Kevin Hogan (Page, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to congratulate the Lismore Thistles soccer team, which, in its 60th anniversary year, last month won the Far North Coast ANZAC Cup Premier League division. It was the third time in six years that the team has claimed this coveted trophy. My congratulations to this year's team: captain Aaron Macatta, Matthew Cramp, Cody McKinnon, Luke Virtue, Jye Wilson, Michael Blackler, Nick Albertini, Bryan McCalman, Wil Parsons, Dean Marshall, Simon Hore-Thorburn, Nathan McCann, Max Hospers, Matthew Parish, Jakeb Speers and Tyler Szczerbanik. A special mention goes to Oscar Stahl, who was named player of the match. The team was coached by Chris Hunt, the assistant coach was Darren Beardow and the manager was Nicholas Winkler-Maloney.

Not to be outdone, the Thistles A-grade women's team also won the open-A Callan McMillan Shield on the same weekend. It's the first time in 22 years the team has won the trophy, and I'd like to congratulate the team: captain and player of the match Elsa Mangan, Claudia Hewett, Natalia Brooker, Sophie Norton, Dana Wilson, Keea Parish, Madison Fiedler, Caitlin Moss, Tahli Drew, Chelsea Mangan, Sarah Fairfull, Amy Fairfull and Zoe Skewes. They were coached by Paul Albertini with manager Harvey Wilson. The Thistles club also finished runner-up in the ANZAC Cup men's open A division. The other winners were the Alstonville Football Club, which took out the ANZAC Cup in the grade 16 division. In the women's Callan McMillan Memorial Shield the Casino RSM Cobras took out division B. Congratulations to them all.

I also want to acknowledge Football Far North Coast, which has been led for many years by Steve Mackney and his team Julie Clifford and Luke Mackney, who work tirelessly to advance the great game in our region. Numbers will go through 7,000 this year, which is a wonderful statistic. We have an international coaching centre in Lismore, and we've also produced some local icons such as a Socceroo, Craig Foster, and a Matilda, Lisa Casagrande. I'm looking forward to a great season.

I'd like to thank two men who saved the life of nine-year-old Robert Miller after he was recently dragged out by a rip at Pippi Beach in Yamba. Iraqi veteran Jake Scobie was visiting his mother, Gail, when he and a Dutch backpacker heard the screams of Robert's mother, Vivien, after a wave had dragged Robert out deeper and she could no longer see her son. Without a moment's hesitation the two men ran into the surf, reached Robert and were able to pull him back to safety. I thank them both.