Wheelaroos skipper Brad Grove had never seen anything like it.
Key points:
- For the first time, the wheelchair rugby league world cup has equal billing with the men’s and women’s tournaments
- Wheelaroos skipper Brad Grove is hopeful this can bring the sport to a new audience
- Australia went down 36-6 in the tournament opener against England this week
Wheelchair rugby league has been his life since he first encountered it back in 2010 and he never could have imagined anything like the reception his side got after its world cup opener against England.
“We finished the game and we were all in the sheds and someone said our game was trending second in the UK and fourth in Australia,” Grove said.
“We couldn’t believe it, it’s on a Friday morning at 6am back home, what’s going on, but we got on our phones and they were going off.
“We’re not used to any of this, we struggle just to get a couple of hundred people to a game and all of a sudden there’s 2,000 people in the grandstand and people all over the world are watching.
“So many people are seeing it for the first time and realising they love it, which is what we’ve been pushing for for a really long time.”
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Australia might have gone down 36-6 to the tournament hosts, but it shapes as a new dawn for wheelchair rugby league with the tournament being broadcast to a wider audience for the first time.
And if the reaction is anything to go by, with fans all across the world marvelling at the physicality on show, it won’t be the last.
Wheelchair rugby league is getting a great reception from its new fans. (Getty Images: RLWC / Alex Davidson)
Ball-punches might replace kicks and tags might replace tackling, but wheelchair rugby league can match any format of the sport in terms of blood-and-thunder action.
And while it can be tough for the Wheelaroos, who can struggle for regular international matches due to Australia’s isolation compared to their European opponents, they lost no admirers with their take-no-prisoners approach against the English.
“We came out wanting to make an impact against one of the stronger teams and it’s been three years since we played them, so the goal was pretty much to go out there and give it to them,” Grove said.
England’s Tom Halliwell is wrapped up in a tackle.(Getty Images: RLWC / Alex Davidson)
“We wanted to show that we play a bit harder back home and it showed in the first 20 minutes, we shook them up because they didn’t expect us to come out so hard and strong.
“We fell apart after that first 20 minutes, there was a bit of nerves and a bit of tiredness and that helped England get up.”
Australia will be looking to get the campaign back on track against Ireland on Monday (AEDST) before rounding out the pool stage with a match against Spain.
Regardless of how the rest of the tournament goes, Grove, who took up the sport two years after breaking his back in a motor vehicle accident, believes the exposure gained from the world cup can give the game a jump start in terms of sponsorship and recognition.
“We can get as many players as we want, but we need venues, we need equipment. I don’t think people realise just how expensive our sport is. It can cost a fortune,” Grove said.
“Myself, I’m pushing around an $80,000 chair – they’re not cheap. That’s the top gear, but it can be up to $5,000 just for a basic chair for someone to start.
“Plenty of people want to jump in a chair and have a go, but they can’t afford it.
“Hopefully when we get home, now that people have seen the sport, they’ll approach us to help us out.”
Captain Brad Grove hits the line for Australia.(Getty Images: Bryn Lennon)
Grove’s favourite thing about the sport isn’t the physical contest or the satisfaction that comes from a well-executed play, although he does love that. It’s the culture that’s grown around the game.
Wheelchair rugby league makes inclusion a priority – there are no age, gender or ability restrictions, save for each team being limited to having two non-disabled players on the field at once.
“I absolutely love the sport. The biggest thing for me is the inclusiveness in this community and the culture that we’ve got,” Grove said.
“My mate, whose property I broke my back on, he’s able-bodied and he jumped in the chair and had a go and we played together for Australia three times.
“But the idea that he could play with me after I had my accident, that’s probably one of the biggest drawcards. It was really special and we all have stories like that.”
Source:: ABC News
