The nib Newcastle Knights received this email from a supporter sharing a moment her daughter shared with Tim Glasby.
She has been kind enough to allow us to share it with you.
It reads:
To Whom it May Concern,
I write on behalf of my daughter Ellazae aged 9.
She not only lives and breathes supporting the Knight but is in her 4th year of playing league and this year is playing division one u/10s for the Wests Juniors Rugby League Club.
Not sure this will get read or even received but just wanted to say a huge thank you to Tim Glasby. Ever since Indigenous Round she has been asking me to send ‘a letter’ to the Knights.
Like a lot of Knights fans she as hoping to catch up with Kalyn Ponga at this round, sporting his initials and his number painted on her face along with a tribute to her aboriginal culture with dot painting on her face also and K P in balloons she was certain to brush shoulders with him.
From a family 4 siblings we usually opt for GA tickets and sit on the hill, in the middle behind the goal posts. It’s our family thing we do. However, this night, her older two siblings had sport commitments and were with their dad along with Ellazaes two younger siblings.
So, it was just her and I and we decided to purchase seats. It was the first game ever we had done this and it seemed fitting for my die hard footy girl.
We sat in our seats proudly alongside the tunnel the players use for warm up entry and exit and at half time.
What a game! She will never forget experiencing the atmosphere in the grandstand!
Like a lot of fans she headed to the fence / sideline hoping to catch Kalyn. I reminded her he was injured that game and might not stop. She held onto hope though.
This is where Tim Glasby Comes into it.
He acknowledged her with a wave (not sure he’d remember, perhaps the balloons caught his attention).
Tim left for the sheds and as the night was winding up, on field interviews were being held and probably only two players remained fence line about 15 minutes later Tim returned handing his on field #13 jersey to my very excited and ecstatic little girl.
She has since followed him very closely, supports QLD a little more for him, has taken a liking to number 13 and is thrilled when she wears it for her club team and overall remembers how kind he was to her that he took time out to put a very big smile on a little supporters face.
Was hoping this could be passed onto Tim or shared?
With so much negativity following some of the NRL players it’s always nice to see the feel-good stories.
Also mentions to Sione Mata’utia and Kiah Cooper who happily stopped for photos.
Ellazae has always been a fab of Sione so she was thrilled. And also this night Kiah stopped, after my daughter recognized him as a Knights player in the earlier game.
He was very warm and polite to her and is another memory that will last forever.
Brooke Elers - mother of Ellazae
