The North Queensland Cowboys will maintain cultural momentum following last weekend’s NRL All Stars showpiece, with no-frills forward Jamayne Taunoa-Brown joined by fellow First Nations superstar Gehamat Shibasaki, to relaunch the Club’s involvement with nationally acclaimed preventative health program, Deadly Choices.
There was no better place to affirm the Cowboys commitment to local communities, with the Townsville Aboriginal and Islander Health Service servicing the health needs of North Queenslanders, where Mob can secure a Cowboys Deadly Choices shirt as incentive for undertaking a regular health check.
A proud Kaurna & Narungga man, Taunoa-Brown has enjoyed close to 18 months living in North Queensland, where he’s formed a sense of connection with local communities.
“Aside from the chance to represent North Queensland on the field, the opportunity to work closely with the Indigenous community through the Cowboys involvement with Deadly Choices has been a highlight of my time in North Queensland,” Taunoa-Brown said.
The upcoming season provides a homecoming for Shibasaki. The Townsville product has cross-cultural ties to the Torres Strait Islands, Japan and Micronesia and boasts a thorough understanding and appreciation for the work of Deadly Choices.
“I’m a proud North Queenslander and have loved being back home since mid-last year. I’m excited to start my involvement as a Deadly Choices ambassador and am looking forward to working and making a difference in Indigenous communities across North Queensland,” Shibasaki said.
The enthusiasm around the Cowboys-Deadly Choices partnership extending much further than the playing group.
“Our ongoing partnership with Deadly Choices reflects our support of their aim to empower Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to make healthy choices for themselves and their families,” Cowboys Chief Executive Officer Jeff Reibel said.
“We’re proud to lend our brand to the fantastic Cowboys Deadly Choices shirt to encourage North Queenslanders to have regular health checks, and we look forward to seeing these worn out and about in our community.
“The North Queensland Toyota Cowboys are a community-owned club and our work with Deadly Choices is a natural extension of our successful education-based community programs.”
TAIHS Board member, Dorothy Smith acknowledges the popularity of the North Queensland Cowboys will assist health services right across North Queensland to better engage with communities, while reinvigorating its own preventative health programs by using the Cowboys Deadly Choices shirts as the perfect incentive.
There’s once again a very localised feel to this year’s Cowboys Deadly Choices shirt designs with artwork again passionately produced by former player and Hopevale local Brenton Bowen, who has captured the essence of a club admired by both players and fans alike.
A dedicated Deadly Choices NRL fixture round and other home game activations will again take place within the Queensland Country Bank Stadium precinct through the course of the 2023 season.