It was another big weekend of footy for the Platypi! Our teams showed grit, heart, and teamwork across all grades.
Check out the snaps from Saturday’s games – thank you to our players, coaches, supporters, and volunteers for another great round.
This coming Saturday, 10 May the Platypi Travel to Bathurst to take on last year’s 2024 Blowes Cup Grand Final winners Bathurst Bulldogs.
Life Pharmacy Group CEO Michael Flannery with winners of the 2024 FRUC Charity Golf Day Troy Howe, Randall Grayson, Steve Betland, Charlie Dwyer, and Club President Tony Cogswell.
The annual Forbes Rugby Union Club (FRUC) Charity Golf Day is coming up on Friday 21 March, and the aim of the day is to raise money for the Peter Murphy Memorial Fund (PMMF).
Peter Murphy was a lifelong supporter of the Forbes Platypi Rugby Union Club, a former player and club president. The PMMF was established following the passing of Peter Murphy, the popular high-school teacher, in 2017. The aim of the Peter Murphy Memorial Fund is to assist young people, with financial limitations, to pursue their dreams.
The concept behind the golf day was to capitalise on the influx of people travelling to Forbes for the annual FRUC Lunch, by hosting an event on the day prior, to raise money for the Peter Murphy Memorial Fund.
The Forbes Rugby Union Club Golf Day is a four person Ambrose with registrations opening at 12.30pm on Friday 21 March.
There will be a briefing at 1pm and a shotgun start at 1.30pm. All proceeds from this year’s FRUC Charity Golf Day will go towards the Peter Murphy Memorial Fund, so register a team and help raise some money for a great cause.
Players of all abilities and experience are encouraged and welcome to attend.
Can Assist will be running a charity BBQ between 12pm – 1.15pm and all money raised from the BBQ sales will go towards Can Assist.
For further information about registering for the FRUC Charity Golf Day, contact Will Gunn on 0475 765 840 or the Forbes Golf Club and Pro Shop on 6851 1554. If you require a pull buggy or cart please make contact early as there is numbers limited available.i
In 2023 The Springvale Cup raised a grand total of $12,840.00 for local charity from the Forbes 2023 tournament! The proceeds were presented to the Forbes Rugby Union Club at their annual President’s Club Luncheon on Saturday, 23rd March 2023.
Forbes is thrilled to announce that we’ll be hosting the Springvale Cup again in 2025.
The Springvale Cup is a not-for-profit tournament and it’s aim is to support regional rugby for all ages, and the clubs, charities and towns where they play.
The Springvale Cup has previously been hosted successfully in Forbes, so it is so great that the tournament is coming back to Forbes again. This is a fantastic opportunity for all, from old boys to current players, to come together for a day full of fun and camaraderie.
The Springvale Cup was first held in Crookwell in 2019, and has been run each year since. The tournament has grown every year and in 2023 became a “roving tournament” where each year a different regional town and associated Club host the Cup.
Each year the Springvale Cup supports worthy charities within the town and region hosting the Cup. Over $100,000 dollars has been raised to date for flood and fire relief, cancer treatments, the homeless and those in need. In addition to supporting local charities, a portion of proceeds from the Springvale Cup tournament is fed back into local rugby development through the hosting club. The Cup also brings significant revenue to the hosting town.
The Springvale Cup is all about reminiscing, sharing laughs, and celebrating the rugby spirit while supporting a local cause.
So, register a team, dust off your boots and get down to Spooners Oval in Forbes on Saturday 8 March, or come along to watch some great rugby. For more details go to www.springvalecup.com.au or the Springvale Cup Facebook Page
Forbes packing down against Dubbo last weekend.
The Forbes Platypi Rugby Union Club first grade side claimed a 43-31 victory over Dubbo Roos in the final round of the regular season last weekend. The win secured the Platypi a third place finish in the standings, giving them a home ground semi-final this weekend.
Forbes will take on Orange City in the minor semi-final, this Sunday at 3:15pm while Bathurst will host Orange Emus in the major semi-final. The Forbes Platypi women’s side will take on the Orange Emus in the minor semi-final on Sunday kicking off at 11:40am, while Dubbo will play Bathurst in the majorsemi.
Urban Services team members Sue Ramsay, Greg Ridge and Mark Noakes drilling post holes for Grinsted Oval picket fence replacement.
The iconic white picket fence has returned to South Circle and Grinsted Rugby Union Ovals in Forbes with a custom hinged drop system to minimise future floods impact.
The Urban Services team has devised a poly hinged rod at the base of the fence which can enable it to be easily flattened in flood preparation. Constructed from a durable plastic composition, the pickets and structure mostly survived the last flood which reached depths of 2.5 metres over the site.
However, in the next flood, the fence panels can be laid flat on the ground and possibly secured with pegs in times of a strong water current.
In between other flood recovery efforts and business as usual, Council’s Urban Services Crew has been removing damaged pickets and rebuilding new panel sections to rebuild the fence. Existing panels are being cleaned with finials (tops of pickets) being secured and glued. This has been a major cost (and waste) saving measure rather than just replacing the new fence entirely.
