The Cumberland Throw

From The Stands – April 5, 2022: The Story Of Two New Eels Fans

This week I have an extra special story to share with you. It’s about a day at the football that will live in my memory forever. It began with a typical trip to CommBank Stadium, but it became so much more.

Mind you, there was already much to love about last Sunday.

My family arrived early to watch the NSW Cup game. We enjoyed seeing the talented young Eels players combining with older seasoned footballers to put the cleaners through the Dragons. Just this time last year Will Pennisini, Makatesi Makatoa and Wiremu Greig were in this grade. Perhaps more players will make the jump to the NRL later this season.

I also enjoyed seeing the number of young children and teens at the game. I developed a love for the footy because my parents and grandparents took my brothers and I to Cumberland every Saturday or Sunday, regardless of the weather. There’s now a new generation of fans who could grow up loving Dylan Brown and Nathan Brown as much as their grandparents loved Sterling and Price.

Dylan

And of course there was the amazing footy on display. It was highlighted by the return of the Eels support play. The players did more than just lay platforms. They played in the moment, and took some risks. Just as importantly, they retained the sense of knowing when to pass and when to hold the ball. This will hold them in great stead.

But there was that other story playing out in the stands that needs to be told.

Let me explain what made it special, and why it made me feel so proud.

Our club is multicultural because its geographical heartland has long been multicultural.

Though I no longer live in Western Sydney, I remain a very proud “Westie” at heart.

My family always sits in the top level of the stand behind the posts, at the leagues club end, and when we can get there early enough we like to sit in the front row. This is what we did on Sunday.

Sitting beside us was another family, with a family membership, and as the NSW Cup started two men sat behind us. After hearing their conversation, it was obvious they knew nothing about rugby league as they initially thought that the NSW Cup game was the first grade. We found out that they were attending their first ever game of rugby league.

My own family, and the family next to us, engaged these men in conversation and we found out that they had not been in Australia very long as they had recently fled from Iran.

A friend in the accommodation they are staying in gave them two general admission tickets to go to the footy so they could, as they explained, meet other Australians and see the sport we love.

We tried to explain the rules, although I think we failed miserably. We also reassured them that they had not missed first grade. We pointed out the NRL players on the sidelines watching the NSW Cup, and we let them know that many more people would be filling the stands for the main game.

At this point it was best for them to just watch the games unfold.

What a match!

When it was half time in the NRL, we asked them if they were enjoying it. Their smiles said it all.

With about 10 minutes left they tapped my shoulder and asked when the next game was on. We told them Easter Monday and they asked how to get tickets. My family are members, so we decided to go online and buy both of these men a ticket to that match.

As the game ended they stood up and cheered as loud as any fan, then clapped along to the Parra team song.

Our Eels players celebrated on the field because they played well and got the two points.

However, those players also earned something else last Sunday – two new fans.

Two men who had escaped from their homeland on the other side of the world, came to watch our boys play the game we all love and had a terrific time.

They couldn’t argue about rules or player decisions, or even debate bunker calls. They simply watched the Eels play a sensational game of rugby league in a wonderful stadium, and along with nearly twenty thousand fans, they loved every minute of it.

Perhaps all of us could learn a thing or two from these young men.

Our game, for all its discussion and controversies, is a great game that connects people from all backgrounds.

And rugby league certainly provided my family with a memorable new connection on Sunday.

 

Shelley

 

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22 thoughts on “From The Stands – April 5, 2022: The Story Of Two New Eels Fans

    1. sixties

      Agreed mate. Maybe we don’t take things for granted as much as we did prior to covid, but this story is a reminder about how something as simple as going to the footy can bring people together.

  1. Sec50

    That is a beautiful story. You are lovely people to have gone out of your way to show empathy. A credit to the Parra community. Welcome new fans 👏👏

  2. pete

    Thanks Shelly, a great experience and thankyou for sharing. What a first game!! I’m sure they will never forget it.
    Those kind of stories will never be reported in the media. Because conflict sells more than friendship. Division sells more than unity. I really think NRL is the best game for inclusiveness in the world.
    Thanks again Shelley

  3. AnhEELem

    Thanks Shelley for sharing and I am a bit teary reading it.

    I came here also as a refugee and went to my first Parramatta vs Manly in March 1982 in Belmore and fell in love with the Eels (and hating Manly) ever since.

    The flashback as I were sitting there last Sunday…

    All the best wishes to the 2 young men.

    1. Shelley

      I had a very privileged and safe upbringing but my dad coached both my brothers teams when they were younger and it always amazed me to see how playing in a team sport like league was a great equaliser. I have life long friends that I met through my brothers footy teams that I never would have met without league as they did not live in my suburb, talk like me or go to my school. Wealthy, disadvantaged, people from different cultural backgrounds those barriers came down for me through footy. My son has never talked to a person from Iran before and after Sunday he has. The money we spent for the tickets was paid back numerous times to be reminded about how fun a game of footy can be and how wonderfully diverse our fan base is.

      1. sixties

        Shelley, this story has truly resonated with so many people. Even at the most basic level, we have all made new friends or met people we never would have because of attending the footy.

  4. Lynbeth

    Thank you for sharing your experience from Sundays game with all of us. While reading I found myself so emotional by your generosity in purchasing tickets for these two young men. I can only imagine just how happy, and accepted you must have made them feel. I’m sure they will be Parra Eels fans for life now.

  5. Shaun

    “They couldn’t argue about rules or player decisions, or even debate bunker calls.” Yeah but I bet it won’t take them long. Great story Shelley.

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