Combatants last weekend in the NSW Wheelchair Rugby League grand final – Wests Tigers skipper Brad Grove and Parramatta captain Diab Karim – have put that result aside to lead the Blues together against Queensland in a few days time.
The 2023 Wheelchair Interstate Challenge will be played on Saturday (8 July) at the Whitlam Leisure Centre in Liverpool, Sydney.
It will be live-streamed on NRL.com and Qplus.TV starting at 3pm.
Tickets are available: www.nrlwheelchair.com.au
NSW coach Edie George said there would be no animosity between Grove and Karim despite the Eels coming from behind to snatch a 26-24 win form the Tigers.
“That was a sensational game of wheelchair Rugby League it really was,” George said.
“Having our two NSW co-captains oppose each other I was very pleased to see them shake hands at the end of the game and hug it out.
“I went over to them and the first thing they said to me was: ‘Let’s get ready for next week’.”
The NSW Blues come into the 2023 Interstate Challenge having lost the past two – a 50-30 loss in 2021 and a 49-24 defeat in Townsville last July.
“We had a review of the last game early on in our training camps but from then we just moved on,” George said.
“But I still encourage the players to use that feeling from that loss, while also asking them to forget about it. It’s a balancing act.
“What I’ve been focusing on is our composure. We have the talent across the board to beat Queensland but we need to remain calm and composed.
“In the past we’ve given Queensland too much respect and that allowed the Maroons to do what they want to do on the court.”
The NSW side has one debutant in Zac Carl (Wests Tigers) while there are two debutants in the Maroons, Brett Bazley and Dan Anstey.
“I can’t imagine they’d get a whole lot of game time because they also have five Wheelaroos in their team,” George said.
“For us going to the World Cup with those guys we learnt a little more about them and their character and hopefully we use that to our advantage.”
Queensland is coached by England player Jack Brown, who scored twice in the World Cup final win over France (24-28).
“He’ll probably bring some tricks he learned from the English camp but as long as we stay composed we’ll be able to defend it,” George said.
Wheelchair Rugby League is played over two 40-minute halves, with the same points scoring as the running game. The ‘field of play’ is indoors, 50m in length and 25m wide.
Rules are similar – players must pass backwards, possession changes after six tackles. A ‘tackle’ is made by ripping off the Velcro shoulder tag of an opposition player, similar to Monarch Blues Tag.
Kicks downfield, conversions, penalties and field goals are hand-punted. A play-the-ball is made by tapping the football on the ground before passing.
It is one of the world’s most inclusive sports as two able-bodied players are allowed in the 10-person team, with five players on court at any time.
The 2023 NSW Blues Wheelchair Rugby League Team
Cory Cannane (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Zac Carl (Wests Tigers)
William Derederenalagi (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Rick Engles (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Brad Grove (Wests Tigers) (Co-Captain)
Brett Henman (Parramatta Eels)
Diab Karim (Parramatta Eels) (Co-Captain)
Liam Luff (Parramatta Eels)
Chris O’Brien (Parramatta Eels)
Toby Popple (Wests Tigers)
Reserves (in case of injury):
Jason Attard (Wests Tigers)
Stephan Rochecouste (Wests Tigers)
Coach: Edie George
