NSWRL opened its doors to the Narooma Devils Under 14s giving them a tour of the NSWRL Centre of Excellence as well as an opportunity to take part in a training session with True Blues Mark O’Meley, Willie Mason and Mark Hughes on Friday 13 March.
The Devils were offered the experience following a Parramatta Eels visit to Bega during the Bushire Appeal NRL Trial match against the Panthers in February. It is here that the Parramatta Eels were reconnected with former Eels Jersey Flegg player Tim Salway who has been greatly impacted by the bushfire crisis.
Salway not only lost his father but also his brother to the bushfires in Cobargo along with 175 cattle and damages expected to reach millions. This devastation not only affected Tim, but his son Blake, Narooma Devils teammates and the wider community.
The Parramatta Eels took the opportunity to invite the team and family members to Sydney, giving the team tickets to the season opener at Bankwest Stadium. The Devils were also granted an experience they will never forget, playing the curtain raiser against the Rouse Hill Rhinos and Hills District Bulls Under14 sides before the Parramatta Eels took on the Bulldogs in round one of the NRL.
