In conjunction with Salter Oval's 2024 Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs home game the Bundaberg Region is one of ten locations that will host the NRL Telstra Premiership Footy Country Series featuring a range of community activities.
The Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs will again battle it out with the Dolphins, thrilling local footy fans at Salter Oval for round 24 of the NRL season.
The Bulldogs’ home-away-from home game in Bundaberg will kick-off at 3 pm on Saturday 17 August.
The NRL and its longest-running partner, Telstra, launched the NRL Telstra Premiership Footy Country Series, a new initiative to celebrate and support Rugby League communities in regional Australia during the 2024 season.
Bundaberg is one of ten locations selected for the series which aims to highlight and strengthen the deep bonds between country Rugby League and the elite game.
Community activities at local clubs and schools will feature Junior Rugby League clinics, player and trophy appearances and donating Telstra Footy Packs including hit shields, tackling bags and other football equipment.
Those local clubs and schools will then be given a once in a lifetime experience up close with their NRL and NRLW heroes on game day.
Along with tickets, each junior player will get a Telstra Footy Kit, take part in an on-field clinic and form the guard of honour as teams run out for kick-off.
Game days will also celebrate the local heroes who make grassroots Rugby League possible in each community.
Pioneered by Telstra, the Footy Country Series aims to shine a light on regional communities, where the connection with footy runs deepest, and support children’s wellbeing through participation in the game.
The initiative comes following the success of the Telstra NRL Footy Country Tour last year, which took coaching clinics, wellbeing workshops and star player appearances to over 10,000 local junior players during the 2023 Finals Series.
Telstra Business Group Executive Amanda Hutton said the game is all about belonging, connection and community, and it’s in the country where this relationship runs the deepest.
“It was great to see the positive difference last year’s initiative made to the physical and mental wellbeing of the kids who participated, and we’re incredibly excited to now kick off the NRL Telstra Premiership Footy Country Series,” Ms Hutton said.
“We hope that it will make a meaningful difference and inspire the next generation.”
More information about the NRL Telstra Premiership Footy Country Series and schedule can be found here.
