Under 14 teams from throughout the state have converged on Vico Oval in Cairns this weekend (September 22 and 23) for the annual Tassell Trophy Challenge Under 14 carnival.
This year, 10 teams are playing for the Tassell Trophy with games commencing at 9am yesterday (Saturday) and the grand final being played on Sunday afternoon at 1.30pm.
The carnival will for the first time feature female teams, with the Kangaroos and Townsville girls playing for the Sandy Tassell Trophy.
Referees from throughout North Queensland, with the average age of 16 years old, will be officiating, with the carnival used as a development camp for junior match officials.
The carnival is named after the Tassell family of Cairns who have long-standing roots in the league community.
Tom has given more than 50 years of service to both junior and senior rugby league for Kangaroos, Cairns and North Queensland as either coach, administrator, selector or advisor at all levels and most recently as director with the Jones Park Board of Management.
Tom is a life member of Cairns Kangaroos and Cairns District Rugby League and was recently awarded life membership with the QRL Northern Region.
Sandy Tassell is the first female life member of Kangaroos Junior Rugby League.
Their sons, Brad, Jason and Kris were all Kangaroos Juniors with all three going on to play at ARL/NRL level.
Brad was with Sydney and is also an original Cowboy. Jason was also with the Roosters, before joining South Sydney.
