CRL Bush Telegraph - 2015 Issue 28

This week, the Bush Tele raises awareness of the serious issues facing women in Australia as a result of domestic and family violence, the Central Coast District Rugby League announce available positions for the 2016 season and there's all the information from the 2015 Country Cup Semi Finals in Coffs Harbour and Cootamundra.

CRL JOINS WHITE RIBBON ROUND WEEKEND

#STICKYOURNECKOUT

Click here to see Country Rugby League players take the White Ribbon Oath

East Coast Rugby League clubs from Group 2, Group 3 and the NRRRL will unite with rival sporting codes this weekend in an unprecedented show of support for White Ribbon; Australia's campaign to stop violence against women.

Group 2, Group 3 and the NRRRL will unite with the Mid North Coast Rugby Union, AFL, Soccer, Hastings Valley Netball, Port Macquarie Oztag and Tacking Point Thunder Hockey in hosting a White Ribbon Round Weekend of games on Saturday and Sunday of July 25th and 26th, 2015.

The event aims to raise awareness of the serious issues facing women in Australia as a result of domestic and family violence.

Port Macquarie Domestic and Family Violence Specialist Service Prevention Project Officer, and spearhead of the White Ribbon Round, Peter Besseling believes that sporting bodies uniting for the cause is a tremendous show of support for White Ribbon.

"A lot of young men look up to their sporting heroes and it's absolutely imperative for those sports, and the individuals playing the sport, to actually show themselves to be role models," said Besseling.

"These men need to show how we need to behave in the community and push that forward so that we are producing good men who are doing the right thing, not only by women, but by everyone."

Besseling, who is also a former NSW Waratahs Rugby Union forward, believes Rugby League's assistance in the White Ribbon Round is critical to the event becoming a success and an annual event.

"It's been fantastic to see Country Rugby League get right behind this. To have that show of support from Forster all the way up to the Queensland border is just terrific and we've had nothing but positive responses to the event.

"I think Regional Rugby League is absolutely leading the way on this and we're very happy to have them on board."

All matches held throughout the White Ribbon Round Weekend will encourage players, officials, administrators, referees and fans to wear a temporary White Ribbon tattoo on the left-hand side of their neck to ‘stick their neck out' to stop violence against women (tattoos will be available at all home grounds).

Prior to the start of each match, a moments silence will be held in memory of the women who are killed in Australia each year as a result of domestic or family violence. All players and supporters are encouraged to take the White Ribbon Oath and post them online via facebook, twitter, instagram, pinterest or tumblr by using the following link

Click here for more information on White Ribbon

POSITIONS AVAILABLE

Central Coast Rugby League is currently seeking expressions of interest for a range of positions for their representative sides for the 2016 season.

Expressions of Interest are now being received for the following roles:

Coaches, Assistant Coaches Team Managers, Trainers and Gear Steward's / Taping.

For further information, please head to:

Click here to view positions available at CCDRL

*It is an offence under the NSW Child Protection Prohibited Employment Act for a person convicted of a serious offence to apply for these positions. ‘Working with Children' documentation required.

2015 Country Cup Semi Finals

The Northern and Southern Country Cup Semi-Finals took place in Coffs Harbour and Cootamundra this week with 24 sides competing to take out the title of ‘Country Cup Champions'.

Congratulations to the following teams who made it through to the Small School KO and High Schools Country Cup

Competition Finals which take place on Wednesday 5th August, 2015 at Apex Oval Dubbo, NSW;

Kildare CC , Moree Secondary College (U13), St Francis De Salles Leeton, St. Josephs Banora Point (U15), Red Bend College Forbes, Terrigal High School (OPENS), Sacred Heart CS Cootamundra, Holy Trinity Inverell (SSKO U16) , McAuley Central School Tumut and Nyngan CS (SSKO U13).

Wishing all teams best of luck for the finals!

TOUKLEY HAWKS TACKLE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

The Toukley Hawks and Ourimbah Magpies will battle for more than the two competition points in their "Lets Tackle Domestic Violence" round as part of the NSW Government's Tackling Violence Program.

The Hawks, who appear with 18 other regional rugby league clubs and NSW Coach Laurie Daley and former South Sydney Rabbitohs' flyer Nathan Merritt in the new Tackling Violence TV ad broadcast on NBN television will be playing to raise awareness of the effects of domestic violence in their communities.

Hawks President, Steven Goldsbrough said his club had joined the program in 2015 and was hoping the domestic violence round would raise awareness of domestic violence amongst the players and their supporters.

"We've got a good bunch of men at this club, who've signed a code of conduct against domestic violence and attended an education workshop with Alan Tongue and Clint Newton to learn more about it. The men know the effect on women and children and they know the club has a zero tolerance" said Steven. "We hope by playing this domestic violence round, to take the message from the club house out into the community."

All players will wear white armbands to signify their stand against domestic and family violence. Tackling Violence Ambassador and former Canberra Raiders Captain, Alan Tongue, said he was impressed with the commitment shown by the clubs in holding the domestic violence round.

"19 of the top 20 local government areas for domestic violence assaults are in regional NSW," Tongue said.

"I'm a country boy and I know a statistic like that doesn't make me proud; it makes me want to do something.

"In regional communities, playing footy is something all the boys want to do, so it makes sense that we use rugby league as a vehicle to educate men and spread the message that domestic violence will not be tolerated".

Wyong Local Area Command will support the day with a Police van and fire engine for the kids and local service providers will be handing out information and club posters with the anti -domestic violence message. Tackling Violence is a Women NSW domestic violence education and prevention program.

In 2015, 17 clubs across regional NSW and two metropolitan clubs have signed a domestic violence code of conduct that penalises players for domestic violence offences.

The 2015 Tackling Violence community service announcement featuring the Toukley Hawks will be broadcast on NBN Newcastle during July and August 2015.

The Hawks will take on the Magpies at Darren Kennedy Oval on Sunday, 26th July 2015.

Click here to browse through previous editions of the Country Rugby League Bush Telegraph!