DEADLY ROOS
Homegrown talents grace the big stage ahead of World Cup clash
THE ultimate North Queensland indigenous All-Stars team will set the stage for the winner-takes-all showdown between Samoa and Scotland at Barlow Park tomorrow.
A star-studded “Deadly Roos” side chock-full of CDRL talent including Yarrabah 2017 Gold Medal winner Milton Mossman and former Cowboys NRL-contracted legend Hezron Murgha will take on a touring Rugby League Samoa Queensland in a curtain-raiser to the World Cup encounter.
Mossman said wearing the indigenous jersey was one of the greatest achievements in his sporting career.
“It’s a really good honour to represent indigenous people with a mix of boys from different communities,” he said.
“It’s a crowd-pleaser when you’ve got a bunch of indigenous boys playing together and the talent they show.”
Northern Pride players Jordan Biondi-Odo and Bradley Stephen headline the Intrust Super Cup talent, which also includes Blackhawks hooker Kierran Mosley and Cutters outside back Yamba Bowie.
Kangaroos coach Mal Meninga has been the driver of the Deadly Roos concept for the World Cup, highlighting indigenous health issues in line with the Deadly Choices program.
Deadly Roos coach and former Ipswich Jets captain Keiron Lander (above), who manages the preventative health team for Deadly Choices, said he was fortunate to be guiding such an impressive team with the assistance of 2001 Dally M winner Preston Campbell.
It could well unearth some new talent, with the side including four players – Windsor Bowie (Bamaga), Dominic and Benedict Macumboy (Lockhart River) and Remus Phineasa (Thursday Is) – from the Cape York and Torres Strait districts.
“Representing their communities, I think that’s the big highlight of teams coming together like this from all across Queensland and the Torres Strait, they’re not actually just representing their families, they’re representing their communities. It’s a very proud moment for them,” Lander said.
“It’s an opportunity I suppose for some young fellas to be on that world stage and hopefully have the aspirations at the highest level, but if not the state level, the A-grade level in Cairns.
“We see this as a highlight for men to be able to represent their people on a big stage, but also the partnership promotes the health initiatives Deadly Choices has been at the forefront of for many years.
“Who knows, one day we’d like a Deadly Roos side to be competing in the World Cup or on the world stage against other nations.”
The team trained together for the first time yesterday and will today split into two groups for community visits to Yarrabah and Mareeba to deliver the Deadly Choices program.
The Deadly Roos v Rugby League Samoa Queensland match kicks off at 1.15pm tomorrow at Barlow Park ahead of the main match.