Minimal new fence panels were required to be purchased.
The newly refurbished fence is now almost complete and has the ovals returning to their former glory with a new custom flood proof inclusion.
Patrick Murphy from Forbes Shire Council Urban Services Team has been salvaging pickets and making up new panels to replace the iconic white picket fence around Grinsted and South Circle Ovals.
Forbes Croquet News
Rain was again the winner on Saturday 4th May for Aussie Croquet. We had 40 players for Golf Croquet on a very comforting morning on Tuesday 7th. We had two visitors, Robin Polss daughter Catriona and granddaughter Emily Hunt. There were six players who managed to win three games: Ray Burridge, John Cole, Irene Ford, Kevin Rubie, Neville Spry and Peter West. The big winners were: 11-2 Neville Spry and Mal Smith and 10-3 Elvy Quirk and Catriona Hunt.
Forbes Junior AFL Club
Auskick and Superkick is back on and it kicks off today, 24th May! Sign up your kids and head down to Gaggin Oval every Friday 4.30pm to 5.30pm. Come meet the other kids, kick pass, run lots of fun.
Forbes Rugby Union Club
There were plenty of positives to take away from last Saturday. It was the first time the FRUC have had eight grades take the field on one day. Third grade is back after a 15 year hiatus. It was a big win for first grade, cementing them in 2nd place on the ladder after defeating Dubbo Roos 35-22.
Forbes Sports Person Of The Year Association
The CWCU Monthly Sport Achiever has been awarded to Sage King who recently competed at the NSW State and National Water Skiing titles with some great results and PBs. Sage came first in the Slalom and second in the Trick competitions and placed first overall in the Under 10 Girls division. Great effort and a worthy recipient of the Central West Credit Union Monthly Sports Achiever Award for February.
Tony Dwyer depicted 6th from the left and Wayne Medlyn 8th in the freshly painted Eugowra Rugby League Football Club “Team of the Century” mural
The newly refurbished Eugowra Rugby League Football Club Team of the Century mural, which commemorates 100 years of Rugby League in Eugowra, features none other than Parkes own Spacemen President, Tony Dwyer.
Tony has a long association with rugby league across both the towns of Parkes and Eugowra. He started playing football for the Parkes under 12s in 1972 when they won the competition. However, he then did not return to the game until his first year in under 18s, saying: I stayed two years in 18s, then played for Parkes until 1983 when we won the competition under Ted Goodwin.
Despite playing the entire year for Parkes in 1983 at half-back, Tony was dropped for the semi-final and didnt get back on the field in the grand final, prompting the need for a change of scenery.
I went out to Eugowra, Jock Colley was the coach at the time, and he told me to come out for a run, so I had a run with him for a season and then Jock retired and I coached for the next two years.
Tonys first year in Eugowra was 1984, and he stayed with the team for three years until 1986. We got beat in the grand final in 1984, we won the competition in 1985 and were beat again in 1986, said Tony.
Following the 1986 competition, Tony took a year off football to fix an injured knee, before heading back onto the field with Parkes in 1988. We won the competition that year under Neil Moy, then I gave away playing football and started refereeing, said Tony.
Tony started off refereeing junior league, then stepped up to referee senior league in 1991, resulting in the next 10 years spent in Group 11.
Tony has also coached junior league in Parkes and has been President of The Parkes Rugby League Football Club, for the past four years, declaring that he is happily tied up with the club forever.
Tony never imagined he would one day be depicted larger than life on a mural to celebrate the 100 year anniversary of the Eugowra Rugby League Football Club.
Tony explains: That was out of the blue. They rang up one day and said – have you got a picture of yourself? They explained they were doing a mural of all the grand final coaches who had won the competition.
It worked out well, because my good mate Wayne Medlyn came out playing with me in 1985 and he stayed on when I got my knee fixed. He ended up coaching in 1988 and also won the competition.
Tony has fond memories of his time playing football for Eugowra. Eugowra is a great place, and the people, they are a great community, they always welcome you back. Each year there is an event and we all travel back to catch up, I look forward to it every year, concluded Tony.
IMAGE LEFT: Elizabeth and Maely pictured at Spicer Oval in Parkes for training. IMAGE RIGHT: Elizabeth and Maely pictured together at last Saturday’s game against CSU.
Parkes cousins Elizabeth and Maely MacGregor are continuing to amaze the crowds whenever they strap on a pair of footy boots. Last weekend the Parkes Boars Women’s team took on CSU Bathurst, winning the game 50 – 0, and notwithstanding a great all round team effort, incredibly all 50 points on the board were scored by the two cousins.
Eighteen year old Maely only just played her first season of rugby union for the Parkes Boars in 2023, and has been very exciting to watch. Last Saturday Maely scored one try and kicked 5 from 8 conversions.
We asked Maely what teams she thought would be some of their biggest competition this year, she said: “Wellington has become strong and Mudgee is always really strong, so they will be two tough teams to beat.”
When asked what the girls were focusing on at training this week Maely said “I think just our structure is mostly what we are working on, and making sure that we can complete our plays and retain the ball to score tries.”
