FOGS Charity Lunch Success, Celebrating the Neville Nobodies

Rugby league is celebrated by the FOGS as the greatest game of all but it is also so much more than that. 

The FOGS recognise that the game, as epitomised by Queensland’s State of Origin team, is a wonderful vehicle for improving the lives of others. 

The Annual XXXX FOGS Charity Lunch, which has been held for more than a decade, demonstrated that again this year with two donations of $30,000 each going to Rural Aid and Small Steps 4 Hannah. 

This year the lunch was the biggest on record with 650 attendees. 

The Small Steps 4 Hannah Foundation was established to bring an end to the cycle of domestic violence after the murder of Hannah Clarke and her daughters Aaliyah and Laianah and son Trey. 

Rural Aid was created to safeguard farming and rural communities before, during and after natural disasters.  

FOGS executive chairman Gene Miles said the two charities did vital work in the community and were particularly valued by the rugby league fraternity.  

"Rural Aid is close to the hearts of a lot of our FOGS who come from country areas. The rural and regional areas have been hammered over the last couple of years with regards to floods and natural disasters,” Miles said 

"Small Steps 4 Hannah is so important because domestic violence is such a scourge on society. What happened to that family breaks your heart.  

“We did the presentation in front of 650 people and at this year's lunch and you could hear a pin drop. Hannah's dad Lloyd, who also played for Souths Magpies, attended the presentation. When you hear the sad story it is clear why people are generous in their support. 

The FOGS don't discriminate against NSW either. Players who hail from the southern state that have become attached to worthy charities such as Mark Hughes and Royce Simmons have received donations as they represent causes that impact people in all walks of life in all states. 

"We have made donations to the Mark Hughes Foundation for brain cancer and to Royce for Royce's Walk a couple of times. It is all relevant for us,” Miles said. 

“We were great friends with Royce on Kangaroo tours and we had a great rivalry when he played for NSW. He is also a champion bloke and has been a great sidekick for Wally Lewis who is going through similar stuff with CTE and dementia. 

"We talk to him on the phone and his main message for Wally is to provide advice on positive steps to take." 

Other charities to have been supported by the FOGS charity lunch over the years include Australian Sports Brain Bank,  the Carl Webb Foundation, The Common Good, Mardi Jackson Foundation, Hear and Say Centre, 4ASD Kids, White Ribbon Australia and Epilepsy Queensland. 

The luncheon is an opportunity for attendees to go home winners with multiple auction items won this year, along with 10 double passes to the Origin opener at Suncorp Stadium.  

It is also of course a time to reconnect with friends and past greats of the game. 

This year was a 30-year anniversary celebration of Paul Vautin’s “Neville Nobodies” who won the 1995 Origin series 3-0 in an unforgettable clean sweep. 

Ben Ikin, Trevor Gillmeister, Chris Close and Vautin were all on hand to wax lyrical about the great stories from that series. 

Current Maroons coach Billy Slater also spoke of his plans for the Origin series, which Queensland ultimately won 2-1. 

A huge thank you to our sponsors: XXXX, ASM Global, Yalumba, Coca-Cola, and Krispy Kreme Doughnuts - and to our generous supporters: The Caxton Hotel, Anaconda Stores, rebel sport, Ringers Western, and Ariane Vodka.