Girls tackle football has become incredibly exciting in recent years, and last weekend history was made for Forbes Magpies Junior Rugby League. We saw our first ever full girls tackle teams take the field, and what a show it was.
Their sportsmanship on and off the field was truly impressive, the encouragement of their teammates, and positive attitude is contagious. Bring on round 6!
This Sunday will be the first time that Forbes have opened the season with an Anzac round against Parkes. Magpies Coach Cameron Greenhalgh said, “Training has been really good happy with our fitness levels and there has been plenty of high energy in our ball sessions.”
“The players are ready to play, pre-season is over I think the whole community is ready to watch some local footy.”
“Obviously our spine 1,6,7,9 will have a big influence on the outcome, as well as our forwards it will be tough, I don’t expect us to play our best footy for a while but we hoping for a solid start to the year.”
Forbes and Parkes are wearing special Anzac Day guernsey’s on Sunday. The Forbes guernsey’s will be auctioned off at the Forbes Inn after the game and the Parkes auction will take place at The Coachman Hotel. All grades will be playing with the girls kicking off at 10.30am. Head along and cheer on your local team!
The U15’s Boys and Girls Touch Football teams competed in a Western Gala Day in Mudgee this week.
Both teams displayed outstanding effort in their games, demonstrating a high level of school pride.
Well done to all of the students that competed.
Ben participates in Ambassador work through GOAL College working with year 11 and 12 students.
Ben was part of the NRL Roads to Regions tour visiting schools in Port Macquarie and Forster.
Ben recently visited Brewarrina alongside Latrell Mitchell, Shaquai Mitchell and Jack Wighton. Representing the Winmarra foundation founded by Latrell, the boys spent time engaging with the local community and assisting at-risk youth.
Former Parkes Spacemen and current South Sydney Rabbitohs player Ben Lovett has been nominated for the The Ken Stephen Medal – Man of the Year, which recognises the efforts of an NRL player who has not only achieved on the field, but has committed time off the field to community projects. A player is nominated by their NRL club for going above and beyond in their involvement in charity work, youth development or community support.
The 2024 Ken Stephen Medal – Man of the Year nominees form the NRL Community Team of the Year. Fans have the chance to vote for their favourite nominee and we are urging everyone to vote for former Parkes local Ben Lovett who was selected as a nominee from South Sydney Rabbitohs. Souths have won the award for the last two years, in 2023 with Latrell Mitchell and in 2022 with Cody Walker. Lets help Ben make it three in a row
Ben had this to say about being nominated: “I’m honoured to be nominated for an award that represents something bigger than football. Giving back to the community and inspiring kids to achieve their dreams has always been my passion.
“I am grateful for Parkes, the Spacemen and the Rabbitohs for giving me the platform to make a difference, and for their support throughout.”
To vote for Ben go to: www.nrl.com/community/awards/ken-stephen-medal/
The Magpies take on Orange Hawks in Round 8 at home this weekend. League tag will be at 10.30am, Under 18s 11.30am, Reserve Grade 12.40pm and First Grade 2pm.
If you’re not doing anything Sunday head on over to Spooners Oval for a great day out.
Forbes Magpies took the two points on Derby Day with a 22-18 win over Parkes Spacemen. Image credit: Parkes Spacemen Facebook page.
The biggest day on our local rugby league calendar is the June long weekend Parkes versus Forbes Derby Day, which has become a long standing tradition between the twin towns.
A massive crowd flocked to Pioneer Oval in Parkes on Sunday 7th June, to witness the clash between Parkes Spacemen and Forbes Magpies.
Parkes started the day strong, and were off to a thrilling start, taking out the League Tag 10-4, 18s 20-18 and Reserves 20-16, but it was Forbes who were victorious in the first grade battle, winning 22-18.
Forbes Magpies Coach Cameron Greenhalgh said, “We haven’t beaten Parkes on Derby Day since 2018, it was good to get the win over there. We let a substantial first half lead slip away, it was 22-4 at half time and they came back to 22-18, but we hung on and got the two points.”
Each year, a massive Forbes crowd travels across to Parkes to support the team, and always get the players pumped up.
Parkes Spacemen President Tony Dwyer said, “This particular round between Parkes and Forbes is known as one of the best local derbies in country rugby league.
