Join Advance Cairns for this special Leadership Breakfast featuring renowned rugby league coach Tony Smith, one of the sport’s most respected leaders.
Drawing on decades of experience, building high-performing teams, Tony will share powerful insights into leadership, resilience, mindset and maintaining focus under pressure – practical lessons that CEOs and business leaders can apply directly within their own organisations.
Starting his professional career as a player for the Illawarra Steelers and St George Dragons in the ARL, Smith went on to achieve grand final success coaching teams in the Super League and also notably coached Great Britain and England.
As Cairns aggressively builds its reputation as a premier destination for women’s sport in Australia, Smith will be joined by Ali Burke from AFL Cairns.
As women and girls lead at AFL Cairns and a Dolphins player in the NBL1 competition, Burke will discuss the exciting growth of women’s AFL in the region, the impact of Hawthorn Football Club’s presence in Cairns, and the city’s emergence as a premier destination for women’s sport and major sporting events.
Together, our speakers will explore how high-performance cultures, community investment and leadership can drive success both on and off the field.
TONY SMITH is a professional rugby league coach and former professional rugby league footballer.
He played for the Illawarra Steelers and St. George Dragons in the ARL, and Workington Town in the Super League. He has coached the Huddersfield Giants, Leeds Rhinos, Warrington Wolves, Hull Kingston Rovers and Hull F.C. in the Super League, and Japan, Great Britain and England at international level.
ALI BURKE is the Women & Girls Lead at AFL Cairns. She has worked in community sport for more than three years and is passionate about creating inclusive, engaging environments that give women and girls across Cairns strong, sustainable pathways to play Australian Rules Football.
Ali works across all aspects of AFL in Cairns, supporting junior, youth and senior competitions while collaborating with players, umpires, managers, coaches, volunteers, committee members, and external stakeholders to strengthen the game at every level. She has led growth in female participation; introducing an Under 13 Girls competition in 2025, launching Under 9 Girls in 2026, and expanding to Under 11 Girls in 2027. She also established a Women & Girls Advisory Committee to guide the ongoing development of female football in the region.