'Our best role models': NRLW stars join Freddy's HOGS

Jesse Southwell had never been on a motorbike before riding off with Brad Fittler on the start of a 6000km HOGS National Tour, but she was excited about the opportunity to promote rugby league in the bush.

“When Freddy took off I was thinking, ‘Oh my goodness, what have I gotten myself into', but it’s just amazing to see how much people at this level actually care about the community,” Southwell told NRL.com.

Now in its 13th year, HOGS has expanded from NSW to include Queensland and Victoria, and Fittler said it had also evolved since the introduction of the NRLW in 2018, with female stars like Southwell now huge drawcards.

In recent seasons, NSW Origin captain Kezie Apps and coach Kylie Hilder have joined the ride but this year Fittler will be accompanied by Southwell, Emma Tonegato, Yasmin Clydesdale and Sam Bremner.

“They are our best role models at the moment for the game, our NRLW players,” Fittler said. “To watch them interact with the fans, it's all very new and exciting for everyone involved, so the more of them we can take along the better.

“Just to watch the reaction and to see how much more popular they get everywhere we go in the community has been a great thing for the game.”

With Westpac coming on board as a sponsor, the HOGS, who also include the likes of Ian Schubert, Paul Gallen, Cameron Smith, Petero Civoniceva, Luke Lewis and Preston Campbell, will hand out a ball to each boy or girl attending coaching clinics during the 18-town ride.

“To find that out is amazing. I remember when I was a kid, if I got given a ball from Freddy, or a footy from someone, I would have slept with that ball,” said Southwell, the Knights teen who has already won two premierships and played Origin.

“I would have taken that ball everywhere, I would have taken it to school and tried not to get it ruined, so it’s really cool, and I love the whole concept of it.

“To see that Freddy's getting out and taking all of his mates with him on a big, long ride is really, really cool, and it's the same for the girls.

"To see that Kezie cares, and Sammy cares, and they want to get out to the community is really, really awesome.”

For Fittler, the expanded HOGS National Tour aligns with his new role with the NRL after leaving the NSW Origin coaching job at the end of last season.

It was a concept he began with the NSWRL but for the first time HOGS will venture interstate, with the group riding as far north as Gympie in Queensland to Cooloman in Western NSW, and southward to Melbourne in Victoria.

Civoniceva and Ben Hannant will join the tour in Queensland, while Smith, Tawera Nikau and Robbie Kearns will ride alongside Fittler on the last leg to AAMI Park for the Storm’s opening round clash with Penrith on March 8.

"Pathways and community is a big part of what I'm going to do with the NRL, given my experience in the game,” Fittler said.

“From a kid who started young, a supporter, player, coach, I've seen the game from every angle, and this is the best part about it - getting out in the community.

“It all started because there seemed to be noises that bush footy was being forgotten.

"The fact is now that we are going to sneak into Queensland, we are going to meet up with an NRL community event in Gympie, so that will be good, and go down to Melbourne as well.

“If all goes well, and the support from Westpac has been amazing, we will get over to New Zealand and all the other places where rugby league is played.

“That's the vision, we've already sat down and spoke about it, but the first step is to get into Queensland safely and see if we can get around there.”

HOGS National Tour Schedule

Route One: February 2nd – February 10th

Day 1 | Sydney – Tamworth
Day 2 | Tamworth – Inverell
Day 3 | Inverell – Goondiwindi
Day 4 | Goondiwindi – Toowoomba (via Warwick)
Day 5 | Toowoomba – Gympie
Day 6 | Gympie – Kingscliff (via Caboolture)
Day 7 | Kingscliff – Casino (via Beaudesert)
Day 8 | Casino – Muswellbrook
Day 9 | Muswellbrook – Sydney

Route Two: February 12th – February 17th

Day 1 | Daceyville – Orange
Day 2 | Orange – Dubbo (via Narromine)
Day 3 | Dubbo – Wagga Wagga (via Orana and Coolamon)
Day 4 | Wagga Wagga – Cooma (via Tumut)
Day 5 | Cooma – Nowra
Day 6 | Nowra – Sydney

Route Three: March 8th

Day 1 | Melbourne