Hay Magpies
Encyclopedia
The Hay Magpies is a rugby league football club based in the town of Hay
, in the western Riverina
of New South Wales, Australia.
The club currently plays in Group 20 (since 2007)in South Western NSW. The switch came after the collapse of Group 17.
The competition is governed by the Country Rugby League
(CRL).
The team colours are Black, White and Silver and the club is named after the ubiquitous Australian Magpie
. The Hay Magpies have a proud tradition; they have been the most successful team in the history of Group 17, winning 12 premierships. (see details below).
The Club is supported by a fanatical Group of fans, who love their Club and follow through thick and thin. The Club is proud of its status as a family Club, and its efforts to promote the sport of Rugby League by staging its Annual Pie in the Sky matches which feature former NRL, State of Origin and Test players alongside the current Magpie team. Players used in Pie in the Sky matches have been David Furner, Andrew McFadden, Wayne (Snoopy) Collins (2006 v Goolgowi); Gary Belcher and Darren Smith (2007 v Griffith Black and Whites); Mark Toooookey (2008 v TLU ) Simon Woolford, Shane (Billy) Millard and Ben Roarty (2009 v DPC).
Former Melbourne Storm premiership player Ben Roarty played the season with the Magpies in 2009 and was a member of the premiership winning side.
In 2011, the Club gained full Group status with a First Grade, Reserve Grade, Under 18, Under 16 and League Tag combinations.
Former Welsh International prop (eleven caps) Gareth Price was appointed Captain/coach of the first grade team (http://www.sportingpulse.com/club_info.cgi?client=7-2186-23531-0-0&sID=71257&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=14474331§ionID=71257).
The season started with the Magpies playing an All Star team coached by Arthur Beetson, captained by Mal Meninga, and containing SuperStars Gary Belcher Laurie Daley, Bradley Clyde, Marcus Bai, Matt Geyer, Ken Nagas, Andrew McFadden, Jason Croker, David Furner, Ben Roarty, Mark Tookey, Simon Woolford, Quentin Pongia and Shane Millard, with the match referee Bill Harrigan.
Game won by All Stars 50-8 ( Ken Nagas 2, David Furner 2, Bradley Clyde, Matt Geyer, Simon Woolford, *Mitchell Rosser, * Robert Kevin Lohy, (Hay players*)tries, David Furner 4, Matt Geyer 2, Andrew McFadden goals) Hay Magpies 8 (Ryan Gash, Damien Kennedy tries)
Crowd (estimated) 2500...FANTASTIC WEEKEND OF RUGBY LEAGUE
). Jim Dixon and another avid League supporter, Frank Walker, donated ornate silver trophies for an inter-town competition between Hay and the surrounding townships of Hillston
, Merriwagga
and Goolgowi
. The same trophies later became objects of contestation in the Group 20 competition.
Senior rugby league was suspended in the district during World War II. In 1947 district clubs reformed into what was known as the Western Zone competition, comprising Hay, Darlington Point
, Goolgowi, Carrathool
and two teams from Hillston ('Town' and 'Country'). Hay won the premiership in 1950 under the coaching of ‘Johnno’ Johnston; playing in black and white jerseys they had a hard-fought 7-5 win over their arch-rivals Goolgowi.
In 1954 the CRL reshuffled the boundaries and formed the Group 20 competition comprising the Western Zone teams plus Ivanhoe
, Deniliquin, Barellan
and Coleambally
. In 1959 Hay won their first Group 17 title under the coaching of Laurie Foley. The win was the first of a hat-trick of premierships for the Magpies and the beginning of the club's ‘golden’ era.
Neil-John Nisbet, Michael (Salty) Ireson, Robert Matthews, Derek Moriarty,
Dean Whitehead, Colin Wright, Peter (Parra) Montgomery,
Geoff Snowdon, Danny Byrnes, Laurie Foley and Michael Johnston, Ken Beissel
(see Hay Magpies Website - www.haymagpies.leaguenet.com.au)
Hay, New South Wales
Hay is a town in the western Riverina region of south western New South Wales , Australia. It is the administrative centre of Hay Shire Local Government Area and the centre of a prosperous and productive agricultural district on the wide Hay Plains....
, in the western Riverina
Riverina
The Riverina is an agricultural region of south-western New South Wales , Australia. The Riverina is distinguished from other Australian regions by the combination of flat plains, warm to hot climate and an ample supply of water for irrigation. This combination has allowed the Riverina to develop...
of New South Wales, Australia.
