Sport
16 July, 2026
League, union and soccer on the ball
STRONG performances by the Tablelands Reds in rugby union and soccer’s Douglas Dragons top the Shire’s sporting prowess, while the Mossman Sharks (rugby league) continue to battle against quality opposition in the latest rounds of the rugby league season.
The Tablelands Reds continued their impressive form in the FNQ Rugby competition, claiming back-to-back victories over Cairns Penrhyn.
In round 11, the Reds held their nerve in a thrilling 31-26 contest before backing it up a week later with another hard-fought 29-22 victory in round 12.
The consecutive wins have kept the Reds firmly in the finals conversation as they continue to build momentum heading into the closing stages of the season.
The Raiders experienced a quieter fortnight, enjoying a bye in round 11 before returning to action in round 12.
Despite a determined effort, they were unable to overcome Northern Beaches, falling 24-14 in a competitive contest. While the result wasn’t the one they were chasing, the Raiders remain focused on finishing the season strongly.
On the football pitch, the Douglas Dragons continued their impressive rise with a convincing 3-0 victory over the Edge Hill Tigers.
The Dragons controlled proceedings from start to finish, producing another polished display to secure three valuable competition points.
The victory marked their fourth win from the past five matches and lifted them into third place on the ladder, underlining the side’s outstanding turnaround and positioning them as a genuine contender as the season enters its decisive phase.
The Mossman Sharks faced a difficult fortnight across all three grades in the rugby league competition, taking on some of the competition’s strongest clubs.
The women’s side suffered a 72-8 defeat to Ivanhoe in round 14 before falling 44-4 to Kangaroos in round 15.
In reserves, the Sharks went down 32-10 to Ivanhoe before a spirited attacking performance still ended in a 52-30 loss to Cairns Brothers.
The A-grade side also endured a challenging fortnight.
A competitive 30-24 defeat to Ivanhoe showed plenty of promise, with the Sharks pushing one of the competition’s benchmark teams throughout the contest.
However, they were unable to carry that momentum into round 15, falling 46-4 to Cairns Brothers.
With finals approaching across several competitions, every result is becoming increasingly significant as teams fight to secure their place in the postseason.
