Club colours will take a back seat on the feet of rugby league players from junior grassroots to Hostplus Cup and NRL this weekend as part of Family of League's Crazy Sock Round.
Family of League, which has been supporting the rugby league community after starting as Men of League in 2002, assists players, administrators, referees and club volunteers at every level of the game - no matter their age or gender - who need support for any hardship they face.
Crazy Sock Round, this year featuring socks with the eye-catching colour combination of teal and lime green, is just one dozens of events Family of League holds during the year to raise money to fund initiatives lifting spirits in the rugby league community every day.
Family of League national wellbeing manager Roxanne Moates said the organisation was excited at the prospect of a wide range of participants getting behind the cause, and particularly at community level where they deliver the vast majority of their support.
"Crazy Socks allows us to get into grassroots communities, who it is that we look after, and just let them know that we're here and ready to help if they should need us," she said.
Family of League is an independent, grassroots charitable organisation built on the foundation of teamwork and giving back, which it does through activities such as wellbeing programs helping people with illness, disability, bereavement or financial stress.
"I always think rugby league people are incredibly stoic," Moates said.
"They always think there's someone worse off than themselves and they're always the first person to buy a raffle ticket or a pair of socks in order to aid someone else.
"It's incredibly tough out there for lots of people at the moment and to be able to give back to our community is really important to us.
"When I think about the people that we support, I think about who makes your footy club great.
"Your players and their families, your administrators, your volunteers, your first aid officers and the people that run the canteen and flip the sausages, they're the ones that when they're doing it tough, we're there to help them.
"It can be anything from medical equipment, it can be food and fuel. Sometimes people are just finding it difficult to make ends meet, so we help them with some Woolies vouchers.
"We look at keeping a roof over their head... paying their rent or their mortgage, keeping the electricity on.
"They're really simple things, but it's one less thing that people have to worry about while they're either looking for work or recovering from an injury, or an unexpected illness.
"If we get even 10 per cent of the people that see someone wearing the socks go to our website to learn about what it is that we do, then we consider that to be a complete success."
QRL statewide competitions manager Dave Maiden said he was proud to see so many clubs at all levels getting their crazy socks ready to help promote such a worthy cause.
“We love supporting the Family of League because they support the people that support us,” Maiden said.
“It’s an organisation that assists those in need and those falling on hard times. Any recognition of the support they provide, we are more than happy to highlight.
“It is an organisation that we may all come to rely on in years to come.”
Fans wishing to support can purchase their own 'crazy socks', donate or find out how to become a member of the organisation on the Family of League website.
Main image: Brisbane Tigers Hostplus Cup skipper Ryley Jacks models the socks players will be wearing during Crazy Sock Round this weekend.
