NSW ABORIGINAL RUGBY LEAGUE & SPORTS INCORPORATED

 

 

 

PRESS STATEMENT

 

 

 

Goodooga, northwest NSW, 22 April -- The CEO of the Aboriginal Nations Super League, Michael Anderson, reports that the competition kicked off at Moree on Saturday April 21.

 

 

 

He says in a statement that there continue to be “a couple of glitches associated with fund raising” and that NSW Country Rugby League is still trying to undermine the Aboriginal competition.

 

 

 

His statement follows below.

 

 

 

As expected in this, the inaugural season, there continue to be a couple of glitches associated with fund raising that have caused one team to forfeit their opening game due largely to their inability to raise sufficient funds to fill cars up with petrol. Fuel out in the bush is in some cases akin to purchasing a nugget of gold.

 

 

 

Unlike the long established Country Rugby League group 19 in New England, at least we can field teams. In the last couple of weeks Inverell has had to withdraw from group 19 competition due largely to having no players to be a viable proposition each weekend. According to the Country Rugby League Constitution this means that the New England Competition cannot be regarded as a group because they need six teams to be playing to hold their status as a group.

 

 

 

Despite us having an agreement with the CRL, Mr. Frank Fish and the CRL continue their attempts to undermine the Aboriginal Nations Super League by inviting our teams to participate in lowly rated competitions.

 

 

 

The Aboriginal Nations Super League council said after their meeting at the weekend that they could not understand why the Moree Boomerangs have accepted an invitation to play as the second grade team for Werris Creek in the group 4 competition at the behest of Mr. Frank Fish, especially after Mr. Fish said in a press statement some time ago that he would rather trust a ‘black snake’ than a Moree Boomerang.

 

 

 

Despite this Aboriginal people are beginning to realise that the Aboriginal Nations Super League is a going concern and are now starting to become more involved and were impressed with the start of the competition.

 

 

 

The Aboriginal Nations Super League will do it tough over this first two months while we consolidate, but like our peoples we have a strong resolve, we are a people who can succeed against all odds especially when we commit ourselves to surviving. We can do things others cannot and that is the motto that will drive us in establishing a very strong Rugby League competition in the coming years.

 

 

 

First round results

 

 

 

The result of the first round competition saw Bourke Warriors too strong for the Toomelah Tigers, beating them 42 – 14. Bourke has exposed the amount of talent that exist in the bush by producing two young players in Caleb Rivers and Ian Orcher who showed class that will take them to Sydney if they can maintain their level of play that they have shown in the pre-season and this the first round.

 

 

 

In the other game Walgett Dragons also showed that they will be a major contender for the inaugural premiership by beating the new team in the competition, Moree All Blacks 44 – 28. Walgett’s style of play clearly demonstrated that they will be the team that most people will want to see beaten because they continue to live up to their reputation as the enforcers. Especially if they can keep their main play makers, Doug Dixon and Daniel Lang, fit.

 

 

 

Moree Mission Jets gain their two points by way of a forfeit as the Narwan Eels did not arrive and Goodooga had the bye.

 

 

 

Next week will see Walgett host the games where the draw will pit Narwan Eels against the Toomelah Tigers, Goodooga against Bourke, Walgett against Moree Mission Jets.

 

 

 

Walgett is a made Rugby League town and we expect a large vocal crowd, considering they have not had a proper approved competition for the past 20 years.

 

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Michael Anderson can be contacted at 02 68296355 landline, 04272 92 492 mobile, 02 68296375 fax, ngurampaa@bigpond.com.au