9-Ball
Topic: Australian 9 Ball

Moving to oz in about 6 months time and was wondering if anybody knows what the 9-ball scene is like over there and if there's any websites/forums etc...

Oh gawd, unlucky mate... Don't get me wrong, fabulous place, great weather, gorgeous scenery, wonderful people, marvelous lifestyle - but a really terrible place for a 9 Ball Pool Player.

Mostly English 8 Ball over there, and depending where you are, there are a smattering... And I really mean just a few, American tables banging about.

Sydney is your best bet for a club or two, and recently they have started a little more action/tournaments etc... But nothing like back here yet.

It's a BIG place of course, so traveling around is a major undertaking...They've got a news website, www.cueball.tv with forums and they broadcast some livestreams too now, but unless you happen to locate yourself right onto their doorstep by some fluke, you may be unimpressed by the pool scene.

Where are you settling?

Pool in Sydney was terrible when I was there a few years ago. Lots of pubs have tables, but they're poor quality and, given the CB is bigger than the object ball, even stunning a ball requires good cueing with house cues. There a loads of $100 comps but I I'd avoid them if I were you - they're like pulling teeth.

There was only one dedicated pool/snooker hall in Sydney when i was there, although I believe there are a few more now. The Wembley Snooker club was rubbish.

I thought as much,they have more of a outdoor lifestyle. Moving about an hours drive from Brisbane dave. So looks like i'll have to get my own table in the house and travel for comps. BAH !!!

I'm sure our old amigo Graham Tough tried to set up a 9 ball scene in Oz. His username on here is tookster,

Yeah I remember trying to get a game in Sydney. Its all single tables in pubs and bars. The only place with a about 6 tables was in an amusement arcade and they were weird cheap tables. I was gutted. Good luck.

I know someone who lives in Perth WA and he has said there are a few of these places over there. Not sure what the quality is like though http://www.pbcentre.com.au/index.htm


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Matt Lester
www.matthew-lester.com

Hi all been a while since i posted on pro9.
I spent a few weeks in OZ in 2009 and there is an ok club in Adelaide, cant remember the name but the tables seemed ok. The local pro there is a guy called James Dellarhunty. May have spelt his name wrong? but the last time i spoke to Daz Apple he said that he was a very good player. So if anyone out that way worth a look.

Looking at Duffman's nick and avatar and reading this thread 'D'oh' springs to mind

On 2012-01-06 19:48 , Riggers Wrote:

Are you trying to make me agree every time I see a post of yours Lee?

well the best place of 9 ball action is sydney,they are getting bigger every year but as what dave said its all 8 ball on a semi snooker table size (weird) and pub pool. empire club is in adelaide but most of the money games are in sydney.most of the 9 ball player in oz have thier own table at home coz they have a descent size house compared back in england.not saying that english houses are small but regular pool player goes to thier respective pool club for tournaments and pool action,only the serious u.k. plyers try to own a table coz it's really expensive.it seems that the brits are coming to oz that's good so we can kick start the 9 ball scene.been here for 2 years came from watford and plays tournaments at st albans.herts.pretty rubbish then so when i arrived here i bought a 9 ball table and my game improves tremendously..welcome and hope to see you in 9 ball competition.

I think the WPA Chairman being an Aussie himself, should set a team to task setting up a big event in Australia...give the sport some exposure.

Cheers for all the comments, I keep you posted on pool in oz and ill try to get to a few more comps this year over here before I go.

I tried contacting "Tookster" (Graham Tough) who is out there, but no reply, so I'm now asking Terry Jackson, who runs http://www.cuesportz.info out there for some good news about the big ball game in Oz.

Cheers Dave

Well, I know it can't be all bad news as I've watched some money matches that have been streamed from Australia - Terry has said he'll post something soon.

Hi guys, sorry - been on holiday for the past couple of weeks and haven't looked at my email until now.

The best place for information on all Aussie cuesports is www.cueball.tv which is run by a mate of mine from Sydney (sorry for the link Dave!). There are some live money matches streamed on there from time to time as well.

Unfortunately I now live in Darwin, where there is zero 9-ball tables, and this will probably not change until I win the lottery and open a club myself! There is a reasonable following of the 2-shot game but the standard overall is pretty low. It must be since I finished up as the number 1 player last year!!! I'm busily setting up singles leagues which hopefully will take off and lift the standard a bit. The second a 9-ball table appears though I'm happily turning my back on 2-shot for good!

Sydney is the place to be for 9-ball in Australia. There are several new clubs in and around the city centre area, the best (I'm told - it opened just after I left) being City Heroes. There are tournaments held at this venue on a regular basis. Wembley has had a bit of a facelift in recent times as well and they had at least 8 brand new Brunswicks in about a year before I left. Unfortunately due to Sydney's silly licensing laws you will not get a beer while you play in any of these clubs!

The New South Wales association is becoming the major player in the country for all WPA rules pool, regularly drawing good entries and the majority of the decent players all live there too. They run 6 events a year with 2 each for 8-ball, 9-ball and 10-ball and there is usually reasonable prize money on offer too. I ran the association until I moved to Darwin but I'm pretty sure they have kept up the systems I put in place.

There are a few clubs in some of the other major cities - I have no idea how good or bad they are though. There are a couple around Brisbane/Gold Coast and there are decent ones in Adelaide and Melbourne where most of the national championships are played. Most of these clubs treat the 9-footers as toys though as the real interest is 2-shot.

Terry Jackson has a list of all the venues in Australia with 9 foot tables which I'm sure he'll pass on to Dave in due course. He's been to quite a few of them as well so will have a better idea of how good most of them are.

As stated above though, 2-shot is major here and it will be a good few years before that changes (if ever!)

Feel free to PM me if you want any more info!

Cheers for the info tookster much appreciated

Sorry for late reply, I did get Dave's request some time ago and I've been busy with work.
I've read all of the above, sorry to still hear no tables for my old mate Tookster in Darwin!

I'll get my list of venues out and post here soon, I'm on my phone doing this reply just now as a quicky!

The 9 ball scene is pretty bad here though, so be prepared!

New BCA linked league starting it Sydney this year, thats about the best news in years!

Need any other advice also let me know as I'm from Sydney. For your info 2 shot 8-ball is mainly played around Aus except for NSW where they play the 1 shot international rules. As quoted above www.cueball.tv is one of the best websites for cuesports in Australia