The Gold Coast Titans will play for the Corporal Cameron Baird VC MG trophy this week against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, with the award continue with the Club for all future ANZAC Rounds.
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Corporal Baird was a member of the Special Operations Task Group and was from the 2nd Commando Regiment based at Holsworthy Barracks in Sydney, New South Wales. Corporal Baird, 32, was shot dead during a battle to take an insurgent-held compound in the village of Ghawchak, in Afghanistan’s Khod Valley, on June 22 2013.
He has been awarded the Medal of Gallantry and the Victoria Cross.
The Baird family will present the trophy as part of the NRL's ANZAC Round each season to the Titans player that is deemed to have demonstrated the effort and values most similar to Cameron.
Corporal Baird's father, Doug, shared Cameron's story with the playing group ahead of the clash against South Sydney, explaining why the trophy is so important to the Baird family.
"When you speak to a group like this, you can physically and mentally look at them and quite often you know whether a group is actually listening to you or gets what you're speaking about and I got that feeling right from the start (with the Titans players).
"Respect was shown and as I looked at each face around the room I could see that they were glued to what I had to say and what we were speaking about so that was a good thing from our point of view that respect was shown back for what we were trying to tell the story about.
"I think it is a great opportunity for sport in general to be able to associate with the Australian military but from a personal point of view I recall having Cameron here at a Titans game and sitting on the Eastern side (of the stadium).
"I think it is quite fitting and a good fit and the respect that the Titans football club have given our family, we in return are very much indebted for that."
Mr Baird says he's pleased with the selection guidelines that will determine the winner.
"I think it is very clear in my mind that the receiver of the trophy will have done not one, but maybe two or three things in that particular game that have been helpful for the team overall.
"We might see someone score two or three tries in a game and the press might see that and that only.
"This award will allow people that do the unforeseen things and the things that the team benefit by on the field, they will see a reward by having their name put on this inaugural trophy on Friday night and going forward it'll be part of the history of the wonderful Titans football club."
