Cooktown Junior Rugby League players and coaches stopped for a quick photo with the rugby league legends after Thursday’s league tag game.
Dozens of families spread across the turf at the John Street Oval to celebrate the finish of the Cooktown District Junior Rugby League Club season, with seven former NRL stars adding extra excitement to the proceedings.
Former first-grade players Jimmy Roberts, Andrew Walker, Jimmy Simpson, Jimmy Goddard and Scott Hill, joined former Hope Vale local Brenton Bowen and league legend Petero Civoniceva at the event.
The players, in town for the Arthur Beetson Foundation Future Immortals Tour, enjoyed a game of league tag with the older juniors, before signing autographs and posing for photos, and staying to hand out individual awards.
Teila, Chase and Wayne Hunt got a photo with NRL great James Roberts.
CDJRL secretary Jacynta Hunt said it had been a fantastic season for the Cooktown Crocs, with 93 players ranging from age 6 through to 17.
“We’ve travelled to Mossman twice as well as Malanda and Herberton and hosted Mossman in Cooktown for the third consecutive year,” Ms Hunt said.
“We hope to further grow the club in 2024 with the addition of an under 14s team which will take us to seven teams.”
Ms Hunt said the 2024 sign up would be online in early 2024, as well as a sign-on day at the John Street Oval in March.
“We really enjoyed playing in Wujal Wujal and Hope Vale this year too, as well as hosting them in Cooktown,” she said.
“Our amazing volunteer coaches have worked hard with the teams and are so appreciated. It’s been great to see the players not only develop as footballers but come together as teams.
“Thank you to our major sponsor the Cooktown RSL Memorial Club and sponsors Cooktown Hardware, Cooktown Bowls Club, Cooktown Platinum Realty, Cooktown Earthmoving, Mad Keen Constructions and Cook Shire Council.”
Ms Hunt said the club was also seeking sponsorship for the 2024 season, and encouraged interested businesses to contact them.
The ABF Future Immortals players posed with the Under 6 team.
Player’s Choice Award
- U6 Slater Wawrzyniak
- U7 Clarke Williams
- U8 Thomas Ling
- U9 Tahj Ling
- U10 Jessica Crowe
- U11 Taj Gilmour
- U12 Joshua Slykerman
- U13 Jossiah Walker
- U12-17 Jermaine Kulka
Player of the Year
- U6 James Meyer
- U7 Artie Rathborne
- U8/9 Tahj Ling
- U10/11 Taj Gilmour
- U12/13 Akivah Bowen
- U12-17 Samuel Ryder
Coach’s Choice Award
- U6 Finley Thomson
- U7 Jackson Tran
- U8/9 Maiika Hegamaea
- U10/11 Jonathan Coventry
- U12/13 Cecil Stewart
- U12-17 Jett Ryder
Cooktown RSL Memorial Sub-branch 2023 Most Improved Player
- U6 Kingston Corea
- U7 Iyla Harrison
- U8/9 Ashton Gilmour
- U10/11 Jessica Crowe
- U12/13 Micah Parkes
- U12-17 Jolie Spry
