On the 16th of October, the Townsville Sports Reserve was filled with players and supporters alike for the two-day Bindal Sharks All Blacks Rugby League Carnival.
Campbell Page sponsored two teams in the carnival, including the AJA Boys, who won the men’s Grand Final at the carnival and the Under 18s Keegan Ross Memorial Team, who just missed out on a Grand Final victory.
The Keegan Ross Memorial Team was established for the carnival by the Gullin-Bull Warriors in memory of Keegan, who passed away aged 24 in 2015. Keegan was born with Spina Bifida and Hydracheplus which left him in a wheelchair, however, his condition never stopped his love of sports, in particular, Rugby League.
The aim of the Bindal Sharks All Blacks Rugby League Carnival is to promote the importance healthy lifestyle choices, teamwork, respect and commitment to the young indigenous men in the surrounding communities.
Campbell Page became aware of the carnival and its purpose when the cousin of Keegan Ross approached us asking for sponsorship.
For us it is about bringing the community and individuals together through sport. – Nathan Vinson, Palm Island CDP Program Manager
Mr Vinson continued by stating that, “…the Bindal Sharks All Blacks Rugby League Carnival is a great initiative. Sport is important to encourage a healthy lifestyle from a young age. This is a significant event for all communities across Queensland and for Palm Island.”
In addition to the AJA Boys and the Under 18s Keegan Ross Memorial Team, two other Palm Island teams participated in the carnival – the Palm Island Barracudas Gold and the AJA Girls. The Barracudas put up a great effort, but it was the AJA Boys who defeated them in the Grand Final, and the AJA Girls also came out with a win.
To find out the results from the carnival visit the Townsville Bulletin website.
Additional information about the Bindal Sharks All Black Rugby League Carnival was supplied by Christine Howe from the Palm Island Voice.
Campbell Page is a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to making a difference in our communities. To find out more about what we do on Palm Island and to support Closing the Gap please click here, or to find out more about Campbell Page, please visit the about us page on the website or contact us directly.
Words by: Tiarne Pattison
