RUGBY LEAGUE
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Two Maitland-based Aboriginal rugby league teams will be playing for more than the win in Wollongong on Sunday.
The Mindaribba men’s and women’s sides will contest an inaugural statewide knockout competition to highlight the need for Aboriginal foster carers.
The Kids In Care Cup will be held at WIN Stadium and Mindaribba Sistas player Chantal Tanna knows all too well the issues facing Aboriginal children.
“I work in a school as a teachers’ aid for Aboriginal kids and I see first hand the need locally for more Aboriginal foster carers,” she said.
“A lot of the women in Mindaribba Sistas are mothers and all think it’s a really important event to support.
“It’s more important that more of us put our hands up and say ‘let’s support the community’ because there are a lot of Aboriginal foster kids that are not with Aboriginal foster parents.”
Mindaribba Warriors coach and recently named Group 21 coach of the year Ron Griffiths agreed.
“We need to look after Aboriginal kids and rely on ourselves to close the life expectancy gap, which includes making sure Aboriginal kids in care are looked after by our community,” he said.
Both teams have designed jerseys especially for the event incorporating the team’s aqua colour.
The Illawarra Titans will host the tournament and it will be played on the final day of Foster Care Week, which runs in conjunction with an Association of Childcare’s Welfare Agencies campaign.
AbSec, NSW Government Family and Community Services, Link Up NSW Family Link Project, Aboriginal Legal Service, Illawarra Aboriginal Corporation and Win Stadium are also partners of the event.