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Huawei & Raiders support aspiring Indigenous player for NRL 'Close the Gap' Round

2013.08.17

Australia, 17 August 2013: Huawei Australia has sponsored aspiring indigenous rugby league player Trae O'Neill to join the Canberra Raiders for the 'Close The Gap' round of the NRL this weekend. Trae will spend two days with the Raiders, joining them for training and a lunch event for indigenous players, as well as sitting with the team on the sidelines of Canberra Stadium when the Raiders take on the Bulldogs on Saturday.

"Trae is an inspiring young player with a real passion for rugby league, and we hope this experience with the Raiders brings him a step closer to achieving his dream of playing in the NRL," said Huawei Corporate Affairs Director Jeremy Mitchell. "Huawei will be supporting the 'Close The Gap' round with an Ascend Mate smartphone prize to be won at the game, and Trae will get up close to the action as he sits with the Raiders on the sidelines."

Trae O'Neill gained attention with his on-field skills as a junior rugby league player in his home town of Wagga Wagga, before moving to Brisbane to attend St Joseph's Nudgee College. With Round 23 of the NRL season dedicated to closing the gap in indigenous health inequality, Huawei will fly Trae to Canberra where he will meet a group of indigenous players and have the chance to watch the team train at Canberra Stadium.

Trae will be a special guest of the club for the weekend and will have lunch with Raiders Indigenous All-Stars stars Jack Wighton, Edrick Lee and Jake Foster following Saturday's training session, before having the opportunity to train with the Raiders High Performance squad in the afternoon at Northbourne Oval.

Raiders rising star Jack Wighton said it was fantastic to have Trae come along this weekend and said it's an opportunity for him to see the preparation that goes into an NRL match.

"I know how exciting it was for me when I first came to the club and coming from Orange I can see a similarity in what Trae is trying to achieve," Wighton said. "Hopefully he can take plenty away from his weekend and keep working on his goals."

The sponsorship was a result of a chance meeting between Trae and Huawei staff at an event for the Tour De Cure – a cycling charity event which raises funds for cancer research – for which Huawei is a major sponsor. At the event, Trae spoke to Huawei's cyclists about his dream to play NRL, and Huawei extended the invite for Trae to join the Raiders. With the Raiders hosting a number of events in support of the 'Close The Gap' round, Trae will be able to share his love of league with a group of indigenous NRL stars.