Stars hit the road to support flood-affected communities

Current and former rugby league stars will once again hit the road in 2023 to visit regional communities, including those devastated by recent floods, as part of the NRL 'Your Local Club' Road to Regions program.

From Roma to Alice Springs, the annual Road to Regions program will reach far and wide throughout February and March, with players and ambassadors set to visit regional communities in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, South Australia, Northern Territory and for the first time in the history of the program, New Zealand.

Of particular note, ambassadors and players will head to flood-stricken areas across regional New South Wales including Eugowra, Grafton and Gunnedah to lift the spirits of communities and empower and support the locals through rugby league.

“Several of the towns that the Road to Regions team will be visiting this year have been severely impacted by floods over the past 12 months, and we are thrilled that our sponsorship of this program under the Your Local Club banner will help to bring some joy back into those communities," said Clubs NSW Chairman Dr George Peponis OAM.

“The Road to Regions initiative will see past and present rugby league stars introducing their beloved game to kids in remote areas and teaching them about the importance of keeping active and looking after their mental health, which the club industry is extremely passionate about.

“The NSW club industry pours tens of millions of dollars into elite and grassroots rugby league every year, making the sport more accessible to kids right across the state and helping to create a pathway for promising young players."

Players including Sea Eagles star winger Jason Saab and Parramatta forward Kennedy Cherrington will deliver a range of key messages and programs including the NRL League Stars Inspire Health & Wellbeing program where students learn about resilience, support and gratitude strategies for dealing with setbacks and staying on the front foot of their health & well-being.

The tour hopes to provide a unique and valuable opportunity to give back to communities and fans from towns that aren’t frequently visited, while also providing support to communities who have been affected by the recent natural disasters.

“Road to Regions is a fantastic way for the game, our players and ambassadors to say thank you to local communities for their support of rugby league and to give back to communities who have been affected by natural disasters,” said Acting Head of Participation, Community & Game Development Andrew Every.

“Thanks to the generous support of Your local club the program has expanded nationally since 2021 to Western Australia, Victoria, the Northern Territory and South Australia. This year we welcome Westpac as a supporting partner, enabling us to take it across the Tasman to New Zealand for the first time in 2023 which is incredibly exciting.

“The Warriors sacrificed a lot by being based in Australia to allow the premiership to continue during the pandemic and it’s great that we can work with them to give back to regional communities in New Zealand.”

Chief Customer Engagement Officer at the Westpac Group Ross Miller said Westpac is proud to be the supporting partner of the NRL Road to Regions program.

"Westpac has a long history of supporting communities in all four corners of the country and we’re looking forward to helping bring the NRL Road to Regions to life with our awesome branch teams over the coming weeks," he said.

To learn more about the Road to Regions program, visit nrl.com/roadtoregions.