The Spinifex Junior College team was in desperate need of new shirts, said team manager Jodie Lobegeiger. 

“We haven’t had a touch team for about five years, and we were using old uniforms.”

Jodie and coach Tara O’Brien put the word out to local businesses interested in having their name on the Taipans singlet. 

They cold-called a list of Mount Isa businesses, with no success.

Then Jodie thought of asking her father-in-law Dean, at Lobeys Tilt Tray Service. 

“I was overjoyed that he jumped at it, when all these big companies said no,” she said.

The girls are proud to wear their team uniform, Jodie said.

“We all feel really unified and it’s all because of this pretty cool uniform.”

Both women have played for Taipans as students at Spinifex Junior Campus. 

Tara played in 2006-2007 and has been trying to rekindle touch football since coming back to the school.

“I came back and sport had sort of... died a bit, so we’re trying to get it up and going again.

“Hopefully fingers crossed we can get a team away next year, get the girls experienced and enjoying it,” she said.

Taipans currently competes in the B-grade for the local touch football team.

“Ideally I’d love to have a mixed team, and a boys team next year too,” Tara said.