Queensland firefighters and police officers to play rugby league match in New York

Each year Queensland’s fireys and police play a memorial match to honour the September 11 victims, and this year our emergency responders are taking the match to the Brooklyn.

They are united in respect for their fellow first responders.

But Queensland’s finest are on opposite sides of the divide when it comes to rugby league.

The Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and Queensland Police Service will honour their fallen US comrades when they play their ninth annual September 11 memorial match in New York next month.

Jack Dawson, Tom Eyles, Steve Finigan and Hayden Lea will play a rugby league match agianst each other in New York next month as part of the September 11 memorials. Picture: AAP, John Gass

Previous Fireys-Cops clashes have been staged at Suncorp Stadium and suburban grounds around Brisbane, but the September 6 match-up will be held in the more far-flung venue of the Aviator Sports and Events Centre in Brooklyn.

After the on-field hostilities are complete, the Queensland fire fighters and police officers will march in the September 11 parade through the streets of New York in full dress uniform, alongside their American counterparts.

The Fireys hold sway in the overall record with five wins from eight matches, with the police claiming two wins.

Last year’s showdown was a 6-all draw after the tries were scored in the first two sets of the match.

Former Broncos forward Dane Carlaw during his graduation in 2013.

The Queensland Firefighters warmed up for the trip with a 54-6 disposal of the NSW Fireys and will feature former Test, Origin and Broncos forward Dane Carlaw and former NRL players David Seage, Phil Graham and Trent Leis, along with a number of players with Queensland Cup experience.

The Police side will include one-time Broncos hooker Michael Ryan.

Firefighters coach Scott Munro said remembering the sacrifice of their 343 firefighting brethren who lost their lives on September 11, 2001 was always the driving force behind the game.

Former Brisbane Broncos hooker Michael Ryan with his family after graduating in 2010.

“It is a real brotherhood. If you walk into any fire station in the world and say you are a fireman, then you are more than welcome,’’ he said.

“It’s a very unique way to remember the people who ran into the building (World Trade Centre) and lost their lives. It is something that is hard to fathom and we absolutely honour that.

“It is always full-on, fair dinkum football. We want to win and they want to win and we want to keep that shield, so there is no quarter given out on the field.

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“To have guys like Dane Carlaw, Phil Graham and the like to come out and play for us goes to show how much it means.’’

Police Senior Constable Hayden Lea said it was “a very special occasion” for the boys in blue.

“To take this game over to New York and join forces with the US guys and march alongside them to commemorate 9/11 is something we are really looking forward to,’’ he said.

“The Fireys have the wood on us at the moment when it comes to the footy and we are pretty keen to turn that around.’’