NRL players take great delight in engaging with the community and boosting spirits.
And while these deeds are not done for praise or attention, the off-field work of 13 players has been recognised with a nomination for the 2021 Ken Stephen Medal, sponsored by Your Local Club.
The nominees, put forward by their NRL clubs as part of the annual NRL Community Awards, are listed below with their junior teams:
Adam Doueihi (Wests Tigers/Strathfield Raiders)
Cody Walker (South Sydney Rabbitohs/Casino Cougars)
Jamal Fogarty (Gold Coast Titans/Beaudesert Kingfishers)
Jamayne Isaako (Brisbane Broncos/Aranui Eagles)
Jarrod Croker (Canberra Raiders/Goulburn Stockmen Juniors)
The Unity Dance performed by Indigenous players before the All Stars clash has transcended the game and is fulfilling Dean Widders vision for a war cry to help bring Australians together.
Seven years after Widders outlined the concept at an NRL Indigenous Players Camp in the Hunter Valley, the Unity Dance has been performed by Bangarra Dance Theatre and featured the likes of Adam Goodes, Michael O’Loughlin, Cody Walker and Stan Grant.
The dance is also the subject of a documentary to be released later this year and there are plans to introduce it into primary schools as part of an education program about Indigenous history and culture.