Olympic champions to play in memorial match

Former Olympians will join Redcliffe hockey players and members of the Emergency Services on Saturday in a tribute to Senior Constable Brett Forte.

Senior Constable Forte, who grew up on the peninsula and played for Redcliffe Leagues Hockey Club, was shot and killed while on duty near Toowoomba in 2017.

Each year Redcliffe players join the Forte family and Emergency Services for a match in Brett's memory and to raise funds for Queensland Police Legacy.

Saturday’s match, at the club's Oxley Ave ground at 10.30am, will see Senior Constable Forte’s brothers Chris (a member of the Redcliffe club) and Luke both playing.

“Playing the hockey game for Brett each year is a very special time for the Forte family, as a big group of Brett’s friends and colleagues are playing a competitive game of hockey against each other in the right spirit and remembering a true hero,” said Chris.

“The game each year seems to grow more legs and more and more people want to either play or be a part of the day and that I believe shows the respect they have for Brett and all police officers lost in the line of duty.

“This year we have some true Olympic hockey legends playing in the game, Nikki Hudson, Angie Lambert and Grant Smith.

“They all said they would be honoured to play in memory of a great bloke and hero.”

Nikki Hudson (nee Mott) was an international from 1993-2009, winning gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and becoming the first woman to play 300 matches for Australia.

Angie Lambert (nee Skirving) captained the Australian Under 21 side and joined the Hockeyroos in 1998. She won gold at the Sydney Olympics and played more than 225 internationals.

Grant Smith was in the Australian men’s team which won a bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia.

As part of the fundraising for Queensland Police Legacy, a raffle will be held and auction is being set up.