Sport
24 July, 2026
Justin Broad named ‘Legend of the Tongs’
Maryborough Giants volunteer Justin Broad has been recognised for his decades of unwavering dedication by being nominated for the Bunnings’ Legend of the Tongs initiative.
For over 20 years, Broad has done every job that’s required of regular volunteers to keep their beloved football and netball clubs running.
Alongside his stints as president, vice president and junior coordinator at Royal Park, Broad has helped out on match days, manned the bar, cooked the barbecue and lent a hand with countless other jobs.
It’s a level of loyal commitment that the Legend of the Tongs initiative aims to spotlight, highlighting dedicated community members who show up week in and week out.
As part of Broad’s nomination, the Maryborough Giants will receive a barbecue prize pack valued at over $585, including a Jumbuck six Burner Barbecue and a Bunnings pop-up marquee.
Broad is also now in the running to score a trip for two to attend the 2026 AFL Grand Final and be crowned the overall ‘Legend of the Golden Tongs’, winning $25,000 in Bunnings products and materials for the club.
Broad said he’s slightly embarrassed to be nominated, believing he’s just another person in a long line of people who help out.
“It’s an honour, but I feel like I’m just one of many people that jump in and help out and there’s so many more people in the community that do so much more than I do,” he said.
“People have volunteered for years to help us. So it’s our turn and then it’ll be someone else’s turn behind us and it’s the way it goes.”
The Broad family is a big part of the Maryborough Giants. Justin’s son Jack plays senior football and co-coaches the club’s under 15s while daughter Lacey has been a star netballer and youngest Angus is an emerging junior footballer.
Boosted by his family ties, Broad said volunteering for the Giants feels like a second home.
“It feels comfortable. You get up here, and you put a box of soft drink into the fridge or go and fill the water bottles and you just do it,” he said.
“You don’t really think about it. It’s a habit more than an effort.
“You just jump in and help and you enjoy it, you make friends and you know that you’re helping your kids be able to run around and have fun or give back to the older life members who have done a lot over the years.”
Since Royal Park and the Maryborough Rovers merged to become the Maryborough Giants, volunteers like Broad have been instrumental to the amalgamated club quickly finding its feet on the football field and netball court.
With the club poised for their first senior football finals appearance, Broad said there’s a sense of fulfillment.
“When we played Harcourt the other week and lost by like 30 points, you walk away and you think it was a good game whereas we used to get flogged and it was hard to watch,” he said.
“We don’t have that feeling like we might not be around in two years anymore. You can relax and enjoy it a little bit more, which is not something that a lot of us are probably used to.
“During those tough times, you just had to work and that’s probably why the Legend of the Tongs initiative is important because that’s how we did it.
“We just worked really hard and that’s how we pushed through those tough times and survived by cooking barbecues and running raffles.”
Maryborough Giants president Adam Balzan shared similar sentiments, praising volunteers for being the lifeblood of the club.
“Without volunteers, we wouldn’t have a club and country sport doesn’t exist,” he said.
“There’s a lot of time and effort put in to get people on the courts and on the field, so any volunteer we have is greatly appreciated.
“Generational families like the Broads have stuck around and hopefully when the next generation Broads come through, they continue to roll on as well.”
Nominations for Legend of the Tongs remain open until August 16, 2026, for more information and to nominate a local volunteer, visit bunnings.com.au/legends.