THE Tumut Blues will be without gun centre Brayden Draber this year, but the good news is he has landed a great opportunity north of the border.
“I’m heading up to North Queensland to play for the Mackay Souths Sharks in the Mackay competition,” he said.
Mackay might be a long way from Queensland, but as it turns out, it’s a good fit for Draber, who was part of Tumut’s premiership-winning 2023 team before leaving for the Queanbeyan Kangaroos in the Canberra Raiders Cup for the 2024 season.
“I was after a bit of change in life but of a fresh start and I have to older brothers living in Mackay,” he said.
“I just thought it was too good of an opportunity to miss out on and get to spend some more time with the brothers while enjoying a sea change as well.”
This doesn’t mean he won’t miss Tumut and his family and friends here.
“I’ll definitely miss Tumut a hell of lot,” he said.
“I’m leaving behind some other family and a lot of my best mates that I’ve been lucky to share some great life memories with on and off the footy field.”
Draber was one of the key players who Tumut lost in the 2023-24 off season, but in the 2024-25 off-season they secured the services of the likes of Mick Fenn, Parrish Bellette, Rob Sturt, Tood Broad and Mitch Ivill.
Meanwhile, the Souths Sharks will take on Sarina this Sunday afternoon.
