttabul 2 defeated RAAF Richmond 15 to 13.

The Red Anchor Volleyball was played at the Five Dock Leisure Centre on April 21. In the final Penguin 2 defeated Cerberus Mishaps 23 to 22.

The State Sport Centre at Homebush was the venue for eight teams to fight out the Jubilee Shield in hockey.

In the final it was nil-all between Albatross and RAAF Richmond. A penalty shootout followed with Albatross scoring four and the airmen and women three.

Thursday, April 22 was Rugby’s day.

A crowd estimated at 1,000 gathered in warm conditions at Coogee Oval thanks to the assistance of Randwick Council and the Randwick Rugby Club.

Former Wallaby and now the husband of the NSW Governor (Prof Marie Bashir) Sir Nicholas Shehadie was in the grandstand along with leading Rugby television commentator Gordon Bray.

Don Rashleigh represented Navy Health while CDRE Crane (soon to be rear admiral and head of Coastwatch) and RADM Gates, soon to be the Defence Attache Washington, urged on their respective teams.

Earlier in the day men’s and women’s teams had played curtain raisers with Systems winning both.

The first try in the main game came just minutes after referee MAJ Carl Hamlyn blew “time on”. No 14 for Systems LS Damian Tanaka dashed over for a five pointer.

It was converted and the score stood at 7 nil. A penalty goal scored by Fleet soon had the score at 7/3. Twenty minutes into the game SMN Williams scored again taking Systems to 12 and Fleet still on three.

The try was converted, the score14/3.

Things didn’t look good for Fleet and tensions were rising and the injury toll increasing. MAJ Hamlyn had to break a couple of fisticuffs and two Navy medics from the Balmoral Naval Hospital carried out a bright orange stretcher to one player who had injured a leg.

(Earlier a woman player had injured an arm and went home with it in a sling).

Trainers and “water boys” were busy treating less serious injuries. As the clock ticked towards half time Fleet players rallied with PO Adam Thorpe crashing over for a try.

It was converted and the score stood at 14/ 10. Then LEUT Darryn Thompson for Fleet went over and the conversion was successful. The teams went to“oranges” with Fleet on 17 and Systems on 14.

It was well into the second half before scores changed A Fleet penalty goal took the score to 20/14. Fleet’s No 14 AB Bretag went over taking his side’s final score 25.

In the 78th minute Systems scored a try taking its score to 21.

Final score Fleet 25 Systems 21. AB Scott Lancaster was named best and fairest.” With the game completed, the cup was presented by Sir Nicholas to Fleet’s captain Darryn Thompson.

RADM Gates, CDRE Crane and Navy Health’s Don Rashleigh congratulated all involved. Special praise went to Fleet PT instructor WO Mike Winter, his staff and the other 100 plus volunteers who helped with the day.

Cadets from T.S. Sirius manned the sausage sizzle.

The final task for the day was the naming of the Navy men’s team to play Army and Airforce in the ASRU tournament to be held at Coogee Oval on May 9, 12 and 16.

A women’s team to represent Navy was also announced.

Sportex One was a success... Sportex Two is on the drawing board.

Winners round-up

• Hockey: Jubilee Shield, State Sports Centre Homebush Final: Albatross def RAAF Richmond 4 to 3 in penalty shootout.
• Australian Rules Football: Father McDonald Cup, Drummoyne Oval Final: Albatross 4.4 28 def FIMA Sydney 4.0 24.
• Netball: EAA Netball Round Robin, Anne Clarke Centre Lidcombe Final: Kuttabul II def RAAF Richmond 15 to 13.
• Volleyball: Red Anchor Volleyball, Five Dock Leisure Centre Final: Penguin II defeated Cerberus Mishaps 33 to 22.
• Tennis: Carr Cup (Singles) and Burrel Cup (Doubles), White City Final: Singles - LS Rob Leak def CMDR Peter Fatouris 5 games to 1, Doubles LEUT Steven Dickfos and LEUT Marcus Baxter def Justin Francis and Gregg Hudak 5 to 4.
• Rugby Union: Challenge Cup, Coogee Oval, Maritime Command 25 def Systems Command 21

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