Country Week was once again a huge success and it was great to see our Hostplus Cup clubs getting into the spirit.
I made the trip to my hometown Proserpine, where we got a great crowd for the game following a massive day involving community rugby league, Masters and junior footy clinics and matches.
It was also Ladies Day, with 80 women enjoying the festivities, while president Mick Malone was walking around with his pink officials shirt on and a pink tutu to get into the spirit.
Through the day the Cup clubs helped in junior warm-ups and matches. I know that my mate coaches the Proserpine under 17s boys team and some of the Mackay Cutters boys went out and actually ran water for his team and offered up their assistance.
Both clubs were very well received in the community and it was a good weekend.
Helping make this possible was the state government's Activate! Queensland funding. Sometimes you don't always see a tangible from it, but when kids are smiling all the time when you get a Hostplus Cup player come up to you when you're playing footy on a Saturday and say hello, that's why we do it.
'It's a wonderful initiative': Activate! Queensland Country Week in Proserpine
It's important to remember it wasn't just one day in Proserpine, Weipa, Miles, Biloela, Wondai, Kilcoy or Stanthorpe, but the week prior to their matches included plenty of clinics at local schools and clubs delivered by club, QRL and NRL development staff.
I'll be back in the Proserpine area in a couple of weeks to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Whitsunday Wizards and the only time they won the Foley Shield.
They will have Les Hanigan as a guest speaker, an ex-Australian player who ended up captain-coach in Proserpine.
My dad played in that era, including when they lost a couple of years earlier to Cairns in front of about 8500 people, but couldn't make what was a very handy side in 1973.
Matt Best, grandad of NSW Game III State of Origin debutant Bradman Best, played in that 1973 Whitsunday side.
You could always see there was talent building in that family through him and his sons, which I know first-hand having played against Bradman's uncle Adrian and dad Roger Best, the latyter who represented Queensland under 17s and was a far better footballer than me.
He would have had some mixed emotions on Wednesday night.
The weekend before last I had the honour of watching Queensland win a third consecutive Wheelchair State Challenge over NSW, having presented the jerseys to the team pre-game in Sydney, including to 10-game veteran Shaun Harre.
My cousin Brian Nosworthy was actually a trainer for NSW and his son-in-law Toby Popple played in the team.
It was another great game of wheelchair rugby league and a great result for Queensland.
It doesn't matter what level of sport you play when you play for Queensland, there's a passion for playing NSW and those boys and the whole coaching staff were just magnificent.
They even maintained ultimate professionalism after their flight down was delayed and they arrived at the hotel at 9pm the night before. But they got up the next morning and they were just happy to go with it, happy to be there and I think that comes from good leadership.
There's a story in every one of those blokes and as the QRL we still have work to do to help bring through more players and create opportunities.
Shout out
A shout out to Charlotte Landers and Sophie Smith in our QRL front office who have stepped up this year to organise all the travel and logistics for the Queensland Wheelchair team. They always do their job with a smile and I know everyone appreciates the role they play in our organisation.
Celebrating our team
Linda Saunders
Role: State Operations Coordinator
Hometown: Tweed Heads
Favourite Maroons player: Allan Langer
Favourite Maroons Origin moment: Any time Queensland comes away with a win
Why you love your job: I have been in my role for just on 12 months, and what I like most about it is building relationships across the state with colleagues and volunteers. I have a great respect for what the volunteers do for our game and enjoy educating and creating resources to empower them to fulfil their roles.
What Linda brings to the team: Linda brings an amazing amount of energy and knowledge to the QRL. She has a great ability to get things finished in tight timeframes and is willing to help out across multiple teams in the QRL. The QRL is very lucky to have such a committed and enthusiastic person working for them.
