Former Rabbitoh's star Beau Champion speaks on the continued rise of the Koori Knockout, importance of the annual event

He has been attending the annual event every year since the age of three, having grown up watching his dad Darren Champion win a championship for La Perouse in the early 1990s.

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"When I was little we went out to Guildford to watch my dad play. He ended up winning the Knockout that year and I can just remember how hot it was," Champion said.

"I remember just being a young kid on the hill playing football while they were playing on the main oval. Just sitting there watching your uncles and aunties play and just aspiring to one day be able to do that."

"As a kid it was just something you really wanted to do and it shows just how passionate our people are about Rugby League and it gave me the motivation to want to be the best player I could be."

Champion played in the NRL for 10 years with the South Sydney Rabbitohs, Melbourne Storm, Gold Coast Titans and Parramatta Eels having to retire early due to a plethora of injuries.

During his professional career he was also a part of two Indigenous All-Stars sides before joining the Knockout Commentary Team at NITV after he hung up the boots.

Champion was unfortunately never able to suit up and play in a Koori Knockout, something that still hurts him even to this day.

"It was very very hard that I never got to suit up and play in a knockout. I still think about it to be honest. Having said that though I was very blessed to be able to play such a long time in the NRL," he said

"Unfortunately it wasn't the fact that I couldn't go back and play it was the fact that I had so many injuries throughout my career.

"Every off-season when the Knockout would come up I had a surgery and there wasn't one off-season where I didn't have to have some sort of medical procedure or go through some form of rehab."

Now through working with NITV Champion said he gets to "experience the Knockout in a different way" by calling it as part of the commentary crew.

While the quality football is what draws so many to the annual Knockout that is only a small part of what Champion says is "one of the biggest events on any Aboriginal family's calendar."

"It's a great event to go see family and friends. We don't get a great opportunity to connect as much because a lot of families live so far apart," he said.

"It's about community and really bringing everyone together. Not just to mingle and have fun but also to compete as well.There's always bragging rights up for grabs every year.

"It has many different aspects to it and they're all positive."

Looking at the strength of the Pool A drawn in Thursday's draw, Champion said he "personally can't see anyone from Pool A winning the tournament" as a result of "how hard the road is."

"As the games get longer and longer and you've already had to battle through those initial tough matches, it'll definitely catch up with you," Champion said.

"If they are able to do it then whoever it is will be very deserving champions."

When speaking about who he thought could win it, Champion wouldn't narrow it down to one but said there are some dark horses to watch out for.

"There is usually always one country team that really surprises everyone and shocks the tournament. Bourke pulled off a few upsets a few years ago and teams like Bundjalung and Cabbage Tree Island always push the Sydney teams to the brink," he said.

The Bourke Warriors look extra scary now having secured the services of Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs speedster Josh Addo-Carr.

Champion said he's excited to be at the event just can't wait for it to be back after a long two years.

"I just love watching the style of play. You see some freaky tries. Kids are out and about having fun. It's just such an empowering weekend for the community and for our people to just come together and celebrate as one."

The 2022 Koori Knockout kicked off this morning (Friday September 30) at 8:30am. The U13 South Coast Black Cockatoos have won their first match against Gulaga Dreaming, 32-4.

Catch the Koori Knockout on NITV Online, on Facebook Live and SBS On Demand from Friday September 30 through to Saturday October 1.

The Koori Knockout will also air live on NITV on Sunday October 2 and on both NITV and SBS on Monday October 3 from 9am to 5:30pm.