Bilambil’s family links have the Jets flying
BILAMBIL are counting on their family culture to help them tackle Rugby League Gold Coast’s morefancied clubs who have loaded up on big-name recruits.
The Jets are one from one in 2019, having come off a first-up bye to travel up to Southport last Sunday with success. There is a remarkable number of family links in their ranks, many of whom have come through their junior club, and the situation has created a bond they believe can help them punch above their weight.
“We all work for each other because we have got that family bond going on,” Bilambil president Ben Rigney said. “It has created quite a vibe down there, like it has gone back to the culture that we originally sort of had.
“We don’t have a leagues club behind us so we don’t have a lot of money but players come down and they realise what we’re about.”
Rigney himself is the son of exclub president Peter – who is now vice-president – while his cousin Chris coaches reserve grade. Agrade mentor Kevin Campion’s son Max also plays for the Jets.
Other family connections include:
Thomas and Jack Rowles; Tom and Sam Plater; Ethan and Jack Crowe; Chad and Zahn Mortimer; Brendan and Jack Welsh; James and Lachlan Garner; Tom and Wilson Raftery; Will and Drew McCullough; Justin and Willis Keogh (all sets of brothers); Jalen and Lani Riley (brother/sister); Tyson Donnelly and Carne Rhodes (brothers-in-law); Jessie Curtis and Jaylen Love (brothersin-law); Conrad Green, Jaruis Murphy and Travis Smith (cousins); and Kaine Rowles and Isaac Evans (cousins).