Four avid Parramatta fans from Young had the trip of a lifetime thanks to the generosity of the Parramatta Eels Rugby League Club.
Young’s Jack Noakes, Peter Causer and Jim McAlister, and former local Dave McMurray attended the recent Eels Friday night game at Pirtek Stadium against the Roosters.
The night couldn’t have been scripted better for the die hard fans as the Eels came from behind to defeat the Roosters.
The opportunity arose when at the Cherrypickers’ annual men’s Luncheon in June when the group of four placed the winning bid on four tickets donated by the Eels.
However when the YRLC learned one of the men is unwell, they colluded with Parramatta to make the game a special experience.
The Eels officials started the evening by introducing the group of four to a number of Eels players, before taking them to the playing surface to mix with the Eels players as they warmed up. They were then escorted to the ‘dug out’ behind the Eels’ bench, and after high-fiving with the injured players to celebrate the Eels win, they went into the sheds to mingle with the players and coaching staff.
Jack Noakes – still unable to wipe the smile from his face – was thrilled at the opportunity.
“They were not in a rush and keen to learn where we were from and other questions, which we were all trying to answer with huge grins on our faces,” he said.
Young Cherrypickers president, Robert Bush, was also appreciative of Parramatta’s generosity and hospitality.
“Despite all of the well documented adversity Parramatta have gone through this year they went above and beyond the call of duty to make this an amazing experience for Jack, Peter, Jim and Dave,” he said.
“In the first place the Eels donated the tickets to the Young Club to assist with fundraising – Parramatta understand the importance of supporting rugby league at the grass roots level. But then to provide the group the opportunity to meet the players and go into the sheds is overwhelmingly generous and I can’t thank the Eels enough.”
The four men extend a big thanks to the YRLC, as well as the Parramatta Club.
“It was a night the four of us will remember for a very long time,” Noakes said.
