The Dalby Junior Rugby Union closing carnival on Saturday 1 August was the sort of day that reminds you why community rugby out west is worth the drive.
Teams rolled into Dalby from first light, and by 7am there were kids on the paddock running clinics before a ball had been kicked in anger.
Five clubs and schools were represented across the day — Dalby, Toowoomba Bears, Toowoomba Souths, Toowoomba Grammar School and Goondiwindi — and the standard of rugby across every age group was a credit to the coaches who have put the work in all season.
The headline act was the arrival of two Queensland Reds — Trevor King and Xavier Rubens — who spent the morning with the carnival. Signings, photos, skills activations, and a fair bit of standing around being asked very direct questions by nine-year-olds. Both were generous with their time and stayed through to 1pm, finishing with a group photo that half the region now has on their phone.
The junior games ran right across the morning, capped by the City v Country fixture that always brings a crowd of parents four deep along the fence.
A carnival like this happens because people decide to make it happen.
Thank you first to Dan Hayllor, President of Dalby Junior Rugby Club, who drove this day from the outset and made sure every visiting club was looked after from the moment they arrived. It is not a small job, and it was done well.
To every player who took the field — you are the reason the rest of us turn up. To every coach, who gave up weeknights and weekends all season to teach the game properly. To every referee who picked up a whistle, including the Darling Downs Referees Association for their support of the day. To every volunteer — the committee, the canteen crew, the ground staff, the first aiders, the people marking lines before sunrise and stacking chairs after dark. And to every parent who did the driving, the washing, the early mornings and the sideline encouragement in the cold: this game does not exist without you.
The A-Grade Risdon Cup clash between Dalby and Goondiwindi that afternoon capped off a full day of rugby in Dalby.
To every junior who pulled on a jersey this season — see you in 2027.
