Revelling in the Riverina: Episode 10 – On the banks of the ‘Bidgee

REVELLING in the Riverina

 

The vintage years

 

Episode 10:                                                                    On the banks of the ‘Bidgee

 

Narrandera, NSW (Narrandera Imperial, the ‘Eagles’, Riverina Football Netball League)

 

Stage 10: Ganmain to Narrandera

 

The drive from Ganmain to Narrandera takes us through the rhyming railside villages of Matong and Grong Grong. At the latter, the Canola Way terminates and we swing onto the heavy-going Newell Highway where we are certain to join company with teams of trucks travelling the Melbourne to Brisbane run. 

To accompany the drive, switch channels from the Country Hour to Triple J and listen to ‘Riverina’ by The Temper Trap:

 

 

 

 

Matong and Grong Grong once boasted their own football clubs in the SWDFL before merging in 1952. Three decades later the Grong Grong-Matong United FC (the Magpies) merged with Ganmain when the Riverina Football League was established. 

 

** STOP PRESS**

Robbie Mackinlay released his latest podcast – Ganmain Grong Grong Matong 1984 “The Merger – Signed Sealed Delivered” today. It’s highly recommended listening.

 

 

The Magpies were coached by Ganmain star Tom Carroll in 1968-70. ‘Turkey’ Tom’s trips down the road from Ganmain were made in style, as the photo below shows.

 

Tom Carroll’s Ford Falcon GTHO
(pic – thanks to Mick Carroll and Rod Gillett)

 

In 1975 Grong Grong-Matong secured the coaching services of a star Riverina footballer originally from Turvey Park, and later at North Wagga – Laurie Pendrick. Laurie was recently inducted into the NSW Australian Football Hall of Fame in recognition of his long and highly successful career in the Riverina and beyond. His contributions to NSW football also included inter league and state representation on many occasions.

 

‘Lozza’, as he is widely known, only spent one season with ‘Grongy’ before returning to lead the Saints to their second flag of the 70s. He regularly topped the Farrer League goal kicking with totals of well over 100 and won the league’s Baz Medal in 1977. South Melbourne scouts came knocking loudly in 1977 but he remained faithful to his contract at North Wagga. He was robust, full of strength, determination and skill on the footy field. Pendrick played his early football in the centre and as a ruck rover. Later he found a natural home at full forward. He was not overly tall for a key forward, but was an exponent of the well-timed lead, marked strongly and kicked with unwavering accuracy. That sounds rather like Jason Dunstall – the young footballer Pendrick coached at Coorparoo, Qld in 1984. 

 

Upon arrival in the “town of trees” there is one place with a magnetic attraction for a car full of football romantics.

 

When it comes to Riverina football, all roads lead to the Narrandera Sports Ground, the home of the Narrandera Imperial Football Club (bearing an Eagles logo these days). Not to Wagga or Albury, but to Narrandera in the heart of the Riverina, or as authoritative Footy Almanac scribe Rod Gillett put it … “Narrandera Sportsground: A mecca in a heathen state”  (March 10, 2010).  His evocative description of the sportsground sparked many memories of the venue, and Riverina footy in general, drawing a long thread of comments. Look it up! 

 

Rod Gillett advised that:

 

The ground has hosted some of the biggest sports events in the Riverina including grand finals of the area’s two most popular football codes, Australian football and rugby league, as well as international cricket and rugby league.

 

The venue also hosted a match that brought one of the most treasured moments in Riverina football history when the South West District League defeated the Hampden League to claim the VCFL Country Championships in July 1964. 

 

The Narrandera Sportsground was designed by local engineer and planner Bill Talbot. Australian Football was first played at the ground in 1882 when a team of footballers from Hay travelled by train to play an intertown match against a local side. Challenge matches played at the ground between local and district teams were the order of the day before an organized competition was established. It has been the home of the Narrandera Imperials since 1913.

 

The picturesque oval is surrounded by spectacular plane trees. With its level playing surface and the capacity to cater for crowds well in excess of 10 000 it is ideal for big footy games. A record crowd of 14000 attended the 1962 Group 20 Rugby League grand final between Wagga Kangaroos and Tumbarumba. The recent addition of new changerooms and clubhouse facilities further enhance what is already recognised as one of the best sports grounds in regional NSW.

 

We are regularly informed by Rod Gillett on the topic of Riverina football in particular, and now it is time to toast his induction into the NSW Australian Football Hall of Fame. Rod’s recognition was in the category of ‘administrator’ where he is in select company alongside Richard Colless, Ian Granland and John Yates, among others. NSW state and country Aussie Rules leagues have had a visionary advocate in administrator and football historian Rod Gillett. 

