Coalminers' Day A Knockout
Illawarra Mercury
Saturday July 26, 2008
THE coal dust is set to fly tomorrow when the Mt Kembla Mining Heritage Festival kicks off with the Coal Miners Shield Oztag Footy Knockout.
Eight teams will do battle for the shield, which this year has been renamed the Cate Stevenson Coal Miners Shield in honour of the former chair of Mt Kembla Mining Heritage Inc, who died in April after a long battle with cancer. Money raised on the day will go to the Illawarra Cancer Carers.Last year it was the Dendrobium Blues who took the title with a hard-fought win in the final over arch-rivals the Appin Cockatoos.Last year's competition attracted almost 100 players, including a number of former Illawarra Steelers and Dragon Wendell Sailor.Sailor made an appearance with the Dendrobium Barbarians, a side dominated by Queenslanders.While Sailor is otherwise engaged this year, the well-connected Barbarians have drafted in former Queensland and Australian representative Brett Dallas for this year's competition. The first game kicks off at 10am.The heritage festival takes place next weekend, with the 96 Candles Ceremony on Thursday commemorating the 1902 Mt Kembla mine disaster.
© 2008 Illawarra Mercury