All Blacks Determined To Defend Home Turf
Newcastle Herald
Tuesday December 11, 2007
FORMER livewire Knights fullback Milton Thaiday and rising star Tyren Mundine will play vital roles when the Newcastle All Blacks defend their NSW Aboriginal Knockout title in Newcastle next year.
The All Blacks secured the rights to host the three-day tournament when they were crowned champions at this year's carnival at Kempsey and made it official at yesterday's launch at No.1 Sportsground.Thaiday and Mundine combined with former Newcastle representative halves Scott and Jacob Briggs and veteran Eddie Smith to win this year, and all five plan to play again on their home soil."It's been a long time since we hosted the tournament, and last time it was played here we had 64 teams," Smith said. "This year at Kempsey we only had 16 teams, so we are hoping to build it back up to 64 again."Thaiday said he was looking forward to the tournament."It's a great honour to go out and represent your people," he said. The statewide knockout started in 1971, but Newcastle did not enter a team until 1975. Smith, who represented Newcastle during a stellar rugby league career, was the ball boy for the original side. He graduated into the team and was integral in Newcastle winning the knockout for the first time in 1987.The following year the tournament was played at No.2 Sportsground and Peacock Field at Toronto, but next year it will be at No.1 and No.2 sportsgrounds on the October long weekend.Officials are confident they will have at least 32 teams competing, meaning there will be $50,000 prizemoney $32,000 of which will go to the winners.
© 2007 Newcastle Herald