Llew O'Brien (Wide Bay, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

I am proud to be the patron of the Maryborough Bears AFL football club. I'm even prouder to say that since I accepted their invitation to become their club patron the Bears have risen to the top of the AFL ladder. They won the grand final, played against Across the Waves, by 28 points, having won all but two of their games in 2017. This is the first premiership the Maryborough Bears have won since 2000. It is a remarkable and commendable effort by the club. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to be at the grand final on the weekend, as I had other commitments, but I was pleased to attend a game a few weeks ago to see the talent and commitment of the players. I know that the season has been hard fought. The games have been played fairly and with passion, and now the club's players, friends and supporters have been rewarded with a well-deserved premiership.

The club's coach, Russell Green, who's a great mate of mine, is passionate about AFL football. He's from Victoria and now lives in Maryborough, and he knows his AFL well. He's played AFL in three states and has a lifelong commitment to the sport. Russell has a secret training trick, which he shared with his players to help them secure the historic premiership. I'm sure many of his team wondered what was going on when they turned up to practice to see tennis balls, instead of the regular footballs, on the field. When Russell played footy in Victoria, the pre-season training was done with tennis balls to sharpen and fine-tune players' skills. Russell decided to dust off his training trick and introduce it to the Maryborough Bears. Players had to bounce and kick the tennis balls to coordinate their movement. Focusing on the balls helped them improve their skills. The tennis ball training over five weeks paid off. Their skills improved, and the results speak for themselves. I admit I was a bit concerned when I heard Russell share his secret, but he tells me he's not finished. He has another secret training weapon in mind for next year's competition. Apparently, they'll be using golf balls!

To the team: well done on a great season and good luck for the next season! I congratulate Russell Green and the Maryborough Bears team on their effort and their well-deserved premiership win.

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