A group of 38 Cobar Junior Rugby League players have returned home with plenty of memories after an action-packed four-day trip to Sydney that combined football, sightseeing and team bonding.
The group, made up of registered players from the Under 8s through to the Under 16s age groups, travelled with eight adult coaches and chaperones, leaving Cobar early on Thursday morning and arriving back on Sunday night tired but smiling after a whirlwind long weekend.
Based at Bondi Beach, the players kicked off Friday with a team bonding session before enjoying lunch at Darling Harbour, a walk through the city which took in views of the Sydney Harbour Bridge, followed by an afternoon of fun at Luna Park.
Saturday centred around rugby league, with beach footy and games in the morning before lunch at Easts Leagues Club, courtesy of the Sydney Roosters.
The group then headed to Allianz Stadium where they toured the Sydney Roosters’ Centre of Excellence before settling in to watch the NRLW clash between the Sydney Roosters and Newcastle Knights, followed by the NRL fixture between the Roosters and Parramatta Eels.
Adding to the excitement, Cobar’s Under 12s and Under 10s players, took centre stage as the half-time entertainment at both matches, showcasing their skills in exhibition games in front of thousands of spectators.
One of the trip’s biggest highlights belonged to Under 14s player Charlie Miller, whose name was drawn from a hat to deliver the official match ball before the NRL game.
Charlie walked onto Allianz Stadium in front of a crowd of 23,222 fans in a moment he is unlikely to forget.
The Cobar contingent also witnessed Sydney Roosters winger Daniel Tupou celebrate his 300th NRL appearance in style, scoring a hat-trick as the Roosters defeated Parramatta 28-12 in a milestone match attended by Tongan royalty.
The trip was partly funded by the Sydney Roosters, the Cobar Junior Rugby League Club, a $2,500 donation from Aurelia Metals as well as contributions from each participant.
The visit helped strengthen the Cobar club’s growing relationship with the Sydney Roosters through the club’s League of Roosters network, which supports grassroots rugby league clubs with opportunities, resources and mentoring to help build stronger local clubs.
