Matthew Dux will claim his greatest achievement was allowing Billy Slater to start his career at Norths Devils.
However, when you dig a bit deeper, you find a community-minded police officer who has much more to talk about than Slater taking his wing spot.
“I broke my leg in 2001 and then did my knee Round 1 of 2002 and they replaced me with Billy from then on,” Dux said laughing.
“Somehow, I think he would have got a game eventually anyway.”
Dux played 50 Intrust Super Cup games for Norths between 1998 and 2001, scoring 26 tries and two goals for 108 points.
He was on the wing for Norths’ premiership win over Wests in the 1998 grand final on the day the Devils ended their premiership drought that had lasted since the time of Joe Kilroy and Campbell “Zulu” Dews in 1980.
Down 16-0 after 25 minutes, it looked like it would be a lonely night at Bishop Park, but Norths came storming home thanks to Matt Geyer and three tries and won 35-16 in one of the greatest come backs in Intrust Super Cup history.
At the end of his football career, Dux moved onto the Queensland Police and has since forged a career helping his community and using rugby league to create a connection with the locals.
For the past 12 months, Dux has been and working in Blackwater in the Central Highlands and is now the Sergeant Officer in Charge.
“I put out a call for some football gear thinking I might get a few boots off mates or some footballs,” Dux said.
“When I explained that I was going to use the gear to help build relationships with the locals in my community, then everyone wanted to help.
“I got over 100 footballs and 60 pairs of boots.
“Clubs wanted to help me and I had to come down and collect all the stuff it was so much.
“I ended up taking two days to drive from Redlands to Nambour to pick it all up and it filled my car with tackle bags, boots and footballs for children in Central Highlands including Blackwater, Bluff and Woorabinda communities.
“These are children that were playing with a Wahu beach football in the street.”
The rugby league community always wants to help and Dux was inundated with calls.
“The Kangaroos trainer Steve Hooper gave his whole Australian kit of gear, Jack Reed gave boots to help out," Dux said.
“Andrew Reibelt organised the Redcliffe Dolphins Old Boys to give me boxes of stuff to take back.”
Overall, rugby league plays a vital part in the education of the children in the area.
“(Rugby league) gets them to school and then I can help with some boots and it might keep them at school,” Dux said.
Policing is all relational and Dux has been using league to make sure these children aren’t lost to the game or school while enriching the community.
