Reddies celebrate 50 years There was plenty to celebrate at the Reddies Rugby Club 50th Season Anniversary, with players old and new swapping stories of the club's history over the past 50 years. Visitors travelled from Queensland, Victoria, South Australia, Tasmania, regional NSW, Sydney and New Zealand to attend the celebrations. The club has seen a number of name changes since its formation in 1972 as the Riverina College of Advanced Education, affectionally known as 'the chalkies', moved on to become the Riverina Murray Institute of Higher Education, then Rivcoll and now Charles Sturt University. The celebrations kicked off with a meet and greet function at the Palm and Pawn Hotel on Friday evening, with everyone wearing something red. Saturday saw the Reddies play Wagga City in four grades (first, second, third and women's) and Golden Oldies at their home ground Beres Ellwood Oval, before the anniversary dinner on Saturday evening at the Wagga RSL Club. Celebrations wrapped up on Sunday with a recovery function at the Palm and Pawn Hotel. "It was a great weekend celebrating rugby and our great club," said Graeme 'Dexter' Dutton, 1972 player. "There is nothing like catching up with old mates, sharing a few quiet ales, trading stories and reminiscing about our old rugby playing days." More than 250 players, officials and supporters attended the weekend celebrations, showing the rugby spirit still runs deep in the Reddies club. The club's history has been captured in a four-part series on the Reddies 50th Season Anniversary Facebook page and in the 50th Season Anniversary book Reddies Rugby, 50 seasons in the making.
(L to R): Richard Hood, Leon Larson, Stuart Gordon and Matthew Conn.
(L to R): Michael Boneham, Glenn Punshon, Phil Jackson and Glenn Mullaney.
Charles Sturt University Alumni
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