Wagtails claim indigenous title

FOR most footy fans excitement is building as the new season approaches.

Picture: Kate Czerny

FOR most footy fans excitement is building as the new season approaches.

But for a group of Ipswich indigenous rugby league players one competition has already come and gone, with great success.

The Purga Wagtails took out the annual Warriors Reconciliation Carnival at Oakey last weekend.

The Wagtails included familiar names to Ipswich Rugby League and Jets followers in Wes Conlon, Lionel Foote, Shane Gibson and Wade Seden.

The Wagtails took out the title with a 36-0 grand final win over tournament hosts, Maso/BT Memorial. The Wagtails had gone down to the same team in the final two years ago.

Last year Maso/BT Memorial went down to another Ipswich team, the Southern Dingoes, in the grand final, so they must be getting sick of the sight of Ipswich teams.

Seden was named player of the tournament and Conlon, who was also the Wagtails skipper, was man of the match in the grand final.

For Conlon it is a chance to have fun playing footy and reconnect with friends and family before getting down to the more serious stuff with the Ipswich jets.

The Jets have their opening trial on Saturday, against Norths Devils, at Swifts' home grounds at Purga.

Conlon, a winger or fullback for the Jets usually, played centre for the Wagtails.

But the beauty of playing for the Wagtails, and it is the same in most indigenous carnivals, is numbers on the back don't necessarily define where a player will bob up.

"I do what I want to do," Conlon said of his positional play.

The Wagtails are a group of friends who have been playing together since 2013, when Conlon was 14.

Conlon (pictured in action for the Ipswich Jets) and Seden famously combined to deliver Swifts the IRL A grade, against Gibson's Brothers side in 2010.

Gibson and Foote are being reunited as IRL clubmates at West End this year.

But indigenous carnivals like the Warriors Reconciliation are the only chance they all get to play together again.

"Some of us play Jets, some play A grade, some reserve grade and some in Brisbane," Conlon said.

"So it's just a good chance to catch up. It's like a big reunion every now and then."

For Conlon it was a chance to take along his family, including new bub Koba, the third child for him and partner Kerri Swan.

With three games on a hot and steamy day at Toowoomba it was a good test of the pre-season fitness of all involved.

Now Conlon has turned his attention to the Jets.

With 2014 fullback Javarn White having left the club there is a vacancy at fullback and Conlon would seem an obvious leading candidate, though Broncos trainee Carlin Anderson would also like the chance to play at the back.

For Conlon though, much like when he is with the Wagtails, the number on his back is not as important as the contribution he makes to the team.

"I just want to get into the 17 and do what I can do best for the team," said Conlon, who has visibly bulked up his lean frame.

"Even if it is coming off the bench."

The Purga Wagtails have donated a portion of their prizemoney from winning the Warriors Reconciliation Carnival at Oakey last weekend to an indigenous family at Acacia Ridge.