Seventeen year old Elizabeth played her first ever game of Rugby Union last Saturday in the hit out against CSU. Elizabeth is an established up and coming rugby league star and credits her extension into rugby union to her cousin, saying: “Maely tried to get me to play union last year and didn’t get me, but this year she convinced me”.
Before heading out on the field for her first match, Maely gave her younger cousin Elizabeth a solid piece of advice: “Just get the ball and run.”
“I didn’t know the rules, I kept running back to try and get on side, before realising I didn’t need to do that. I was nervous, and a bit confused at the start, but I got the hang of it a little bit more at the end”.
Heading into the away game this weekend against Wellington, Elizabeth will be focused on scoring more tries. “I am still very new, but I will try stay on the outside of Maely, she should set me up and put me in a couple of holes, and just run,” she said.
A team huddle as Forbes Platypi 1st Grade team prepare to dig deep for the second half
Last Saturday, April 20th, was go time for the Forbes Rugby Union Club as all four senior grades kicked off for round one of the 2024 season. We spoke to Club Captain Frazer Dunn to catch up on how all four teams fared.
Colts
Colts travelled to Mudgee, it was a close game but the boys were unlucky this week and weren’t able to get the win.
Colts 19-15 loss
3 points Justin crisp
2 points Toby jarrick
1 point Tom nikolic & logan Evans
Women’s
The women had a good win, they’ve got Lilly Mason Spice back, which has made a big difference in structure and she has a calming influence on the team. Mel Martyn had her first game back for a couple of years, and she got players player, so she did well.
Women’s 38-5 win
3 points Mel Martyn
2 points Maggie Townsend
1 point Zoe McRae
Second Grade
Callum Mclaren played his first game for Forbes, coming over from West Wyalong, he was players player, closely followed by Callum Reed.
2nd grade 19-9 loss
3 points Callum Mclaren
2 points Callum Reed
1 point Hamish Napier & James moon
First Grade
A good win by First grade. Cowra threw a lot at us early in the game, we did a lot of defending in the first 10 minutes and the scored a few quick tries after that. The team dug deep and worked hard in the second half to hold on to the win.
1st grade 27-14
3 points Zorro Bainivalu
2 points Frazer Duff
1 point Johnny monk
This Saturday, April 27th, is a home game against Bathurst. Would be great to get plenty of people to come down and support the club. It is also Sponsors day so all Sponsors are encouraged to come along.
The clash of two teams, the “Blue Suede Shoes” and the “Reddy Teddies,” has proven to be a meeting of equals
In the charming town of Parkes, Australia, an unconventional annual event has been captivating the community since 2015—the Parkes Elvis Rugby Game. This unique fusion of rugby and Elvis Presley’s iconic style has carved its niche in the sporting calendar, offering a blend of entertainment, camaraderie, and a touch of rock ‘n’ roll.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the Parkes Elvis Rugby Game is the persistent draw that has characterised every match since its inception. The Blue Suede Shoes and Reddy Teddies, the two competing teams, engage in spirited battles, yet each encounter concludes with a tie, defying the typical outcomes seen in conventional rugby matches. This consistent equilibrium has become a hallmark of the event, leaving participants and spectators alike eagerly anticipating each annual clash.
Adding to the distinctive charm of the game is the attire chosen by the players. Instead of the customary rugby uniforms, participants don cheap suits, a nod to Elvis’s signature style. The decision to play in these inexpensive suits serves a practical purpose—preserving the participants’ good suits. This touch of humour and practicality adds an extra layer of uniqueness to the event, creating a playful atmosphere on the field.
What truly sets the Parkes Elvis Rugby Game apart is its inclusive nature. Unlike formal sports competitions, this event extends an open invitation to anyone who wishes to participate. Rugby enthusiasts, Elvis devotees, and newcomers alike are encouraged to join the festivities, creating a diverse mix of players and fostering a sense of community spirit that goes beyond the boundaries of typical sports events.
For those who prefer to be spectators, the Parkes Elvis Rugby Game offers a rare treat—all the excitement and entertainment, completely free of charge. Attendees fill the stands in an array of Elvis-inspired outfits, turning the event into a visual spectacle that mirrors the energetic spirit of the King himself.
It’s worth noting that the Parkes Elvis Rugby Game operates as an unofficial event, further emphasising its grassroots origins and the genuine passion of those involved. The absence of formal affiliations and commercial interests reinforces the community-driven nature of this annual extravaganza, making it a truly unique and authentic experience for both participants and spectators.
As the Parkes Elvis Rugby Game continues to evolve and capture the imaginations of those near and far, it stands as a testament to the power of community-driven initiatives and the ability of sports and entertainment to bring people together in the spirit of fun and camaraderie. This unofficial gem in the world of sports has become a beloved tradition, leaving an indelible mark on the town of Parkes and those who participate in or simply enjoy the festivities.
Head up to Pioneer Oval in Parkes to watch the most fun game of rugby you may encounter. Friday the 12th for a 6.30pm kick off