Twice flooded Far North rugby league team, the Tully Tigers, vows to play on

A famed Far North footy nursery is facing another major clean up after copping its second flood in just three months.

Floodwaters ran through Tully Showgrounds on Friday evening as rain pummelled the Cassowary Coast. It's the second flood in just three months for the FNQRL's Tully Tigers, who play their home games at the Showgrounds.

A famed Far North footy nursery is facing another major clean up after copping its second flood in just three months.

It’s estimated the Tully Tigers rugby league club has suffered at least $10,000 in damages after more than 450mm of rain beat down on the town in just 24 hours.

Tully’s Tom Flegler is a star of the NRL competition.

Nearby Banyan Creek flowed over on Friday night washing through the club’s facilities and drenching the playing surface, operations manager Colin Wilkie said.

“It’s all underwater at the moment,” Mr Wilkie said on Saturday afternoon.

“The water’s three-to-four besser blocks high (inside the club). It was drizzling all week and the ground was saturated.

“But last night, it just bucketed down till early this morning. The heavy downfall was just too much.”

Tully Tigers operations manager Colin Wilkie said the club will be racing to prepare their home ground for a trial match against Herbert River Crushers next Saturday. Image: Brian Cassey

The club will likely be forced to replace equipment only recently bought following December’s deluge, Mr Willkie said.

“We’ve lost a fair bit,” he said. “We’ll probably lose our air compressor, tackle bags, a leaf blower and maybe a ride-on lawn mower I’m scared won’t start now.

“There’s a lot of dirt and mud that gets in when it floods, so the pressure cleaner will get a good workout this week.

“It’s far from ideal. We’ll see if we can get in tomorrow and figure out what we can salvage.”

Tully Showgrounds has been inundated for the second time in three months with Tully Tigers rugby league club's volunteers forced to clean up yet again. Image: Daley Rata-Makene

The Tigers are now in a race against time to have their ground ready for their annual pre-season trial match against Herbert River Crushers next Saturday.

“It’ll be all hands on deck this week,” Mr Wilkie said.

“That’s the thing about living in a smaller community though. The community bands together to help out its sporting clubs.”

The Tigers have produced several rugby league stars, including current State of Origin prop, Tom Flegler and Cowboys playmaker Jake Clifford.

Tully junior Romy Teitzel is one of several NRLW players to hail from the Cassowary Coast community. (Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images)

Former South Sydney Rabbitohs halfback Jack Campagnolo, currently signed to the London Broncos in the English Super League is also a Tully junior.

Member for Hinchinbrook Nick Dametto said the community had shown great resilience throughout the wet season.

“I’ve been speaking to locals and receiving photos on my phone all day,” Mr Dametto said.

“This is the wet season and people understand it can go through till April.

“It’s great to see that people don’t necessarily need to be told to act safely during these weather events.

“We still want people moving here though to talk to their neighbours about their community and how to respond.”

NRLW stars Romy Teitzel, Essay Banu and Kimberley Hunt also hail from the Cassowary Coast community.

Originally published as Twice flooded Far North rugby league team, the Tully Tigers, vows to play on