NRL Beanie Round: My Sydney Family.

 

 

I have a cousin who lives in Sydney. Her name’s Anne. For many years we didn’t know Anne existed. Long story. And a great story. For another day perhaps. Then, quite a few years back now, I think early 2000s, Anne came to Melbourne to meet her cousins. We’re so glad she did. Afterall, she’s blood.

In Sydney, Anne had her own rich and hectic life, married with four children: Maddy, Indiana, Digger, and Archie. We didn’t see her often, but we knew she was there.

Anne was married to Matt Callander. Matt was a Channel 9 NRL Executive Producer. Tragically Matt was diagnosed with Glioblastoma Multiforme brain tumour in 2016 and succumbed to this horrendous disease in October 2017. But before he died, he decided to do something about it, so he set about raising awareness and fund raising for research into the disease. He, with the help of others, introduced the NRL Beanie Round, supported by The NRL Footy Show and Channel 9. Not to mention the thousands of friends, family and supporters. The inaugural Beanie Round in 2017 raised an extraordinary $2.3m. Since then, over one million beanies have been sold.

I never met Matt, but I wish I had.

But I have met Maddy and Indiana and Digger and Archie. In 2025, Anne and Maddy came to Melbourne to watch some AFL footy. They’d never watched a game live. So, of course, we made them honorary Geelong supporters and they stormed through the doors of the All Nations Hotel resplendent in Cats jumpers and scarves. The game we went to was the Geelong V Collingwood encounter at the MCG. The crowd was about 88,000, and the game went down to the last kick. The Cats scraped home in a thriller. We all went berserk at the sound of the final siren. We couldn’t have asked for a better game to make an AFL introduction.

And when Anne found reason to get the O’Donnell/Hickey clan together in February this year we spent a whole weekend in Mogg’s Creek in a gigantic house that could sleep about 500, and we ate and drank and laughed until the wee hours. Something we cousins don’t do often enough. Thanks Anne. You’re a treasure.

Matt Callander’s legacy lives on. This weekend, Round 17 in the NRL, is another NRL Beanie Round. June 25 – 28.

So, if you are able, have a look at the NRL Beanie round and throw a few dollars in their direction. Every dollar helps.

Love and best wishes to my Sydney family.

 

To read more by Dips O’Donnell click here.

 

 

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