Gold Coast Titans Physical Disability Rugby League team take on Titans Legends
Every now and then a great moment in sport comes along that truly inspires. And after arduous journeys to get to this point, members for the Titans’ Physical Disability Rugby League team played their first match.
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EVERY now and then a great moment in sport comes along that truly inspires.
These moments, spoken about with such reverence that you’d think sporting fans were reciting scripture, often include a group of underdogs overcoming monumental adversity.
This past Sunday, one of the greatest moments in Gold Coast sporting history played out at 11.25am, in front of no more than a couple of hundred people, at the home of the Titans.
One player declared: “I’m going to tackle Preston Campbell, I’m going to smash him.”
TITANS BIG DREAMS FOR PHYSICAL DISABILITY TEAM
It was at this moment that it became very clear this “exhibition” game of footy between the Gold Coast Titans Physical Disability Rugby League (PDRL) team and the Titans Legends, was more than just a game.
The dressing shed was full of chatter ahead of, what was for many of the 15 players in the PDRL team, the first time they would cross the line to compete in a contact game of footy.
For most, the journey to this point has been arduous to say the least. Some of the boys are amputees, others have physical or mental disabilities, while a few have acquired injuries from diseases or medical conditions. What they all had in common though was a desire to play the game of rugby league. This was more than just a fleeting moment for these players. They wanted to savour it.
Younger players ripped into their new kit, excitedly tearing open the packaging to put on socks, shorts and jerseys. The excitement levels were high as the players threw on their footy boots.
“I reckon I’ll score two today,” one player yelled across the room.
Another, a little more timidly: “I can’t wait to tackle someone.”
The clouds parted, the sun beamed down and the players walked on to the field at Cbus to warm up.
Captain Terry Litton delivered a rousing speech, firing the boys up for the occasion – if they weren’t already champing at the bit.
“Do the right thing by your teammates … help each other out, talk to each other,” Litton said.
“Have a look around, look where you are, you’re playing on Cbus Stadium today, the Titans’ home ground. It’s a big honour for all of us.
“Enjoy yourself, that’s the main thing, have a good time.”
One of the boys piped up: “Let’s get into them.’’
Titans front rower Jarrod Wallace wandered out on to the field, dressed in the PDRL kit. “Who’s ready?” he asked the others.
Suspended for two games, Wallace decided to have a run around with the lads. It’s a gesture that showed the heart of the Titans. He did not have to be there, he could have been sitting up in a corporate box in the aircon. Instead, he was down sweating it out with this team, having a crack against the legends of his club.
Wallace’s presence was a reassuring factor for some of the nervous players. They lit up at the sight of him, massive smiles spreading across faces when he encouraged them or gave a high-five. This is what footy is all about.
The boys lined up in the tunnels, the siren blared and Litton led them on to the field. Some sprinted out, side-stepping their way into position to receive the kick-off.
Before the game, team manager Callum Mitchener had asked the boys if they wanted full-on contact. He was met with a unanimous yes. They got what they wanted.
From the first whistle, it was on. Some decent hits were put on from both sides. The game was played at a good pace and in the spirit it was meant to be.
The big boys of the PDRL team put in some barnstorming runs and there were slick plays in the backline.
The crowd and the players alike roared when Kane Ridgely opened the scoring for the PDRL team with a hard and fast run down the sideline.
Jarrod Wallace and his younger brother Cooper put a decent hit on their dad, Craig, playing for the legends, even if it was a bit late. Anno Pitt gave Preston Campbell a bit of grief on the ground.
And the PDRL team had their way for the rest of the game. Liam Reen scored a try, followed by Anno Pitt and Liam Hourigan. Clinton Toopi scored a consolation try for the Legends, but it was all over by that point. The PDRL side had done it.
There was jubilation among players on both sides. The weight of what had just played out on this hallowed ground was evident on the faces of the Legends side. The gravity of the game and what it meant to the PDRL team had become clearer as the game wore on.
No one wanted to leave the field, standing around and chatting about footy.
Captain Terry Litton is stoked by the effort his players put in and to have been part of a growing movement in disability rugby league.
“It was really great, the boys really enjoyed it,” Litton said. “A lot of the guys are Titans supporters, so they got to live out a big dream here.
“It means a lot to us to be involved in the game, to be part of something, to be involved in rugby league, the sport we love.
“Looking ahead, we want to get a league going, for people to get involved, to give all these people the opportunity to play the game they’ve been denied access to their whole lives.’’
After the game Preston Campbell sneaked into the sheds and told the boys they’d get them next time, declaring there would definitely be another hit out.
“It’s really important to play in these games, because a lot of these guys have additional needs. I think sometimes we think they’re a little bit precious, that we have to take care of them, but they want that contact. They watch the games and they want to be involved in that,” Campbell said.
“Now, they can’t play at a level that they would like, but it’s a privilege to play in a game like this.
“They went hard … we didn’t have to take it easy on them, they just want to be treated like everyone else and get into it.’’
Jarrod Wallace said the game was as important for him as it was the PDRL squad.
“You could see on their faces how much it means to those boys, to get out there and play, they are so passionate about the game,” he said. “It was an awesome feeling to be a part of it, I was very thankful. Seeing it on the weekend and you’re out there passing the ball and able to run up and down freely, and seeing them, it’s a lot harder for them, but they want to do it, they’re passionate about it and I suppose we do take it for granted.
“I think sometimes we forget that (importance of being in a team). In the professional game, you forget about how lucky we are.’’
For Wallace, it was great to have a run around with his brother and play against his dad.
“Technically I’ve never played footy with him (Cooper). It was good to have a run with him. He hit Dad so late at one stage, I laughed so hard. Honestly, in any real game, he probably would have been sent off. It was so funny.
“Cooper lost his eye in 2015 and I think he is going to play more with the team … I think the game really opened him up. Since his accident, he kind of felt a bit sorry for himself and thinks he could have been a lot better player than he is. Playing on the weekend made him want to give it a real crack.”
Mitch Gleeson co-captains the Australian PDRL side and is a big believer in the initiative.
Gleeson retired from rugby league after playing in the Gold Coast competition for Runaway Bay. Following a bout of meningococcal when he was a kid, his hip finally said enough. So the hit-out last weekend was special for him. “For me, it’s about giving back to footy. A lot of the guys have never got to play footy. They get to tackle someone, score a try, their faces light up. It’s about bringing people together.’’
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