Cowboys fan travels 600km to home games
Thursday, February 2, 2006 - 10:02 AM
The NRL may have unearthed the country's most dedicated young rugby league fan after a visit to the School of the Air in Mt Isa.
Around 100 NRL players have travelled to 40 destinations across NSW and Queensland where they will take part in school visits, coaching clinics, fund-raisers and other community events.
Undoubtedly the most unusual visit took place at the School of the Air in Mt Isa.
North Queensland Cowboys Josh Hannay, Shane Tronc, Steve Southern and Ray Cashmere talked on air to students spread across isolated properties from the Gulf of Carpentaria to South Australia.
Among them, 12-year-old Jake Healey rang from Armraynald Cattle station 570km North of Mt Isa in the heart of the gulf country.
Jake revealed his family held season tickets to the Cowboys and drove 12 hours to attend an average of three home games a year.
"Realising you are talking to kids six and seven hundred kilometres away and realising that one would be driving 12 hours with his family to see you play is a reminder of how much enthusiasm is out there," Tronc said.
"The kids knew their footy and were asking whether Ty Williams would play centre or wing this year, who'd be taking Paul Rauhihi's place?"
"There's nothing like seeing the looks of kids faces when they meet the stars," NRL chief David Gallop said.
"Fans both young and old have been raving about the positive contribution and the patience shown by the players today and during the Tigers visit last week."
In the Queensland town of Biloela one year three student got down to the basics with the burning question of the day.
"What do you do if you need to go to the toilet during a game," the youngster asked.
"You just have to hold on," replied Parramatta's Joel Reddy.
Thursday, February 2, 2006 - 10:02 AM
The NRL may have unearthed the country's most dedicated young rugby league fan after a visit to the School of the Air in Mt Isa.
Around 100 NRL players have travelled to 40 destinations across NSW and Queensland where they will take part in school visits, coaching clinics, fund-raisers and other community events.
Undoubtedly the most unusual visit took place at the School of the Air in Mt Isa.
North Queensland Cowboys Josh Hannay, Shane Tronc, Steve Southern and Ray Cashmere talked on air to students spread across isolated properties from the Gulf of Carpentaria to South Australia.
Among them, 12-year-old Jake Healey rang from Armraynald Cattle station 570km North of Mt Isa in the heart of the gulf country.
Jake revealed his family held season tickets to the Cowboys and drove 12 hours to attend an average of three home games a year.
"Realising you are talking to kids six and seven hundred kilometres away and realising that one would be driving 12 hours with his family to see you play is a reminder of how much enthusiasm is out there," Tronc said.
"The kids knew their footy and were asking whether Ty Williams would play centre or wing this year, who'd be taking Paul Rauhihi's place?"
"There's nothing like seeing the looks of kids faces when they meet the stars," NRL chief David Gallop said.
"Fans both young and old have been raving about the positive contribution and the patience shown by the players today and during the Tigers visit last week."
In the Queensland town of Biloela one year three student got down to the basics with the burning question of the day.
"What do you do if you need to go to the toilet during a game," the youngster asked.
"You just have to hold on," replied Parramatta's Joel Reddy.
