OAKEY BEARS SIGN FORMER NRL PLAYER
❝it’s He knows a good club and wants to help us out so he offered to play and we jumped at the chance.
— Shane Williamson
RUGBY LEAGUE: The Oakey Legends of League match left a lasting impression on ex-NRL player Mark Tookey.
The former New Zealand Warriors and Parramatta Eels star will line up with the Bears this season.
Club president Shane Williamson said it was the first time in a long time there had been this much excitement around the club.
“I was watching the players at training putting in that little bit extra with Mark there,” he said.
“We want to be in the finals, that’s our plan and that’s what the boys are all wishing for and talking about too.”
It’s a far cry from being on the verge of suspension at the start of last season.
Up until last year the Bears hadn’t won a game and were getting smashed by 50 points week in, week out.
“Everyone rallied together to raise money and get the club back up and going,” Williamson said.
“Within a couple of months it put us back in the competition and we didn’t miss any football.”
Now Williamson said they were trying to rebuild Oakey as a family club.
“We want people who want to play football at our club and not for the money,” he said.
The club approached Tookey at the start of last year and asked him to join in on a couple of training sessions.
“He came out and saw the passion and support the club had,” Williamson said.
Williamson said Tookey had always had a soft spot for Oakey with family friends in the region.
“He knows it’s a good club and wants to help us out so he offered to play and we jumped at the chance,” he said.
Tookey will also coach weekly training sessions with hand-picked juniors.
Williamson said Tookey’s signature had also created a lot of interested from other players.
“We had a couple of Queensland representative footballers at training having a look,” he said.
“And there were about 10 new guys at training this week.
“We’re now trying to get a few of our ex-players back who have gone to other clubs.”