Hundreds of players strapped on their footy boots for the first day of the Cootamundra Unisex Touch Carnival and for many it was another weekend of fun.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
It was a little different for Wagga's Darren Reynoldson who counted his daughter Ashley among the Project Paintball team.
Darren has been to the carnival for five years, while it was Ashley's first.
"I'm excited to be playing with dad this weekend," Ashley said.
Darren said the team he was playing with was family and friends and pretty relaxed.
"It's a great, chilled out weekend," Darren said.
"It's a good way to keep the body moving and run off some of that Christmas indulgence."
Meanwhile, the team Try Again made up of players from Harden and Young were aiming for a good weekend.
Captain Riley Manwaring said the appeal the carnival was simple, "it's fun".
"It's a good social weekend and it's not far to travel," Manwaring said.
"We're all mates from Harden and Young, it's good to catch up with friends, they all seem to venture here."
Try Again won two B-grade trophies in three years and while Manwaring said the team was back again in 2018, he said the team wasn't taking it too seriously.
"Winning is a bonus, it's a social weekend."
It's the 23rd year Wollongong's Clinton Nicholson has played in the carnival.
He was accompanied by three other players with 17, 10 and seven years of experience.
Each year they link with a Cootamundra team.
"We're playing with the Globe Hotel's team, the Golden Globes lead by Dave Harris," Nicholson said.
"It's a four hour hike but we just love the atmosphere."
Wollongong isn't the longest distance players travelled, the NT Turkeys had three players from the Northern Territory and one from central Queensland.
"We're all originally from Cootamundra," Jess Dodwell said.
The wet season means they get some time off from working on the stations and Dodwell said they took the chance to spend some time with friends and family.
"We came down for a bit of fun and to catch up with friends - this isn't serious," Dodwell said.
This year Cootamundra's Ben Purtell played for the first time.
"It's a good family day," Purtell said.
"The weather's held out which is quite good and everyone involved is very friendly."
With play wrapped up for Saturday, the second day's knockout contest will find winners of up to $5000 in cash.
Play is set to begin around 8am on Sunday at Nicholson Park.
Declan Rurenga
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
Declan Rurenga was the editor of Griffith's Area News and Leeton's Irrigator until September 2023. Before landing at the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area, he reported news in Junee, Wagga Wagga, Orange and Cootamundra.
