Local rugby league team the Mununjali Eagles did their hometown proud when they represented Beaudesert at the 2022 Queensland Murri Carnival.
The Eagles fielded a full under 18s team and, beyond that, other Mununjali players in divisions which could not field a full team from Beaudesert also ran on with other teams.
Photos at end of story.
Mununjali Eagles do Beaudesert proud
Mununjali pride was strong when Beaudesert’s Mununjali Eagles fielded an under 18s side in the 2022 Queensland Murri Carnival.
In addition to the under 18s side, local Mununjali women Desree Fogarty and Shania Paulson played in another women’s team in the competition and several local Mununjali kids joined other teams at the carnival, held at the Redcliffe Dolphins Moreton Daily Stadium.
The Eagles under 18s side played three strong days of football at the Murri Carnival, which is a highly anticipated annual event on Queensland’s rugby league calendar.
Mununjali Eagles under 18s player Jack Gunzler made it into the Queensland Murri U18s in a proud moment for his team.
The Eagles under 18s lost their first two games to Sunshine Coast Bunyas and Dean Smith Memorial teams on 27 and 28 September and their third game against the Jenny Andrews Memorial side on 29 September got cut short due to an opposition player breaking their leg.
Team manager Troy Willis said while the under 18s side did not come away with any wins, they showed strength and determination against quick opponents.
“They did well, and we don’t really look at the scores. A lot of the teams we play against are actually representative teams whereas we’re just a mob team from Beaudesert,” he said.
“A lot of these memorial teams are representative teams from the Sunshine Coast, Townsville or the top end of Queensland.
“They go in with a full squad of 25 and I think we took 20 kids in, lost two on the first day, but they played really well for the size of them, and we were proud of what they did.”
The smoking, drug, alcohol and sugar-free event also had a strong focus on health and education to honour the legacy of the late rugby league legend Arthur Beetson, who helped start the carnival alongside Tony Currie, with a focus on enriching lives beyond the game.
Beaudesert has previously fielded a senior side in the Queensland Murri Carnival but did not pull a team together this year.
Mr Willis said he hoped players from 2022’s Under 18s team would be able to step up and help the Mununjali Eagles field a men’s team again in the 2023 Queensland Murri Carnival.
