NRL HOGS National Tour journey draws to a close
The NRL HOGS National Tour, presented by Westpac, wraps up tonight after nearly three weeks of travelling through regional communities to celebrate local rugby league.
NRL legends Brad Fittler, Greg Inglis and Dale Finucane - as well as a host of NRLW players including Yasmin Clydsdale and Jada Taylor - have visited towns in New South Wales, Queensland and Victoria as part of their 7000km, 18-day journey which will wrap up tonight with a Narooma Devils JRL Clinic and Community Dinner, before returning to Sydney.
Fittler, who is leading the journey on his Harley Davidson, said it was a special tour to help reconnect with regional rugby league communities.
“It's the start of the footy season and it's important to give back to the communities that make our great game what it is,” Fittler said.
“The NRL has put their support behind getting kids active and we're able to do that with the PCYC and junior rugby league clinics on our tour.
“So far, we've given out 50,000 footballs to the kids over the years.
"We've visited so many strong football communities to show them love before the season begins.”
Inglis’ Goanna Academy has partnered with the NRL Hogs Tour and is the first Indigenous-owned mental health education provider in Australia.
Their mission is to help end the stigma surrounding mental health and improve social capacity to identify, talk about, and manage mental health for all Australians, in particular at-risk groups such as Regional Males, Youth, and First Nations communities.
“Most of those communities don’t get this opportunity so it is really good to see things evolve,” Inglis said.
“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.”
Overall, the tour promotes good health and gives back to the grassroots of the game, through community clinics and dinners, and integration into Queensland and NSW PCYC centres – all while leaving every participant with a new football.
The full list of locations in the 2025 HOGS tour include: St Marys, Tamworth, Goondiwindi, Kingaroy, Rockhampton, Bundaberg, Toowoomba, Coffs Harbour, Daceyville, Bomaderry, Nowra, Wagga Wagga, Albury, Shepparton, Bendigo, Broadmeadows, Torquay, Frankston, Cranbourne, Eden and Narooma.