The club currently plays in Group 20 (since 2007)in South Western NSW. The switch came after the collapse of Group 17.
The competition is governed by the Country Rugby League
New South Wales Country Rugby League
-2011 Tier 2 Championships:-History:Newcastle was the first city outside Sydney to start a league competition, being involved in the Sydney Premiership in 1908-09 and then starting their own competition in 1910....
(CRL).
The team colours are Black, White and Silver and the club is named after the ubiquitous Australian Magpie
Australian Magpie
The Australian Magpie is a medium-sized black and white passerine bird native to Australia and southern New Guinea. A member of the Artamidae, it is closely related to the butcherbirds...
. The Hay Magpies have a proud tradition; they have been the most successful team in the history of Group 17, winning 12 premierships. (see details below).
The Club is supported by a fanatical Group of fans, who love their Club and follow through thick and thin. The Club is proud of its status as a family Club, and its efforts to promote the sport of Rugby League by staging its Annual Pie in the Sky matches which feature former NRL, State of Origin and Test players alongside the current Magpie team. Players used in Pie in the Sky matches have been David Furner, Andrew McFadden, Wayne (Snoopy) Collins (2006 v Goolgowi); Gary Belcher and Darren Smith (2007 v Griffith Black and Whites); Mark Toooookey (2008 v TLU ) Simon Woolford, Shane (Billy) Millard and Ben Roarty (2009 v DPC).
Former Melbourne Storm premiership player Ben Roarty played the season with the Magpies in 2009 and was a member of the premiership winning side.
In 2011, the Club gained full Group status with a First Grade, Reserve Grade, Under 18, Under 16 and League Tag combinations.
Former Welsh International prop (eleven caps) Gareth Price was appointed Captain/coach of the first grade team (http://www.sportingpulse.com/club_info.cgi?client=7-2186-23531-0-0&sID=71257&&news_task=DETAIL&articleID=14474331§ionID=71257).
The season started with the Magpies playing an All Star team coached by Arthur Beetson, captained by Mal Meninga, and containing SuperStars Gary Belcher Laurie Daley, Bradley Clyde, Marcus Bai, Matt Geyer, Ken Nagas, Andrew McFadden, Jason Croker, David Furner, Ben Roarty, Mark Tookey, Simon Woolford, Quentin Pongia and Shane Millard, with the match referee Bill Harrigan.
Game won by All Stars 50-8 ( Ken Nagas 2, David Furner 2, Bradley Clyde, Matt Geyer, Simon Woolford, *Mitchell Rosser, * Robert Kevin Lohy, (Hay players*)tries, David Furner 4, Matt Geyer 2, Andrew McFadden goals) Hay Magpies 8 (Ryan Gash, Damien Kennedy tries)
Crowd (estimated) 2500...FANTASTIC WEEKEND OF RUGBY LEAGUE
History of Rugby League in Hay
Rugby League was first played in Hay during 1931, a tentative beginning in a township where the dominate football code was Australian Rules. It wasn't until 1936 that Hay Rugby League Club was officially formed and matches scheduled on a more regular basis. The core advocates of the new club were the young school-teacher Sam Willis, three publicans ‘Silver’ Sullivan, Dan Sutherland and Jim Dixon, and a road-contractor, Bill Jackson. Dan Sutherland was elected first president. The colours of maroon and white were chosen for Hay’s uniform (from Willis' old school team, Fort Street Boy's HighFort Street High School
Fort Street High School is a co-educational, academically selective, public high school currently located at Petersham, an inner western suburb of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia....
). Jim Dixon and another avid League supporter, Frank Walker, donated ornate silver trophies for an inter-town competition between Hay and the surrounding townships of Hillston
Hillston, New South Wales
Hillston is a township in western New South Wales, Australia, in Carrathool Shire, built on the banks of the Lachlan River. It was founded in 1863 and at the 2006 census had a population of 1,054.-History:...
, Merriwagga
Merriwagga, New South Wales
Merriwagga is a rural village community in the northern part of the Riverina. It is situated by road, about 20 kilometres north west from Goolgowi and 42 kilometres south from Hillston on the Kidman Way in NSW. According to the ABS Census 2001 it has a population of 66 people...
and Goolgowi
Goolgowi, New South Wales
Goolgowi is located in western New South Wales, Australia, around west of Sydney via the Mid-Western Highway and is the administrative centre of Carrathool Shire. At the 2006 census, Goolgowi had a population of 287 people....
