Lane leads first indigenous TRL side

Roma's own Lane Brooks was named vice captain of the Indigenous Australian touch world cup team.

LEADER: Lane Brooks was the Australian indigenous side vice captain at the Touch Rugby League World Cup. Picture: Lane Brooks

TOUCH FOOTBALL: Rising up to represent your country in the world cup of any sport is no mean feat, and Lane Brooks has put his heart and soul into playing for Australia's first all-indigenous touch rugby league side.

Brooks was named vice-captain of the trailblazing team, for the Touch Rugby League World Cup in Brisbane on July 5-7.

"There was a regular Australian team, but this year was the first time the TRL wanted to have an Australian indigenous side, and I was initially selected as a reserve,” Brooks said.

"But as the competition came closer, I was asked to play for the starting side of the indigenous men's A-grade.

"Then, in the week before the World Cup, I was named vice captain.”

The World Cup is a step up for Brooks, whose TRL career has taken him a long way with indigenous sides already.

"This is something that I am so grateful to have been a part of, let alone to be named a vice captain of,” he said.

"Before now I had played at state level, never nationally, so to play on a global stage, this is definitely the pinnacle for me.

"To be against the other Australian side, and teams like Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, the UK, the Philippines, Ireland and Sweden.”

Brooks helped lead his team through five tough games to place equal fifth, in a pool of about 700 players from over 40 countries.

Then he backed it up to play on the Australian indigenous mixed team in reserve-grade.

"To finish at that level when you consider most of us had never played together before the day was so good,” Brooks said.

"But going for the mixed side and playing a total of 10 games in one day was tough.

"I am glad I got through and survived it without any cramps or injuries.”

Originally published as Lane leads first indigenous TRL side