The Tweed Seagulls are holding their second Indigenous Recognition Day this weekend and have commissioned a local First Nations artist to design a players’ jersey.
Entitled ‘Birds of a Feather’ by artist Christine Slabb it reflects the abundance of wildlife in the NSW Northern Rivers district and features 13 seagulls – one for each position on the field.
Tweed Seagulls Chief Executive Brendon Lindsay said a full day of matches and activities will be held tomorrow (Saturday 6 July) at Piggabeen Sports Complex to celebrate the spirit of inclusiveness in Rugby League.
“Our players and especially our past and present Indigenous boys and girls love the experience. We want to honour their rich cultural heritage,” he told nswrl.com.au
“With last year being our first … it is new to our community and the club’s calendar so we are again looking forward to recognising our long history with our indigenous community and building this day into an annual event.”
The Northern Rivers has produced many great First Nations players like True Blues Ryan James, James Roberts, Cody Walker and Wade Graham, with current Westpac NSW Sky Blues winger Jaime Chapman also a member of the club.
“We want to play our part in providing an environment for all Northern Rivers players to stay at home, develop their game, and take the next steps when they’re ready both on and off the field,” Lindsay said.
“This day is designed for our club to continue to build relationships and continue to connect our club to our local players.
“Our connection to our community is so important to our club. We want to be seen as more than just a Rugby league club. So, by consistently investing in days like these we hope to build trust with our community.”
The day-long celebration will feature a Welcome to Country, a performance by the Gudjinburra Dance Group, Junior Rugby League games, a match featuring the Gold Coast Titans All Abilities team against a local team, and the highlight of the day – the Qld Cup match between the Tweed Seagulls and the Mackay Cutters at 5pm.
