A FRIENDLY hit of cricket will bring remote communities together on Saturday to catch up and talk about mental health.
Pooncarie and Anabranch teams will resume their cricket rivalry at George Gordon Reserve in Dareton on Saturday evening as they battle for the Greg Jolley Memorial Trophy.
Former NSW and Australian cricketers Steve Rixon, Phil Emery and Murray Bennett will attend as part of the NSW Baggy Blues, an initiative to promote positive discussions regarding mental health. They will share their experiences with mental health, and hold a coaching clinic for kids on Sunday morning.
Pooncarie heads into the match unbeaten in five encounters, but Anabranch came within eight runs of securing their first win in 2021 and Anabranch Sporting Club president Brendan Duncan believes this could be the year their luck turns.
While things can get serious on the field, Duncan said the match was about the banter and was just an “opportunity for people to get off the station”.
“We meet people here on Saturday night that we probably only see once or twice a year. It’s about changing a mindset and getting out for the evening,” Duncan said.
There were about 300 people on hand for last year’s fixture, and match organiser Sholto Douglas said he expected a similar crowd this year.
It has been a particularly tough year for Douglas, who said COVID-19 restrictions had made it hard for him to connect with people and places important to him.
“It was fairly heavy for me because I’ve got property in South Australia. So, I struggled with that. And then when we were locked down, I was struggling just to get into Mildura,” Douglas said.
Marie Kelly, who is the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program Coordinator for Far West NSW, said the message for this year’s match was to keep an eye out for change.
“People in the bush think they’re really resilient. They think, ‘Yep, I’m okay’, or they don’t realise that something’s going on,” Kelly said.
She said conversations with the NSW Baggy Blues and with other Pooncarie-Anabranch community members helped normalise talking about problems.
“It’s a mood lifter, but also, people do feel like it’s a space where they can talk,” she said.
Although improving mental health outcomes for rural communities faced barriers such as distance and access of services, Ms Kelly said the annual match had quietly inspired people to find support.
RAMHP will be available with information brochures and provide an opportunity to chat. Events begin at 6pm, and Skad’s Diner will be open.
While the community knew about RU OK Day, Douglas said he hoped Saturday’s match could be another reminder to remain aware throughout the year for changes in the behaviour of loved ones.
“It’s just about people being aware and to look for changes in people – in their brothers, sisters, husbands, uncles,” Douglas said.
“If they see any changes, they can ask: How are you feeling? All right?”
Anyone requiring urgent help can call Lifeline’s 24-hour number, 131 114. For crisis support, call Beyond Blue, 1300 224 636, or headspace, 1800 650 890.
