Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Lalor for her important contribution today in the chamber and for drawing the attention of the House to this very important issue. To all of my constituents I say that it is important to ask, 'Are you okay?'

Last Saturday I had the opportunity to watch the under-10s division 1 team from the Umina Bunnies junior rugby league club play in their grand final. I'm really proud of this amazing team from the Umina Bunnies. The boys played incredibly, and we were all cheering madly from the sidelines as they really gave it their all. They faced some formidable opponents in the team from the Wyong Roos. Even though they weren't able to get the win, the whole team made every single person watching proud. There wasn't a dry eye in the personal cheer squad on the sidelines, including my own.

I've got to say I was pretty inspired by the attitude and perspective of the whole young team, particularly seeing the way they backed each other even after such a tough match and even though they didn't get the outcome they were hoping for. When the coach, Darren Phillips, gathered the boys after the match and invited them to speak, they all talked about their team and what the team meant to them. The boys spoke about the bonds they shared and how their focus was on backing each other. They spoke about their team playing not as individuals but as a group. It was a privilege to listen to a group of nine-year-old boys, some of them no doubt future NRL stars, live out what it really means to be part of a strong team, regardless of the outcome.

So to every single one of them—to Marshall Michie, Kane Butler, Harvey Nitsos, Noah Constable, Ben Geddes-Brown, Kobie Flanders, Juilius Taulilo-Kautai, Logan Davis, Timana Moodie, Logan Lestrange, Riley McIver, Bailey Klumpp, Brayden Duggan and Samuel Michie, and to the team's vice-captain, Lachlan Park, and the captain, Cameron Makey—congratulations on an incredible season. I'm proud of what you've achieved. To the coach, Darren Phillips; manager, Julian Park; and trainers, Jake Makey and Shannon Michie: thank you for your commitment to local sport and thank you for your leadership.

I'd also like to pay tribute to the Wyong Roos and the referee, Bailey Wolfe. This team and their story is representative of so many other teams on the Central Coast from a wide range of sporting codes. Our sports teams are the lifeblood of our community, and sport is something that connects us in a unique and important way.

With plenty more grand finals coming up in the next few weeks, I'd like to take the opportunity to congratulate some of the teams that have had such a great season—clubs like Gosford City Football Club, with four teams heading into the grand finals this weekend, including their women's premier league team. The East Gosford Rams already have two grand final wins under their belt, with the under-12Cs and the men's all age team winning their divisions.

Woy Woy Football Club has got two teams in grand finals on Sunday, with the reserve grade women's team and men's all age 1s. Terrigal United Football Club has got six teams, including four men's and two women's teams that have already played and won their grand finals, with three more teams coming runner-up. The Mountain District Football Club has four teams in grand finals this season, with the 16Bs playing last weekend and coming runner-up. There are still three matches to go, with the rest being decided this Sunday at Budgewoi.

Woy Woy rugby union club will be contesting three grand finals on Saturday, with their under-15s girls, under-19 boys and open women's team playing this Saturday. The Terrigal Trojan's first-grade team will also be heading to Woy Woy on Saturday to defend their premiership titles, aiming for three in a row when they play against the Ourimbah Razorbacks. It is not just the first-grade team that have done well this year, with the Trojans having all of their senior teams in the finals series, including the women's sevens. Three junior Trojans teams also won their grand finals last week.

The Woy Woy rugby league football club is hosting plenty of finals this weekend at the home ground of Woy Woy oval, including their open age team, who will be facing the Erina Eagles—and it's fantastic to see the upgraded Woy Woy oval which was delivered, thanks, in part, to a commitment from the coalition government. The Terrigal Wamberal Sharks rugby league team had 29 teams start the 2018 season, with 13 making semifinals, seven heading to a grand final and the under-16s division 2 teams winning their finals.

I'm really proud of all of these teams and hope to be able to get to as many games as I can. To everyone playing in grand finals in the next couple of weeks, good luck. I know you'll do us proud. To all the volunteers of local sporting groups that give up their time for our community: thank you for your commitment to sport on the Central Coast and thank you for what you are doing to help build better and stronger communities on the Central Coast.