Sixty years strong: Meet Atherton's most dedicated supporter
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Jan Tunnie will always find a way to be there for her beloved Atherton Roosters.
Rugby league is a game with many loyal, dedicated and passionate supporters.
But it’s fair to say there are few who are more loyal, dedicated and passionate than Tunnie, a woman who has been one of Atherton’s biggest fans for just over 60 years.
She moved to Atherton with her family in 1956 and in that time, has only missed the rare home game here or there.
She turns 75 this year and is still going strong.
“I was born up here,” Tunnie said.
“My dad was in the Army and we moved away … he left in 1956 and that’s when we came back to Atherton. I was about 12 or 13 when I then first started going to football with Dad and being a supporter.
“My mum was a severe asthmatic so she couldn’t go and she didn’t like Dad going on his own. He was very one-sided … very Atherton Roosters. She felt I could calm him down.
“And that’s where it all stemmed from. Since then, I have been a supporter, right through my teenage years up until now. I have very rarely missed a game.”
During the past 60 years Tunnie has held a number of roles at the club.
Her father, Les McElligott, took on the role of president in 1972 and she became secretary that year alongside him.
After one year as secretary, she changed roles to run the Ladies Auxiliary, catering for football games and the players.
From the 1980s through to the 2000s, Tunnie – who became a life member of the club in 1982 - then helped run the canteen and planned social events to raise money across the season.
Despite her love for the game and the Roosters, she went on to marry Ernie Tunnie, a man who didn’t follow rugby league, but was still by her side, helping out where he could.
They had three sons who, of course, played for Atherton.
Their eldest, Clint, played all throughout his junior years, middle son Scott played right through to reserve grade – even winning a grand final – and the youngest, Brett, played to the under 18s, making a grand final with that team.
Tunnie drove them around the region, ensuring they got to games, and they followed in their mum’s footsteps, volunteering where they could, acting as ball boys for the senior teams.
They have all moved elsewhere now, but Tunnie still goes every week.
“I love the physicality,” Tunnie said of rugby league.
“I just love the game itself. I’ve always been a sports person. I represented my hometown of Atherton as a hockey player and also played basketball. I played sport right up until I was about 40.
“It’s just sports in general. I like the games and how they work out.
“Back in the day, the games had massive crowds. But with the digital era, people have stopped coming. To me, I prefer live games. I still watch the NRL on TV – as many games as I can. But if there is a local game on, that takes preference.”
Having been a fan for so long, Tunnie has seen a number of star players come through the club, including Paul Pensini, Rod Griffin, and Dallas Johnson – “country boys at heart”, she calls them.
Even club secretary Darryl Day can’t remember a time without her or her father, Les, who was president of the Roosters when Day was a player.
He said for years she did a lot of behind the scenes work.
Now, she’s their biggest fan – one that is always sought after by players, coaches and volunteers alike.
“She’s a strong supporter,” Day said.
“She might not be doing any work anymore, but she’s always there on the sideline. It could be cold, but she’ll be there under her umbrella.
“She’s had bad health in recent years, but she still finds a way to be there … we definitely notice when she’s not there.
“She wears the colours and she won’t say a bad thing about the boys.”
Despite all the praise and how highly she is thought of at the club, Tunnie said she doesn’t do it for any recognition.
She does it purely for the love of the game.
And, as Day said, that love is returned.
The Atherton A Grade side are currently sitting in second place on the Far North Queensland competition ladder and, with seven rounds to go, they are pushing for a finals berth.
If they make it all the way to the grand final, coach Graham Clark has already he needs to see her on the sideline, no matter where they play.
“I’ve never wanted accolades but they have given me recognition,” Tunnie said of the club.
“They treat like me a queen when I go to the football. I’m 75 this year and my foot has collapsed with calcification. I’m on a walker, but my husband takes me to the Atherton games.
“He drops me there about an hour early. They allow us to drive in and I sit on the sideline … I was still going to all the away games part of the way through last year.
“As long as I can, I’ll keep going.
“I really like the coach … he is bringing a lot back into Atherton. He came up to me recently and said, ‘if we make the grand final, you’re definitely coming’.
“I said, ‘I’ll get there. I don’t know how I get there, but I’ll get there'.”
