Schools comp honours much-loved teacher
KEN EGGLETON taught science and coached Astley Cup league and other teams in his days at the old Dubbo High School. His wife Loris and he educated their children at St Johns College. So, when “Eggo” lost his life on an early morning run, it was a natural that a trophy be struck to honour his life of service.
Indeed, Ken taught many St Johns students and included them in his University Shield and Astley Cup teams when they came around the corner from the old school in George Street to complete their senior years. Slacksmith led Forbes to a massive boil over against CYMS on a No.1 Oval mud bath in the 1970 grand final. A key figure for “Slacky” in their 7-3 win was Peter Kennedy, the future Country centre partner of league legend Mick Cronin. PK was signed by the Bears for the next season and scored 33 tries as Coonamble stole the Group 14 crown from Ken Thornett’s Coonabarabran Unicorns.
Winger Ron Boden, who played three Tests against France in 1960 and represented both NSW and Queensland, remains the only international from the club, although youngsters Braidon Burns (Souths) and Jesse Ramien (Cronulla) are both getting plenty of good attention in their early NRL careers.
Frank “Manny” Fish was part of the Western Division team that won the NSWRL Amco Cup in 1974 and played and coached Country teams. He was also a State of Origin panellist in his role as Country selector.
Another couple of names that were spoken about on the weekend began their careers in Coonamble. Keith “Junior” Hemsworth was understudy to the great Changa Langlands at St George for a number of seasons, and Steve
Ken was a keen sportsman playing league, Touch and cricket before taking up Bowls in his later years.
He played a huge role in Group XI rugby league history when CYMS became only the second club to claim a treasured threegrade premiership trifecta in 1971.
Parkes had achieved the feat in 1954 and Macquarie did it in 1979, so when Eggo led his Reserve grade to victory, sandwiching the wins by Tom Nelson’s Under-18s and the legendary Ken Mcmullen’s first grade team on a famous greenwash day at Parkes, his place in club annals was assured.
Ken was also a solid cricketer.
The 1978 “old boys”:
Back, Steven Head, Byron Fegan, Ken Blackwell, Rodney Ferguson, Geoff Myers, Wayne Mulholland, David Day, Tony Millstead, Peter Burnheim, front, Greg Maher, Matt Cock, Dave Limbach. PHOTO: PETER SHERWOOD.
Fulmer played half for the Newcastle Knights from 1988-91.
And everyone recalled the incredible influence of Merv Smith, known and loved as “Sooty”, who passed away recently.
Greg Maher has been the driving force behind the Coonamble Bears website and organised for players from 1978 getting back together.
“Ken Blackwell from Newcastle was appointed Captain/coach in 1977. His young team was beaten by Gilgandra in the final. Ken had the basis of a great squad with Brian King, Peter Burnheim, I was fortunate to play alongside him when CYMS returned to the Whitney Cup in 1975/6. Eggo’s dogged batting and wily medium pacers were a significant part in our unbeaten season.
He was a thoughtful sportsman and wonderful conversationalist. As a late teen, I enjoyed sitting in the grandstand as lifelong mates Eggo and Dave “Dasher” Martin shared their knowledge and lots of sporting yarns.
Add in the experience of Ken Mcmullen (a NSW Colt), Barry Cant, Stan Blakemore, Doug Herd and John Thebridge, and one could not help but learn about the favourite summer sport.
Rodney Ferguson, Noel “Nugget” Millstead, Mathew Cock, Wayne Mulholland and Steven Head, and with teachers Geoff Myers (who had played Reserve Grade at Manly-warringah) and the super fit David Limbach and Mark Sullivan from the Newcastle competition, hopes were high for 1978,” Greg recalled.
“David ‘Fatty’ Day, stock and station agent and tough tackling second rower Byron Feagan and I were the youngest in the team. We lost two games during season but went down to Coonabarabran in the major semi. We then avenged
CYMS’ 1975 League premiership winners Andrew Hamblin, Rick O’dea, Western Division Amco Cup Centre John “Punchy” Wilson, and rookie fast bowler Jeff “Carrot” Graham and I made up the rest of that team which will never forget “Eggy’s” contribution.
St Johns and Dubbo College are competing in soccer, league (under-15s and Opens), Touch, League Tag, Basketball and netball started yesterday and concludes next Wednesday.
With final teams yet to be announced it is hoped that Ken’s grandson will get to take his place in the St John’s teams to compete for the Ken Eggleton Cup. the ‘97 loss, winning 20-16 and backed up to take the title from Coonabarabran 13-10.
“One of our most passionate supporters, Roley Green, brought along his 1957 Premiership blazer. Coonamble won again in 1958 and 1959. The ‘58 team was awarded the Clayton Cup as the best team in Country that year,” Greg said.
“Roley’s only worn the blazer once,” he laughed.
COONAMBLE was a foundation club of Group 14 in 1950 with Juniors introduced a few years later. Previously the club played in a number of Cup competitions including the famous Johnny Walker Challenge, Marigold Cup and the Boronia Cup which is currently held by Gulgong who put it on the line at home games. The winner “owns” it until they are defeated at home.
Coonamble teams were known as The Ramblers back in the 1920s and ‘30s. Like most bush clubs it regularly employed ex-sydney first graders in the role as Captain/coach. These included 1934 Jack Dempsey (St George 1929), 1935 Frank “Dutchy” Matterson (Western Suburbs), 1936 Noel Walpole (North Sydney 1932-33), 1937 Jack “Buster” Craigie (Eastern Suburbs 1933-1936).
Coonamble entered the fledgling Group 14 competition as Magpies, wearing black and white guernseys, but adopted the North Sydney Bears Tag red and black strip in 1962.
In 1947 and 1948, league legend Dave Brown (International and Eastern Suburbs player) was the non-playing coach.
Others to take the reins were Australian representative Ian Johnston (1954), Keith Mcdonald (ex Eastern Suburbs 1955), Jack Mclean (ex North Sydney 1955), and Ray Hyde (Eastern Suburbs) who coached the 1957/58/59 premiership sides and the ‘58 Clayton Cup.
Coonamble competed in Group 14 until it was disbanded in 1999, winning 11 first grade titles in those 50 years – 1957, 58, 59, 1971, 74, 78, 1982, 1991, 96 and 99. It remains the only club in the now defunct competition to have claimed the prestigious Clayton Cup.
The Reserve Grade sides won 11 premierships and the Juniors (Under-18s) on 15 occasions.
In Castlereagh League, Coonamble lifted the Cup in 2002, 03, 05, 06, 07, 08 and 09, and finished runners up on three other occasions. The club is currently developing a strong Women’s League Tag and Under-17s.