The Gunnedah Bulldogs are an institution. Group 4 Rugby League is tight in the First Grade competition this year, but the Bulldogs have kept up their bark and it’ll be their bite that gets them to the end of the season.
When @ The Coalface went to print, the Bulldogs were sitting in fourth position on the ladder after a pretty good season including handing Werris Creek their first loss of the season back in Round 10.
President David McCann has been a part of the club for years, playing himself, coaching, being the Junior President and now Club President.
“During the 80s when I was playing was one of the most successful times the Club had in terms of winning. We won three grand finals and played in another three and in the 90s we played in five grand finals and won one of those.
“I moved away for a time and when I moved back to Gunnedah the last time, I had a couple of sons who were starting to play in junior league. At the time I was one of the senior coaches but when the kids started playing I went back to the junior league and I was President for ten years and as they progressed through I went back to senior league as well.
“Gunnedah has always been a club that has relied on the locals. That’s the legacy of having a successful junior league as well so they continue through to the senior league. There have been some less successful times in terms of the scoreboard, but we’ve always had healthy numbers. We’ve always been able to field all five grades.
“Gunnedah is a very sports-oriented town. Rugby league and union are both quite strong. Everybody supports each other regardless. Depending on when you’re playing, we go and watch each other’s games rugby and union.
“These clubs are good for the community; they become a community hub that people want to support and get behind as best they can.”
That community spirit is particularly on show when the Gunnedah and Boggabri clubs come together for the annual Boyde Campbell Cup that will be played on August 2 this year at Kitchener Park.
“Boyde was a young Gunnedah boy who played his junior league here and then went to Boggabri and played a couple of seasons there before coming back to Gunnedah.
“Boyde took his own life in 2017 and as a tribute to him the Gunnedah and Boggabri clubs got together and decided to hold an annual Boyde Campbell Cup – we have a trophy we play for each year and the day is also a major fundraiser for mental health.
“Originally the money was going to the bigger organisations like Beyond Blue and things like that but from Gunnedah’s point of view we like to keep our money local and put it into the local counselling groups. Last year we had guest speaker Craig Hamilton come up and give a talk to everyone.
“It’s the biggest day on the Group 4 calendar other than Grand Final day.”
This year Gunnedah has fielded a First Grade side, Reserve, Ladies League Tag, Under-18s, Ladies Tackle and a mid-season Women’s Tackle side.
David said the First Grade side needed to shift their focus part way through the season after losing their way.
“We started out really well, then we had a bit of a hiccup. In Magic Round we drew with Werris Creek 20-all, we lost by four to North Tamworth and Boggabri, had a big loss to Moree in Round 9 but bounced back the week after with that big win against Werris Creek.
“We’ve got some new boys in First Grade so it’s taking them some time to gel, but I think the losses were a bit of a wake up call that we need to be on our game every week, it’s such a close comp.”
