Memorial Game To Honour Billy

It’s important to remember those we’ve loved and lost. With football season just around the corner, the Hale family has decided to remember their footy-loving, Rabbitohs larrikin with the inaugural Billy Hale Memorial Cup on Saturday, April 10.

From an early age, Billy loved rugby league, but his dad Geoff Hale said he wasn’t a natural.

“He worked at it and developed his skills with the assistance of his coaches,” he said.

Billy played football for both Goolgowi and Yenda, so those teams will face each other in this inaugural game.

His sisters Emily and Amber remember Billy being a positive person who made those around him smile. They describe a loving, caring, family-oriented young man with a sensitive streak and a willingness to give anybody the time of day. Both girls remember him as being footy mad.

“When we were kids, we never saw him without a football in his hands,” Emily said.

“He collected all those cards that were in the chip packets,” Amber said. Geoff said his wife loved watching Billy’s games.

“They were very close. He was the youngest,” he said.

Billy met his partner Ua, who were planning a life together. They met through mutual friends and a love of football.

“My best friend’s partner was best friends with him,” Ua said.

“He lied to me about his age. He told me he was a lot older than he was.”

They were planning a life together.

Things seemed to be going well for the young personable man. He had a close-knit loving family, a beautiful partner who shared his interests and had just completed his plumbing apprenticeship. Life was looking good.

Then Billy took his life and his mum followed shortly after.

Billy’s death is something his father, sisters and partner still can’t fully comprehend because he never appeared down. What they do know is they don’t want any other family to go through the pain they have.

That is why they have joined forces with Griffith Wellways and the Griffith chapter of the Australian Man Cave. Proceeds from the Billy Hale Memorial Cup 2021 will go towards these services.

A game of league tag will start the day at 2pm with the main game following at 3pm. A special jersey will be raffled off at the Goolgowi Exies Club after the games. Entry is by gold coin donation.

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