Round 23 of the 2014 NRL Telstra Premiership campaign will mark the sixth annual Close The Gap Round when Storm take on the Sharks this Saturday night at AAMI Park.
Commemorating Close the Gap Round across the NRL, Storm will wear the specially designed jersey for the second time in the club's history. The jersey was last worn in Round 9, 2012 when Storm hosted Penrith, defeating the Panthers 46-6 at AAMI Park.
Close the Gap is Australia’s largest ever campaign to improve the life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders. Nearly 200,000 Australians have signed the Close the Gap pledge.
Be at AAMI Park when Storm host the Sharks in Round 23. Tickets here.
Close the Gap Round across the NRL helps tackle Indigenous health inequality highlighting the importance of working to improve Indigenous health, life expectancy, education and employment opportunities.
Currently around 12 per cent of all NRL players have Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander decent.
Did you know?
- The life expectancy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders is more than a decade less than for other Australians - and Indigenous babies have an up to three times greater chance of dying before the age of one than other Australian babies.
- Heart disease is the single biggest killer of Indigenous Australians. Other serious but preventable health problems include lung disease, kidney failure and eye and ear problems.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people often have poor access to health care and their health is also affected by things such as poor housing, lower levels of education, unemployment and discrimination.
For more information on Melbourne Storm's 2014 Close the Gap jersey, click here.
Show your support to Close the Gap by signing the pledge at www.nrl.com/closethegap.
