The tiny Aboriginal community of Doomadgee in the Gulf will be Mal Meningas final destination when the record-breaking Maroons coach joins forces with AAMI for their annual tour of Queensland clubs next month.
Meningas visit to the Doomadgee Dragons will follow appearances at the Narangba Rangers, Laidley Lions and Centrals ASA in Townsville.
Meninga, who earlier this month steered the Maroons to an eighth-straight Origin series win, will conduct coaching sessions with all four clubs.
The clubs will also receive $5000 worth of training gear. They were the lucky winners of the club component of the Ultimate AAMI State of Origin Experience competition.
Its fantastic that AAMI has again been able to partner with the Queensland Rugby League this year to provide such a wonderful opportunity for our grassroots clubs, Meninga said.
I thoroughly enjoyed last years visits to Eagleby, Beaudesert, Burdekin and Cunnamulla and hopefully this years itinerary will provide a rewarding experience for everyone involved with the respective clubs and communities.
AAMI Executive Manager of Sponsorship, John Bennetts, said the competition is another example of AAMIs strong community focus.
AAMI is proud to be involved with all levels of the game, from grassroots rugby league with the Under 6s, right through to State of Origin, Bennetts said.
We are thrilled to be able to provide these young players with the opportunity to learn from someone like Mal, a great person and coach whose Origin coaching record with the Maroons is unequalled with eight series wins.
The Queensland Rugby League today notified officials from the four clubs of their successful 2013 entries.
They were thrilled with the news and immediately began to spread the word of Big Mals impending arrival.
The trip to Doomadgee is set down for September 7.
This will help the club greatly, Doomadgee Dragons secretary Anastasia Marshall said today.
Weve had a few issues with funding and sponsorship, so this prize will provide an enormous boost for the club and community.
Everyone up here loves Mal and hopefully his visit will inspire more kids to play as we would love to start putting organised junior teams on the park.
The Dragons currently have one senior team which this year finished fourth in the Mid West Rugby League.
The three other winners Narangba Rangers, Laidley Lions and Centrals ASA are junior clubs.
Established in 2005, the Narangba Rangers are the youngest of the trio.
From humble beginnings, the club is enjoying strong growth and this year fielded an Under 18 team for the first time.
Big Mals coaching clinic with the Rangers is pencilled in for August 30.
The following day, Meninga and representatives from AAMI and the QRL will head to Laidley in the Lockyer Valley.
The Lions have done it tough after two floods in two years. But the junior club has defied the setbacks, registering a 14 percent increase on last years junior numbers.
Centrals ASA have also been affected by a natural disaster, with Cyclone Yasi ripping the roof from its clubhouse and damaging equipment.
But the club, which produced NRL players Gorden Tallis, Aaron Payne, Ray Thompson and Robert Lui, has remained a force in the Townsville & District Junior Rugby League and is eagerly awaiting the visit from Meninga and AAMI on September 5.
Narangba Rangers RLFC (Juniors)
Located: Duncombe Park, Williamina Court, Narangba
Home ground: Narangba Rangers Rugby League Football Grounds
Play in: Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League
Age groups: Under 6 to Under 18
Number of junior players: 280 players across 23 teams
Established in: 2005
Laidley Lions (Juniors)
Located: Laidley Recreation Reserve, Whites Road, Laidley
Home ground: Laidley Recreation Reserve
Play in: Ipswich Junior Rugby League
Age groups: Under 6 to Under 14
Number of junior players: 176 players across 12 teams
Former players of note: Peter Ryan, Andy Bichel (former Australian Test bowler), Robbie Bichel
Centrals ASA Townsville (Juniors)
Located: 29 Anne Street, Aitkenvale, Townsville
Home ground: Illich Park
Play in: Townsville and District Junior Rugby League
Age groups: Under 6 to Under 16
Number of junior players: 447 players in 29 teams
Former players of note: Gorden Tallis, Aaron Payne, Ray Thompson, Robert Lui
Established: Senior club established in 1928
Doomadgee Dragons (Seniors)
Located: Doomadgee is 475km north of Mount Isa
Home ground: PCYC grounds (515 Goodeedawa Road, Doomadgee)
Play in: Mid West League
Number of players: 48 players registered with the club in the 2013 season
Proposed schedule for Mal Meninga/AAMI coaching clinics:
August, 30: Narangba Rangers
August, 31: Laidley Lions
September 5: Centrals ASA, Townsville
September 7: Doomadgee Dragons
Meningas visit to the Doomadgee Dragons will follow appearances at the Narangba Rangers, Laidley Lions and Centrals ASA in Townsville.
