NSWRL will tomorrow (Tuesday 23 June) kick-off the second edition of its Regional Magic Round around the New England region of NSW, which will feature community activations, a Sportsman’s Lunch and finish with five games of the state’s premier competition, The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup.
The community programs will start tomorrow when the NSWRL’s Regional Roadshow delivers important road safety messages to teenagers at training sessions for Under 17s Girls, and Under 16s and Under 18s Boys in Dungowan and North Tamworth.
Other activations being held during the week include a Referees Workshop, a RISE Academy promotion, and a Sportsman’s Lunch hosted by Member for Tamworth, The Hon. Kevin Anderson and featuring True Blues Kezie Apps, Tim Brasher, David Brooks and Andrew Ryan.
“I am pleased the NSWRL is bringing its Regional Magic Round back to Tamworth for a second successive season as it provides us with an opportunity to show our appreciation to the people of regional NSW for the role they have played in the history of our great game,” NSWRL Chief Executive David Trodden said.
“We kick-off the celebrations with the Regional Roadshow, which NSWRL has been running in conjunction with Transport for NSW to help young people across regional NSW make better decisions on the road.
“The Sportsman’s Lunch we held last year was a tremendous success, and this year we will have the pleasure of hearing from Westpac NSW Blues Women’s forward Kezie Apps who was part of the squad that won the Women’s State of Origin series 3-0, as well as True Blues and former Rugby League legends Tim Brasher, David Brooks and Andrew Ryan.
“The week will conclude with five games of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, which will provide fans with the opportunity to connect with players from the state’s premier competition, and produce plenty of great action with only 10 rounds to go before the finals series starts.
“I urge all fans to join us in Tamworth next week for what promises to be a week-long celebration of the greatest game of all.”
In partnership with Transport for NSW, the Regional Roadshow is part of The Knock-On Effect campaign which reminds young people that one bad decision behind the wheel can affect an entire community, much like a knock-on in Rugby League can impact the outcome of a game.
The campaign, which started as a pilot program in 2017, has delivered road safety messages to more than 9000 participants at 52 regional areas and will be delivered by Ryan and True Blues Kylie Hilder and Wade Graham.
The Sportsman’s Lunch will precede the NSWRL Regional Magic Round with the first game being played on Friday night (26 June) between Parramatta Eels and Newcastle Knights.
Apps, who became the first female player in NSWRL history to bring up 20 appearances for NSW in Game Three last month, will share her experiences of becoming the first NSW Women’s team – and the first NSW State of Origin team since 2000 – to win a series 3-0.
Ryan will share stories from his days at the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Parramatta Eels, culminating with a premiership at the former in 2004, and Brasher and Brooks from their days at Balmain Tigers.
The Eels-Knights game will also offer a unique opportunity to local coaches from within the Group 4, Group 19 and Group 21 RISE Programs to continue their coaching journey by getting a firsthand look at the Knights warm-up before kick-off.
Saturday (27 June) will feature two games with matches between St George Illawarra Dragons v Penrith Panthers, followed by the battle between arch-rivals Sydney Roosters and South Sydney Rabbitohs.
The action will conclude on Sunday (28 June) with matches between North Sydney Bears and newcomers Melbourne Storm, followed by Manly Warringah Sea Eagles and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs.
There will also be local fixtures spread across all three days involving Group 4 and Group 19 Under 10s teams, as well as matches featuring Group 4 Under 16s Boys and Group 4 Under 17s Girls.
Tickets are still available for the Sportsman’s Lunch, which includes a two-course lunch and drinks, and start from $160 for a single, or $1500 for a table of 10. Click here to purchase tickets.
Tickets for the NSWRL Regional Magic Round start from $10 for children, $20 for adults and $50 for a family of four, with three-day packages also available. Click here to purchase tickets
THE KNOCK-ON EFFECT NSW CUP ROUND 17
Scully Park, Tamworth
Friday 26 June
7pm: Parramatta Eels v Newcastle Knights
Saturday 27 June
11am: St George Illawarra Dragons v Penrith Panthers
3pm: Sydney Roosters v South Sydney Rabbitohs
Sunday 28 June
11am: North Sydney Bears v Melbourne Storm
3pm: Manly Warringah Sea Eagles v Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
