OLD BOYS - XMAS LUNCHEON

Monday, 2 December

The Old Boys’ Association have thanks all the members and supporters who are attending their 2024 Christmas Luncheon on Friday (6 Dec).

It’s the Old Boy last function for the year and they take the opportunity of wishing everyone a Merry Christmas.

Details are of Friday’s functionary :

Date: Friday, 6 December

Time: Midday

Venue: Babbington’s Restaurant, Apollo International Hotel, Charlestown

Luncheon: Set menu – entrée & main meal followed by cake

Cost: $40 per person (subsidised cost)

Payment: Please make payment to Old Boys Account at Greater Bank - BSB 637000 Acc 715493713 (mark payment with name and ‘Xmas’)

RSVP: davidpuddicombe@bigpond.com.au

The Old Boys’ Association is subsidising the cost of meals while drinks are at a guest’s own cost. The Old Boys request that members lodge payment as above as no transactions will take place on the day of the function.

As per last year, Dave asks that bookings be made with him by email as this will assist with catering.

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2024 JUNIOR AWARDS

Tuesday, 5 November

The Juniors have announced their major award winners for the 2024 rugby season.

The awards were presented at the recent LIT Alliance (Lake Macquarie, Ironbark, Tahs) 2024 awards ceremony and the recipients were:

Brian Tolhurst Junior Player of the Year Award - Christopher Kroon
Scott McDonald Junior Club Person of the Year Award - De-Anne Johnston and Chris Grieve (shared).

Congratulations to Christopher, Dee and Chris on their awards which were presented by members of the Tolhurst and McDonald families.

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ACCOLADE FOR MAYA

31 October

Former member of The Waratahs Women’s team, Maya Stewart, has been named Rugby Australia’s ‘Wallaroos Player of the Year’.

The awards were announced last night at the 2024 Rugby Australia Awards in Sydney with the John Eales Award for Men’s Player of the Year going to Rob Valetini.

Maya had an incredible international season by claiming most tries in Wallaroos history by scoring in seven straight games to finish the year.

Maya, 24, missed the opening internationals against Fijiana and New Zealand but scored a total of nine tries in eight games. She made 18 line breaks and 37 tackle busts.

The flying winger said she was surprised but honoured to receive the award in beating Ash Marsters and Tabua Tuinakauvadra for the prize.

Maya played a number of seasons for The Waratahs before moving to Sydney at the end of the 2019 season to further her rugby career.

The Waratahs club has sent Maya a congratulatory message about her achievement.

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IN MEMORY OF PAUL

Wednesday 23 October

Many thanks to members and supporters of The Waratahs who attended the opening of a memorial yesterday in honour of Paul Burke at St Paul’s Catholic College at Booragul.

Paul was a foundational staff member of St Paul’s in 1984 and taught at the college for 37 years before his passing in late 2021 at the age of 60.

Paul also was a First Grade Captain-Coach at The Waratahs and a former Australian rugby union junior international. An all-round sportsman, he had distinguished playing career with Waratah Mayfield District Cricket Club.

St Paul’s kindly invited representatives of both The Tahs and the cricket club to the well-attended opening of the outdoor learning area beside the college oval which honours Paul’s dedication to the teaching profession and to St Paul’s.

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INTERIM SENIOR COMMITTEE - REPORT

September 2024

The club’s Interim Seniors Committee has decided to continue in ‘caretaker mode’ at its most recent meeting.

The meeting discussed a number of agenda items and decided to consolidate a number of banking accounts into one account, review and dispose the rugby gear and other assets kept in store under the Waratah Oval Grandstand with discussion to be held with The Waratahs Juniors about future use of assets etc.

The committee also decided to financially support the Juniors plus provide the Juniors the opportunity to request a grant of up to $2,000 per annum from the Senior club for a specific purpose(s).

The meeting further decided to maintain The Waratahs website but close the club’s Facebook account.

In relation to senior rugby operations, the committee heard about the interest of some former women players possibly forming a team under The Waratahs banner to play in the Hunter Rugby Union’s Summer 7s competition early next year.

The committee decided to support any formation of a women’s team if the initiative succeeds.

The committee also agreed that the membership for the club be set at $10 payable from 1st August and for the Senior club’s AGM to be held on the same day with the Old Boys’ AGM on a date to be decided.

NOTE: The Interim Seniors Committee was established earlier this year after no nominations were received at the 2023 AGM for the club’s general rugby committee and the failure to field a team in any local major senior competition.

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2024 GRAND FINALS RESULTS

Saturday, 24 August

Hunter Rugby Union held its 2024 Grand Finals at No.2 Sportsground today, results being:

Premier 1: Merewether Carlton 41 d Maitland 25
Premier 2: Wanderers 29 d University 24
Premier 3: Southern Beaches 17 d Maitland 16
Women: Wanderers 17 d Hamilton 0
Suburban: Singleton Red 27 d Cooks Hill 5

The John Hipwell Medal for ‘Man of the Match’ was won by Merewether Carlton No.10, Sam Bright. In a popular decision, the medal was presented before a large crowd of supporters and onlookers by John’s nephew, Nathan Hipwell.

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2024 SPORTS LUNCHEON

A GREAT SUCCESS!

Former players, relatives and supporters came from as far as Brisbane, Mullumbimby, Kempsey, Sydney and even Newcastle! for a great 2024 Sports Luncheon earlier this month.

It was a packed house at Hamilton North Bowling Club on 2 August for the annual get-together and fundraiser with many guests saying it was the best for many years.

The function acknowledged all the club’s living and past NSW players with the presentation of caps from NSW Rugby as part of its 150th Anniversary celebrations.

Players from five of our Grand Final teams in 1964, 1974 and 1984 were also recognised with Jim Hines and Terry Petersen attended from one of the 1964 teams.

General Manager of NSW Rugby’s Positive Rugby Foundation, Peter Murphy, gave a great informal but informative speech after which the Old Boys’ Association announced it would make a donation to the Foundation from proceeds on the day.

President of the club’s Old Boys, Paul Paisley, said the association had been organising a special presentation for many weeks for The Waratahs where five living New South Wales representatives and relatives of up to seven NSW players from the club who have passed away would be presented with a NSW Rugby cap by Peter.

Four of the five living NSW players attended the luncheon to receive their cap. They were (playing year order):

Ron Harvey (five eighth) – 4 matches - 1955 & 1958 - NSW Cap No. 907
Michael Fitzgerald (fullback) – 1 match - 1975 - NSW Cap No. 1161
Peter McPherson (wing) – 2 matches - 1979 - NSW Cap No. 1196
Declan Curran (front row) – 11 matches -1980-83 - NSW Cap No. 1209

Unfortunately, our fifth player - Peter Horton (hooker) – 12 matches - 1971-76 – NSW Cap No. 1118 (also 34 matches for Queensland 1977-79) - is overseas and sent his apologies.

Relatives of six of the club’s seven NSW players who have passed away accepted our invitation to the luncheon and were presented with a cap on behalf of their family member.

Find more details about the luncheon and ‘anniversary teams’ by clicking on the heading posted in the right column.

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THREE TAHS IN HALL OF FAME

Sunday, 23 June

Three former players from The Waratahs have been included in the new NSW Rugby’s Hall of Fame which was announced at the NSW Waratahs 2024 Season Awards Night last Thursday night.

Our three inductees are: