Condobolin JRL Round 11 Wrap-Up – Indigenous Round and NAIDOC Celebration
Our final home game of the season was one to remember! The day kicked off with a frosty morning, but the arrival of Red Bend and the laughter and energy of our Minis quickly warmed the atmosphere.
We were honoured to begin the day with a smoking ceremony by Sooty Read and a heartfelt Welcome to Country from Uncle Dick, setting a powerful tone of culture, connection, and community. This day was a special collaboration between Condobolin Junior Rugby League and the Wiradjuri Condobolin Corporation, celebrating both our NAIDOC Week and Indigenous Round together — a true showcase of what it means to walk together in unity and pride.
As the sun shone, our Elders enjoyed front row seats from the Elders retreat watching the Mod teams in action — and what a performance they put on! Throughout the day, friends caught up, stories were shared, and new memories were created.
Before our International teams took to the field, we were treated to an incredible display of culture and pride.
Traditional dance by Galari Pathways dance group; Acknowledgement to Country in language by Marion Wighton-Packham; And of course, the announcement of cake lit up everyone’s faces! Our International teams brought intensity and passion to the field: U14 Girls League Tag fought hard and came away with a well-earned draw — a great effort showing their grit and growth!
U14 Boys Tackle didn’t take the win this time but showed heart, determination, and true team spirit — they never gave up.
This round also marked the second year of the Honky Memorial Cup, played by our U14s in honour of a cherished Rams JRL community member Honky. Congratulations to Lucas Newell, this year’s proud recipient. The cup was presented by Honkys daughter Nakeria
U17 Girls League Tag played two games on the day, showing incredible stamina and commitment. Their teamwork and resilience stood tall. As part of the cultural celebrations, a special gift exchange took place where Condobolin presented Red Bend with a stunning piece of artwork painted by Raymond Thorpe— a gesture of respect and shared connection.
U16 Boys Tackle delivered a hard-fought match in what has been one of the most hotly contested age groups all season. It’s been great to watch the skill and sportsmanship from both sides grow over the year. Today, Condo came away with the win — a proud moment for our Rams! This age group also participated in the gift exchange presenting a handcrafted didgeridoo made by Uncle Max Reid, further highlighting the strong cultural bonds that were celebrated throughout the day.
A huge thank you to Red Bend for making the trip and to everyone who came out to celebrate our NAIDOC & Indigenous Round. Days like these remind us of the power of sport to bring people together, celebrate culture, and build lasting community ties.
A massive thank you to everyone, all our volunteers who helped make today successful and thank you to WCC for partnering with us today and helping put on a great Indigenous Round/ NAIDOC event.
Next week, we hit the road to Grenfell for Round 12 with just three games left in the season. Let’s finish strong — come along and support our Junior Rams
Condobolin JRL Report sourced from the Condobolin JRL Official Facebook Page.