HARBOUR CRUISE LAUNCH’S PHENOMENAL RESPONSE

Panthers legends and mates chew the fat at the harbour cruise launch – Greg Alexander, Craig Gower, Brad Fittler and Royce Simmons.

PHOTO: Johnny Oliveira Blackfish Creative.

The Sydney Harbour cruise launch of Royce’s Big Walk has netted almost $300,000 just 11 days before Panthers rugby league legend Royce Simmons sets off from his hometown of Gooloogong en route to Bluebet Stadium to raise funds for dementia research and junior rugby league.

The event, masterminded by Royce’s former Panthers teammate Lou Zivanovic, was attended by 250 who paid $500 a head and featured some incredible ‘money can’t buy’ items auctioned by Ray Hadley and interviews with world champion boxer Jeff Fenech, and Panthers legends Brad Fittler, Craig Gower, Greg Alexander and Simmons.

Royce will start his walk campaign with a sportsman’s lunch at Canowindra RSL this Sunday, followed by barefoot bowls at Gooloogong Bowls Club the next day before he embarks on the 300km trek – with some of the game’s greatest names by his side a day at a time – before entering Bluebet Stadium before the kick-off of the Panthers-Cowboys clash on Friday, May 27.

The success of the launch, and valuable sponsorship from Zivanovic’s company Cabe, The Royce retirement village at Penrith (both gold sponsors) and Breakout River, Hertz and JK Williams, plus public donations of more than $73,000 that go directly to Dementia Australia, has Royce’s Big Walk on target to exceed its $500,000 fund-raising target.

“Way back when Royce and I were involved for a fund-raiser for a Panthers player years ago, I remember Royce saying over a beer, ‘At Penrith, we look after our own’,” said Zivanovic, who played 117 first grade games for the Panthers from 1979-86, including Simmo’s debut match in 1980.

“Now it’s time to look after Royce. And I knew how respected and popular he is but it’s been a bit overwhelming how quickly people have come out in support.

“I’ve known him for 42 years. In that time he has never changed from when he and Liane came to Penrith as a young couple from Cowra; throughout all the successes and the high and lows, he hasn’t changed – he’s the same cheeky but loyal bloke from 1980.

“He’s humble but obviously driven and has all the attributes you find in successful people and has always maintained in his life a positive, happy attitude and wanting to help people. That’s why people love him so much and so many have jumped in to support him now.

“There’s no Panthers player anyone would want to look after more than Royce Simmons.”

The many amazing auction items included the opportunity for two to walk beside Royce and his family on his last day, two people being able to sit behind the sideline coaching bench at a State of Origin match, a five-day Whitsunday cruise for 10 people on a luxury boat provided by Joe and Rosie Elias at All Occasion Cruises and a restaurant dinner for six in Sydney with Jeff and Susie Fenech and an  invitation back to his home ‘man cave’ to play poker.