Meninga, who earlier this month steered the Maroons to an eighth-straight Origin series win, will conduct coaching sessions with all four clubs.
The clubs will also receive $5000 worth of training gear. They were the lucky winners of the club component of the Ultimate AAMI State of Origin Experience competition.
Its fantastic that AAMI has again been able to partner with the Queensland Rugby League this year to provide such a wonderful opportunity for our grassroots clubs, Meninga said.
I thoroughly enjoyed last years visits to Eagleby, Beaudesert, Burdekin and Cunnamulla and hopefully this years itinerary will provide a rewarding experience for everyone involved with the respective clubs and communities.
AAMI Executive Manager of Sponsorship, John Bennetts, said the competition is another example of AAMIs strong community focus.
AAMI is proud to be involved with all levels of the game, from grassroots rugby league with the Under 6s, right through to State of Origin, Bennetts said.
We are thrilled to be able to provide these young players with the opportunity to learn from someone like Mal, a great person and coach whose Origin coaching record with the Maroons is unequalled with eight series wins.
The Queensland Rugby League today notified officials from the four clubs of their successful 2013 entries.
They were thrilled with the news and immediately began to spread the word of Big Mals impending arrival.
The trip to Doomadgee is set down for September 7.
This will help the club greatly, Doomadgee Dragons secretary Anastasia Marshall said today.
Weve had a few issues with funding and sponsorship, so this prize will provide an enormous boost for the club and community.
Everyone up here loves Mal and hopefully his visit will inspire more kids to play as we would love to start putting organised junior teams on the park.
The Dragons currently have one senior team which this year finished fourth in the Mid West Rugby League.
The three other winners Narangba Rangers, Laidley Lions and Centrals ASA are junior clubs.
Established in 2005, the Narangba Rangers are the youngest of the trio.
From humble beginnings, the club is enjoying strong growth and this year fielded an Under 18 team for the first time.
Big Mals coaching clinic with the Rangers is pencilled in for August 30.
The following day, Meninga and representatives from AAMI and the QRL will head to Laidley in the Lockyer Valley.
The Lions have done it tough after two floods in two years. But the junior club has defied the setbacks, registering a 14 percent increase on last years junior numbers.
Centrals ASA have also been affected by a natural disaster, with Cyclone Yasi ripping the roof from its clubhouse and damaging equipment.
But the club, which produced NRL players Gorden Tallis, Aaron Payne, Ray Thompson and Robert Lui, has remained a force in the Townsville & District Junior Rugby League and is eagerly awaiting the visit from Meninga and AAMI on September 5.
Narangba Rangers RLFC (Juniors)
Located: Duncombe Park, Williamina Court, Narangba
Home ground: Narangba Rangers Rugby League Football Grounds
Play in: Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League
Age groups: Under 6 to Under 18
Number of junior players: 280 players across 23 teams
Established in: 2005
Laidley Lions (Juniors)
Located: Laidley Recreation Reserve, Whites Road, Laidley
Home ground: Laidley Recreation Reserve
Play in: Ipswich Junior Rugby League
Age groups: Under 6 to Under 14
Number of junior players: 176 players across 12 teams
Former players of note: Peter Ryan, Andy Bichel (former Australian Test bowler), Robbie Bichel
Centrals ASA Townsville (Juniors)
Located: 29 Anne Street, Aitkenvale, Townsville
Home ground: Illich Park
Play in: Townsville and District Junior Rugby League
Age groups: Under 6 to Under 16
Number of junior players: 447 players in 29 teams
Former players of note: Gorden Tallis, Aaron Payne, Ray Thompson, Robert Lui
Established: Senior club established in 1928
Doomadgee Dragons (Seniors)
Located: Doomadgee is 475km north of Mount Isa
Home ground: PCYC grounds (515 Goodeedawa Road, Doomadgee)
Play in: Mid West League
Number of players: 48 players registered with the club in the 2013 season
Proposed schedule for Mal Meninga/AAMI coaching clinics:
August, 30: Narangba Rangers
August, 31: Laidley Lions
September 5: Centrals ASA, Townsville
September 7: Doomadgee Dragons
