The Red Cross Blood Service is calling on people to donate blood, with both states going head-to-head off the field in the ‘Out for Blood’ challenge.

With one in three Australians needing blood, the partnership between the NRL and the Australian Red Cross Blood Service aims to capitalise on the interstate competition to increase blood donations and ultimately save lives.

As of Monday, May 21, NSW was leading the series with 289 blood donations, followed by 199 donations for Queensland.

On Monday, Dubbo local and passionate league supporters Ray Sutcliffe and Ross McDermott, from the Macquarie Raiders Club, were at the Dubbo Blood Centre donating and showing their support for the NSW Blues.

The Club president and treasurer will put the call out to the wider Macquarie Raiders and Dubbo league community to donate.

Mr Sutcliffe has been donating blood for over 40 years and on Monday he was donating plasma. It was his 243 donation.

“Ray’s been a regular donor and he mentioned to me this challenge. We readily jumped on board,” Mr McDermott said.

The Macquarie Raiders president said they also hope the rest of the league groups in Dubbo will jump on board and bleed blue.

“It’s a win-win situation. We’ve got a lot of young, healthy young men with plenty of time on their hands (to donate). We’ll send the message through our Club, including the women’s league tag and right through Group 11.”

“It’s certainly an opportunity to expand the numbers of donations.”

Mr McDermott has donated three times since 2011 and understands that we’re all busy, but hopes people can make this a priority.

“It’s a matter of just taking time out to book an appointment and fit it in,” he said.

To donate please visit www.donateblood.com.au/NRL