The National Rugby League's Major Partner Telstra has announced a landmark campaign to increase participation in regional areas and inspire the next generation of stars.
The NRL Telstra Footy Country Tour was announced today on the eve of the NRL Telstra Premiership Finals Series, and will run through September.
Telstra, which has supported the NRL for more than 20 years, will help grow and sustain pathways for regional clubs and provide opportunities for young players. The tour will give regional kids and community clubs rare access to star players, elite coaching clinics, digital coding workshops, resiliency talks and health and wellbeing sessions, to deepen the development of new skills and progress their game.
Telstra Footy Country Tour Ambassador, former NRL star Sam Thaiday said: "Growing up as a kid in Townsville, footy was my life and kept me motivated, happy and connected with friends. Through grassroots programs like this, we're often seeing kids being lured back to school for the first time in months to get involved in the game. It shows just how important these kinds of initiatives are for kid's physical and mental health and wellbeing.
"For me growing up, the footy club was core to our community, it was everything to me. It goes far beyond those players on match day - it's about the army of fans, volunteers and supporters who come back week after week to make sure the club keeps running. This is worth celebrating and I'm excited to be working with Telstra to help give country footy the credit and support it deserves."
Telstra Executive, Michael Ackland said: "For over 20 years, Telstra has been backing NRL in Australia and we're really excited to be expanding our focus to what we see as the beating heart of footy - country footy. In regional towns all over Australia, footy is more than just a game. For the kids that play, it's a lifestyle and it's intrinsic in our culture. We want to keep that spark alive.
"A grassroots program such as this provides clear pathways for juniors to build their development and stay interested in the game, not to mention the health benefits, which are well documented but have a clear positive impact on kids' mental health and cognitive development. At Telstra we are committed to investing in country footy and we hope to see continued growth in the game for years to come."
The NRL Telstra Footy Country Tour will engage with more than 55 schools and clubs, approximately 10,000 kids and regional community participants across Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria, kicking off on Wednesday 6 September in the remote community of Aurukun, North Queensland and ending at the 2023 NRL Telstra Grand Final at Accor Stadium in Sydney.
The Provan-Summons trophy and the NRL Telstra Women's Premiership trophy will tour regional locations as part of the campaign. Clubs and schools on the tour will be given a rugby league pack filled with new gear to help equip and inspire the next generation nationally.
Telstra and the NRL will also be offering regional schools a 'once in a lifetime experience' at Finals games and the Grand Final, including playing a pre-match game on the field during the Final Series matches, being part of a guard of honour, as well as presenting the Premiership rings at the Grand Final to the winning men's and women's team.
In addition to the NRL Telstra Footy Country Tour, Telstra and the NRL will be bringing back the Telstra Junior Club Grants initiative - a total of $216,000 worth of grants to 72 country clubs across Australia. All players, across NRL and NRLW, playing at the Grand Final will play for a selected regional club.
