Teamwork and pride were on full display over the weekend at Bill Norris Oval as the Murri vs Koori Interstate Challenge delivered a great start to Rugby League this year.
The one-day interstate challenge presented by Arthur Beetson Foundation and Deadly Choices also featured the junior teams representing Rugby League Samoa Queensland who faced off against the Queensland Murri squads prior to the interstate matches.
Watch the livestream of the Murri vs Koori Interstate Challenge Below
Before the opens matches, the Queensland U16 Murri side proved too strong for the New South Wales Koori squad by running away with a 32-10 victory to take the Steven 'Bear' Hall Shield.
Hooker Tait Cameron was named player of the match.
"I can't fault them," Queensland coach John Buttigieg told the QRL after the match.
"The character was there, the boys had limited preparation, but the boys showed up and they did the job ... and it was great to be a part of it.".
The open women's game between the Brisbane Natives and Dhungutti ConnXions provided an electrifying match with both teams putting everything on the line.
In the end, the Natives led by Patrice Chambers nabbed the 18-6 victory with Chambers being named player of the match.
Chambers, a proud Koa / Kuku Yalanji woman, made her return from an ankle injury in her last performance where the Natives won the Murri Carnival aggregate.
Chambers put her body on the line on both sides of the ball, shutting down attacks and creating openings for the squad.
"When Lyrech Mara got her try, it started the momentum for us to get going," Chambers said.
"Kimmy Hunt owning that sideline conversion too."
Chambers noted what makes the Natives such a strong force.
"Keeping the same core group since we started has helped," she said
"Always having positive chat before we go out or on the bench. And we are all pretty close off the field too.
"so we have a good bond and a lot of trust within the group," Chambers said.
The men's match between Erub United and Newcastle All Black got heated early on with multiple sinbins being dished out.
The Koori squad got off to an early lead which they maintained by no easy feat as their sharp defense proved too much for Erub United to swing the momentum resulting in a 18-8 win.
All Blacks prop Isaac Briggs was named player of the match.
