Sport
5 July, 2023
Junior Wolves trio represents Sunshine Coast
THREE Stanley River Wolves rugby league juniors took part in the annual Rees Orman City Country Cultural Exchange at Coolum on the weekend of June 24 and 25.
Named after Glyn Rees and Geoff Orman in honour of their contributions to Queensland Country rugby league, the carnival featured U14 and U16 boys teams, as well as U17 girls teams.
Stanley River’s Alex Davis captained the Sunshine Coast Falcons U14 team which also included Wolves player Jake Hawkins while another Wolves player, Malekai Towney, co-captained the Sunshine Coast Bunyas U14s.
Jake and Alex earned selection via the RISE program, while Malekai was contacted to play for the Bunyas after playing for them at last year’s Queensland Murri Carnival.
Alex played in a different position with each game at the Rees Orman City Country Cultural Exchange as he lined up at lock, five-eighth, halfback and second-row, while Jake played at hooker throughout the two days.
Malekai played at five-eighth on day one but was unable to back up the following day due to illness.
No scores were recorded, as the carnival was non-competitive and was about participation and mateship.
As teams came from the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane, Warwick, Bundaberg, Roma, St George and the Queensland Outback, players from remote and outback areas were given the opportunity to play against their city cousins.
Wolves president Mary-Anne Hallam said the carnival also gave Sunshine Coast clubs the opportunity to reward players who have “displayed the QRL beliefs, Positive, Disciplined, United and Inclusiveness, with the opportunity to play in the Sunshine Coast Falcons colours”.
“The players bring a lot back to club level with them from their experience,” she said.
The Wolves president said “the footy is great” and that “it is a fantastic carnival to attend”.
On the QRL website, a club coordinator from Queensland Outback – Peter Rafter – said, “Even though there were no scores on the scoreboard, the teams knew who won each game and congratulated each other whether it was a win, loss or a draw.
“The sportsmanship shown by these young adults is something which separates this carnival from the rest…There were many comments made over the weekend by the organisers, management at the camps and by the police recruiting about the manners and politeness of the players involved, with special mention by the Coolum Colts about the cleanliness of the grounds when everyone departed.
“Usually they spend hours cleaning the grounds, but there was not any rubbish to be found.”
