XXXX Pride in your Origin: How you can win big for your local club

Author: Jacob Grams QRL community content producer
Timestamp: Thu 2 May 2024, 03:24 PM

It doesn't matter whether you're a player, coach, volunteer, administrator or a group of diehard fans - XXXX is calling on you to show pride in your postcode and win for your local rugby league club.

XXXX has laid down the challenge to show off your passion for your suburb, town or tiny locality in the 2024 Pride in your Origin competition, giving the community rugby league club representing you the chance to snare valuable funds for the lifeblood of the community - your local club.

And you don't have to be elite (anymore) to get the win - just ask the Runaway Bay Seagulls Old Boys.

These once-greats on the field bared almost all in their winning entry in 2023, the $3000 prize they received allowing them to both support their beloved club and go towards the mega Masters carnival they host each year.

Runaway Bay Seagulls Old Boys president Mick Leary said it was easy to get involved and a thrill to see their little effort earn massive returns.

(L-R) Mick Leary 'Preso', Chris 'Cato' Stevens, Ronny 'Piglet' O'Connor and Boyd 'Chooka' Townley got their legs out for their winning 2023 entry.

"Apart from being great fun and great incentive to do it, you can also use it as a great opportunity to show your support to your own football club. There's no better way," Leary said.

"It's a great idea and it's a good way to get the club's name out there and do something for the club that doesn't really cost anything."

Leary said their photo concepts combined pride in their postcode with their persona as a group and community, and a feature of their Masters event, which was held in March.

"The budgie smugglers were just a bit of a sidekick idea of how we lighten the mood and make things a bit more fun," he said.

"Being Runaway Bay, near the beach, we thought it tied in pretty well. It was just a matter of getting the right guys getting the legs out and showing a bit of laughter and fun into an idea that could help the community... and the right cans that made up our postcode."

Leary said their motivation behind gaining any funds was giving something back to the club that had given them so much over the years.

"A lot of it we always look at structuring back into the club the best way they need," he said.

"We're a lot about asset building and we purchased a secondary golf buggy to help the juniors and seniors through their day-to-day game day events."

But while their days on the field are few and far between these days - outside some coaching - it's now all about the social occasions, the fridges always stacked with XXXX as they share a yarn watching from the can bar, or even after using their expertise to odd jobs maintaining or improving the club facilities.

Just a few weeks ago a number of the Old Boys got together to extend the roof outside one of the dressing rooms for that extra cover when the weather takes a turn.

"Our fridge is always stacked with XXXX Gold, I tell you, that's always the way," Leary said.

Barcaldine Sandgoannas' winning 2023 entry.

People from all over Queensland showed us plenty of Pride in their Origin last year - even as far as outback Barcaldine - and XXXX is once again calling on creative minds at local clubs to spring into action.

First prize is $3000, while the runner-up will receive $1000 for their club.