. The same trophies later became objects of contestation in the Group 20 competition.
Senior rugby league was suspended in the district during World War II. In 1947 district clubs reformed into what was known as the Western Zone competition, comprising Hay, Darlington Point
Darlington Point, New South Wales
Darlington Point is a small town on the banks of the Murrumbidgee River in the Riverina district of western New South Wales, Australia. It is part of the Murrumbidgee Shire local government area. The township centre is four kilometres from the Sturt Highway, along Kidman Way. ...
, Goolgowi, Carrathool
Carrathool, New South Wales
Carrathool is a village in the western Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia, located in the Carrathool Shire. In 2006, Carrathool had a population of 325 people. It is about north of the Sturt Highway between Darlington Point and Hay...
and two teams from Hillston ('Town' and 'Country'). Hay won the premiership in 1950 under the coaching of ‘Johnno’ Johnston; playing in black and white jerseys they had a hard-fought 7-5 win over their arch-rivals Goolgowi.
In 1954 the CRL reshuffled the boundaries and formed the Group 20 competition comprising the Western Zone teams plus Ivanhoe
Ivanhoe, New South Wales
Ivanhoe is a small township on the Cobb Highway between the Lachlan and Darling rivers in New South Wales, Australia. It is located within the Central Darling Shire local government area. Ivanhoe functions as a service centre for the surrounding area. The township is...
, Deniliquin, Barellan
Barellan, New South Wales
Barellan is a small village in Narrandera Shire in the Riverina region of New South Wales, Australia. On Census night 2006, Barellan had a population of 366 people...
and Coleambally
Coleambally, New South Wales
Coleambally is a small town in the Riverina of New South Wales, Australia, in Murrumbidgee Shire.Coleambally is one of the newest towns in the state of New South Wales, officially opened in June 1968, with the Post Office opening on 1 April 1970...
. In 1959 Hay won their first Group 17 title under the coaching of Laurie Foley. The win was the first of a hat-trick of premierships for the Magpies and the beginning of the club's ‘golden’ era.
GROUP 17 first-grade premierships
- 1959 – Hay vs. Ivanhoe (score: 7-5); coached by Laurie Foley.
- 1960 – Hay vs. Darlington Point; coached by Billy Poole.
- 1961 – Hay vs. Goolgowi; coached by Billy Poole.
- 1967 – Hay vs. Coleambally (score: 17-9); coached by Geoff Snowdon.
- 1972 – Hay vs. Deniliquin (26-9). coached by Bill Curtis.
- 1975 – Hay vs. Goolgowi (score: 25-11); coached by Michael Johnston.
- 1982 - Hay vs. Hillston (score: 22-14); coached by Kevin Goldspink.
- 1989 - Hay vs. Goolgowi (at Rankins Springs; score 20-18) coached by Neil John Nisbet.
- 1990 - Hay vs. Goolgowi (at Barellan) coached by Neil John Nisbet.
- 1991 - Hay vs. Hillston (at Goolgowi; score 14-6) coached by Neil John Nisbet.
- 1994 - Hay vs. Hillston (at Rankins Springs; score 29-18); coached by Chris Aylett
- 1995 - Hay vs. Rankins Springs (at Barellan; score 38-10); coached by Jamie Byrnes
Group 20 reserve grade premiership
- 2009 - Hay v Griffith Black and Whites at E W Moore Oval Griffith won 26-24 coach Ian Woods (non playing)
Group 20 Under 18 premiership
- 2010 - Hay v Griffith Waratah Tigers at E W Moore Oval Griffith won 22-18 coaches Rene Woods/Jermaine Dixon..Strength and Conditioning coach Robert (Fruity) Anderson.
Hay Magpies Rugby League Club HALL OF FAME Members
H S (Sam) Willis, J V (Johnno) Johnson, Allen (Nugget) Schiller, Bill Curtis, John Curtis,Neil-John Nisbet, Michael (Salty) Ireson, Robert Matthews, Derek Moriarty,
Dean Whitehead, Colin Wright, Peter (Parra) Montgomery,
Geoff Snowdon, Danny Byrnes, Laurie Foley and Michael Johnston, Ken Beissel
(see Hay Magpies Website - www.haymagpies.leaguenet.com.au)