Vico Oval in Cairns saw 270 rugby league players from 14 teams converge last weekend (September 24-25) to take part in the annual Tassell Trophy Challenge.
There were with 35 games played during the carnival.
The Tassell Trophy Challenge is a regular fixture on the junior rugby league calendar, with many Under 14s teams enjoying the carnival and Cairns region for their end-of-season trip.
The carnival is also used as a development camp for young referees from throughout North Queensland with the average age of the officials this year being 16.
Referee of the carnival Josh Eaton and most promising referee Shane Badger
This year, teams from as far away as the South East (Logan Brothers and Beaudesert Kingfishers),
Northern Territory (NT Titans), Mt Isa, Cloncurry/Normanton, Sunshine Coast, Central Queensland and Townsville travelled to Cairns to participate in the carnival.
At the end of the pool round games, Logan Brothers (Greater Brisbane), Emu Park (Rockhampton), NT Titans (Northern Territory) and Cairns Brothers (Cairns) progressed to the semi-finals.
Player of the Final Linston Tuimavave Logan Brothers
Semi Final results
Logan Brothers 16 def NT Titans 12
Cairns Brothers 14 def Emu Park 10
Logan Brothers and Cairns Brothers progressed to the grand final which saw Logan Brothers take out the title for 2016 with a dominant victory over the local Brothers team.
Logan Brothers 50 (Tyrone Sa’u (No 1), Byron Johnson (No 4), Caleb Evans (No 5), Matamatagi Ripley (No 6), Denver Taylor (No 7), Linston Tuimavave (No 8) 2, Joshua Downs (No 9), Tristan Pati (10) 2 treis; Matamatagi Ripley (No 6) 5 goals) def Cairns Brothers 6 (Xavier Savage (No 2) try, Dantoray Lui (No 18) goal)
Award Winners
Tassell Trophy Challenge Champions: Logan Brothers (Greater Brisbane JRL)
Player of the Carnival: Frederick McKinley (Emu Park No 6)
Player of the Final: Linston Tuimavave (Logan Brothers No 8)
Team Spirit Award: NT Titans (Northern Territory JRL)
Volunteer of the Carnival: Paddy Ryan
Most Promising Referee: Shane Badger (Mackay)
Referee of the Carnival: Josh Eaton (Townsville)
Volunteer of the Carnival Paddy Ryan with Mrs Tassell and Kangaroos Juniors President Glenn Stewart
