Cloncurry is gearing up to host the Arthur Beetson Foundation QRL Outback Junior Challenge Carnival this weekend.
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Following on from a successful event held in 2017, Cloncurry was due to host the Carnival again in 2020, but was deferred due to Covid restrictions.
The year 2021 will see the Carnival celebrate its 10th anniversary after being first held at Winton in 2011.
This year the Carnival has received financial sponsorship from the Cloncurry Shire Council and Local Companies Curry's Diesel Maintenance, CRC Electrical and Refrigeration, Glencore, MMG and Booth Maintenance and Contracting.
The Age Groups participating at the Carnival will be Under 14's Boys, Under 14's Girls, Under 16's Boys and Under 17's Girls, which will bring together over 150 players and their team officials.
For this carnival, the Queensland Police Service and the QRL have once again joined forces to promote the opportunities in country Queensland for both young men and young women.
The QPS recognised a great opportunity to engage with communities using QRL events to attract people to enjoy the games and take the opportunity to meet one-on-one with Police Recruiting and Crime Prevention officers.
The Arthur Beetson Foundation Challenge Carnival is an important pathway for many aspiring young footballers including Coen Hess (formerly from the Mount Isa Black Stars) who played as a 15-year-old at the inaugural carnival.
The Northern Outback Teams are mainly made up of Mount Isa based players who compete in MIRL City-Country junior concept, as well as Cloncurry and Normanton players, while Southern Outback teams are selected from players from Winton, Longreach, Barcaldine, Blackall, Charleville, Cunnamulla, Augathella, Mitchell and Roma.
Carnival Special Guests include 2017 Winning World Cup Jillaroos Co-Captains Renae Kunst and Stephanie Hancock, NQ Cowboys legend Matthew Scott, Queensland Outback Juniors Coaching Mentor Wayne Smith and Mount Isa-based former Origin and NRL player John Doyle.
QRL and NRL will be represented by Robert Crow, Scott Nosworthy, Rob Hall, Renee Bonnor, Peter Rafter, Alby Anderson, Denise Weier and Jarrod Bailey, along with QRL Director and Chairman of QRL Northern Region Leigh Anderson and QRL Outback Advisory Committee Delegate Geoff Orman.
The proceedings begin on Friday evening in the courtyard of the Cloncurry Shire Precinct with an official Opening and Welcome barbecue and there will also be a Rugby League History and Memorabilia Display in the Art Gallery.
Also there will be a QRL Well-Being education session delivered for all players, which sees all participants being educated both on and off the field and a talk from the Queensland Police recruitment officers.
Saturday brings a "feast of football" to the Eddie Lee Field, as morning games will kick-off at 8am with the final game finishing at 5.45pm
A feature of this year's carnival on the Saturday afternoon will be the Battle of the Mines Northern Outback Ladies Challenge game between "Barkly Highway" which will feature players from the Cloncurry and Mount Isa against Mid West (Hughenden and Normanton).
This game and another to be played on Sunday morning will serve as a selection process for those Cloncurry, Hughenden and Mount Isa players into the Northern Outback representative women's team to play against Southern Outback at Blackall on June 12, for selection in the Queensland Outback women's side to play against NQ United at Tully on July 17.
Selectors will also be identifying Normanton ladies from these games at the Cloncurry Carnival for selection into the NQ United side.
There will be a medals presentation of medallions to all these ladies following this game on Saturday.
At the Carnival Presentation Dinner at the Cloncurry Shire Hall on Saturday there will be awards to the over-all winning region, the winning team in each respective age group, a player of the match award to players from each side in each game, "The Matt Scott - Spirit of the Carnival Award", awarded to a player from each respective team, along with presentations to all of the carnival sponsors.
At the conclusion of the Dinner, the 2021 rep teams will be announced to attend the City-Country Cultural Exchange Pathways Carnival at Coolum on the Sunshine Coast on Saturday June 26 and Sunday June 27.
Game Draw and Times
Saturday, May 15 at Eddie Lee Field, Cloncurry
8.00am - Under 14 Boys
9.05am - Under 14 Girls
10.00am - Under 17 Girls
11.05am - Under 16 Boys
12.15pm - Under 14 Boys
1.20pm - Under 14 Girls
2.20pm - Women's Game
3.40pm - Under 17 Girls
4.45pm - Under 16 Boys
Sunday, May 16 at Eddie Lee Field, Cloncurry
9.45am - Women's Game
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