Charleville State High School are undertaking a rugby league tour this week, with Year 9 and 10 students (aged under 15), involved in a jam-packed five-day tour.
The itinerary will take in the Brisbane Broncos v Canberra Raiders game this Thursday night as well as games against Nambour State High School, Lockyer District State High School and Dalby State High School.
This rugby league tour is held every two years and gives Charleville State High School students an opportunity to play rugby league as a team; which is something they struggle to do in their home town on a regular basis.
Tour organiser Leighton Webb is accompanying the students on the trip along with the Sam Barrow and Josh Jensen who are the Open Rugby League and Under 15 rugby league coaches respectively.
The students departed Charleville at 5am on Monday (June 6) where they played their first game against Dalby State High School.
This is not the only tour students from the school have the opportunity to take part in this year, with a touch football tour planned for Term 4.
The students fundraised to help them with the costs associated with undertaking a trip like this – and were assisted in that regard by the donation of a Queensland State of Origin jersey which the school raffled.
Donated by the QRL’s Head of Football Neil Wharton as part of Project Hope; the jersey was sold for $1340 which was a welcome addition to the fundraising pool.
The school also have girls who play rugby league – further highlighting the growth in this area of the game.
Coach Brad Lines said that since asking for expressions of interest from Under 14 and Under 16 students at the start of the year, the support for the girls has steadily grown throughout the year.
“The QRL also kindly supplied a set of (training) jerseys for the girls to play in ... (and) I have been training the girls since March, with their first game (to be played) in Roma on June 23.
“This game started out as just a game against Chinchilla ... but (there are discussions) to have a skills session with NRL Game Development Officer (Roma/South West) Grant Bignell and to play some round robin games.
“The games will hopefully be used as a trial to send a team to the Beenleigh tournament in early September.
“The schools participating in the day include Charleville High School, Chinchilla High School and St George High School.
“Miles High School, Roma State College and St John's Roma will also be sending students to the day who will slot into the teams.”
