Boggabri had every right to be confident in the late 1950s, early 1960s era Spicer Cup match against Moree.
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The local rugby league side had recruited St George and Australian Test winger, Eddie Lumsden, for the match.
What they hadn’t counted on, was Moree fielding three Queensland representative players of their own.
Snowed under by the weight of representation north of the border, Boggy lost the match, despite the services of Lumdsen, who is featured in the NRL and ARL-accredited list Australia’s 100 Greatest Players (1908–2007).
It’s stories like this and many more that will be retold, argued and reminisced when the Boggabri Club celebrates its 100-year anniversary reunion next month.
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The big weekend of activities starts with a meet and greet on Friday evening, March 11 at the Boggabri RSL from about 6pm.
The celebration continues on Saturday, when the Boggabri Roos host Narrabri at Jubilee Oval for a trial match. League tag starts 2pm and first grade 3.30pm. Then it’s down to the Boggabri Showground for the reunion dinner (6.30pm for 7.30pm start), plus more stories and a small auction.
Acknowledging a club’s history which started in 1916 is no small feat but the Boggabri club will be doing its best to pay homage to the great players, eras and matches of its time.
Among those to wear the Boggabri jumper include Trevor Eather, who represented Australia in 1946; former Canterbury second-rower, Paul Hassab; South Sydney and Cronulla lock, Rod Urquhart and the late Allen Urquhart who played on the Central Coast after leaving Boggabri in the late 1950s.
From there Allen went on to play for Balmain before injuries forced him back to the bush.
Boggabri has won its share of Spicer cups and Group 4 grand finals over the years.
In 1963-64 Boggabri beat West Tamworth, 1977 Boggy beat Narrabri West, 1980 Boggby beat Barraba, 1992 Boggy beat Kootingal, 1993 Boggy beat South Tamworth.
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By the year 2007, times were tough and Boggy was forced to fold due to a lack of numbers.
But the pain didn’t last long and the club reformed in 2013, entering Group 4’s second division competition.
The 2013-14 seasons were two years of learning and with many young players pushing through, it was only a matter of time until Boggabri was again a formidable opposition on the local league scene.
Last year, Boggy was beaten in the final against Kootingal, the same side which went on to win the 2015 premiership.
* The club requests that anyone attending to RSVP their names to Col Gilham 0427 434 188 or Greg Haire 0428 491 367 by February 26 for catering purposes. Everyone, player (past and present), community members, the general public, are all invited. On Sunday following the reunion, there will be a breakfast at the BRSL club starting at 7am to about 10am.
