Tyrone Munro will dedicate his Indigenous All Stars jersey to his late mother, Kirawhan Fernando, who tragically passed away last year.
The 20-year-old is set to line up on the wing for Australia’s Indigenous All Stars as they take on the Aotearoa New Zealand Maori Tane All Stars later this week at the CommBank stadium.
The Gomeroi man is one of 10 debutants in the Indigenous side this week and ahead of the match opened up on one of the toughest periods of his life.
The rising star made his NRL debut back in 2023, making three appearances that season before returning to feature four times for the Rabbitohs in 2024.
He played for South Sydney during their round 26 clash last year against Penrith but sadly lost his mother the same week.
His uncle, Raymond ‘Dunka’ Caldwell, also tragically passed away on the day of the match, with Munro going on to score two tries in the game.
Emerging South Sydney Rabbitohs star Tyrone Munro has opened up on his inspiration ahead of this week’s Indigenous All Stars match
Munro (left) tragically lost his mother, Kirawhan Fernando, last year and revealed that he would be dedicating his jersey for the All Stars match to his mother
This week, he is set to turn out on the wing for Australia’s Indigenous All Stars and says that his mother would be ‘very proud’ of his achievements.
‘There will be tears of joy in her eyes. She’d be a very proud mother, I know she’s looking down on me, and is always with me,’ he told The Sydney Morning Herald.
‘I’ll always be strong for her and my family. The jersey I play in [on Saturday] will be dedicated to my mum and my culture and my family this week.
‘I think about her every day. I think about her every night before I go to sleep.
‘She’s always on my mind. The reason I get up is for my mum. I want to make her proud and keep putting tears of joy in her eyes up above.’
Munro was awarded the NRL’s Provan-Summons Medal at last October’s Dally M ceremony. The award is given to the player who has displayed the true spirit of the game.
After his mum’s passing, Munro took to Instagram to publish a post about his mum, which he captioned: ‘Losing a mother is a pain that cannot be described in words.
‘It is virtually impossible to move on from the memory of losing the woman who sacrificed happiness in her own life so that you could have a better one. A mother’s love is truly irreplaceable.’
Munro lost his mum the same week as the Rabbitohs took on the Panthers. His uncle also tragically passed away on the day of the match
The 20-year-old was awarded the NRL’s Provan-Summons Medal at last October’s Dally M awards last year
Speaking at Sydney’s Royal Randwick Racecourse, the Rabbitohs star also dedicated the award to his late mother, adding that her memory inspires him to continue to perform on the footy pitch.
‘This year has been the hardest of my 19 years,’ Munro said. ‘The recent loss of my mother and uncle. Their strength and love have shaped who I am, and their memory fuels my determination every time I step onto that field.
‘I want to dedicate this award to my mum, Kirawhan, who made me the man I am today and taught me that nothing is given to you – you have got to earn it in this life.’
Ahead of this week’s Indigenous All Stars match, those new to the side speak to their team-mates about their family, its history and their culture with Paramatta Eels great Dean Widders lauding Munro for his courage.
‘When we got into camp and heard the stories of the new boys coming in… to see the passion they have and how emotional they got, that tells you that this is important,’ Widders said to the Australian Associated Press.
‘Tyrone Munro’s story is unbelievable, to think and hear what that kid has been through.
‘He spoke about his upbringing and the challenges he faced, the sadness he’s had recently, but also that this jersey, it was hope for him as a young kid.
‘Rugby league was his answer for what he had grown up with and the challenges he had faced.
The Rabbitohs winger has been hailed by several team-mates and those around the Indigenous team for his courage and strength
‘He has played first grade already, but he was quite emotional about what this opportunity means to him and what he’s looking forward to.’
Several of his team-mates, including Connor Watson of the Sydney Roosters, lumped praise on the footy star.
‘I was really impressed with Ty – he’s got a calm and composed head on his shoulders.
‘I feel just talking to him, hearing a bit about his story.
‘He could be capable of anything in the game and I’m excited to see how his career pans out, and I can’t wait to play with him this weekend.’
