Warwick’s inspiring sporting family dynasties I LIST
From rodeo heroes to cricketing champions, meet Warwick’s great family dynasties leading generations into a range of sporting fields. FULL LIST
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In every community and throughout every region there are special families who make a mark and create history for generations.
There is an endless number of families who have shaped sporting history in Warwick through their supreme talent and tireless dedication.
Here we feature 11 outstanding family greats in no particular order
Eastwell family – RODEO
Warwick brothers Brock, Mitch and Wade Eastwell have been dominating the rodeo scene for many years.
The trio have been winning rounds in their hometown rodeo and also the Mt Isa Rodeo.
Even their mother Julie Small is known to compete and excel in rodeo across Queensland and interstate.
Mitch said growing up in Warwick with his brothers and competing had led to some healthy competition.
“Doing rodeo as a family makes it so much better because we all practise together and it makes everyone do that bit extra to improve. You want everyone to do good” Mitch said.
“When we were younger there was a bit of competition but once you’re a bit older you just want everyone to do good.”
The brothers grew up seeing their parents compete in rodeos which lead to them getting involved in the sport.
“As a kid we always went to the rodeo and seeing all them good (people) rope and competing really drove us to want to compete with them,” Mitch said.
“The hometown advantage is always a strong point with everyone, we always get excited for the Warwick rodeo every year.”
Lawler family – BOXING
Father-and-son duo Damien and Kye Lawler have a passion and talent for boxing, with Damien taking the role of head trainer at the Warwick Boxing Club.
Damien won a bronze medal for boxing at the Oceania Games in 1998 and currently coaches and trains five fighters at the Boxing Club.
At the Golden Gloves 2022 competition, Kye took out a silver medal after an intensely close fight.
Damien won Warwick’s best sport coach in 2021, due to his unwavering passion, support and drive to help athletes in the area.
“It’s fantastic to be able to share it with my son. I had a good career and boxing taught me a lot inside and outside the ring and to be able to share that with your son as the coach and the dad is something special,” Lawler said.
“I’m definitely proud, Kye has a very big future, he’s a very talented young kid.
“When he or any of the boys have a loss I feel that, or when they have a win I feel like I’ve won. I’ve been there before so I always know what they’re feeling.
“The biggest thing I look forward to is watching the kids grow and see what they’re capable of – it is so special to me.
“I’m a coach and a mentor and I’ve been there before, so I know what they’re going through and help them grow into young men.”
Joekong Family – RODEO
Darryl Joekong is a name synonymous with rodeo and with a title such as Australia’s master of the international saddle it is no surprise that his children have taken after him and pursued the sport.
Joekong’s skills are renowned across Australia as well as internationally, earning him the title ‘King of the Australian Saddle Bronc Riders’ and winning rodeos in New Zealand and North America, as well as domestically.
While Joekong retired from rodeo 30 years ago, his legacy carries on by his children who have picked up the sport.
Joekong resides in Thanes Creek, west of Warwick, with his wife June and they have five children: Dustin, Darryl Jr, Chaylee, Odette and Tamasin.
Chaylee and Tamasin both compete in rodeo barrel racing, with Chaylee competing in last year’s Warwick Rodeo.
Joekong has been inducted into the Australian Rodeo Heritage Centre’s Hall of Fame, and with the passing of generational talent, it would be no surprise to see some of his children enter it as well in the future.
Bourke Family – CRICKET
The Bourke family has cricket in its DNA, with three members excelling at different levels across the state.
Maryvale’s Michael Bourke has won the Player of the Year award eight times across his impressive career in local cricket.
Daughter Lucy has also excelled at the sport and played in her first representative team at the age of 10, and hasn’t looked back since. She has also played in state championships and made the Queensland team.
Lucy is now 16 years and recently made selection for the Queensland Country team.
Michael’s cousin, Paul Bourke is also a gun cricketer, leading the Maryvale Condamine team as its captain.
Fraser family – POLOCROSSE
The Fraser family have been long time supporters of polocrosse in the region, with Les Fraser serving as the Warwick Polocrosse Club president and Robyn as the treasurer.
Les Fraser has been playing and contributing to the sport for 60 years and has the longest Polocrosse Association of Australia membership in the country.
He’s played in every season since 1961 and has a true dedication to the sport by volunteering thousands of hours to ensure major events run smoothly.
The couple was instrumental in running the 2019 Polocrosse World Cup at Morgan Park, which was one of the largest international sporting events in rural Australia.
Les’s brother Peter Fraser is a lover of the sport, a member of the winning team at the 1970 Warwick Polocrosse Club Carnival.
Additionally, Les’s son Warwick is a keen player and supporter and has been involved in organising events across the Southern Downs.
Sullivan family – RUGBY LEAGUE
For the The Sullivan family, the love of the Warwick Cowboys rugby league team runs deep.
Billy, Ben, Andrew, Harry, Hayden, Mark and Danny Sullivan have all played with the club.
The family famously had eight members on the second-division team in a game against Stanthorpe, which they won.
