Brotherly love at Crosby Park

PR supremo and rugby tragic Geoff Rodgers is a happy man after 6000 people rolled up to Crosby Park on the weekend to see home-side Brothers trounce Sydney rugby powerhouse Randwick.

PR supremo and rugby tragic Geoff Rodgers is a happy man after 6000 people rolled up to Crosby Park on Saturday afternoon to see home-side Brothers beat Sydney rugby powerhouse Randwick 25-18 to become Australian rugby club champions. Last season’s Brisbane and Sydney premiers toughed it out in the Gallagher Australian Club Championship, playing for the Power Challenge Trophy – an annual event to determine club rugby supremacy in the country’s two strongest rugby footholds and club competitions.

“We essentially had a three-day carnival involving a number of events which culminated in Saturday’s epic thriller between two of the most well-known clubs on the world rugby stage,” says Rodgers, who as well as heading local PR outfit Rowlands is also Brothers Rugby Club president. “From the outset, we positioned this as a ‘celebration of community rugby’ – involving seniors, juniors and women players – and that it was; really highlighting the underpinning strength of community club rugby as the bedrock of our wonderful code.”

Kurtley Beale of Randwick in action during the Club Rugby Championship match between Brothers and Randwick at Crosby Park

This year’s championship marked the 50th anniversary of this event – with, coincidentally, Brothers defeating Randwick in the first game in 1974 45-22. Some of the surviving players from that first match were warmly introduced to the crowd at half time. This included from Brothers: David L’Estrange (captain), Dick Cocks (vice-captain), Mick Freney, Ron Price, Paul McLean,Barry Leal, Peter Twist, Peter Conran, Geoff White and Peter Hoare (manager), and from Randwick: John Cole and Alan Hoiles.

In addition to many business and community leaders attending the event, other special guests on the day included Senator Anthony Chisholm, Dan Herbert (chairman of Rugby Australia), Brett Clark (chairman of the QRU) and David Hanham (CEO of the QRU).

Sisters act

Women in Digital (WID) – a national body for females working in Australia’s digital sector that began in Brisbane – celebrated its 10th birthday on Monday. WID now has a community of more than 13,000; and an awards program that has seen 2328 nominations, 238 finalists, 95 winners and more than 5500 gala guests.

Founded by recruiter Holly Hunt, the peak body collaborates with some of Australia’s leading technology businesses and industry heavyweights to deliver events, workshops and awards designed to promote diversity in the industry. “We’ve seen a lot of change for women in technology and digital in some areas, and a lot of stagnation in others,” she said.

“While our rates of leadership are still not where we want them to be, compared to 10 years

ago we are seeing more women in leadership roles.”

Holly Hunt

Woolies help

Eight sick and injured kids from across Queensland and northern New South Wales will become the stars of the statewide Children’s Hospital Foundation Easter Appeal to raise much-needed funds for the Queensland Children’s Hospital.

Until April 2, all donations to the Children’s Hospital Foundation made at Woolworths stores across Queensland and northern New South Wales will go towards the Queensland Children’s Hospital to support kids like 22-month-old Halle Reardon. At just four and a half months old, Halle was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia – a shock diagnosis that saw her spend almost six months at Queensland Children’s Hospital receiving treatment.

Children’s Hospital Foundation chief executive Lyndsey Rice says she is thrilled to see Woolworths lend a hand to support the appeal.