NSW8Ball 1st ranking tournament 2008. 
Well we are off and running to get the best NSW teams yet assembled for the Nationals in Tassie in Oct-Nov and it looks great. Our first playoff saw a 50% increase in our average turnout from 2007 and a lot of players were still unavailable due to a range of reasons, the Captain laid up sick,Mark Morrison off in Adelaide at the Clipsel car racing for the scenery and free drinks,also Watty missing for the first time in years playing snooker (the result is a long sad story for another day) in Maxfield being a few cases in point.
Due to the large turnout we improvised on our double elimination format by playing half at Twin Towns and half at Dolphins capabley run by Vice President Peter North and his capable offsider Patricia Genegill and it all worked well in the main except for costing me a fortune in mobile fees. Our thanks go to both Venues without them and The Coolangatta Hotel supporting us we would really struggle.
We were due to start at 10.00QLD and actually got away at a reasonable time with the first upset in the first round as Joe Buckley (NSW ladies rep up from the bush on her own with her partner the lovely Caroline stuck with the task of selling magic Mushrooms (concrete of course) at the Bangalow markets) nailed young gun Trent Rodgers. Trent learnt a big rule lesson in that game which is good. A lot of flip of the coin games but no real upsets as the first round ended. Some good players were shunted into the back half of the draw including, Jude, Credo, Pedro, Newc, Wayne W, Beagle, Steve G, Fisho, Brownie, Sticks, Josh and the list goes on.Top seed Silver was upstaged by young gun Gavin Hansen, Mickey Allan trying out for the first time with Bronson, Sterlo, Jason Levesque, Stocky, put Deano W away, Greenie continued his fine form taking care of Rod Pleming, I got lucky with Joe (lucky?? only at pool Caroline settle down) Northy VP outed masters rep Dennis Watt, Bronson got new Gold Coast president Jason Kyranis, and in another minor upset Sterlo pushed new car owner Dene Heremaia (must have been a great deal to prise cash out of Dene) out of the main draw.
The back half was heating up with Birthday girl (on Tuesday anyway, don`t ask) Irene Watt locking horns and getting the better of Jude, and in the running for the $50 for the highest finishing "young Lady". The 8 in the first half was set and it was even money every game let me tell you. In the end Gavin touched off Mickey, Greeny shook his way past me, Jason L pushed out Northy VP (a bad round fot the officebearers) and Sterlo just kept on with a close fought victory over Bronson.
In the back Josh Kings dad was flying along in sensational style winning 4 straight, Annie Mc and Joe were bundled out and shared the leading lady honours. It was a good turn out fot the girls with MEl, Tomo, Tracey as well taking on the mere males and going well.
Getting close to the finish and Gavin was a tad ordinary and Greeny went into the main final and Sterlo kept going and pushed Jason L out. Sterlo said I am unstoppable today and raced into the final giving it to Greenie. In the end Greenie outed me and gave him another shot at Sterlo and the $200 prizemoney (also $35 each for 3rd and 4th plus $50 for leading lady in what is basically a fund raising tournament) but Sterlo just shut the gate 3 zip in the first and a second was not required. Good effort from all players and the next tryout at The Coolie Hotel on Sunday 30th March with Watty and a few more usual suspects back it will be another event not to be missed. Getting writers cramp catchya next time Poppy.