AN ANNUAL rugby league match, held to honour a Capalaba man who has cerebral palsy, has been won by the Redlands Parrots.
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Players and supporters of Redlands Parrots and Capalaba Warriors organised the first Josh Shield Day last year to honour local league safe officer Josh Pople.
Pople, 25, has not let his disability stop him from achieving his goals, marking his 10th year of being a safety officer in rugby league.
He has even flown interstate to perform duties like ensuring safety procedures are met, giving players water and relaying messages during games.
In Saturday’s match at Capalaba, the Parrots retained the title, beating the Warriors 18-14.
Pople presented the man of the match trophy to Parrot’s player Jarvis Mortimer.
Capalaba Warriors captain Dylan Wilkinson said Pople had always been supportive of both teams.
“The fact that he knows he can’t do some things but tries his best at everything anyway makes him an inspiration,” he said.
Pople said even though he could not play, being a league safe officer was the second best thing.
“It still gives me the opportunity to be apart of the game with two great football clubs and have the personal contact and mateship,” he said.
Pople recalled two greatest moment in rugby league from three years ago.
“It was a special day with all of my team mates (from Redlands Parrots) and we were only the second opens team in the history of the club to win a grand final,” he said.
“Our (Capalaba Warriors) team took a bus to the semi-final but the bus that had arrived wasn't wheelchair accessible so all of the boys had to lift me and my electric chair on the bus, which weighed a tonne, then… the boys had to lift me back out.”
“We then went out there, played footy like champions and won the game.
“I couldn't of been more proud of the boys.”
Proud parents Lisa and Jeff Pople said their son had always loved sport since he started playing rugby league with his friends in year 1 and went on to do his year 11 work experience at the Capalaba Warriors Junior Rugby League Club.
“He loved it so much and the club could see his passion, the Warriors organised for Josh to complete his League Safe Officer course and now this year marks his 10th year – a great achievement,” they said.
“Joshua always and continues to make us very proud parents, with all he has achieved already in his life.”
Pople aims to achieve a Certificate III in Sport and Recreation.
Jocelyn Garcia
Jocelyn is a journalist at the Redland City Bulletin, covering education issues and school stories. She was a former journalist at Beaudesert Times, reporting about crime, schools and agriculture.
Jocelyn is a journalist at the Redland City Bulletin, covering education issues and school stories. She was a former journalist at Beaudesert Times, reporting about crime, schools and agriculture.