Mark Sullivan says the family involvement with football was three-generations deep, with the family always extremely eager about rugby league.
“That opportunity to play with my three sons in one game was tremendous, it was so exciting, we’ve always been passionate about it,” he said.
“We all started as juniors and we’ve followed the tradition of getting our boys into it and they’ve grown to love it, it’s great camaraderie.”
Having football so close in the family has ensured many of the Sullivan men gain valuable life lessons that can only be inherited by sport.
“They won’t stop trying, regardless if their backs are against the wall. You always give your best and try for your mates, your club and your community.
“Regardless of the cliches, there’s always next week, there’s always another game. You might get beaten one week but it’s the same in life, you can have a few downs in life but you can always turn it around.”
Hancock family – RUGBY LEAGUE
Steph Hancock from Killarney is one of the most exciting talents in women‘s rugby league.
The daughter of famed prop Rohan Hancock followed in her father’s footsteps, with the pair becoming the first ever father-daughter pair to represent both Queensland and Australia.
Rohan played four years with the Maroons, lining up alongside legends of the game like Fatty Vautin, Wally Lewis and Mal Meninga.
In the 1982 tie-breaking game three, Hancock scored a critical try in the first half, solidifying him as a Queensland legend.
Steph has played in every NRLW season since its formation in 2018 and kicked some big goals on and off the field, including scoring a crucial winning try in the State of Origin ensuring the Queensland-side’s first origin win and earning Queensland player of the year.
She has also won multiple national tournaments, winning the rugby league world cup with the Australian team in 2013 and 2017.
Retiring on such a high from representative football, Steph helped guide a new wave of Maroons talent during her time with the side, breaking the Queensland drought at the State of Origin in 2020.
Steph currently plays for the Gold Coast Titans.
Brackin family – BOXING
Warwick’s legendary boxing father-son duo Sel and Lex Brackin are known across the state, with the former being immortalised in the Queensland Boxing Hall of Fame after his passing.
Sel was known in Warwick for being a coach and mentor to several prominent boxers, including 1988 Olympian Marcus Priaulx, as well as a friend, valued member of the community, and founder of the Warwick Boxing Club.
Lex carried on the Brackin boxing legacy, competing as an Australian representative in the Oceania Games, winning a silver medal in 1981.
Chris Fox, Sel’s grandson won the state boxing title in 2005, his first national title at the WBF Australian Masters in 2017 and has fought in more than 100 fights.
Hudson family – ROWING
Warwick’s Hudson family have written their way into Australian sporting royalty, with dad Lynton Hudson representing Australia in the world championships of rowing in the 1980s.
Decades later, Harriet Hudson would compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with Team Australia, winning bronze.
Harriet cites seeing her dad pulling out his Australia blazer as the moment she knew she wanted to follow in her dad’s footsteps and become a champion rower.
Her brother, Will has represented his school at the Scandinavian Rowing Championships in Norway, winning two gold medals.
Sister Ella has competed and won in several national rowing competitions, cementing the Hudson family name into the history books as one of the most prominent rowing dynasties in the country.
Campbell family – MOTORSPORTS
Before he was the superstar professional driver he is today, Warwick’s Matt Campbell and his family were staples of Warwick’s iconic Morgan Park facility.
Campbell now drives with Dempsey-Proton Racing, but through his career he’s driven with Porsche and Nissan.
He has won a plethora of titles, from local titles such as the Queensland Formula Ford Championship in 2012, all the way to winning Bathurst 12 Hour Endurance Series in 2019.
His family are also big motorsport fans, with his grandad Bill Campbell and Aunt TC Campbell have been in a wide variety of motorsport levels ranging from car race meetings at Morgan Park to Bathurst.
Bill Campbell said to the Warwick Daily News in 2011 that Matt was as competitive as he was even though he has a lot more experience.
Bill sadly passed in 2015, leaving an impressive legacy at the Warwick District Sporting Car Club, who shaped motorsports in the region for three decades.
“Bill Campbell has left an enduring and amazing legacy at Morgan Park. We hope his legacy will continue to shine at Morgan Park and through the driving of his grandson Matt,” Motorcycle Sportsmen of Queensland representative Sheralyn McGlinchey said in 2015.
McGrath Family – POLOCROSSE
The McGrath family from Warwick are a true polocrosse dynasty, with all four members successful at the sport.
Parents Paul and Sally McGrath have played for Queensland and Australia, with Mrs McGrath playing in the Polocrosse World Cup in 2003 winning for Australia.
The bright legacy continues with the pair’s children, Keely and Jordan McGrath.
Keely is currently in America on behalf of the US national team, helping train and develop their side before the World Cup next year.
Older sister Jordan has also competed on the Australian Junior Polocrosse squad, and at a national level with the Australian intermediate squad in 2019.
Paul said he couldn’t be happier with how his girls are continuing the family legacy.
“It wouldn’t matter what sport they play but I’m proud they’re playing well and enjoying the sport,” he said.
“It’s a generational thing. My father and brothers played and so did Sally’s family.
“We followed our families and we’re happy our kids are following us.”
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