 

Stalwarts are part and parcel of all footy clubs. Narrandera’s Durnan family are a classic example of the vital input of families to football clubs. The Durnans have contributed to the Narrandera Imperial Football Club (NIFC) like few others. Over many years the Durnans provided not only skilful footballers and coaches but club administrators and supporters on many fronts. The first generation of Durnans to play for the Imperials were brothers Jack, Pat and Don and close relative Jimmy whose football careers at Narrandera unfolded after World War II. Together they had six sons who continued the family service to the Imperials over several decades both as footballers and administrators. And their wives and mothers gave great support to the club as well.

 

The grandstand at Narrandera was named after club stalwart Lance Paterson who gave the NIFC 70 years of service, for most of that time in one official capacity or another. Simply known around the club as ‘Pato’, he was an invaluable mentor to players, coaches and committeemen in his Team Manager role. He  filled various official positions such as senior vice-president, assistant secretary, club selector and committeeman. Pato was always prepared to roll up his sleeves for the more mundane jobs such as lacing and pumping up footballs and preparing players’ refreshments. In June 1956, the year of the big floods in south eastern Australia, Pato was seen running the boundary line at the Narrandera Sportsground in gumboots. That’s dedication.

 

It is recorded (by the NIFC) that Lance Paterson missed only three home and away matches after 1934. He was awarded life membership of the Narrandera Imperial Football Club in 1963 and in 1979 was awarded the VCFL Recognition of Service Medal. The Imperials man known fondly by the players as “old faithfull” is recognised as a club legend. Like many football stalwarts, his wife was also actively involved as a club volunteer for many years. 

 

Narrandera, known at various times in their 115 year history as the ‘blue and golds’, ‘yellow bellies’, ‘imps’ and ‘eagles’, have won 18 senior premierships. Those premierships have been spread through most decades of their existence, but the seven flags in the twenty one year period 1966-1986 have captured the most attention. Let’s look at one in those years in Narrandera’s vintage flag-winning sequence – the 1974 SWDFL premierships in the seniors, reserves and thirds (all minor premiers). 

 

Coolamon stalwart Tom Goss (NSW Australian Football History Society, 15.11.2020) tells of the Imperials incredible 1974 premiership win when they came from 18 points down at the 31 minute mark of the last quarter to snatch victory from the Hoppers by a point. Jack Luhrs, writing in the local press, explained that Coolamon’s Dick Pieper “… kicked the ball through the Narrandera posts for a point. One can understand Pieper’s thinking at the time because six minutes of added time had already been played and to relieve the pressure on his own goal, Pieper elected to rush a point and give his fullback the advantage of a clearing kick in. Little did Pieper and Coolamon realise that this was to be the signal that won the premiership for Narrandera, because seconds later, wingman Tony Turner marked from close-in and his resultant goal snatched victory for Narrandera on the siren.”

 

Some Coolamonites still believe it was a timekeeping conspiracy!

 

Forty two years earlier, in 1932, Narrandera won the SWDFL premiership by the identical margin – a solitary point. The local press saw a pattern, not unlike cycles of drought years, in the Narrandera Imperials premiership-winning seasons – one flag every four years: 1924, 1928, 1932. The Narandera* Argus and Riverina Advertiser (20 Sep 1932) described the grand final match, played at Matong, as “an epic contest” and a “titanic struggle” …  “fought at a terrific pace from start to finish.” There was “no going around an opponent”  in a match full of “terrific bombardments”. Finally “Narandera forged ahead” and “up went the hats and topcoats”  but the “scoreboard showed scores level” …  “At last the final bell sounded … the suspense was not over until the goal umpires had compared cards and announced that NARANDERA* HAD WON BY ONE!” Final scores: Narrandera 7.9 (51) defeated Leeton 7.8 (50)

 

* Note the spelling  ‘Narandera’ with a single ‘r’. That’s how it was often spelt until the late 1940s when the modern spelling became common.

 

Narrandera Imperial in 2024

 

Round 10: Leeton-Whitton Crows 10.7 (67) d.  Narrandera Imperial 8.14 (62) at the Narrandera Sportsground on Saturday 22nd June

 

Narrandera have only one win in 2024. A 50 year reunion of the 1972 and 1974 premiership teams was held after the round 10 game.

 

Riverina Spotto

 

The last post has been played and there are 9 to go.

 

the last post	Irish pub	a slice of pizza
faithful canine	sheep and dog	the family club
22 yards	two felines	31.12.74
truckie’s stop	submarine	a shearing team
all among the wool	one pub town	Sherrin
three  bees	square	footy hub

Next episode: Stage 11 – to Hay

 

 

Previous episodes of Revelling In The Riverina, and more from Peter Clark can be read Here.

 

 

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