Mini Maroons: Setting goals and chasing dreams
- Author
- Timestamp
Mini Maroons is the weekly round-up of the amazing things kids are doing in community rugby league.
This week, we're celebrating a new generation benefiting from a 50-year-old tradition, a Cairns young gun thriving at his first carnival, and a Toowoomba teen tackling the representative level.
QRL South East
A new generation of Carina and Mackay kids have taken part in a 50-year-old tradition, as the Tigers and Sharks came together once again for their annual football tour.
The exchange, which first started in 1973, was held again this past weekend, as players from the Souths Mackay Sharks under 12, under 13 and under 14 teams travelled down to not only play for the trophy, but enjoy what the south east of the the state had to offer.
While the final day of matches were cancelled due to weather, each age group played two games against their Carina counterparts, with the Tigers proving to be the winning club.
But Wade Core, the Carina Juniors RLFC patron and one of the organisers of the annual trip, said it was about much more than winning.
While competition is a major factor behind the football tour, it was also about “friendship, exchanging ideas, and – number one – providing life experiences for the players”.
“We’ve been able to give a tremendous number of players from both sides an experience you can’t pay for,” Core said.
“It’s never been about the best kids. It’s always been about every child having an opportunity to participate.”
The clubs usually alternate which city they travel to, with Mackay’s teams this year coming to Brisbane where they were treated to a tour of the Brisbane Broncos’ Red Hill facilities and a trip to Dreamworld.
Core, who is also a director of the Carina Leagues Club and a life member, said these are some of the “life experiences” they wanted the kids to enjoy – things that they might not ever do any other time.
Kids are also billeted to families and he said out of the tour they make lasting friendships.
“We still do (billeting) with some of them so we hope they experience a different way of life,” Core said.
“They may do things that they may never do again in their life. They might not come to Dreamworld. Some may never come to Brisbane. When our kids go to Mackay, they get to go to farms and that sort of thing.
“Our billet families this year commented to me they had the loveliest children they’ve ever seen and would welcome them back next week.
“Former players talked at our dinner about the experiences they had with this tour and the friendships they still have today from 1976. It was a gentleman from Mackay and three from Carina. They get in touch every year and still celebrate that friendship.
“That’s what can come out of this … suddenly you could have a lifelong friendship.”
QRL North
Koby Jones has had one taste of a rugby league carnival and already he is talking about the next one.
The 10-year-old Cairns Kangaroos junior took part in his first major carnival over the weekend, competing at this year’s Gorden Tallis Cup in Townsville.
And while his under 10s team did not win any of their games, they played their little hearts out, with Koby even picking up a player of the match award in his clash against the Peak Down Pirates.
His mum, Emma Price, said Koby had been since under 6s and was continuing to grow in confidence, with the Gorden Tallis Cup another boost.
“He’s definitely getting more confident,” Price said.
“He picked up player of the match from the Pirates and that was one of his best games. He just kept running and tackling and scored three tries.
“By the end of the carnival, the team was playing so well. You could see they were getting confidence from it too.
“It was a very exciting weekend, even for the adults. It felt like a really big community. Everyone was so supportive and so lovely. Everyone was bonding a bit. It was such a good experience.”
The parents were also sure to show the kids videos of Tallis ahead of the carnival, as well as North Queensland Cowboys legend Matt Bowen, who was also in attendance.
Price said her family, including Koby’s dad and stepdad, drove from Cairns for the carnival and the players all slept in a hall together in an indoor camping experience.
The young gun hasn’t stopped talking about the experience and already has his eye on his next carnival opportunity in 2023.
“He is already wanting to start training and doing things for the next carnival and the next game,” Price said.
“He has the Laurie Spina Shield in April. He’s already talking about that one.”
QRL Central
From the Confraternity Carnival in Mackay to the Under 17 Girls Central Region Carnival in Toowoomba, last week was a big one for Jess Barnes.
And the 17-year-old topped it all off by claiming the player of the carnival award from the Central Region tournament.
Jess only took up the game two years ago when COVID disrupted her usual touch football season. She turned to rugby league instead and her dad, Shane Barnes, said she has not looked back.
The proof is in the pudding when it comes to Jess’ talent, with the St Ursula’s College student and St Joseph’s representative having played for Darling Downs School Sport in May.
She then donned the Western Clydesdales representative jersey at the Under 17 Girls carnival over the weekend and now has her sights set on a place in the Country team.
The Under 17 Girls Central Region Carnival plays a part in selection for the team – along with a North Region Carnival – and it’s Jess’ next big goal.
“The Country team … it’s something that wasn’t thought about until the carnival,” Barnes said of his daughter.
“She would love an opportunity to play for Country. Some of the girls in the (Western Clydesdales) team did make the team last year and hearing about the camp leading up to it and the game and the whole experience, she’d definitely love to be part of it.
“She was very excited about this carnival. You get to play with the next level players and against the better players from the other regions.
“She just loves rugby league. She lives and breathes it. She can’t get enough it.”
Jess, who plays for Toowoomba Valleys Juniors in club football, is also a versatile player, with the halfback previously playing at fullback.
Her touch football skills have helped her transfer into a new position and she is constantly developing in skill.
But despite her strength on the field, her dad says the whole family was still shocked when she took out player of the carnival for the Under 17 Girls, purely because there was so much talent.
“It was disbelief for all of us,” Barnes said.
“There’s a lot of good players. She had been awarded a couple of the player of the match awards at the carnival so it was a lovely recognition.
“She’s definitely a team player. It was a really great team performance. It’s hard to single out an individual in any team sport.”
