Queensland gets crazy for Men of League

The Swifts Bluebirds will be one of many clubs across Queensland proudly donning crazy socks this weekend, showcasing the Men of League Foundation and their work for the people that make rugby league the greatest game of all.

The iconic Ipswich club didn’t hesitate to participate in the special round after receiving assistance for a number of players who were doing it tough after being injured on the football field recently.

One of those included Swifts A Grade captain and junior coach Godrey Okot, who suffered fractured ribs earlier this season and was directed by Ipswich wellbeing officer Vicky Ison to reach out.

“I had two to three weeks off work, and I wasn’t full-time at the time so for those weeks, I wasn’t getting any income,” Okot said.

"Then Vicky rang me one Friday and said… ‘have you heard of Men of League?’

“I was like… ‘no, I don’t think so’ and she said they help people out if you’re injured and you can’t work at the moment, so you fit that category.

“One or two weeks later, I got a letter with some gift cards in the mail for essential stuff which really did help me and my family because I’ve got two little girls and my partner, so it was certainly beneficial.”

Only joining the family-orientated club this year, the Bluebirds fullback said Ison's support through the Men of League has been overwhelming, especially during his time on the sidelines.

“This is my first year at Swifts and I only met Vicky not long ago, but in that short period of time, she’s helped me so much on and off the field.

“It’s very hard for us to ask for help but she always encourages us to not feel bad about asking for help because any help will do. Vicky is really helpful to everyone at the club.

“There was an injury to Shaun in Reserve Grade who had two major surgeries on his ankle and Cam who did his ACL. He had surgery a couple of months ago and both got help from Men of League."

Men of League national wellbeing manager Roxanne Moates said Ison is one of a number of volunteers across the country who help the Men of League care for the men, women and children of the rugby league community.

“I have about 100 wellbeing officers across Australia and Vicky is one of those who looks after our Ipswich region,” Moates said.

“Just through her and her work at the club, she’s introduced Men of League and we’ve opened up lots of opportunities because what I often find is that people think we just look after old white guys or ex-players but when I look around the field, I see every person here is eligible for our support if they need it.

“Someone like Godfrey or Cam, they might be a bit embarrassed to ask for help, but just $500 worth of vouchers to get them across the line while they have two weeks off work makes a massive difference and people who are members of the foundation and come to our events to raise money for this exact reason."

Another beneficiary of a Men of League grant earlier this year was long-time volunteer and Rugby League Brisbane life member Jan Boys who had her house damaged in a wild weather event.

“Jan was referred to us by Peter Tord on Stradbroke Island. A tree went through her roof and there was about $35,000 worth of damage,” Moates said.

“She is retired, a pensioner, a widow and there was no way she was going to be able to afford that. So, with the local community behind us, we raised $21,000 to get that repaired which made a massive difference.

“We have a young gentleman who is 22 years old. He was born in Mackay and played from under 6 to 18s and then swapped over and became a ref.

"At 20, he lost his eyesight; he had chicken pox when he was young and when he was about 10, he got shingles and that affected his vision.

"It’s about $18,500 out-of-pocket to get surgery done and the wait list is typically two to three years and with COVID, who knows so we met him three months ago and like he said to me, he’s 22 and he hasn’t had a life.

"The people he went to school with, he’s friends with them on Facebook but not in real life because they’re getting married and having kids and he lives in his grandmother’s basement because he’s never been able to work, and he can’t drive.

"We’ve just approved to get his eyes done and the first one will be done in two to three weeks. That’s massive and life-changing for him.

"There’s another gentleman out at Victoria Point who has spent his lifetime in the BRL. He played footy, he was a coach and he does dialysis three times a week, five hours a day in his house and he was doing it perched on the edge of his bed and he had two falls and broke a hip, broke a shoulder.

"So, we bought him a hospital bed… $3500 and he can move that bed so whenever he does his dialysis, there’s no risk. So I think to myself, all these little things that we do make a massive difference to the lives of those people."

The aim of the weekend is for the entire rugby league community to grasp a better understanding of how the foundation helps all facets of the greatest game of all.

"It's about changing the narrative about Men of League and letting people know what it is that we do," Moates said.

"We sent a little brief to the NRL players saying… remember when you were playing junior footy and there was guy who was always the first person there marking the field, the canteen lady who always made sure you had a cold drink and a box of chips when you finished.

"They’re all part of our community and make rugby league the rich tapestry that it is. Without them, this wouldn’t be able to happen.

"So for us it’s a reminder that yes, very few make it through to the top leagues, so that’s why we wanted to make it community based as well, so for our juniors and Queensland competitions, New South Wales Rugby League as well although their competition has been suspended at the moment.

"But it’s just a reminder that every single person that plays footy or is a volunteer or a coach or a sponsor adds to the great game that we love. It’s a reminder about the foundation and letting people know that we’re out there.

"They might see us out there with Try July and the Mose Masoe campaign or the Carl Webb specific cause... they’re only small parts of what we do.

"I’d say 90 per cent of the work I do is grassroots and 70 per cent of that is what we call social and emotional, which is when people are doing it tough and feel isolated, they might be injured or in an aged care home, we just go and have a coffee with them.

"I always say to people, we can’t cure cancer, I can’t fix everyone’s financial problems, but I can always make sure that whatever challenge they face, they don’t face it on their own."

Every team in this weekend’s Intrust Super Cup and Hastings Deering Colts will also don the crazy socks for the cause.

“It’s so exciting. I’m an Easts Tigers girl and for me, my dad played, and I’ve always been a massive sponsor and supporter and I just think for me, it’s speaks what footy is all about,” Moates said.

“To see my team wearing their socks is almost full circle and hopefully encourages people to reach out. I can’t give the money out and football people are incredibly stoic and feel there’s always someone worse off than themselves.

“I hear that all the time but know what… sometimes it’s a hand up, not a hand out and when Ron Coote started the foundation, that’s what it was all about. Helping each other out and it’s not about big noting ourselves or making people feel they’re not valuable, it’s actually the opposite.

“It’s about saying we’re all equal and sometimes I often find those who we have helped come back and volunteer or become advocated for Men of League because they appreciate the support.”

Ready to watch his juniors pull up their crazy socks this weekend, Okot said the cause is something the club is excited to be part of. 

“We normally just wear our blue socks week-in, week-out, so it’s something different and all the kids are excited and they can’t wait… plus it’s for a great cause," Okot said.

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