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Southern Dingoes take home $50,000 winner’s cheque at Queensland Murri carnival
by Stephen Hagan rthur Beetson Foundation Murri Carnival held over four days in Ipswich from last Thursday continues to grow in strength after its third year. Despite playing in heat wave conditions nudging the 38 degree Celcius mark, 13 degrees above the average September temperature of 25.5 degrees for Ipswich, players were intense and committed in both attack and defence. With the perspiration flowing freely onto the Steeden football throughout games, quite often teams were turning defence into attack with big hits the order of the day. What makes this rugby league event a standout from similar events held in the eastern states is the inclusiveness of the programme put together by the Arthur Beetson Foundation principle events’ coordinators Tony Currie, former international, state of origin and premiership winning player, and events specialist Troy Byers. Currie and Byers started the carnival on Tuesday night with
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Southern Dingoes on attack against the Yarrabah Seahawks. Dingoes won final 44-10
Sean Chulburra and Archie Roach headlining an event for local Elders and sponsors of the carnival. The following night sponors once again gathered at a fund raising event with a roomfall of rugby league greats, politicians, Indigenous and civic leaders, to raise funds to send the U15 representative team selected from the carnival to Papua New Guinea. The main item for auction on the night was a series of large paintings donated by Southern Queensland
Correctional Centre Indigenous inmates, who painted a similar large series of paintings last year for the auction (that was purchased by Cr Paul Pisasale, Mayor of Ipswich for $10,000). Attending the fund raising night were Linda Burney, Chairman of the NRL Indigenous Advisory Committee and NSW Deputy Opposition leader, Dean Widders and David Peachey, former NRL greats. The Carnival started on Thursday
Inala Panthers on the attack against Highlanders in the women’s final won 10-8 by the Highlanders
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Bonnie Meecock (Defender) on ball from South Coast attacked in defence by Rubies Amber Mutch (Striker/Midfield) from Toowoomba in hockey exhibition match.
featuring U15 boy’s, women’s and men’s teams. At the end of the Possible and Probable
U15 game on the final day event organisers allowed for a sixty minute’s break, before the women’s final, to put on an exhibition
hockey match on an adjacent field at Briggs Road Ipswich for the Queensland Rubies. Vickie Dodd, mother of Amber Mutch, No. 7 and Striker/Midfielder for the Rubies, from Toowoomba, told First Nations Telegraph, the “Rubies will soon play in a six a side comp and then combine with Cairns Academy hockey team to play 11 aside.” “Next year they travel to Singapore where they acquitted themselves well last year ... finishing fourth,” The women’s grand final played between the Highlanders and
Above: Brisbane identity Dave Collins with current NRL great who played for Cherbourg, Chris Sandow, left, and former NRL great Preston Campbell at the Murri Carnival. Below: U15 representative team
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Inala Panthers was a physical encounter won late in the game by a try and conversion to the Highlanders. The skill level shown in attack and defensive in the women’s games were acknowledged by a crowd of several thousand. The women’s game has risen in statue and popularity with spectators over the past couple of carnival. Highlanders won in a close contest 10 - 8. Yarrabah Seahawkes put up a strong and spirited performance in their loss to Southern Dingoes 44 -10 who, with many Queensland Cup players, were simply too big and strong. What would a carnival be without its controversy and this year was no different. The mandatory, it would seem, complaint over “proof of Aboriginality” raised its head again, especially towards to the winning men’s team, Southern Dingoes (who took home the $50,000 cheque), who many rival teams felt contained several nonIndigenous players. From the carnival the U15 team was selected and will travel to Papua New Guinea in coming weeks to play, whilst a women’s and men’s team will compete in Newcastle next February and men’s team will also play in New Zealand. For more information on results from the carnival and programme for representative teams click on http://www. murrirugbyleague.com