Yarrabah’s up for challenge
SPORTING star Johnathan Thurston’s promise to provide the Yarrabah Seahawks with a generous sponsorship package and be their number one fan on the proviso the local community reaches 70 per cent vaccination, has won praise from the club president.
Yarrabah Seahawks president Sam Benn, said the club would love to see the former Australian international, Queensland State of Origin and Indigenous All Stars representative in the their number one fan jersey.
The NRL legend has taken his vaccination message to Hope Vale and will be in Aurukun on Monday and Bamaga on Wednesday.
Earlier this week Mr Thurston expressed his concern that the Yarrabah community’s vaccination rates had lagged despite encouragement from Indigenous, sport and community leaders.
“When your community hits the 70 per cent double vaccinated rate, the JT Academy will provide a generous sponsorship package to the men’s and women’s Seahawks rugby league teams,” he said.
“I will also put on my Seahawks jersey and pledge to be your number one fan for the 2022 season.”
Mr Benn said the Seahawks players “are over 70 per cent vaccinated and we’ve worked with the local health service to vaccinate at our games.”
But he warned if players aren’t vaccinated, then their sporting careers may be curtailed, which would be a bitter pill to swallow, considering the Yarrabah Seahawks won the men’s A-Grade 2021 CDRL grand final last month.
“If the NRL can mandate its players to be vaccinated, otherwise they will lose their contracts, then I can see this filtering down to grassroots level,” Mr Benn said.
“If a player chooses not to be vaccinated then they may not be allowed to play, travel to attend games or visit other clubs.”
Yarrabah mayor Ross Andrews said: “We are really privileged to have a great role model and person like Johnno having a genuine concern for our people.
“He’s one of those persons who can motivate and the challenge put out to Yarrabah we hope will have a flow-on effect as it will help some of our sportspeople aspire to something bigger and better.”