WOLLONGONG and Lake Illawarra police officers battled it out during a sports day to honour fallen comrades and raise funds.
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The Graeme Donnelly Memorial Cup Fund-raiser for Police Legacy (Police Bushfire Appeal) and PCYC on October 22 drew more than 800 spectators and raised almost $6000.
The event was a fitting memorial day for Kiama's Chief Inspector Graeme Donnelly, Sergeant Nick Skomarow and Senior Constable Ray Schuberg.
It involved a fierce tug-of-war won by the heavyweight Wollongong team, which had three members weighing more than 120 kilograms each. The Wollongong team also won the Senior Constable Ray Schuberg Memorial touch football game.
Senior Constable Schuberg died in 1997, and a memorial trophy was made in his honour for touch football between the emergency services, but hasn't been played since 2002.
The main game of rugby league featured Wollongong recruiting guest player, former Australian representative Paul McGregor, while the Lake Illawarra team turned to former Australian halfback John Simon.
Both teams had a few other ring-ins and the game was played hard, like police football used to be played.
The Wollongong Falcons did well to hold out a strong Lake team and win the game by only two points. The Sergeant Nick Skomarow Man of the Match award went to Fletcher Wyver.
Inspector Donnelly and Sergeant Skomarow's families attended and presented the awards.