Ewen Jones (Herbert, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Deputy Speaker Scott; I know you will be hanging on this. To the Townsville Fire team, congratulations to all concerned. The second grand final in the Women's National Basketball League in a row. We will travel to Bendigo—I see the member opposite, the member for Bendigo, is very keen to see the Townsville Fire in Bendigo again—this weekend where this time we will go all the way. We will beat Bendigo. The whole city is behind coach, Chris Lucas; our captain, Rachael McCully—she is no longer Flanagan; Suzy and all the girls. Can I wish a very happy birthday, a special birthday, to assistant coach, former player and all round great girl, Claudia Brassard. Claudia, for your birthday we got you a grand final. What you have to do from there is win the thing.

I also say a special thank you to the ABC. The ABC are the national broadcast partner for women's NBL. Queensland remains on correct time—New South Wales and Victoria jump an hour ahead for whatever reason—but the ABC have changed their telecast time so that we in Queensland can watch the fantastic Townsville Fire play basketball for glory. We will win in Bendigo this weekend. Get behind our Fire, Townsville; get behind our girls. They are fantastic bunch, and they will win this weekend.

My city of Townsville also now has its first NRL silverware. It adorns the North Queensland Toyota Cowboys' mantle as I speak. Winning the Auckland Nines was a fantastic way to start the year. Paul Green's new defensive patterns took a little bit of time for the guys to get used to on a playing field, but once we got them down pat our line was barely crossed. It was a great quarter final against Auckland, then a great semifinal and an even better final to beat the Broncos at the end.

An honourable member: Were you playing?

I was not there, mate; I had nothing to do with it. To all concerned at the Cowboys—remember for any organisation to succeed, your back office needs to be strong so that your front office can succeed—from Chairman, Laurence Lancini, CEO, Peter Jourdain, and player managers, Peter Parr and Michael Luck, to the coaching staff, Paul Green, David Furner and Terry Matterson, I wish you all the best for season 2014. To the playing group headed by the magnificent Johnathan Thurston and the super tough and rugged Matt Scott, I wish you all the best. My son Andrew and I will be there on the weekend when we belt Canberra. It will be funny this year, Deputy Speaker, seeing the Cowboys run out without the fantastic Matty Bowen in the No. 1 jersey. If there is ever an icon in the sport for Aboriginal and Islander Australians, it is Matty Bowen—a truly great Australian. It was incredibly unlucky for a bloke by the name of Lachlan Coote, who came up from Penrith to come to us. I wish you all the best. The Cowboys are my team and we do it to the dot.

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