Tournament returns after three-year hiatus
BY ALEX TIGANI
All roads lead to Singleton’s Pirtek Park on Saturday, September 17 for the A-Plus Contracting Hunter Valley Mining Charity Rugby League Day in support of the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service.
The event, which was first held at Rugby Park in 2014, has raised $412,000 for the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service ensuring it is ready to respond 24-7.
All teams will compete in a 10’s format competition with 10 players on the field playing 10-minute halves.
Each men’s team will play a minimum of two games before the highest points scorer in each pool will advance through to a sudden death semi-final, before the winner of each semi competes in the grand final.
This year 15 teams will be competing across 20 games, a far cry from the eight inaugural teams at the first tournament.
It was first organised by local coal miner Simon Clifford who then handed the event over to the local Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service – Singleton Volunteer Support Group after the first year so that the event could be grown.
“The rugby league community and mining industry have always been great supporters of the Service,” Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service CEO Richard Jones OAM told The Hunter River Times.
“This event brings both groups together in a unique competition in support of the Rescue Helicopter and we greatly appreciate the ongoing support of sponsors, players and spectators.”
“Personally, I cannot thank the community enough, not only for their support but also their understanding during the challenging times we have navigated during the past two years.”
Event organiser Danny Eather has revealed that a total of $412,000 has been raised since 2014 and, though team numbers have dropped from the 23 listed in 2019.
he is confident that 2022 will provide a positive boost to the local community events calendar as well as for the Rescue Helicopter Service.
“An early indication points to $90,000 raised this year,” he revealed.
“We like to think that the event has grown to become a premier charity rugby league competition held in the New South Wales, Hunter Valley region.
“This is reflective of the fact that over the years we have seen teams represent mines from Mudgee, Boggabri, Narrabri, Myuna.”