We’re so grateful for all our wonderful volunteers in the QRL North region and we’ve started 2023 with a renewed focus to empower more people at our community clubs to make their mark on our game.
The first of a series of education conferences for club administrators in our region took place in Cairns this week to remind clubs of the tools at their disposal to empower more volunteers to give a helping hand.
We are one of the only sports in our country that has all our volunteers accredited in their chosen role. This is significant in ensuring we put player safety and the game’s integrity first.
We can’t be thankful enough for our volunteers who have already put in the time to get accredited and we’re hopeful by making sure clubs are fully aware of the wealth of resources at their disposal to attract more, we can assist them immensely.
Recruitment and retention of volunteers will always be integral to our game because they are the backbone of community rugby league.
If you have the capacity to get involved, reach out to your local league and club coordinator or go to The Clubhouse to learn about the resources available for clubs and volunteers and all the ways you can play a part.
The conference also allowed administrators to connect with people from other clubs and leagues, be briefed on the season ahead, discuss important topics such as The Clubhouse and how to manage players who show signs of suspected concussion, our Positive Environment Program, refereeing and governance.
The judiciary and match review system was another big topic, with the QRL North leagues agreeing to an extended region-wide process to create a judiciary tribunal to cover all leagues.
One representative each will be appointed from our three biggest leagues respectively to form a three-person panel to ensure efficiency and consistency in the application of the laws of our game across the season.
The Cairns session was well-received and I’m excited to be delivering more education conferences in Townsville, Mackay and Mt Isa over the coming weeks.
Shout out
Shout out to Rod ‘Hairy’ McCrae and Scott Reid who took on the roles of ensuring the transport and safety of our Mackay and Cairns contingent who attended the inaugural QRL North Officiating Coach and Mentor Conference in Townsville last week, which we were very proud to host as a key pillar in improving support for our officials.
Upcoming dates
February 25 - Bowen 10s kick off our footy activities for 2023
March 11-12 – RISE coach and manager education weekend
March 14 - RISE Cairns coach induction
March 15 - RISE Townsville coach induction
March 16 - RISE Mackay coach induction
Celebrating our team
Darin Trudgett
Role: League and club coordinator, Townsville
Hometown: Blacktown, NSW
Favourite Maroons player: Mark Coyne
Favourite Maroons Origin moment: Mark Coyne’s miracle try (but NSW still winning the series was the best part)
Why you love your job: Having the ability to give back to a game that I played and have loved since I was four years old is amazing in itself. Being able to work with volunteers that are passionate about our great game and watching kids having fun and developing is a great buzz, all while knowing I have played a small part in helping make the game stronger and successful in the Townsville region.
What they bring to the team: Darin has made significant impact since commencing his role six months ago. He brings a wealth of knowledge from other sport administration roles and is always a friendly face to call upon in the Townsville region. We are grateful to have him in our team… even if he does happen to support the wrong team at Origin time.
