19th June, 2025 — Good Sports
The Sunshine Cowboys on their Game Ready Round and getting home safe
To the west of Melbourne in Victoria, you can find the Sunshine Cowboys Rugby League Club.
They’ve lots of supporters and families involved, and they have teams competing in junior tag and contact, women’s tag and senior men and women’s.
In May, they ran a Good Sports Game Ready Round – a round focussed on road safety.
The Cowboys knew it would be a powerful way to show their members and community loud and clear where the club stands on drink driving.
In the change rooms before the junior game, the coach gave a pep talk.
“What I want us to know about this is to get us ready for the future. Like if you know you're drinking, you know you've got alcohol in your system – just don't touch the car.”
“So, before you're thinking of drinking, I want you to think of tomorrow. Think about your parents. Think about your family and the guy next to you. Got to think ahead and plan ahead,” said coach Konelio.
The Sunshine Cowboys are like a big family, and that was clear when we talked to people at the game.
“As a community we look after each other. Important also for the community outside that everyone gets home safely to the families,” said Lidia.
“I come here in ‘89 and since that time I’ve been involved, it was really bad. But now they order cabs, it’s just natural. It's much improved than what it used to be,” recalled one member.
And another member had some great advice to anyone who might be having a couple of drinks after the game or at event nights.
“You having a good time at the club? Awesome. But having a plan to get home? Even better. Whether if it's a designated driver catching the club bus, an Uber or crashing on the couch, be the mate that has a plan,” said Moa.
“How are you getting home, legend?”
Get involved in the November Game Ready Round
Across Australia, we had over 100 Good Sports clubs sign up for the first Game Ready Round.
From AFL, soccer, rugby league, netball, basketball and hockey, all the way through to golf and snooker/billiards. Clubs came together with their members, players, supporters and family to say: “We have the power to save lives.”
And, there’s going to be another Good Sports Game Ready Round in November.
It’s easy to get involved. We’ll give you everything you need, and you pick the date that works for you. Register to get your free merch pack and join the movement in 2025.
Registrations are open from August 4 to September 1, 2025 through the Good Sports portal. Email [email protected] to put in your expression of interest outside of those dates.
Words from our ambassador Daisy Pearce
Daisy Pearce is the current AFLW senior coach of the West Coast Eagles and former player for Melbourne Football Club.
She teamed up with Good Sports to be an ambassador for our Game Ready Round, because she knows just how influential local clubs can be.
“Growing up in a football club was one of the most positive influences on my life. Healthy clubs have a massive impact on young people and communities,” Daisy said.
“Running a Good Sports Game Ready Round is a powerful way to raise awareness in your club and wider community on the importance of staying safe on the roads.”
“Drink driving still makes up a third of the fatal road toll in Australia. Even one death on our roads is too much.”