Rugby league teams from remote communities across North Queensland will play at Jones Park in Cairns this weekend (June 29-30) for the annual Skytrans Remote Areas Rugby League Challenge selection trials.
Participating regions will be southern cape (three rivers competition) comprising of players from Hope Vale, Wujal Wujal, Cooktown and Coen communities.
The lower gulf of Normanton, Doomadgee, Mornington Island, Burketown and Kowanyama while Torres / East Coast will feature players from Torres Strait, Northern Peninsula Area, Lockhart River and Palm Island.
Queensland Rugby League Northern Division Assistant Regional Manager Robbie Moore said every team would play each other over the weekend with games being on Saturday from 4pm and Sunday from 8.30am where players will have an opportunity to showcase their talents for selection into the North Queensland United team.
On Saturday morning, there will be Education and Wellbeing sessions with the Deadly Choices team who have partnered up with QRL this year to encourage 'Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy Choices' with players as role models in the community.
A new addition in 2019 will be some on-field development with staff from QRL and NRL with the North Queensland United Emerging team being named for future development in remote communities.
“The communities taking part in the carnival all love their rugby league, and it’s all about bringing communities together and creating pathways for individuals to progress to the next level as a player, referee, sports trainer or coach,” Moore said.
On Sunday, the North Queensland United team that will take on Queensland Outback team will be announced.
The game will be played on Thursday Island as the curtain raiser to Intrust Super Cup Country Week Northern Pride v Ipswich Jets game on July 20, which will be a huge showcase of rugby league.
The weekend draw is as follows:
Skytrans Remote Areas Rugby League 2019 draw
Main image: The 2018 North Queensland United team
