The Roma-based team won two of their three competitive fixtures, starting the day with a 10-point victory over Central West followed by a heavy 38-12 loss to Mount Isa in game 2.

But an emphatic 48-18 victory over the Mid West team meant South West Country earned their fourth Outback Muster title on the trot.

The Northern Outback team was deemed victors of the under-20 competition against the Southern Outback team in two enthralling encounters.

In the opening game of the day, Cody Saltmere led Mount Isa to a comfortable 40-10 victory over Mid West, scoring a hat-trick of tries.

Saltmere scored a couple of tries in the first half off the back of some slick footwork on the flanks before Corey Carlson went over from close range as well.

Four tries in the second term from Jack Wilson, Kieran Tully, Anthony Saltmere and Cody Saltmere’s third proved enough over just two Mid West tries from Clifford Johnny and Jeffrey Wilson.

South West Country got their title defence off to a great start with a 26-16 win over Central West courtesy of three tries from South West Country winger Michael Purcell.

In the first under-20 clash, Northern Outback came back from 12-0 down in the first half to defeat Southern Outback 34-22 by the time the final whistle came around.

A try in each half from Daniel Dunne was the standout statistic along with tries to Leslie Gallagher, Tim Braithwaite, Taylor Rub, Connor Barry and Hunter Chong to make up the rest of Northern Outback’s points.

Mount Isa scored six unanswered second-half tries to defeat reigning champions South West Country 38-12 in their second game of the day.

Halfback Marty Poulson was outstanding for the home team with 18 points, which included a double of tries, while Alan Takowa, Kieran Tully, Brenton Stonier, John Viiga and Ronald Francis also got on the try sheet.

A brace from centre Braden Russell guided Central West to a narrow two-point victory over Mid West with the scores being levelled 12-12 at half-time.

In the reverse fixture, Southern Outback scored five tries in the second half to gain revenge on Northern Outback with a 22-6 win to finish the day on a positive note.

Two tries each to Purcell and second-row Zac Downey were to thank for South West Country’s 48-18 thrashing over Mid West.

After leading 12-0 at half-time, Mount Isa threw their title aspirations away, suffering a two-point loss to Central West in the last fixture of the day.

Poulson failed to convert a last-ditch conversion from the sideline on the buzzer to equal the scores.

Mount Isa tries from Bronson Smith, Alex Weller and Alan Takowa were cancelled out by Central West tries from Braden Russell, Trent Hoad and Trent Thomas.

Mount Isa coach Scott Kyle admitted the fatigue of his players took its toll in the final game of the day but was able to draw some positives as well.

“The boys have had a big session,” Kyle said.

“We were probably the best team on the day but that’s just the way it is. We were pretty much injury-free throughout the whole day, which is good.”

Mount Isa captain Brenton Stonier was proud of the efforts put in from his teammates in a physically demanding day of footy.

“We probably ran out of a bit of legs in the end after a long day,” Stonier said.

“The forward pack went really well. Everyone had a dig and everyone there did their job in parts. I’m pretty proud of being the captain of the team today. I really enjoyed the day and it was played in good spirit.”

2015 OUTBACK MUSTER CARNIVAL RESULTS

Mount Isa 40-10 Mid West

Central West 16-26 South West Country

U20 Northern Outback 34-22 U20 Southern Outback

South West Country 12-38 Mount Isa

Mid West 26-28 Central West

U20 Southern Outback 22-6 U20 Northern Outback

South West Country 48-18 Mid West

Mount Isa 16-18 Central West

2015 OUTBACK MUSTER LADDER

South West - 8.5

Mount Isa - 8

Central West - 7

Mid West - 0.5

UNDER-20s LADDER

Northern Outback - 5

Southern Outback - 3

A GRADE QUEENSLAND OUTBACK REPRESENTATIVES

Tom Krosch (Town), Cody Saltmere (Wanderers), Bronson Smith (Town), Anthony Saltmere (Wanderers), Marty Poulson (Town), Donald Simmons (Wanderers), Corey Carlson (Wanderers), Brenton Stonier (Wanderers), Craig Logan (Normanton).

UNDER-20s QUEENSLAND OUTBACK REPRESENTATIVES

Lance Cope (Brothers), Herbert Walden (Black Stars), Ronald Francis (Town), Shayden Kerekere (Black Stars), William Teaukura (Mount Isa), Tayler Rubb (Cloncurry Eagles), Cody Tully (Black Stars), Brodie Dzendolet (Town), Tim Braithwaite (Black Stars), Mark Bull (Wanderers), Bradley Aplin (Black Stars)