'It came with a lot of emotion': Weipa Raiders take out Western Cape premiership

The 2022 Western Cape seniors grand final was played with emotion, passion, and pride.

The Weipa Raiders triumphed 14-10 over the Napranum Bulldogs on Saturday, September 3, in what was a thrilling but also special end to the competition’s first season in several years.

Adam MacDonald, the Queensland Rugby League’s Far North league and club support, was in attendance and said he was blown away by the amount of heart shown by the players.

“It was a very, very tight contest, a real arm wrestle,” MacDonald said.

“It came right down to the last set of six. It was a game that had a little bit of everything, a very fast-paced match.

“It also came with a lot of emotion… emotion around representation, the pride in representing their families and communities, and it showed a real genuine passion for the game in those remote areas.

“This was their first year of consistent football post-COVID. Not having the opportunity to play footy over the last couple of years, it has worked in the favour of the area.

“People really got behind the competition this year. I definitely think it reminded everybody, and the community in particular, what rugby league brings.

“Not only does it bring those teams together but that whole region together.”

Weipa halfback and skipper, Wuralumbe Pablo, was awarded the player of the match and showed a lot of “composure in amongst the emotion”.

But it wasn’t just those on the field who contributed to a great day at Weipa, with MacDonald also praising the volunteers who helped kickstart the competition after the COVID-enforced hiatus.

“For us as a game, we rely heavily on the volunteers in those areas to coordinate and oversee the running of the competitions,” MacDonald said.

“This year we were really fortunate to have a couple of ladies in particular - Margie Adidi and Kirri Tabuai.

“They put in a hell of a lot of work behind the scenes every week to ensure accreditations were all up to speed, players were registered, team lists were added in on time… it’s the little things people don’t think about that were taken on by these two ladies.”

The day also included an exhibition women’s game, which was played in the lead up to the men’s grand final.

With no regular competition available for women, up to 25 players registered and split themselves into two teams to play a match.

MacDonald said it was a great segue into the main game and definitely set the tone for a stronger women’s game in the region into the future.

“It was played with great spirit and was really enjoyable,” MacDonald said.

“The players enjoyed it and the crowd really appreciated seeing the girls getting stuck into it. It’s a little bit of a stepping stone towards next year.

“Now we’ve tested the support the women’s game could get, I personally definitely feel there’s room for more games in a similar format in the future.”