JIM Payne was delighted to be at the football on Friday night.
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The 79-year-old watched the Warialda Wombats make their return to the Group 19 Rugby League at Warialda Recreation Showground.
Unfortunately the club lost all four grades to Inverell Hawks, the first grade losing what was named the Jim Payne Cup, 44-10.
It was all part of a big weekend for Payne, with the Warialda Jockey Club also honouring Payne at Saturday’s annual Warialda Cup meeting.
For Payne it was an honour to be feted in such a way.
“It’s pretty special,” Payne told me during the second grade match.
“It is an honour, really is.
“It’s great to see so many people here, great for the town.”
Warialda had sat out the last few seasons.
“It wasn’t much of a town without footy,” former rugby league coach and outstanding cricketer David Jurd said.
“It used to be league in winter and cricket in summer.”
He’s been one of the driving forces behind rebuilding a rugby league team and club.
Les Cleal too, a legend of so many country clubs though his gallivanting rugby league successes and Clayton Cup wins.
His son, Joss, is the new captain-coach and Joss found out how tough it’s going to to be to get the Wombats back in a winning mode after their stint on the sidelines.
They were rusty all around the park. 100 per cent in effort but 50 per cent in output.
“We’ll get better,” Joss promised me in the sheds after the game.
Before the match his father had also promised they would only improve on whatever they produced Friday night.
“Look at the crowd,” he said of a jam-packed Warialda Recreation Showground during the second grade clash.
“That’s what it’s about.
“And the kids.
“We’ve got 18 juniors registered. How good’s that.”
Two of the Under 18’s, Matt McRae and Mitch Parker, would later play first grade after full junior games in a narrow 12-6 loss to the Hawks.
“They are good kids,” Cleal said.
“Matty can play better than that – he played a little wounded tonight.”
Adrian Kellett is the club president and he too was delighted with the first game turnout.
“A very good crowd. We’re pretty happy with the way everything has turned out.
“We’ve got good numbers.
“We have 18 juniors being coached by Tyrone Davis and Matty Austin.
“And 90 per cent of our players are local.
“We have a few from Toomelah and Moree.
“The town needs football though.
“It gives everyone something to talk about.”
Having the Jim Payne Cup is an honour for the club, he said.
“Jim Payne is a legend,” Kellett said.
“Even after he finished playing and coaching he coached the juniors.”
It was something Payne enjoyed.
He’d had a successful playing career that started in Toowoomba for a lad born in Miles.
He also played for Queensland as a backrower while he was still a teenager!
A dislocated shoulder was followed by a move to North Queensland where he dislocated his shoulder twice more in a frustrating season.
“I went to Brisbane and got it fixed,” Payne recalled.
Then he moved to Warialda for what was going to be a one-season stint for the young backrower in his mid 20s.
“I liked the place and the people so much I stayed,” he said.
Success came instantly too, with five straight grand final wins in the old Group 5 (now 19).
“We missed out on the sixth – Armidale beat us 15-10,” he recalled.
“We had some good teams and players in those days.”
Among them were the Reardon brothers, Ashley Barnett, Robbie Greise, the Cleals and Jurds.
“All really good players,” Payne said.
“There wasn’t much else to do around here in winter,” he added with a laugh. Except maybe chase pigs.
After finishing his football career, he and wife Lyn decided to stay in Warialda and brought up their two daughters while Jim worked at the local swimming pool, teaching children to swim.
“I had 30 years there,” he said.
“I brought the kids up here. It’s a great place to bring up a family.”
Unfortunately for Warialda, the Jim Payne Cup went east to Inverell after their 34-point victory but Kellett reckons the club and town were the real winners with such a big turnout to welcome the Wombats back.
It was also something of a trip down memory lane for myself.
I hadn’t been to the Warialda Recreation Showground since 1996 when Warialda “wombattered” Inverell to win the Group 19 premiership.
Inverell coach Peter Stevens was captain of that side and the McGradys – Ewan, Brett and Jason – all played huge roles in that win.
Ewan is now captain-coach of the Warialda second grade side and scored a try in their 26-12 loss on Friday night.
Brother Brett received the two points in the NBN best and fairest.
Ewan was chirpy, a far cry from his old days where actions spoke louder than any word ever could.
He also scoffed at rumours of him being 53.
“Nah I’m 50, 51 later in the year,” he said.
While they might have been playing for the Jim Payne Cup in honour of one legend and the best team, maybe they can strike a Ewan McGrady Medal to go with it in honour of a magnificent footballer, one of the best I’ve seen grace the Greater Northern (former Northern Division) fields.
One who can still produce some of that magic despite his 50-odd years.