It’s great to see Forbes enjoy it as much as us, you see how many people it brings over and how pumped up they get for it, they just love beating us over here.”
Parkes Marist 10s, 8s and 7s pictured with Ben Lovette (South Sydney), Haizyn Mellars (South Sydney) and Harrison Ledbetter (Former Canberra Raider).
On the June long-weekend, a lucky group of Parkes Marist Juniors were thrilled to be invited to a Coaching Clinic with former Parkes local, and current South Sydney Rabbitohs player Ben Lovett.
The Coaching Clinic was run for the PMJRL U10, U8 and U7 players. PMJRL U10s Coach Jason O’Bryan said: “The kids were pumped when they were offered the opportunity, it’s been a really great experience. To see a local guy who has made it in the NRL come back and offer his time is a credit to Ben and to Souths for wanting to do it.”
There was definitely a buzz around town once the kids found out Ben would be in Parkes to run a clinic. “My dad owns Sportspower in town, and he said kids were coming in saying ‘Ben’s coming Monday to do a training clinic’. It was so great to hear that, and it just made me even more excited to come back,” said Ben.
Ben has been very busy of late, recently returning from Papua New Guinea. Knowing he would be heading home to Parkes on the long-weekend, Ben approached the Parkes Senior League Club who put him in contact with the PMJRL to help facilitate the Clinic.
Ben said, “I wanted to do something for the local community, and get out here with the kids back where it all started for me. I was here in Parkes 10 years ago, running around the same as these kids here.”
“I still feel like I have a long way to go with my footy career, so for these kids to look up to me is massive. To be able to give back to them and hopefully inspire their dreams, to think that they can do what I have done, and hopefully they can have goals and aspirations to do the same thing.”
Ben was joined by fellow NRL players Haizyn Mellars and Harrison Ledbetter.
Haizyn is a South Sydney Rabbitohs team mate of Ben’s, who plays winger/centre, and Harrrison played with the Canberra Raiders for a number of years, and is currently playing for the Belconnen Sharks in the Canberra competition.
When Ben asked Haizyn if he would like to head back to Parkes with him and see his home town, he was more than happy to tag along, saying, “It’s great to come hang with the kids and play a little footy.”
At the end of the clinic, the NRL players handed out Rabbitoh’s merchanise and were very obliging, signing the kids headgear, boots and shirts, and taking photos with anyone who asked.
Pictured are the Penrith Panthers Development Squad with the 14-15s boys who came from Forbes, Condobo-lin, Mudgee and other areas for the April Skills clinic held at Spooner oval in Forbes.
The 2024 Penrith Panthers Western CUB’s Skill Development was held in Forbes on Monday the 15th of April. It was open to all eligible tackle players who wanted to improve and learn more rugby league skills which was run by Penrith Panthers Pathway coaches as well as local coaching staff.
We spoke to Sam Jones who is the Penrith Panthers Development Manager, he went on to speak very passionately about why the clinic has become so important, “Over 10 years ago we started with a Bathurst clinic for one night, it built on from there to multiple nights, and then around three years ago we added the other two regional centers which are Dubbo and Forbes.
“In the April school holidays we do the round trip across the three centras running clinics for 14-15 boys and 14-16 girls. The clinics are open to anyone registered to a junior club who lives in Bathurst, Dubbo, Forbes or the surrounding areas.It’s not so much a holiday clinic, it’s an elite football, Rugby League clinic with all the skills and drills and even shirts provided. The clinic has been a few years in the making now and it’s great to see it expanding.
“Registrations this year were good compared to last year, especially the girls which is great as it is a growing space. It’s always good to get out in these areas, we’ve got plenty down our junior systems from the west making a name for themselves in the next 5-6 years, and there will be more and more coming, it;s a big part of why we come up here but the other reason is to make sure the junior league and the players are thriving and giving them as many tools and resources as we can, all of the gear that we bring along to the clinics stays with the local clubs everywhere we go.
“It’s very simple to send programs to areas, but having a presence and exposure, thats what the people want and it’s what the kids want and it;s what we love to do.”
And that’s a wrap on the 23-24 Touch Season!
Parkes Touch would like to honour and thank our committee members and our volunteers representative Coaches & Managers.
We recognise many individuals for the extensive contributions to Parkes Touch.
Thank you, we couldn’t do it without all of your support.