BRENDAN Frazer, a self-confessed rugby league fanatic from Beaudesert, has become the successful bidder on a one-of-a-kind mountain bike signed by NRL legend Jonathan Thurston and painted by Indigenous artist Jyi Lawnton.
The business-owner and father of three, 42, made the top bid of $2,300 at the recent Men of League fund-raising lunch to claim the unique bike, generously donated to the event by Bicycle Queensland and 99 Bikes.
“I love what JT does for the game – he is a positive role model for kids growing up and his personality is an absolute credit to him,” Mr Frazer said.
“It was very exciting bidding on the bike – every time I bid, the other person bid straight away until it got to the winning bid about an hour before the auction closed.”
Mr Frazer, started playing rugby league aged eight. He now coaches Beaudesert Kingfishers juniors and some Gold Coast junior representative teams.
“I love giving my players confidence and showing them what they can achieve with self-belief.”
He praised the work of Men of League, which cares for members of the rugby league community who have fallen on hard times.
“Men of League is a great organisation and I love that it gives back to people and families in need.”
Thurston’s autograph aside, the bike’s artwork was a big drawcard in his bidding.
“It’s a nice-looking bike with the way it is detailed, and the painting was done really well, given how hard it would be to make a bike into a work of art,” he said.
The mountain bike was decorated by Indigenous artist Jyi Lawton, who used the Boab tree, a species meaningful to the Kimberley region, as a key motif in his artwork.
The tree features in rock art and Dreamtime stories, where it was considered too proud and arrogant, and so was punished by being re-planted upside down with its roots in the air.
Jyi Lawnton’s design flows down to interconnecting circles, representing Indigenous perspectives on land ownership and a profound cultural awareness, that the land does not exist without the people and the people do not exist without the land – they are one.
Mr Frazer said while he was far from an accomplished cyclist, he and his family enjoyed going for rides when they had time to do so.
