How the World's Biggest Birthday Party for Jai came to be

As the Rabbitohs get themselves ready to celebrate Jai Arrow with the World's Biggest Birthday Party on Sunday, South Sydney CEO Blake Solly has revealed how the idea came to light.

In May, the former Queensland representative was forced to retire from the NRL after being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).

Following the diagnosis, the Rugby League community has rallied around him and his family with various fundraisers to help generate donations for the cause, including several organisations donating money for every try scored this month across NRL competitions in what’s known as ‘Jai July’.

Players have also done a bow and arrow celebration after scoring to pay tribute, which has now spread into other sporting codes, with Sydney Swan Tom Papley doing it after kicking a goal on Thursday.

The NRL, alongside the Rabbitohs, also announced that they would be throwing the forward the biggest birthday party in his honour with their Round 19 clash against Newcastle at Accor Stadium coinciding with his 31st birthday, having organised for the Wiggles to perform at half-time and fans being allowed to run out onto the field after the match amongst other festivities.

Speaking ahead of the event, the club CEO explained how a conversation with ARLC Chairman Peter V’Landys helped get the idea off the ground.  

“So, it was Peter V’Landy's idea,” Solly explained on SEN’s NRL Crunch Time.

“We spoke to him just after we announced Jai's diagnosis and he knew that this was his birthday and said, ‘Well, why don't we throw the world's biggest birthday party?’

“So, as you heard, we've got The Wiggles performing, we've got so much activity before and during the game around the concourse and on the field.

“Kids are going free to the game tomorrow, so all kids are allowed in free.

“We've got fans on the field after the game as well. So, once the game's finished, the kids and the kids at heart can jump on the field and relive their favourite moments at Accor Stadium.

“And like every great birthday, we've got around about 10,000 birthday hats for people to wear and we're hoping to break a world record in that.

“At the end of the game, we'll be singing Happy Birthday to Jai, and we've got what must be the world's biggest birthday cake as well.

“Having seen photos of it, it's a huge cake, and most of the fans who attend tomorrow will go away with some birthday cake and some lolly bags as well after the game.”

The match kicks off at 2pm AEST.

SEN League will have live coverage of the match from 1pm with Crunch Time NRL, which can be heard across SEN 1170, SENQ and SEN Gold Coast and on the SEN app.