QLD Maroons Support Team

Jack Brown – Head Coach of WRL Queensland

Key responsibilities: The selection, development and guidance of all QLD eligible players, and improvement of WRL in Queensland.

Experience: I played a similar role in my previous coaching role for Halifax in the England super league.

Other WRL involvement: I’m involved through pure love and obsession, I used to play to be with my brother but now it’s so much more.

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: My favourite part of my role is seeing the players develop as people, showing world class winning traits in all aspects of their lives and benefiting from it.

Cameron Sullivan – Assistant Coach

Key responsibilities: Provide the coach with a sounding board while providing a second opinion on tactics, and running league expertise. 

Experience: I haven’t taken on this role for QWRL before.

Other WRL involvement: I am the QWRL Secretary and Participation Officer.

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: The ability to provide people with a highly competitive inclusive sport while representing Queensland.

Jade Brown – Team Manager

Key responsibilities: Logistics, transport, accommodation, meals, making sure everyone is where they need to be, making sure players’ needs are met on and off court, supporting the other staff, keeping the players informed.

Experience: I have been in this role since 2021.

Other WRL involvement: I have been involved in the sport for 12 years as a supporter, and I was secretary for the Halifax team when living in England. 

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: I love being involved with such a great team of players and staff who support each other and strive to make the team better, year on year, in terms of performance, professionalism and culture.

Ryan Charles  – Wellbeing Manager 

Key responsibilities: I lead, manage and deliver the right wellbeing support to the athletes to maintain their motivation and focus. 

Experience: I haven’t been in this role before.

Other WRL involvement: This is my first involvement in Wheelchair Rugby League 

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: I enjoy the diversity of my role, from getting in a wheelchair alongside the players, to sharing lived experiences and building trust through vulnerability.

Geoff Kruger – Chair mechanic for the 2024 state challenge

Key responsibilities: As the mechanic I fix any problems with the wheelchairs.

Experience: I first held this position in the 2023 City vs Country game and then went onto the 2023 State Challenge.

Other WRL involvement: I am also involved in the game with three of my children playing in the SEQ Wheelchair Rugby League Club.

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: Fixing any problems so players can get back into the game as quickly as possible.

Kyle Panebianco  – Team Statistician

Key responsibilities: During games, I record live statistics and real-time analysis for Coach Brown. Post-game, I present the match stats in reports and presentations. I also assist with reviews of opposition games.

Experience: I run a website that provides stats to all levels of rugby league team and volunteer with Brisbane Rep teams. In 2022, I was the statistician and team manager for the Norths Devils team that won the QLD Cup Premierships.

Other WRL involvement: This is my first year being involved with WRL. I was immediately hooked and plan to continue my involvement in this sport.

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: I’ve really enjoyed the professionalism of our players and staff and look forward to providing them with my support as they represent our great state.

Name: Peter Lee

Strength and Conditioning (S&C) Coach 

Key responsibilities: Ensure our QLD wheelchair team are physically and mentally prepared. Alongside the foreground performance team we aim to develop and enhance athleticism – through periodisation planning and collating data to Strength and Conditioning performance.

Experience: I have taken part in community programs all the way up to elite/national programs. Have been in the industry coaching and developing athletes for the past 7+ years. We are currently running sports science and S&C programs out of Ipswich Grammar and at Sunnybank Rugby Union and plan to run programs with Basketball Fiji.

Other WRL involvement: As part of the QLD Wheelchair Rugby League family for three years I have watched the program develop and grow, and S&C programs develop across the state and nationally.

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: Going into our 4th year I could not be prouder of the team – from volunteers, players and coaches it has been an awesome journey and experience. The professionalism and the desire and aspiration to continue to grow and learn new ways to win as a team is the reason why I love being a part of the QWCRL family.

Javery Gonzales – Strength and Conditioning Coach / Athletic (Sports) Trainer

Key responsibilities: To work with the coaching staff and other members of the Foreground Performance Team to help prepare the athletes for the State Challenge. Additionally, I have been responsible for game day and training injury prevention and assessment so that any injuries can be flagged and addressed.

