Rugby league history

[tiger_one]

 

[tiger_one]

Did someone say "hip drop?"
(I think I can see 3 of 'em....... )

 

[TillLindemann]

View attachment 10590
Western Division remember their historic Amco Cup win

The 50-year reunion of the all-conquering Western Division Amco Cup team will be held in Dubbo this weekend.

It was the inaugural year of the 21-team, midweek Amco Cup competition in 1974 when Western Division, made up of players from 12 country towns (pictured above), came together and swept aside teams like the Auckland Falcons, Canterbury-Bankstown and Manly Warringah to beat Penrith (6-2) in the Grand Final at Leichhardt Oval.


Local historian Geoff Mann said there had been a changing demographic for the NSW western region as towns, which once thrived on coal mines, saw those utilities close and populations fluctuate.

“But this area – the Western region, now the Rams – now has record numbers of players and many say it’s because the girls and are now playing. That’s not true – we’re going gangbusters and it’s across the board,” Mann told nswrl.com.au

“The spirit is still there. When you think of a coal miner from Cobar or Lithgow, farmers from Orange or Cowra going up against the might of teams like Penrith and the Bulldogs who were full of internationals, you can see why Western Division has meant so much to the area.”

Western Division icon Ted Ellery. Photo: Courtesy Greg Riach
Western Division icon Ted Ellery. Photo: Courtesy Greg Riach
Surviving members of the 1974 Amco Cup team will have their 50th reunion dinner at the Dubbo RSL on Saturday 2 March.
View attachment 10592

Earlier that day players will travel by bus to Cale Oval, Narromine, as the Western Rams are playing Round One against the Northern Tigers in the NSWRL Men’s Country Championships (12.50pm), and both the SLE Andrew Johns Cup (10am) and SLE Laurie Daley Cup (11.20am).

“These blokes are close to 80 (years) and since the last reunion 10 years ago, we’ve lost a few more from that team,” Mann said.

“But that whole spirit of the green (jersey) is what drives them to go out and present jerseys to the young players on the day.

“We’ve had about nine pass away. And one of those was the face of that Amco Cup side, Ted Ellery, who was from Lithgow and worked in the mines …

tough as.




“But the people still around include coach Johnny King, who is coming and was a St George legend, plus Paul Dowling the captain who scored all the points in the game, and Robbie Pilon who was the Man of the Match.

“Terry Fahey is also coming – the former ‘Redfern Express’ from Wellington - along with Geoff Lousick and Nelson Smith both from Wellington too, they’ll all be here.”

Fahey was Dally M Winger of the Year (1981) and is a True Blue alongside Barry Rushworth and coach King. Pilon and Greg Fearnley were NSW Country reps.

Among the Penrith side was former Australian coach Tim Sheens and the late Country Rugby League boss, Terry Quinn.

Greg Riach, author of the book ‘Rugby League History Western and Southern NSW 1920-1976’, recalls the key to the Grand Final win against the Panthers: “Western Division won the final against Penrith with a solid brick-wall defence that never offered the Panthers a single inch of territory.”

Five-eighth Dowling scored a try (worth three points at the time), kicked a penalty goal and a field goal to score all Western Division’s points. Second-rower Bruce Ward kicked a goal for the Panthers.

A crowd of more than 20,000 squeezed into Leichhardt Oval, while a million or more watched on television.

The Amco Cup had several name changes and ran from 1974 through to 1989.

It's a scientific fact that western NSW produces the toughest footy players, with PNG a close 2nd.

As a minor nitpick, the miners out west in places like Cobar were/are copper miners or gold miners, not coal miners, Lithgow region being the exception.

 

[gallagher]

View attachment 12041

I used to have most of them, funny seeing Boland with no mo

 

[Halbrowne61]

I used to have most of them, funny seeing Boland with no mo

There’s certainly some good players in that list.

 

[pacey]

Interesting Watch

The Evolution of Rugby League (Documentary) - Youtube

 

[Halbrowne61]

Interesting Watch

The Evolution of Rugby League (Documentary) - Youtube

My father, who at the time was a trade union official, was involved at the request of Jack Gibson, from the first meeting in 1979.
He was there to explain the correct organisational structure and how to ensure players rights were incorporated into the overall game.
It was ground breaking stuff and certainly created a solid foundation moving forward.
Prior to his passing he often told me stories of those early days and how proud the initial group was of their achievements.
From acorns, giant trees grow !

 

[tiger_one]

 

[Suzie-Q]

My father, who at the time was a trade union official, was involved at the request of Jack Gibson, from the first meeting in 1979.
He was there to explain the correct organisational structure and how to ensure players rights were incorporated into the overall game.
It was ground breaking stuff and certainly created a solid foundation moving forward.
Prior to his passing he often told me stories of those early days and how proud the initial group was of their achievements.
From acorns, giant trees grow !

Wow. It really takes some strong personalities who really believe in their convictions to make such changes.
Join your union!

 

[tiger_one]

 

[innsaneink]

Jim Lees scored 5 for the magpies. I have forgotten the year.

He scored four against Penrith Rd 2... 1980

NSWRFL 1980 - Round 2 - Western Suburbs Magpies 27 def. Penrith Panthers 24 - RLP

Match info page for the Western Suburbs Magpies vs. Penrith Panthers game in Round 2 of the 1980 NSWRFL season. Magpies won 27 to 24 at Lidcombe Oval.

www.rugbyleagueproject.org

 

[tiger_one]

He scored four against Penrith Rd 2... 1980

NSWRFL 1980 - Round 2 - Western Suburbs Magpies 27 def. Penrith Panthers 24 - RLP

Match info page for the Western Suburbs Magpies vs. Penrith Panthers game in Round 2 of the 1980 NSWRFL season. Magpies won 27 to 24 at Lidcombe Oval.

www.rugbyleagueproject.org

And Ink, I think that was his first game for us too (memory is a bit faded.... )
Either way, can remember the game, and there's a great photo of him in the dressing sheds after the game - great memories eh!

 

[tiger_one]

During this week, on May 15, 1993, Elle Macpherson helped celebrate club Immortal Andrew Ettingshausen's 200th game, seen here with E.T. and Sparkles McGaw (later also an original Gladiator on TV)

 

[tiger_one]

 

[tiger_one]

1992 World Cup final at Wembley.
Great Britain captain Garry Schofield and his Australian counterpart Mel Meninga

 

[tiger_one]

Wasted talent

 

[tiger_one]

Origin's just around the corner

 

[tiger_one]

 

[tiger_one]

Queenslander!!

 

[tiger_one]

One of our own

2010 Four Nations tournament. Final. New Zealand defeated Australia 16-12 at Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane.
Benji Marshall, New Zealand five-eighth and captain with the trophy.