Teamwork is equally important to winning an NRL premiership as it is to stamping out bullying, according to Bushland Beach student Jack Callaghan.
The 17-year-old visited the squad’s training session recently to share how his love of the Cowboys helped him overcome a harrowing battle with bullies.
“I love everything about the Cowboys, especially how they look after each other, which is what teamwork is all about,” Jack said.
“That’s the best way to deal with bullies as well, to focus on spending time with your friends.”
Jack’s father Graeme Callaghan said his son’s debilitating health conditions had been the subject of heartless taunts by a small group of students at his school.
“Jack lives with chronic granulomatous disease, an immune disorder for which he’s received two bone marrow transplants, as well as severe epilepsy,” Mr Callaghan said.
“In December 2020, after trying to stop the bullying with no success, I was at the end of my tether so posted about Jack’s ordeal on my Twitter account.”
A popular Cowboys fan page, the site attracted a ‘massive’ show of support from its 5,000 strong followers, Mr Callaghan said.
“I was overwhelmed by the support of Cowboys supporters across Australia, including members of the then-squad who arranged for Jack to visit a training session.”
In November Jack again visited the 2022 squad to share how the Cowboys players and their widespread supporters had given him the courage to overcome bullying.
“Now I don’t pay attention to other people and focus on staying positive, like the Cowboys,” Jack said.
