The 2018 NSW Aboriginal Rugby League Knockout was launched in style with the Draw Gala Dinner at the Dubbo RSL Memorial Club on Wednesday evening.
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The 48th Knockout is set to be one of the biggest in history, with 137 teams across men’s, women’s and junior competitions.
South Sydney winger and former Coonamble Bear Braidon Burns was on hand to assist with the 12s draw, while the men’s was drawn live on NITV.
Another highlight of the night was the entertainment by local favourites Pete and Shane Riley, as well as Wellington’s Millie Mills.
The 14-year-old wowed the audience with her stunning vocals.
Already some stunning match-ups have emerged, with the Dubbo Pacemakers set to take on the Wellington Wedgetails in an opening round local derby in front of the main grandstand.
The opening round will also pit the star-studded Kempsey Dunghutti Bloodlines – coached by former Rooster Amos Roberts and featuring New South Wales Origin centre James Roberts and the Newcastle Knights-bound Jesse Ramien – against the powerhouse from the north, Walgett Aboriginal Connection.
The Newcastle Yowies took out the 2017 carnival but, instead of using their hosting rights to bring the 2018 event to the Hunter, they chose Dubbo.
“Dubbo has just got some of the best facilities here, you can drive in and you’ve got everything that you need,” Yowies president Warren Schillings said.
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“The council was that supportive of us, anything we asked, they were willing to help and they were second-to-none.
“And it’s really central. It gives the teams out west a chance to be involved, because some of them might not be able to make it to some of the other ones.”
He said the excitement was at fever pitch for a “great weekend”.
“It’s our big corroboree every year, everyone looks forward to it,” Schillings said.
“The football is fantastic, it’s the best but it’s meeting your family, running into your family that you don’t see all year.
“It’s going to be unreal.”