The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 13/10/2025

Preamble: The 1963 season commenced on the 20 April and comprised 14 Rounds. The last Round game was played on the 24 August, followed by the semi-finals and grand finals. Teams included Ag College, Army, Griffith, Teacher's College, Temora, Wagga City, Waratahs and Young. For Waratahs, 27 players took to the field throughout the season, and as an indication of how challenging their year was, only 11 players played 10 or more games, and the same number played 5 or less games. Teacher's College retained the Club Championship for the fifth consecutive year. Wagga City were the Premiers; breaking Waratahs'...

waggawaratastg 02/10/2025

Preamble: The competition was expanded to include West Wyalong Rugby Club, bringing the number of teams to nine. The season comprised 16 Round games and commenced on the 18 April and concluded with the Grand Final on the 19 September 1964. Waratahs won 13 matches and lost three: once to Wagga City and twice to Teacher's College. Waratahs played Army in the first and last Rounds, in the semi-final and grand final winning all four games. According to the Waratahs Rugby Football Club Players Register 1959-1995, twenty-four players donned the Waratahs jersey during the season for the 1st XV, and...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 30/09/2025

1962 Premiers With three premierships under their belt, Waratahs welcomed new players Frank Austin, Fred Horsley from Mundarlo, John Bull from Narrandera, Mick McLachlan, Dudley Taylor, John Walker and John Stewart. Waratahs won eleven successive games before being beaten by Army. During the season Jim Lenehan played four tests against New Zealand and captained NSW against New Zealand in an epic win. Beres Ellwood also played in this game as well as playing five test matches against New Zealand. Both players were away for the grand final but the team triumphed without them, defeating Wagga City in extra time. In...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 23/09/2025

Written by Mick Millard In alphabetical order, the most influential people of the decade were Beres Ellwood, Wal Blake and Jim Lenehan 6. Beres Ellwood was a foundation member of the Waratahs and played in all the grand finals the club contested in the first decade, including the one we lost in 1968. He commenced tertiary education at Wagga Agricultural Club (WAC) in 1955 and played in the College's premier team that year. In 1956 he deferred his studies and resumed in 1957, playing a key role in Wagga defeating Hawkesbury for the first time, playing in Japan with an...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 08/09/2025

Preamble: Michael Stewart Millard 1929 - 2008. Mick was a member of the inaugural 1959 premiership team, and in the first decade played 117 games for the Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club. Mick was awarded a Life Membership in 1976. Before joining Waratahs, Mick played with Ag. College from 1955 where he played with Beres Ellwood, Bob Conolly, Ben Purcell and Bob Stewart, and Wagga City Rugby Club in 1958. Mick held several records including the most premierships, most consecutive premierships, and premierships with three different clubs - Ag, College 1957, Wagga City 1958 and Waratahs 1959. Mick also played...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 06/09/2025

1969 welcomed a new player Peter Cripps, a front rower, along with other players in the hope that the club could start to rebuild due to the loss of many of the original players. Waratahs missed the tactical prowess of the retired Jim Lenehan and the brilliance of Beres Ellwood when Agricultural College outplayed them in their first match of the season, 31-11. Scoring ten tries Aggies wiped the ground with Tahs. Army scored seven tries to none in soundly defeating Waratahs 28-3. The forwards were fairly evenly matched but the big difference was in the backs. In spite of...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 04/09/2025

Preamble: Mark Gooden played in the inaugural 1st XV premiership team in 1959. Mark served as President in 1972 & 1973, and in recognition of his significant contribution became the third Life Member of the Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club in 1976. Mark has been a loyal and active supporter of the Club over many decades and attends games where possible. Mark's and Robyn's sons, Michael, Will and Christopher all played for Wagga Wagga Waratahs. Off the FieldWritten by Mark Gooden Post game venues were always of some concern. The first year was spent at Romanos with Renzo Romano supplying...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 22/08/2025

1961 Premiers 1961 started with Roger Ward, a school teacher from Balldale, who travelled many miles with Beres Ellwood from Berrigan to play. Ward and newcomer Bob Stewart joined to become a potent backline combination. Bob had very good hands, a deft little kick over the backs and was a safe defender. With Tate Heggaton's excellent service Bob was able to set up the backline which comprised Beres Ellwood, Col Wood, Lynton Gooden, Roger Ward and Jim Lenehan. Under the mentoring of Mick Millard, Dave Heckendorf developed into an excellent all-round player. He was very good in the lineouts and...

The Wagga Wagga Waratahs Rugby Club Inc. 13/08/2025

Written by John Stewart While helping Libby Donelan with adding comment to her research from the Daily Advertiser over the period 1961 to 1969 she asked me to write a pen picture of those days. I graduated at the end of 1961 from Wagga Ag College and followed tradition in the footsteps of former Aggies before me and joined the Waratahs. Depending on who was about on a Saturday, we would go and have a full meal - usually of steak and chips - no pasta in those days. Gradually we would assemble at Romano's to have a roll call...

Wagga Wagga Waratahs 08/08/2025

The very first game played by the Waratahs was on 1 May when they defeated RAAF 19-8. During this game Beres Ellwood received a bad injury to his arm and retired from the field. It would prevent him playing for several games. Back: Ken McLean, Ben Purcell, Mick Millard, Frank Bastion (Vice-President), Jeff Francis, Lynton Gooden, Lloyd Ryan Middle: Mark Gooden, John Slater, Jim Lenehan, Bob Conolly, Phil Bassingthwaighte, Tate Heggaton Front: Col Wood, Ivan Moses, Bob Williams, Dave Hamilton, Bill Trimmer Absent: Beres Ellwood, Richard Walker, Chaz Prochazka. Post publication note also absent: Dudley Taylor, President. Results of the...