Pictured: David Collins (CEO of Yulu - Burri - Ba), David Stagg (Brisbane Broncos), Aunty Lyn Shipway (Chair of Yulu - Burri - Ba), Karen Williams (Mayor of Redland City), Chris McKenna (Junior Development officer for Wynnum Manly Seagulls)
Redland City can look forward to its biggest ever boost to local rugby league after major partnerships are announced today by the Brisbane Broncos, Wynnum Manly Seagulls and Redland City Council.
All Redland City Junior Rugby League Clubs have now joined up to the Wynnum Manly Seagulls Bayside Broncos Junior Development Programs. Clubs include the Capalaba Juniors, Redlands Juniors, Stradbroke Island Juniors and Russell Island Juniors, who will now get support in junior development and coaching by the Seagulls, as well as community visits from the Brisbane Broncos Junior Development team. The Russell Island Juniors already received a visit on February 22.
In further news for Redland City, two Intrust Super Cup games have been scheduled in the area for 2015. North Stradbroke Island will once again host an Intrust Super Cup game on June 7. The first game will be staged in Redland City on April 18. This game – scheduled for the Redland Juniors Rugby League Club at Thornlands - will be the first Intrust Super Cup game played on the mainland of Redland City.
Wynnum Manly Seagulls CEO Phil Reeves said he was proud to make the announcement.
“Today is a great day for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls, for the Redlands and for rugby league,” he said.
“These announcements demonstrate our clear commitment to the Redland City area, in that we are not just bringing one game of the Intrust Super Cup to the area, but two, along with a focus on Junior Development.
“Our club has a proud history and plays an important role within the local area. We want to use this role to be both a community developer with important health messages, as well as a tourism vehicle for many of the great aspects of Redland City.”
The Seagulls will play their second Indigenous Recognition game on Stradbroke Island at 1:40 pm on Sunday June 7, following the phenomenal success of the inaugural event in 2014.
They will play their local derby on the Island against Souths Logan during the long weekend, once again paying tribute to the Quandamooka People. The QRL and Channel 9 will televise the game live throughout the state, and the game will be supported again by the Redland City Council, Deadly Choices and Stradbroke Ferries.
Adrian Carson, from the Institute of Urban Indigenous Health, stated: “Our involvement with both the Brisbane Broncos and Wynnum Manly Seagulls is all about promoting the healthy choices we need everyone in the community, particularly our young indigenous people, to make when it comes to what they eat and drink. Events like the game at Straddie give us the opportunity to focus their attention”.
“North Stradbroke Island is a special place to many Indigenous people based in South East Queensland and it is absolutely marvellous for the Wynnum Manly Seagulls to bring us another game, particularly against arch rivals, the Souths Logan”.
Paul White, CEO of the Brisbane Broncos, shared his thoughts: “We are very proud to play our part in assisting the Wynnum Manly Seagulls in developing the game in such a fast- growing area like Redland City, which is part of our local catchment area.
“It is terrific that in conjunction with one of our partners, Deadly Choices, two of our feeder clubs can travel across to North Stradbroke to not only play a game of rugby league at this level but also to sell such an important message for our local indigenous people.
In addition to all of these boosts to the Redlands area, the new direct feeder team to the Wynnum Manly Seagulls Intrust Super Cup side will now be known as the Wynnum Manly Redland City Seagulls, who will play home games at BMD Kougari, Redland Juniors, Capalaba Juniors and Wynnum Junior fields.
Redland City Mayor Karen Williams is enthusiastic about the new partnerships and the future of rugby league in the Redlands.
“The partnerships and announcements being made today are terrific for Junior Rugby League, great for local tourism, and definitely kick goals for our community and economy,” Cr Williams said.
“I want to thank the Wynnum Manly Seagulls, Brisbane Broncos and all of our local clubs who have worked so hard to build these partnerships which will be a long term benefit for our City.”
