Just one week out from State of Origin decider, the Westpac NSW Blues will today pause their training to deliver an important road safety message to their young fans.
The entire Blues squad, including captain Isaah Yeo, James Tedesco and Nathan Cleary will visit Tweed Coast Raiders Junior Rugby League Club as part of this year's Knock-On Effect community blitz.
It comes as the NSW Government and the Blues launch a social media campaign to promote Road Safety, in a bid to reduce serious injuries and fatalities on roads across the state.
The partnership between Transport for NSW and NSW Rugby League is designed to remind young people that one bad decision behind the wheel can affect an entire community, much like how a knock-on in Rugby League can impact the outcome of a game.
The True Blues ambassadors will meet local teenagers to help educate them on the importance of road safety, and to ensure everyone who uses the roads across the state gets home to their families safely.
The Regional Roadshow offers a unique opportunity for local teenagers to engage with professional athletes to hear how road safety impacts everyone, not just the individuals directly involved in crashes.
The online campaign "Better Out Here" features four Blues stars who grew up in regional NSW and know firsthand about the importance of driving safely on country roads.
The community blitz kicked off in Tamworth and continues in Tweed and the northern rivers region and will end in Shoalhaven.
The roadshows, which started as a pilot program in 2017, have delivered road safety messages to more than 8,000 teenagers in 53 regional areas.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Roads, Jenny Aitchison:
"All eyes are on the Blues as they prepare for the Origin decider, and that gives us a powerful opportunity to speak directly to young people about road safety.
"The Knock-On Effect is a simple message that lands, because young people understand it. One mistake can change the game, and one bad decision on the road can change lives forever.
"When players like Isaah Yeo, James Tedesco and Nathan Cleary take the time to speak with young people, it cuts through in a way government alone often cannot.
"Too many families and communities across NSW are living with the lifelong impact of road trauma. We need every driver, especially young drivers, to stop and think before taking a risk behind the wheel.
"The Better Out Here campaign is particularly important for regional NSW, where we know country roads can be unforgiving and where the consequences of a crash are felt across the whole community.
"I want to thank the NSW Blues and NSWRL for continuing to use their platform to help save lives on our roads."
Quotes attributable to NSWRL Chief Executive, David Trodden:
"The NSWRL has had a long-standing partnership with Transport for NSW and we have worked together to help young people across regional NSW make better decisions on the road.
"Our True Blues have been only too willing to provide their time to travel around NSW and share their own personal stories, which are also helping to make a difference
"The Knock-On Effect campaign remains an important community initiative, and I look forward to continuing to deliver positive messages in 2026."
