'Moving rugby league energy': Freddy's HOGS hit the road

Brad Fittler describes them as a “moving rugby league energy” and after 13 years of leading current and former players on Harleys into regional areas the thing that satisfies him most is seeing kids kicking around old footballs.

Fittler devised the concept of the NRL HOGS National Tour, supported by Westpac in 2013 and after more than a decade of visiting NSW regional areas, it has now expanded to Queensland and Victoria, as well.

From Rockhampton in Queensland to Frankston in Victoria, Fittler and the HOGS will ride up to 7000km to promote the game to boys and girls in a bid to encourage them to register to play.

Along the way, Fittler and the likes of Ian Schubert, Petero Civoniceva, Greg Inglis, Yasmin Clydsdale, Georgia Roche, Dale Finucane, Emma Tonegato, Andrew McCullough, Ashton Sims, Teagan Berry, Keele Browne, Grace Kemp and Tara McGrath-West, will visit 18 regional towns.

“The whole idea from my point of view has just been about a moving rugby league energy,” Fittler said.

“One of the biggest things we have done since day one is just give everyone a footy.

"I still see the blue footies from 13 years ago, and it is good to see that they are old and battered. That is a huge part about what we have been doing from the very start.”

The HOGS departed from St Marys, near Penrith, as hundreds of kids were preparing for an OzTag carnival, with Panthers great turned 2GB radio host Mark Geyer among those on hand to see them off.

Geyer played with Fittler in Penrith’s 1991 premiership winning team and described the 1995 and 2000 Australian World Cup winning captain as a “pied piper”.

“There is the old adage of if you build it they will come, well they have come in droves on their Harleys to help kids and spread the love of the game,” Geyer said.

“I remember when I was at school in Year 5, my dad was a mad Parra fan and the principal said ‘today we have got a special guest, Graham Eadie from Manly’. No one knew who he was but he took time to come to Mt Druitt, or Whalen where I was at school, so I went home and told dad,  ‘I’m a Manly supporter now’.

“These kids who see Freddy give out NSW balls, they are converts for life. He is making a huge difference for junior rugby league in the bush.

“Usually when you see a group of men on bikes it’s menacing, but these guys are bringing joys and smiles to all the communities, so it is a fantastic thing.”

Inglis, whose Goanna Academy will help deliver mental health messaging during the tour, said the HOGS would have an impact wherever they visit.  

“There will be an excitement around the communities, wherever they go, knowing that they are going there,” Inglis said.

“The whole town will be out, the whole community will be out. Most of those communities don’t get this opportunity so it is really good to see things evolve. Obviously Freddy had this idea and concept about the Hogs and it has grown.

“What he is doing in the community and the way he is doing it is quite special.”

After taking part in the 2024 NRL HOGS National Tour, Clydsale said she was looking forward to joining Fittler on the road again with Knights team-mate Georgia Roche.

“I love going out there and being able to bring rugby league to communities who probably don’t get to experience it as much. It is great to do that on the Hogs tour,” Clydsdale said.

“Brad Fittler is a legend and a great of the game, and then to have a female presence, with myself and Georgia, is really cool because we get to bring all those young girls to NRLW one day.”

HOGS National Tour Schedule

Route One:  February 7th - February 14th

Day 1 | Penrith to Tamworth
Day 2 | Tamworth to Goondiwindi
Day 3 | Goondiwindi to Kingaroy
Day 4 | Kingaroy to Rockhampton
Day 5 | Rockhampton to Bundaberg
Day 6 | Bundaberg to Toowoomba
Day 7 | Toowoomba to Coffs Harbour
Day 8 | Coffs Harbour to Home

Route Two:  February 17th - February 25th

Day 1 | Sydney to Nowra
Day 2 | Nowra to Wagga Wagga
Day 3 | Wagga Wagga to Albury
Day 4 | Albury to Shepparton to Bendigo
Day 5 | Bendigo to Broadmeadows to Torquay
Day 6 | Torquay to Phillip Island to Frankston
Day 7 | Frankston to Eden
Day 8 | Eden to Narooma
Day 9 | Narooma to Sydney