Contact us
1300 730 902
State of Origin
Lunch Bender
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Friday 5th June 2026
12.00pm - 4.30pm
'The Shed' at the
Banana Bender Pub
73 Frizzo Road, Palmview QLD 4553
$200 per ticket
(for Bronze Tables)
Dress code:
State of Origin
Tickets SOLD OUT
Sponsored By
Special Guests
Greg Ritchie
Event MC
One of the true characters and raconteurs of Australian Sport, and affectionately known as “Fat Cat”, the burly Ritchie has been entertaining audiences on and off the pitch since 1982.
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As a Test Cricketer, Greg Ritchie headed both test and tour averages in his first international tour, and was the only Australian to reach three figures in the 1982 Test series in Pakistan.
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Greg Ritchie is regarded as one of Australia’s most hilarious and in demand after dinner speakers and is often called upon to MC and speak at events throughout Australia and around the world.
Trent Barrett
Special Guest
Trent Barrett is a special guest at our event—an accomplished Australian rugby league coach and former player, currently serving as an assistant coach with the Brisbane Broncos. A standout five-eighth, he enjoyed a distinguished playing career across the 1990s and 2000s.
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Barrett is a former Australia international and New South Wales State of Origin representative who began with the Illawarra Steelers before their merger with St. George Illawarra Dragons, where he won the 2000 Dally M Medal. He also spent time in England with Wigan, earning selection in the 2007 Super League Dream Team, before finishing his career with the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks.
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Following his playing days, Barrett transitioned into coaching, going on to lead the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs as head coach, and continues to play a key role in the NRL today.
Matt Ballin
Special Guest
Matt Ballin is our other special guest—a highly respected former rugby league hooker and current assistant coach, widely regarded as a “Queensland great” for his premiership success and lasting impact on the game. A key figure in the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles’ dominant era, he won NRL Premierships in 2008 and 2011 and played 220 games across an 11-year career, finishing with the Wests Tigers.
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Ballin represented Queensland in State of Origin in 2010, a career highlight, and was known for his toughness, leading the league in tackles in 2012 before overcoming serious knee injuries late in his career.
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Since retiring, he has moved into coaching, now serving as an assistant with the Brisbane Broncos and working with the Queensland Maroons under Billy Slater. He continues to play an important role in developing and mentoring the next generation of rugby league talent.
Sean Woodland
Comedian
Former teacher, postie, cook, Australian Rules footballer, world traveller and multi award-winning comedian, Sean is rich with experience. He burst onto the Sydney comedy scene, winning ‘Quest for the Best’—Australia’s richest open mic competition—in his first year. He also won the Crows Nest Hotel competition and was runner-up in the nationally acclaimed Green Faces.
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Years on, with three national comedy festival tours, the authentic Woody brings the same dedication he showed walking 1000km across Spain and getting lost on foot near the North Pole. His material is intelligent, relatable and honest, taking the shy kid from Yarrawonga to international stages and making him one of Australia’s most sought-after club comics.
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Sean delivers classic comedy with rapid-fire, well-crafted jokes. Beyond the stage, he’s a freelance writer and author with satirical work published across Australian magazines and newspapers.
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With a rare joke-per-minute rate, Sean Woodland leaves a lasting impression—an irreverent, curious non-conformist unpacking life, culture and self-help nonsense with relentless humour. An energetic performer, he keeps audiences engaged with a barrage of comedy gold.
Book your table now for the biggest lunch of the year!
Ticket Price - Starting from $200.00 per person
Book a Table of 5 or 10
Address: Banana Bender Pub,
73 Frizzo Road, Palmview QLD, Australia
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Ticket includes:
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Fresh prawns & bread roll on table on arrival
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2 x share platters per table – calamari, flathead, chips
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Alternate drop meal (special dietaries can be catered for with prior notice)
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Grilled striploin with roasted potato, broccolini and red wine jus (GF/DF)
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Pan seared chicken breast with potato mousseline, roasted onion, and trio mushroom sauce (GF)
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XXXX / Wine / Soft drink
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Covid Restaurant Cancellation Policy – If the event is cancelled due to Qld Health Covid lockdown on the Sunshine Coast, 100% of ticket cost will be refunded to the registered purchaser within 7 days confirmation.
