CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
With almost an entire team of Canberra Raiders players making their first ever Grand Final appearance this weekend, rural newspaper’s around the country are scrambling to document every vague association their town may have to this team of underdogs.
Small town sports journalists around the country have been flat out crafting up autobiographies for the debutants of both teams – who know ‘come from’ towns they’ve never really lived in.
One notable naturalisation can be seen in the non-stop stream of articles written by the reporters working for the Bedourie Bugle, who have claimed Canberra Raiders captain Jarrod Croker as a born and bred local boy.
Croker was born in Goulburn, New South Wales Australia and played all of his junior football for the Goulburn Stockmen before signing with the Canberra Raiders. Which is about as close to being from Canberra as you can be as a rugby league player.
However, if you’ve been in any newsagencies in the Western Queensland Channel Country this week, you’ll find he’s actually from a completely different part of rural Australia altogether.
That’s according to The Bedourie Bugle, the only other newspaper in the Diamantina Shire that comes close to competing with The Betoota Advocate.
“Locals recall seeing Jarrod getting around town as a youngster” writes Bedourie sports reporter, Ryan Costello, who is actually referring to the 1 or 2 months he spent in town for a pre-season, before eventually getting a start in the NRL.
“He would always hang out at the footy club and had dreams of playing in the NRL” the article continues, in a padded out by accurate description of an 19-year-old semi-professional rugby league player.
Other notable towns that have claimed NRL players this weekend include:
Parramatta claiming Josh Papalii, who spent a few weeks thinking of signing with the Eels in 2013.
Newcastle claiming Hudson Young, because they claim anyone from the Hunter.
Taree claiming Jack Wighton because he’s distant cousins with Latrell Mitchell.
Longreach claiming Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad because he drove through their once on his way to meet some cousins who were working in Mt Isa Mines.
