Binge died by suicide in 2017 and was a lover of rugby league.

For the second consecutive year, a group of family and friends from Tenterfield and Moree entered at team in the Border Knockout Challenge. 

Last year the Bruce Binge memorial team lost their first game and went on to win the second tier prize. 

This year, they won every game and qualified for the grand final and took on Toomelah's Maria Hippi memorial Tigers. 

They went down in the decider 44-4 but Swan was rapt with the efforts and said it wasn’t just about on-field results but bringing awareness to mental health and suicide. 

“I think we had a conversation about that, how happy we think he [Bruce] would be, smiling down on us,” Swan said. 

“It was great, very happy with how far we got. 

“It was better than last year, we made it right through to the final which is a great effort considering we don't play together throughout the year.

“We all came together from different clubs and different towns to pull it together on the day.

“The emotions are still there, in memory of Bruce, Bruce's legacy and also about getting the message out of RUOK?, mental health and suicide awareness.” 

After the success of last year, Bruce’s cousin and Moree Boomerangs mentor Chris Binge took on the coaching role of the team in the knockout. 

He echoed Swan’s sentiments and said the knockout provided the stage for mental health awareness to be brought to the forefront of everybody’s minds. 

“It was more about the reasons we were there and taking part in the event,” Binge said. 

“Hopefully by the end of it everyone got the message and it was a worthwhile cause to be out there.”

Binge was proud to make the final and said fatigue and injury were the only things standing in their way of a win. 

“To be honest I was just hoping to go a bit better than last year was to get through the first game,” he said. 

“We lost the first game last year and we played in the repicharge final but to get through to the major final this year is a massive achievement in itself. 

“We were out on our feet, I think I looked around at one point and we only had three blokes left on the bench that could take part in the game, the others were all gone. 

“We didn't have a bench in the second-half.

“The team we played Toomelah, are a bloody good side.

“They play together all the time, they know each other, their combinations are better.”

Swan was also grateful for the players who made the effort to get there and the sponsors who put them on the park: 

Thomas George MP

UNE Oorala Aboriginal Centre

Taylors Cafe

Darrin Trindall

Dabtari Designs

Armajun Aboriginal Health Service

Tenterfield Tigers

AG Renos

Tenterfield Medical Centre

Chris and Marg Donnelly

Melinda Cain

“Herbie Crow” Peeper cheepers Free range eggs

Herbie and Bella Charta’s Garden and wood service

RUOk?