Adam Breakspear – an unsung hero of TRL

It is February 19, 2022. The clock has just struck 4am. The road is quiet – not a car to be seen on the M1. Adam Breakspear is driving a bus down from Logan which left at 8pm the previous day. It is full of 25 sleeping TRL players, and has just passed Port Macquarie. They are on their way to the 2022 NSW State Championships – eta. 6:30am.

One might ask why he would put himself through this sleep deprivation and the mammoth effort driving from Logan to Lake Macquarie overnight. For Breakspear, the answer is simple. It means saving his players money on accommodation and ensuring that no-one misses out on getting an opportunity to play in the NSW State Championships. Had it not been for Breakspear’s commitment and sacrifice, these two teams simply would not have played in the 2022 NSW State Championships.

This is just one example of the lengths Breakspear goes to not only provide players with opportunities but to help grow the game of TRL itself. He completed the same trek for a Charity Event in Sydney in 2019 and will be repeating the effort for this year’s 2023 NSW State Championships. If you look just at 2022, the year is littered with these phenomenal efforts not only volunteering in management roles for the Logan region (see immediately below) but also driving the Aotearoa Maori (see further below) dominance a the 2022 World Cup, as well as assisting with managing Country TRL also. In particular, his efforts in building the ‘Maori TRL juggernaut need specific mention. This was a 12 month effort of cultural gatherings, training sessions and four day camp on the Gold Coast leading into the 2022 World Cup. Breakspear and his leadership team have set the standard for what the TRL World Cup should represent.

Jordie Reid (also a person that has contributed significantly to TRL over many years) believes Breakspear’s passion and enthusiasm is incredible. “Adam commits a large part of his life to supporting these players and helping them get the most out of themselves. It is not just what he does for them on the field, it is the effort he puts in off the field – regularly organising beach days, team dinners et. His knowledge of the game is immense and his preparations for any Event start up to 12 months in advance. He is one of a kind.”

For Mason Part (TRL Australia’s Competition Manager, and pictured with Breakspear at the bottom of this article), Adam Breakspear is a throwback to another time, and another generation. “Adam’s commitment to TRL and in particular, the players of Logan, is hard to beat. The kind of dedication he exudes is extremely rare and hard to find these days. There are plenty of people that would not have had the same opportunities within TRL if it weren’t for Adam.”

There is no doubting that Breakspear has contributed significantly to the growth of representative TRL and his sheer determination, organisational and management skills have provided additional opportunities for hundreds of players at an elite level. He is incredibly humble though and is not looking for accolades or recognition – so much so that it was not possible to get too many quotes from the great man for this piece.

That said, when pressed on the matter and why he does what he does, his answer was simple: “I want to help grow TRL and give back to the communities that have given me so much throughout my life.”

Whilst our best players should always be celebrated, it is important to also celebrate those that work so hard behind the scenes to provide the opportunities for these great players to excel. Adam is one of many volunteers that are helping drive TRL to new heights and we are incredibly thankful to him for all the hard work he has put in over a long period of time.

Tom Longworth