Gesture of respect
THE Warwick Cowboys will ask the Toowoomba Rugby League to share the points from this weekend's rugby league round with Pittsworth, who have forfeited due to the funeral of a local girl who died in a car accident last weekend.
Pittsworth's Stephanie Mylonas, 20, and Stacey Richter, 21, were returning home on Sunday afternoon from their final basketball game for the year with the Toowoomba Mountaineers at Bundaberg.
They both lost their lives when the vehicle they were in was involved in a head-on collision near Murgon.
Ms Mylonas' funeral is to be held in Pittsworth on Saturday at 1pm, with the Pittsworth Danes doubtful of being able to field an under 18, reserve and A-Grade team to later travel to Warwick to play in the afternoon and evening as planned.
The games would have been the Cowboys' last for 2012, but spokesman Gary Hanson said the club "fully understood" what the Pittsworth community was going through.
He said the Cowboys had been involved in extensive talks with Danes officials this week and supported Pittsworth's decision not to travel to Warwick "to the hilt".
"We lost four of our own young people in an accident in 2008 and we can appreciate what people in Pittsworth are going through," Mr Hanson said.
"It's very disappointing for our boys not to be able to finish their season, but when all is said and done it's a game of football, and we have a town that has two girls who are with them no longer.
"Being a country town they will want to farewell them and be there for each other."
With Pittsworth's under 18 and reserves sides still in with a finals chance Mr Hanson said the Cowboys wanted to offer to share the round's points "as an act of goodwill".
Danes' spokeswoman Katrina Thompson, whose family butcher shop employs Stephanie Mylonas' brother - and Danes reserves player - Dominic, said the local community was still coming to terms with last weekend's tragedy.
"We also employ a couple of the under 18 players, and quite a few of the A-Grade players went to school with the girls so this has affected all three teams," she said.
"Our boys just want to be there for Dominic and for their mates, it's been a rough time for them and for everyone here."
A funeral service for Ms Richter will be held in Toowoomba on Friday morning.
