CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
The Betoota Dolphins RLFC have a lot to be thankful for this year.
The new signing of the volatile, anti-social and violent, but impressively quick young winger Lolesio Prince (23) has seen the club tear through the 2018 season with 11 wins out of 12 – in what looks like an almost guaranteed top eight appearance in this year’s Channel Country Rugby League semi-finals.
They’ve got the community to be thankful for, as well. Namely the parents, members, a general crowd at each home and away game. Most of who have behaved themselves so well this year that the possibility of being re-invited to field a fourth grade side is back on the cards again.
They’ve got the staff to be thankful for, especially the volunteers – who spend hours upon hours each week lending themselves to the mighty terracotta and navy.
But most of all, they have the leagues club to be thankful for, their
As is tradition in regional and suburban East Coast Australia, hospitality and gaming venues are operated for the benefit of locals rugby league club and its community. The football club controls the leagues club through the appointment of board members. In the past, leagues clubs have provided funds to finance the operation of the sporting club, often due to profits made from the inclusion of a gaming room.
In the case of the Betoota Dolphins, that ‘gaming room’ is actually a bit more like an acre of pokies, and a mini-casino-sized TAB.
As a consistent stream of income for the football club, this dining venue is celebrated by all in the community, as is it’s ability to fleece money out of lesser-known members of the community that are hidden in the VIP lounge.
However, aside from the nameless gambling addicts, there are several other integral contributors to the club that need to be thanked. One in particular is former Dolphins Leagues Club boardmember and chairman (1984-2002), Ken Walker.
“Thanks Ken” says Lolesio, while staring at the 182 cm x 122 cm framed portrait of him in the middle of the TAB, as he feeds another pineapple into the betting kiosk.
“This one’s for you”
