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Blacklock and Peachey team up to tackle Newcastle Knights
David Peachey
by Tracie Edmondson 25 January 2014
T
wo of Rugby League’s most exciting former stars, David Peachey and Nathan Blacklock, will lead Laurie Daley’s First Nations Goannas in a trial game against Wayne Bennett’s Knights in Newcastle in a fortnight. Peachey and Blacklock join with Rod Jensen (Cairns) and Dennis Moran (Parkes) as the four former NRL stars to be added to the Goannas team to play in the trial match at Hunter Stadium on February 8 that will mark the culmination of a week-long celebration in Newcastle of Indigenous Rugby League. The Festival of Indigenous Rugby League will be run in place of the traditional Rugby League All Stars which is being “rested” in 2014 post World Cup, and it will feature extensive community activities, as well as a Murri v Koori match and curtain-raiser games between the QLD and NSW Under 16 boys teams and QLD and NSW Indigenous Women’s teams prior to the trial match. “It’s an opportunity that I never got in my playing career – to play in an all-Indigenous team – so it’s something very special to me,” said Blacklock, who is
Nathan Blacklock
currently coaching in Mackay (QLD) and working as a mentor on suicide prevention in local communities. Daley, who will coach the non-elite Indigenous Goannas team, said Peachey, Blacklock, Jensen and Moran would play a valuable role in mentoring the players on and off the field during the week-long camp before the trial game. “These four guys were great talents in their playing days in the NRL, but since ending their professional football careers it is the tireless work they have done in the Indigenous community in particular that deserves just as many accolades,” Daley said. “Their presence in the camp and on the field will have an enormous impact on the Goannas players and I know they are just as excited about getting the chance to play in this Indigenous representative team.” Peachey is based in Dubbo (NSW) and among his many roles is a member of the Australian Rugby League Indigenous Council and delivers a NSW Government program to reduce domestic violence in regional communities; Jensen is the Community Manager for the Northern Pride Rugby League Club in Cairns (QLD), delivering community education programs; and Moran, based at Parkes (NSW), is a Welfare Officer for Country Rugby League.
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Festival Activities
Fri-Sun,Jan 31-Feb2 NRL Indigenous Players Camp (Hunter Valley) Sat-Sun Feb 1-2 First Nations Goannas enter NRL Indigenous Players Camp Monday, Feb 3 First Nations Goannas arrive into FIRL camp (Newcastle) Tuesday, Feb 4 First Nations Goannas training; team photo; personal development workshop Joint Media Conference with the Knights (Hunter Stadium, 12pm) Wednesday, Feb 5 Civic Reception, hosted by Newcastle Lord Mayor (City Hall, 12pm) Community and school visits – Knights and Goannas (1-3pm) Deadly Choices Community Event (Newcastle Foreshore, 5-8pm) Thursday, Feb 6 Training and workshops for the First Nations Goannas and Indigenous Women Friday, Feb 7 Community Festival (Sportsground 2), including Preliminary Games, Clinics etc (12.45- 4pm); Jersey presentation to First nation Goannas (5.10pm); and Murris v Koori Interstate Challenge (6pm) Saturday, Feb 8 Game Day, Hunter Stadium 3pm Gates Open 3.15pm QLD Indigenous Women v NSW Indigenous Women 4.50pm QLD Indigenous U16 v NSW Indigenous U16 7.00pm Newcastle Knights v First Nations Goannas Tickets can be purchased at Ticketmaster: http://www.ticketmaster.com.au/Indigenous-Festival-of-NRLNewcastle-tickets/artist/1952132 • General admission: Adults $18, Children $8, Family $45 • Reserved: Adults $25, Children $15, Family $65
Dennis Moran is a former NRL star to be added to the Goannas team to play Newcastle Knights.
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Team List: First Nations Goannas
Name Joshua Benjamin Malcolm Congoo Davin Crampton Adrian Davis Phil Dennis Rex Johnson James Livock Bobby Nona Kareel Phillips Matthew Pittman Reggie Saunders Roy Smith Rickki Sutherland Noel Underwood Kieran Vale Javarn White Nathan Blacklock Rod Jensen Dennis Moran David Peachey
Carnival Club being represented Ngalpun QLD Argun Warriors QLD Mindaribba NSW Yowies NSW Dingoes QLD Dingoes QLD Ngalpun QLD Yowies NSW Redfern All Blacks NSW Narwan OBC NSW Dingoes QLD Redfern All Blacks NSW Walgett NSW Yarrabah QLD Dhungutti NSW Dingoes QLD Walgett Aboriginal Connection NSW Narwan Old Boys NSW Dubbo Pacemakers NSW
Place of residence Mackay QLD Townsville QLD Cairns QLD Scarborough QLD Woodridge QLD Helensburgh NSW Strathfield NSW Rockhampton QLD Redfern NSW Marooka QLD Southport QLD Marrickville NSW Cairns QLD Edmonton QLD Zetland NSW Ipswich QLD Mackay QLD Cairns QLD Parkes NSW Dubbo NSW
Former NRL player Rod Jensen will play for the First Nations Goannas, representing Walgett Aboriginal Connection NSW.
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