By Wayne Heming

Andrew Peach was in grade five when his father, Frank, took him to his first State of Origin game at Lang Park in 1985.

His grandfather, Jim, was a life member of the Queensland Rugby League but lived in Cairns so he would send his State of Origin tickets to his son-in-law in Brisbane to attend the big game.

Now, some 40 years later, Peach finds himself the first Chief Executive Officer of the Former Origins Greats (FOGs) – an organisation established jointly by the late Richard “Tosser” Turner and current Suncorp Stadium General Manager, Alan Graham in 1997.

Under the Executive Chairmanship of former Queensland and Australian player, Gene Miles, FOGs established the ARTIE Academy in honour of rugby league immortal and Queensland great Arthur Beetson (OA), the first Indigenous Australian to captain his country in any sport in 1973.

Beetson passed away in 2011.

But his legacy lives on through his Academy and the fine work of FOGs — a non-profit organisation, funded by the State and Federal Governments.

“I grew up in a family of rugby league fanatics,” said Peach who didn’t miss an Origin game until he started his first teaching placement in Roma, 500 miles west of Brisbane, the rural town where Beetson was born.

“I always believed rugby league and school education were a great fit,” said Peach.

“As a teacher, I saw the benefits of rugby league in helping kids to attend school and finish Grade 12. I admire the FOGs’ commitment and their fundamental goals, which include aiding the development of rugby league in Queensland, supporting our Origin team, fundraising for chosen charities, and mentoring Indigenous students across Queensland.”

Married to Krystin, with two teenage daughters, Sophie and Charlotte, Peach has made the jump from Executive Principal of Marsden State High School in Logan — arguably the biggest attended high school in the southern hemisphere — to teaming up with the FOGs to drive the ARTIE programs designed to “close the gap” for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students.

The programs, already adopted by 36 Queensland schools, are making a significant difference to Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander children, but according to Peach, it’s just the “tip of the iceberg”.

“The results being achieved by school principals, teachers, elders, students,  and within communities through ARTIE programs is very exciting,” he said.

The latest initiative, the ARTIE Academy Driving Licence program, has been a big hit with Year 11-12 students.

“The program came about from feedback from the kids that one of the hurdles in the way to getting to job interviews and gaining employment was not having a driver’s licence.

“FOG’s response was to find a solution and with the help of the RACQ, the Department of Transport and Main Roads and Transurban, they developed a program so that kids, provided they met certain attendance standards at school, qualified for driving lessons to gain their licence.”

The program has been very popular with students and has seen an increase in attendance of over 20 percent since it was introduced.

“The ARTIE programs are running very well, the FOGs are successful and it’s important to me that I continue the good work and build on what they have already achieved,”  he said.

“The challenge ahead for me, and where I have had success in the past, and Marsden’s a great example of that growing to be the biggest school in Australia, convinces me we can continue to grow.

“I’d love for more Queenslanders to know about the great work of the FOGs.

“We’ve got an excellent network across the state of former players who can connect with, and our opportunity to have a positive impact on Junior Rugby League and maintain rugby league’s place as the number one sport in our state is significant.

 The work that has gone into building the FOGs into a great organisation is a credit to Deb and Gene and the team they have at FOGs.

“I feel a really strong obligation to make sure that we continue that legacy.”

“There’s a part of me that very much knows the great impact that the ARTIE program has, and can have, on Indigenous kids, communities and schools.

“I would love to find a way to have that reach going as far as possible across Queensland.

“We’ve got a great program with some great opportunities.

“to an extent, it hurts that we’re not in every school and have that impact on every kid.”

The ARTIE program is currently in 36 of the 1800 schools, across Queensland.

“When you look at the total number of schools across the state, we’re only scratching the surface,” said Peach.

“The ARTIE program could easily be transferable to other states but the core of the program will always come back to our State of Origin team and that Queensland pride and passion created by Beetson and the Maroons in 1980.

“The chance to have an even broader impact across Queensland is very exciting.”

Peach had a crack at rugby league playing fullback as a kid growing up.

“Clearly, I wasn’t that successful because I’m not on the FOGs list,” he laughed.

“I’ve always loved rugby league. I lived on the south side and was a Souths Logan supporter but when Gary Belcher and Mal Meninga went to Canberra, I supported them.

“Growing up In the backyard,  I always wanted to be Belcher, he was my hero as a kid.”