Former NRL player and Mills-Tui Festival of Rugby League founder Sione Faumuina. Photo / Andrew Warner
Former NRL player and Mills-Tui Festival of Rugby League founder Sione Faumuina. Photo / Andrew Warner
The Mill’s-Tui Festival of Rugby League returns to Rotorua on October 10-11 at Puketawhero Park.
Founded by former NRL player Sione Faumuina, the event raises awareness for men’s mental health.
The festival features former NRL stars, cultural performances, and partnerships with local mental health organisations.
A rugby league event created to raise awareness about men’s mental health will return to Rotorua for its second year.
The inaugural League Legends event took place in October, when 21 former NRL and Kiwi players played three matches in support of Māori and Pasifika men’s mental health.
This year,the Mills-Tui Festival of Rugby League is taking place on October 10-11 at Puketawhero Park.
Former NRL player and festival founder Sione Faumuina said it was “a movement”.
“It’s a platform to change lives, to bring men out of silence, and to give our youth something to believe in,” Faumuina said in a press release.
“I’ve lived the highs and lows of professional sport, but this - bringing community together for something bigger than the game - this is the most meaningful thing I’ve ever been part of.”
The post-match haka at the inaugural League Legends XIII match at Puketawhero Park, Rotorua. Photo / Aleyna Martinez
“When you go from making hundreds of thousands of dollars to $19 an hour, if you haven’t planned or prepared for the transition, it’s very hard,” he said at the time.
Dean Purves, director of Rotorua trailer manufacturer and event sponsor Mills-Tui, said the decision to support the event was “deeply personal and values-driven”.
“We know how important it is to stand behind initiatives that impact our people, especially in regions like Rotorua.
Louis Anderson, Roy Asotasi and Sione Faumuina joined a Mills-Tui toolbox meeting during last year's festival. Photo / Aleyna Martinez
“This isn’t just sponsorship — it’s an opportunity to back a movement that’s using rugby league to bring light to some of the darkest corners of our community.“
He told the Rotorua Daily Post last year that men’s mental health programmes like League Legends helped reduce staff turnover, and that encouraging open discussions about wellbeing had improved company culture.
The Mill’s-Tui Festival of Rugby League returns for its second year to Rotorua on October 11 at Puketawhero Park. Photo / Supplied
With the support of Bay of Plenty Rugby League and Aotearoa NZ Māori Rugby League, the festival will deliver a triple-header of games, including a U18 development match and a masters exhibition game.
The main event sees League Legends XIII take on Aotearoa NZ Māori Rugby League, led by former Kangaroo and NSW enforcer James Tamou and featuring dual international and All Black star Nehe Milner-Skudder.
The League Legends XIII squad welcomed new additions Shaun Kenny-Dowall and Sam Kasiano, joining a line-up of past NRL greats.
Former All Black Nehe Milner-Skudder will join this year's League Legends. Photo / Photosport
The development match is League Kings Academy vs Bay of Plenty Under-18s, while the masters game will honour players who paved the way and showed how to forge lifelong bonds through footy.
The festival starts on October 10 with a fundraising breakfast featuring kōrero from players about their mental health journeys. An open training session would follow.
This year, the festival partnered with the Last Chance Project Charitable Trust to raise awareness and funds for men’s mental health.
Last year’s event drew more than 2000 spectators in person and reached more than 30,000 viewers online.
Alongside the games, attendees can expect cultural performances, kai stalls, kids’ activities, and opportunities to engage with local mental health organisations and support services.
The details
What: Mills-Tui Festival of Rugby League
Where: Puketawhero Grounds, Rotorua.
When: October 10-11
Tickets will be released in August. Open training and community access is free.
