SIXTEEN teams from throughout NSW will compete for $5000 in prizemoney in this weekend's Dubbo NAIDOC (National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee) rugby league knockout. Hosting the event will be the Dubbo Waratahs Rugby League Football Club, which was formed in 2011 as part of the Dubbo Aboriginal Sports Corporation in memory of the Dubbo District Rugby Football League Waratah Club formed in the early 1940s. The Waratahs played in a competition before Group 11 was formed which included teams such as Newtown, CYMS, Railway and Central. At that time there was only one Dubbo team which selected players from these teams to then go on and compete against surrounding towns including Wellington, Narromine, Tomingley and Peak Hill. Players of thar era included the great K Holman, Uncle John Hill, Billy Lake, Thomas Carr, Fred Fuller, Sammy Hampton, Tom Carney, Bucky Burns and many more with Willy Hill as the trainer. By holding these smaller knockouts it allows teams to have a trial run together before the NSW Annual Aboriginal Knockout, which comprises of up to 60 teams over a three-day event held on the October long weekend each year. The knockout is held at a suitable location, selected by the winning team. This year it will be held at Raymond Terrace. The Dubbo knockout allows two non-Aboriginal players in the invitational teams as a form of reconciliation and in the spirit of NAIDOC. Apart from the 16 teams competing, other events include the John Zaia Memorial Gift. All teams are invited to nominate one player only, their fastest runner,to compete. The expected 16 runners, in their team jerseys, will line up at one end of the field on main oval and dash to the other end's goal post. The winner will receive $400 and the shield with $200 for second place and $100 for third. This race is in memory of John Zaia, who was one of the security guards with Western Plains Security. John worked with the Dubbo Waratahs RLFC from the beginning and sadly passed away in mid-January aged 44 years. This event is proudly sponsored by Western Plains security. John's surviving family, wife Lenny and two daughters, as well as other family members, will be presenting the trophy and prize money. There will also be the Bev Milgate memorial trophy. This will be given to the player of the match in the final game and will be selected by Neil Milgate on the day. A dance will follow at the Garden Hotel at 7.30pm on Saturday night with Roger Knox to perform featuring Buddy Knox and the Eurabi Band. Doors close at 10.30pm. Dubbo Waratahs RLFC jerseys are sponsored by the Cancer Council and, with Relay for Life being held on the same day at No.1 oval, two jerseys have been donated for auction at the relay. The PCYC will also be holding an under 18s disco from 6pm to 10pm. Parents are to ensure all children attending and requiring a lift home on the PCYC bus must be dropped off at a home address. The carnival will kick off at 9am with a Welcome to Country by Uncle John Hill, who will be celebrating his 85th birthday on the day. The organisers said a special thank you was extended to the Dubbo City Council and Dubbo Junior Rugby League for supporting this event.