Westpac Community Volunteer Award winners announced

Queensland Rugby League is thrilled to announce the 2026 Community Volunteer Award recipients.

Proudly presented by Westpac, the 2026 awards provide recognition for the volunteers who make community rugby league possible across Queensland.

This year’s awards highlight the efforts of volunteers across seven categories, celebrating coaches, officials and those who champion the game in Indigenous communities, female rugby league and wellbeing initiatives.

The winners, proudly unveiled by the QRL today were informed of the great news by Queensland Maroons captain Cameron Munster and Harry Grant while in camp preparing for Game II of the series.

The proud Central Queensland juniors took great delight in sharing the big news with excited winners over the phone.

2026 Westpac Community Volunteer Award winners:

Westpac Volunteer of the Year:
Marleis Sparey (SEQ)
Waterford RLFC – Club Secretary

•​Volunteered for around 25 years.
•​Happy to support other clubs.
•​Creates an inclusive and supportive environment for all participants.
•​Drives community connection and engagement through rugby league.

XXXX Community Club of the Year
Warwick Cowboys JRL (Central)

•​Effective governance.
•​Committed to delivering a positive junior rugby league environment.
•​Engaged volunteers.
•​As a newly rebuilt club, Warwick Cowboys Junior Rugby League Club implemented a range of innovative and practical initiatives to establish their brand, attract participants, and retain volunteers from the ground up.

Westpac Young Person of the Year
Abbey Cox (Northern / Cap)
Mt Isa JRL

•​Player and referee.
•​Deeply passionate about female rugby league and plays a key role in advocating for the sport within the community.
•​Abbey suffered a dislocated hip. Despite this injury, she has attended every training session and games and continues to actively encourage more girls to come down and get involved in the game. Without Abbey’s dedication and efforts to rally players, there would not be a junior female rugby league competition in Mount Isa in 2026.
•​Abbey has travelled to Cloncurry (1.5 hours each way) to referee games during their home fixtures.

Westpac Contribution to the Female Game
Tiana Horswood (Central)
Chinchilla Bulldogs JRL – Club President

•​Dedicates more than 30 hours per week to the development of the female program.
•​Made a significant contribution to the advancement of women in rugby league by creating clear, accessible pathways for female participation at both junior and senior levels in a region where opportunities are limited.
•​Tiana and the club provide transport by bus and organise meals, including supplying and cooking breakfasts for players over multiple days, helping to remove financial and logistical barriers to participation for rural and outback families.
•​Contributes as a player, currently representing Chinchilla in the Open Women’s team in the senior competition
•​With no established female pathways locally, she has had to overcome distance, travel and logistical barriers to ensure girls from outback communities could access regular competition by participating in the Toowoomba Junior leagues.

Westpac Contribution to Officiating
Jacob Dash (Northern / Cap)
Central Highlands Referees

•​Significant contribution to the Central Highlands and Central West referees’ association.
•​Position of treasurer for the Central Highlands and Central West referees’ association.
•​Has become a referee coach and is learning to deliver courses to the next batch of referees.
•​Strong reputation amongst the A grade teams in the Central Highlands and Central West.

Westpac Indigenous Community Award
Rothana Baira (Northern / Cap)
Townsville Blackhawks

•​Over the past decade, she has also been deeply involved in coaching and supporting multiple Indigenous teams and carnivals.
•​Rothana’s contribution to supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in rugby league is exceptional because it is grounded in lived experience, trust and genuine care for people.
•​She is a constant and trusted presence for Indigenous women and girls, providing cultural support, mentoring and advocacy in environments where players can often feel vulnerable or isolated.
•​Ensures Indigenous players feel culturally safe, respected and confident to be themselves while pursuing their rugby league pathways.
•​She challenges misunderstandings, educates non Indigenous coaches and organisations, and promotes greater respect and understanding of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander culture within clubs, programs, and elite environments

Westpac Community Coach of the Year
Tolson Loram (Northern / Cap)
North Rockhampton JRL

•​Exceptional passion for the sport and his unwavering commitment to the welfare and development of his players, both on and off the field.
•​Consistently prioritises the wellbeing of his players.
•​He places strong emphasis on respect, discipline, teamwork and personal responsibility, ensuring his players are not only performing well on the field but also conducting themselves positively off the field.
•​Provides ongoing mentoring and support to other coaches, readily sharing his knowledge, experience, and advice.
•​Proactively monitors player behaviour, emotional wellbeing, and physical condition at all times.