Experience: I have been involved with the team since the first QLD victory over NSW in 2021. Outside of QWRL I am a Strength and Conditioning Coach at Ipswich Grammar School and Coomera Anglican College and the Rehabilitation Specialist Coach at Sunnybank Rugby Union Club.

Other WRL involvement: Currently, I am working on collating physical performance data to create athletes’ benchmarks for the sport and help develop frameworks around athlete profiling and testing. 

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: After three years, we’ve seen a changing of the guard this fourth year as a number of experienced athletes have taken time away from selection. A new group has come up that may have not played the sport as long; however, the professionalism and growth of the sport has continued. I enjoy seeing this as well as the countless volunteers who have joined the staff – Cam, Kyle and Ryan – creating a high-performance environment which the sport and team have deserved.

NSW Blues Support Team

Edie George – Coach

Key responsibilities: I make sure that I provide a supportive environment and get the players physically and mentally prepared for the game.

Experience: I have been NSW coach since 2020 

Other WRL involvement: I am also Chairperson for NSWWRL.

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: I enjoy everything that comes with the role – the ups, the downs, the rivalry – but mostly enjoy the opportunity to work with a great group of players to showcase their talents and skills.

Neil Stanley – Assistant Coach

Key responsibilities: In conjunction with Head Coach, I have responsibility for:

• Assisting in the selection and development of current players within the squad
• Assisting with the planning and delivering the technical and tactical aspects of the training and game plans. This includes delivering and monitoring the defensive structures for the squad
• Monitoring and evaluating individual and team performance.

Experience: I have been assistant to the NSW squad for the previous two years and Head Coach of the NSW Country WRL team for the past three games (2022/23/24). I currently hold Head and Assistant coaching positions in various areas of the running game.

Other WRL involvement: My other WRL roles include:

• Coaching with the Wests Tigers NSW Cup and NSW Country Representative Teams.
• Casual Participation Program Officer for the Sporting Schools Programs.

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: Working with the amazing staff and players that are involved and are passionate about the game; and contributing to their professional development as much as they are to mine.

Lynda Edwards – Team Manager

Key responsibilities: I make  sure that the coaching staff have the ability to focus on coaching. For example, I ensure the venue bookings are confirmed and arrange the accommodation for travelling squad members.

Experience: I have been involved with Rugby League my whole life, having family members playing at the highest level. This is my first official role as Team Manager for Wheelchair Rugby League.

Other WRL involvement: I have supported Edie with organising Awards nights and previous Country/City events. 

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: I enjoy the new challenges that come with the role. I thrive on schedules and timeframes so I feel that I’m in my element here.

Ava Lambert – Strength and Conditioning (S&C) Coach 

Key responsibilities:

– Ensuring the athletes are warmed up and ready to perform

– Improving  performance through strength, speed and aerobic conditioning training 

– Collecting data on the athletes’ speed and fitness levels

– Educating the athletes on recovery.

Experience: I’m new to this role. 

Other WRL involvement: I also volunteered as a strength and conditioning coach for the City team in City vs Country.

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: Working with the athletes to find drills that incorporate chair skills and NRL skills to help them perform the best they can.

Joshua Day – Trainer and mechanic

Key responsibilities: Mechanical assistance of chairs, sports training and first aid, assistance with player warm-up and general support duties.

Experience: I have undertaken this position before, for City in 2024. This is my first time with NSW 

Other WRL involvement: This is my year working with Wheelchair Rugby League, but moving forward I look forward to working with it much more closely and hopefully supporting in bringing it to the Hunter Valley. 

Most enjoyable aspects of State Challenge role: I enjoyed the State Challenge, but the thing I enjoyed most was the appreciation given to the staff and volunteers. After years of working at a high level it was something I truly wasn’t used to and it motivated me to want to keep working hard in the sport.