Moree Weebolla Bulls are gearing up for a big weekend as they prepare to celebrate a major milestone for the rugby union club.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This year marks 60 years since the Weebolla Bulls Rugby Union Club was established in 1959.
Over that time, the Bulls have experienced many great triumphs and tribulations both on and off the field, and this Saturday they'll be celebrating 60 years worth of wonderful sportsmanship, camaraderie and sporting spirit.
Up to 500 past and present players, coaches, supporters, family and friends are expected to attend this Saturday's 60-year reunion at Weebolla Oval.
The celebration will feature the naming of the best six sides from each of the six decades of the club’s history.
READ MORE:
From those a squad of the best 23 players to play for Moree across the whole 60 years has been selected by a panel and this team will be announced following the speeches on Saturday, with the unveiling of a large framed memorial of the side which is to be hung on the walls of the Weebolla clubhouse.
"It's bound to cause controversy," Bulls president Paul King said.
"It was very hard to compare eras of the sport which has changed so much over the 60 years. But it’s not something we [the panel] did lightly. It took an awful lot of work to select the best team of the last 60 years.”
A majority of the players being named in these sides are set to attend the day, with about 200 people expected to travel from near and far to celebrate.
"We've had a very good response to the day," King said.
"It will be a great afternoon of people catching up and seeing people we haven't seen for years. There are some people I haven't seen for 20 years, so it'll be great catching up with those people."
Former Wallabies player David Lyons and assistant coach for the NSW Waratahs and former Sydney University head coach Chris Malone will be the special guests for the day.
The celebrations will kick off at 1pm, with the speeches and naming of the best teams to get underway at 4pm.
Entry is $20, which includes food by Any Occasion Catering. All players, members and supporters of the Bulls over the last 60 years are welcome to attend. Children are also welcome, with free entry for those under 15. Dress is smart casual.
There will be courtesy buses running from 7pm onwards.
But before the feature event, 36 teams are set to tee off at Moree Golf Course for the annual Bulls Golf Day on Friday, February 22.
READ MORE:
The popular four-person ambrose is a sell-out this year, up on the 23 teams who participated in last year's event.
Big Sports Breakfast host Jimmy Smith will once again return to Moree for the golf day, along with guest speaker at the reunion event, David Lyons.
The day will kick off at 10am with the auction of Smith and Lyons, who will each play for a team.
The sponsors jersey auction will be conducted by David Watts at the end of the day.
The jersey auction is one of the major fundraisers for the club, last year raising an impressive $55,000. King doesn't expect to raise as much this year, considering the drought, but said they will be happy with whatever they can get.
"It'll be a good day, we're all looking forward to it," he said.
"The golf day is a good day out for everyone to catch up with our members and sponsors, getting everyone to start thinking about rugby."
For more information on the golf day and reunion, go to the Moree Rugby Union Club Facebook page.