Runaway Bay rugby league player Jimmy Poland desperate to do his dad proud in Anzac Round match

AT long last, Runaway Bay stalwart Jimmy Poland will get the chance to mark the “proudest day in our family” when he plays in a Rugby League Gold Coast Anzac Round match against Bilambil.

AT long last, Runaway Bay stalwart Jimmy Poland will get the chance to mark the “proudest day in our family” when he plays in a Rugby League Gold Coast Anzac Round match against Bilambil on Saturday.

The five-eighth has for various reasons never played in the showcase fixture until now; making the long-awaited occasion even more special is that his father Jim will hand out one-off jerseys to Bay players that will later be auctioned off.

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Jim served in the army between 1981 and 1994, including a tour of Malaysia, before exiting due to wear and tear injuries.

The 55-year-old is now the Nerang RSL vice-president and his son is desperate to do him proud.

Jimmy Poland with his father, Jim Poland. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“I’ve been waiting 12 years or something like that,” Jimmy, 30, said.

“Every Anzac game I have sort of been spewing that I have been missing out … me and my brothers are the first generation of Polands not to go and serve.”

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Poland Sr will focus on teamwork in a pre-game speech to players.

“I don’t like the idea of sportsmen comparing that they’re going into battle and are warriors,” he said.

“I don’t like that, but I do like the comparisons of the sportsmen and the soldiers in their mindset. Even as far back as World War I, the military were purposely recruiting sportsmen because they already had that teamwork mentality so that still comes into play now.

Jim and Jimmy Poland. Picture: Glenn Hampson

“The teamwork side of it, not the battle, and the belief in each other – it’s not about you, it’s about the bloke next to you.

“That teamwork mentality is the sort of thing that I like to push and I’ll say that to them in the sheds on Saturday.”

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Runaway Bay enter the 4pm match at Bycroft Oval with a 2-2 record, while Bilambil are 1-3.

“We have got pretty much a full team this week for the first time this year so I’m pretty confident in how we’ll play,” said Jimmy, who has been cleared of a possible broken cheekbone.

Elsewhere this weekend, Tugun will host Southport at 3pm Saturday while Ormeau travel to Pizzey Park to face Burleigh on Sunday.