Mini Maroons: Playing the greatest game of all

Mini Maroons is the weekly round-up of the amazing things children are doing across community rugby league in the great state of Queensland.

This week we are celebrating a mother-daughter/coach-player combo on the Sunshine Coast, four Good Samaritans from Rochedale, and a jack of all trades from Townsville.

QRL Central

Six-year-old Soraya O’Brien has the best role models to look up to in life.

The youngster made her rugby league debut for the Caloundra Sharks Under 7 team over the first weekend of April, taking the plunge after some initial hesitancy.

With two older brothers – Xavier, 14, and Slater, 10 – already playing the game, Soraya had considered donning a jersey last year but was a bit unsure.

However, after she saw the Sharks’ under 13s girls' team in action, she wanted in.

Then when her mum, Amy O’Brien, promised to be her coach if the position was available, there was no stopping Soraya.

“She had been watching the under 13s girls play last year at the Sharkies,” O’Brien said of her daughter.

“Having that older girl group around, she really took a liking to a lot of the girls on the team. I think it made a contribution to her decision to play.

“I also said if they need a coach I’ll put my hand up and that made her decision easier as well. She’s a pretty confident girl, that’s the way she was born, but having me there gives her a bit of extra support.”

O’Brien also made her debut as coach on the day and is trying her hand as the Caloundra registrar for the first time.

Despite all the firsts in the O’Brien family, she was happy to report the mother-daughter/coach-player debut went well, even if there were a few tired bodies by full-time.

“They were pretty buggered by the end of it,” O’Brien said of her young team.

“It was a big first game. But they all really enjoyed it. It was a good day.”

QRL South East

The Rochedale Tigers RLFC teach their players to be decent people first and rugby league players second.

So when they received a message after their most recent round of grading matches, praising four of their under 14 players for exceptional sportsmanship, it was a moment to feel proud of.

Jacob Wadsworth, Marcus Eromanga, Adam Payne and Aiden Hamilton came to the aid of an opposition player from the Moreton Bay Raiders, stopping play after he copped a knock to the head.

The moment caused a Moreton Bay parent to reach out to the club afterwards, applauding the boys, and Rochedale secretary Christine Bennett said it was not only well-deserved, but also showed the character of the Tigers’ players.

“Our boys stopped to make sure he was alright,” Bennett said.

“The referee missed what happened so they stayed with (the opposition player) and called for the game to stop. Then they went to make sure he was okay after the game.

“The 14s are a good bunch of young men. They go out there to play football but for that age to think of someone else, it’s really good to see.

“Good sportsmanship is what we try to instil in the club and within our players. We tell the boys and girls that it’s not just about you going out there and playing a game of footy. It’s about you going out there to enjoy a game and to help anyone you possibly can.”

Bennett said the recognition was also nice as the Rochedale under 14 side had already dealt with early setbacks ahead of their season, including injuries to some of their players.

But after notching up a 28-10 win over Moreton Bay at Redcliffe, they are very keen for the season to finally get underway.

“They’re a very resilient bunch of young men,” she said.