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TORRES NEWS THURSDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2023
Junior rugby league ready to kick off - tonight! for eligible children for a few more weeks with our amazing new committee happy to assist with registration questions.
Zenadth Kes Junior Rugby League The 2023 Zenadth Kes Junior Rugby League season is set to kick off 5pm tonight with children from five to 12 years old able to register to play. Games will continue to be held on Friday nights from 5.30pm. Registrations costs $50 and this year we are excited to be able to announce that our club is a registered Fairplay provider. This means that eligible families who have health care card or pension card can apply to have the registration fee covered. Registration will be open
Pic supplied.
This year the club is lead by a new committee who are: • President – Anthony Moynihan • Vice-President – Jackson Seymour • Secretary – Marita Sagigi • Treasurer – Cara Moynihan • Registrar – Kelly Seden The success of the club revolves around volunteers making themselves available for training and games consistently throughout the season. We encourage any parents or community members to let us know if they would like to assist so we can connect them to the right courses. We are very grateful QRL
development officer Terry Abednego has arranged to have a local Administration Day with coaching courses and sports trainer courses to be delivered on 11 and 12 March. This development is so important for our community coaches volunteers to feel confident
in training structure and games. It’s important all our volunteers become qualified so we can make sure we have officials in place for game night. Our Friday night game sees the return of our sausage sizzles and
Deadly Choices launched for 2023
merchandise sales of training shirts, hats and socks. Proceeds from all sales to towards costs for 2023 Laurie Spina Shield, where a selected Under-11 team will attend Townsville in June/ July holidays this year, as well as the 2023 super hero round.
We hope to see community and family members come to support the kids this year, and encourage all families to consider registering their kids for rugby league. All enquiries can be sent through to the club email zenadthkesjrl@gmail.com
Dolphins debut ‘Torres Trio’ BY ALF WILSON
TOP OF THEIR LEAGUE: Jamayne TaunoaBrown & Gehamat Shibasaki. Pic by Alf Wilson. BY ALF WILSON The North Queensland Cowboys will maintain cultural momentum following last weekend’s NRL All Stars showpiece, with no-frills forward Jamayne TaunoaBrown joined by fellow First Nations superstar Gehamat Shibasaki, to relaunch the Club’s involvement with nationally acclaimed preventative health program, Deadly Choices, last week. Speaking at the launch, rising star Gehamat Shibasaki said it was wise to make deadly choices about health and wellbeing. Townsville Aboriginal & Islander Health Service (TAIHS) hosted
the launch which was attended by club Head of Partnerships Antony Butler and Deadly Choices Ambassadors former Cowboys Willie Tonga and Brenton Bowen along with Deadly Choices national sporting code representative Bo de la Cruz and co-ordinator Fabian Parsons. Gehamat said Deadly Choices was a great community service. A dedicated Deadly Choices NRL fixture round and other home game activations will again take place at Townsville’s Queensland Country Bank Stadium precinct through the course of the 2023 season. MEANWHILE, earlier this week in Brisbane, Broncos star Ezra
BEST OF BEST: Talisha Harden & Ezra Mam at the Deadly Choices launch in Brisbane. Pic supplied by Institute for Urban Indigenous Health. Mam and the NRLW’s Tallisha Harden attended a similar event at the Institute for Urban Indigenous Health (IUIH). Ezra said he was keen to use his profile to promote change. “If you keep sticking at whatever goals you set yourself, working hard and never giving up, the opportunities will come,” he said. “It’s all about creating an environment that allows you to live longer. Eat healthy, exercise daily, keep away from alcohol and tobacco, turn up for school every day and listen to your parents. “Making deadly choices is important to me, just keeping my body healthy which
gives me a clear mindset and so I feel good, on and off the field, to do what I do best. “As an elite athlete it’s important to watch what we eat to keep our performance always at the best it can possibly be.” All Queensland NRL clubs were united behind the Deadly Choices preventative health initiative supporting the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders. ATSICHS Brisbane CEO Renee Blackman said their 12-year partnership with Deadly Choices and Brisbane Broncos had been a fantastic community health awareness initiative for mob.
THE “Torres Trio” of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, Brenko Lee and Edrick Lee look set to play vital roles in how new NRL club, the Dolphins, perform this year. That may even turn out to be the Fabulous Four with another Torres Strait Islander, Brenton Baira, tipped to play A Grade for the Wayne Bennett-coached Dolphins. It is understood the Dolphins have the biggest number of Torres Strait players in their top squad of 30 players of all the 17 NRL teams. Former NQ Cowboys star back Hamiso, Erdrick, Brenko and Brenton all have the class to star for the Dolphins. Torres Strait Island Regional Council Division 3 Cr Conwell Tabuai – an uncle of Hamiso – told the Torres News he was proud of him. “We here are proud of him and because he is one of the players for the new club which will make history,” he said. “Some fans have chosen their new clubs and backing this club especially with Wayne Bennett as head coach as he is known as a super coach. “So it will be a good season for the club and Hammer himself for Wayne will unlock Hammer’s full potential and we all can’t wait.” The 21-year-old Hamiso played 50 matches for the Cowboys during the past three seasons and joined the Dolphins where he was the first choice fullback. Brenko was a quality centre whilst Edrick a tall winger with speed to burn. Hamiso played at fullback and Brenko in the centres when the Dolphins lost their trial on Sunday at the Sunshine Coast 40-16 to the fourth Queensland club the Titans.
POPULAR: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow stops to talk to fans after the game. Pic supplied. Edrick Lee, who sustained a minor ankle injury at training in the week before, was rested for the game but should be ready for the Dolphins first round match of the season against the Roosters on 5 March . Young outside back Brenton Baira scored a try with his first touch of the ball in the Dolphins draw with the Cowboys in a trial at Barlow Park in Cairns earlier this month. He is a nephew of respected Townsville-based Roy Baira who has coached Badhu side Kulpiyam for the past few years. “Brenton is very talented and I think he may play A grade for the Dolphins especially if there are injuries,” Roy told the Torres News. Edrick Lee has played for the Canberra Raiders, Cronulla Sharks and Newcastle Knights. Brenko has been in Canberra Raiders, Canterbury Bulldogs, Gold Coast Titans, Melbourne Storm, Brisbane Broncos colours. Both Lee cousins have represented Queensland and Brenko was a member of a Melbourne Storm premiership team.