The International Legends of League roadshow has completed a four-day visit to the North Queensland township of Ingham in the Hinchinbrook Shire.
Like all sugar industry towns along the Queensland coast, Ingham is rugby league heartland with the local club, the Herbert River Crushers, competing in the Townsville and District Rugby league (TDRL) competition.
Historically the region can lay claim to some of the game’s great players, including Queensland and Australian forwards Greg Dowling and Sam Backo , as well as former ARL / NRL players Laurie Spina, Paul Dezolt and Dean Schifilliti.
This Legends of League event included school visits, community events and a corporate dinner that culminated in an exhibition match between the Australian and local Herbert River Crusher legends sides on July 18.
This final event drew a healthy crowd of close to 4000, who were entertained with a 16-16 draw.
Australian legends of league spokesperson and former Queensland Origin player Craig Teevan said there was great interest from the local community, especially the schools.
“A lot of the local people commented that this was the biggest crowd seen here for a long time, so we are very happy with the event,” Teevan said.
The Australian legends team (sponsored by Lewie Fire Protection) included several former Cowboys players: Matt Bowen, Kevin Campion, Ben Hannant, Antonio Winterstein and Noel Goldthorpe, as well as Townsville junior and former Brisbane Bronco Sam Thaiday.
Former State of Origin players Stu Kelly, Russell Bawden ( who was born in Ingham), Darren Smith, Neville Costigan and John Hoparate also pulled on the boots, as well as former Kiwi international and Brisbane Bronco Alex Glenn.
The Herbert River side (sponsored by DRM Plumbing) included former Cowboys players and local residents Jason Erba, and Ben Spina as well as former local players, many who played in Herbert River TDRL premiership sides in 2006, 2009 and 2013.
The Herbert River legends were coached / managed by the three local players already mentioned; Laurie Spina who played for North Sydney, Sydney Roosters and Cronulla before leading the Cowboys in their inaugural 1995 season; Dean Schifilliti who was the Cowboys’ first official signing while playing for the Illawarra Steelers, and Paul Dezolt who had a long career with the Cowboys before finishing his playing days with the Auckland Warriors and Brisbane Easts .
Supported by the local Hinchinbrook Shire Council, as well as the generous corporate sponsors, this event was very well received by the local community and will now move on to other regional centres.
The Herbert River Crushers home ground, A.A Gofton Oval, is perhaps a symbol of the local community’s resilience against hard times, given it was damaged by major flood events on several occasions in recent years.
On July 18 however, it was in near perfect condition to host the Australian v Herbert River Legends exhibition match to close off a very successful event.
Pictured main image: Local Herbert River players who played ARL / NRL, from left Paul Dezolt (third from left), Dean Schifilliti and Laurie Spina, with Herbert River stalwart Warren Fletcher.
