THERE ARE SOME big question marks hanging over the Broncos this season but one thing is not in any doubt: all things going to plan Rita Langer and Di Wishy will be at the first home game – and the second, and the third.

In fact Rita, 84 – the mother of Broncos’ legend Allan Langer – and Di, 76, will be at every home game. They always are.

Theirs is a close relationship based on three things: deep friendship, a mutual love of the Broncos and, with Rita living at Ipswich and Di on the Gold Coast, the reliability of Di’s 20 year-old Mazda 626.

Every home game she leaves her home at Paradise Point, drives to Rita’s house at Sadlier’s Crossing, picks her up and drives to Suncorp Stadium, parking underneath in a spot arranged by Alfie.

After the match she takes Rita back to Sadlier’s Crossing and drives home to the Gold Coast – a round trip of around three and a half hours.

“That’s OK,” laughs the retired schoolteacher, “I like to drive.”

It all started during the 1993 Test series in New Zealand.

Di and her mother Frances had started watching the Broncos from day one, first on TV and then going to matches, eventually buying season tickets.

After Frances died in 1992 (“she died happy – the Broncos had just won their first premiership”), Di and her widowed sister-in-law Alie continued attending home games and decided to go on the 1994 Kangaroos’ supporters’ tour.

“We went on the trip to New Zealand first because I wanted to make sure we’d like it,” Di said.

“When we were over there we were sitting on the bus and Rita and her husband Harry got on board.

“Rita was doing the Tip Top bread ads at the time and I said to Alie, ‘I think that’s Allan Langer’s mother’. She said, ‘no, it’s just someone who looks like her’.

“When we got off the bus I went up and asked her, ‘Are you Allan Langer’s mother?’ She said she was and that was it. We just clicked and ended up going on the Kangaroo tour with them as well. At the end of the tour I told Rita and Harry that whenever they wanted to come to the Gold Coast they should just call me.

“Harry used to ring and say, ‘Is the motel free this weekend?’. He was such a character Harry. Allan has a lot of his mannerisms.”

Di and Alie and Rita and Harry would meet up at Broncos matches but with Harry passing away in 2002 and Rita not driving, their friendship was under pressure.

“I said to Alie, ‘we’re going to have to make this a girls’ weekend’. I started driving from the Gold Coast to Wellington Point to pick up Alie and then to Ipswich and back. Alie died in 2010 and now it’s just the two of us.”

For Rita, who has had leg and back issues, Di’s friendship – and her Mazda – have been a Godsend.

“We’ve been to Townsville to see them play the Cowboys and we’re going to Adelaide to watch the Origin game this year. Di makes all the arrangements,” Rita said.

“She’s a wonderful person.”

But in case you have the impression that Rita Langer is an old housebound woman needing help to get around, think again.

Every Friday for the past 48 years she has worked in the tuck shop at Blair State School where she, Harry and their five children Desley, Clifford, Kevin, Neville and Allan all attended.

With its playing field named Allan Langer Oval in his honour Alfie might be the school’s most famous ex-student, but there is no question over who is its most loved. Last year its newest facility was officially named the Rita Langer Recreation Hall.

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And she also works in the canteen at Ipswich Norths rugby league club – juniors through to seniors – all home games, often with Di at her side.

“Yes, Rita roped me into that,” she laughs. “She’d had on operation on her leg and asked me to fill in. When I was heading out the door they said, ‘will you be back next week?’ and that was that, I was hooked.”

Just as she and Rita are hooked on the Broncos, through thick and thin.

“Oh my goodness,” Di says. “We’ve been through it all with them, but we’re still there every week.

“One time when we went to Townsville Wayne Bennett saw us at the airport and brought the players over to meet Rita, and whenever the older players like Locky or Sam Thaiday or Wally see her they’ll always come up and say hello.

“She’s a treasure, she really is.”