Three star Brisbane Broncos players, Tyson Gamble, Keenan Palasia and Brendan Piakuru have shaved off their infamous and impressive mullets to raise funds for Children’s Hospital Foundation, in honour of a little Broncos fan, Nate.
Three-year-old Nate (aka the Brisbane Broncos’ secret weapon) has been battling acute lymphoblastic leukaemia for the past two years. During this time, he’s become a regular at training, loved by all of the players and club staff at their headquarters in Red Hill.
Nate and his family were first welcomed into the club’s inner sanctum by Queensland Origin star Kotoni Staggs in 2021 after a chance meeting with Nate’s dad, Ben, who changed Staggs’ car tyres.
Kotoni invited the little legend to training, and he’s been a fixture of the club ever since, even running the team out on Suncorp Stadium during the fight for his life.
In a huge milestone for Nate and his family, Nate had his last chemotherapy treatment in May 2021.
After being so inspired by Nate’s journey, Broncos players want to support kids who might be facing a similar path to Nate, and so they pledged to lose their locks to raise funds and rally around sick kids who are doing it tough.
On Tuesday 28 June at 8:30am, Tyson, Keenan and Brendan shaved their mullets off in front of team mates and fans alike, having absolutely smashed their original fundraising goal of $7,500, with the tally now at more than $19,000.
Better yet? The players surprised Nate and Ben with an amazing footy experience after the big shave – a trip with the Broncos up to their next game in Townsville, where Nate will be leading the boys out onto the field one more time.
A huge thank you to the Brisbane Broncos for getting behind sick kids like Nate, and making such a huge difference in the lives of sick kids and their families right across Queensland and northern New South Wales.
You can donate to Nate’s Mullet Mates here.
The difference that shapes their world
Through supporting the Children’s Hospital Foundation, you can improve childhoods and ensure all children and young people have access to treatment - sooner.
