North Tamworth Bears kings of country

While the Boomerangs beat the Hawks 56-18 at Burt Jovanovich Oval, the Bears were beating Gunnedah by the same score, 56-18, at Jack Woolaston Oval in Tamworth to claim not only the Group 4 premiership but the symbol of CRL supremacy – the Clayton Cup.

The Clayton Cup is awarded to the best performed team in the CRL every year.

On Sunday only North Tamworth and West Wyalong’s Mallee Men were unbeaten going into their respective grand finals in Group 4 and 20.

The Bears had a better for and against but it didn’t matter in the end as Waratah Tigers downed the Mallee Men 22-18 with a try in the last minute, Quinn said.

“North would have still won it (Clayton Cup),” Quinn said. “They had a better for and against.

“We’ll talk to the North Tamworth club now and find a date that suits to come up and present them with the Clayton Cup.”

Quinn, who hails from Moree, was delighted to have watched a good Group 19 grand final.

“Moree Boomerangs were just too strong in the second half,” he said.

He also said it was not only a good year for the Boomerangs and North Tamworth but also generally for the CRL.

For the Bears, the Clayton Cup will be their second.

Their only other success came in 1951 when coached by Vic Williams, a former Western Suburbs (Sydney) player.

They beat Werris Creek 13-2 in the local grand final, with the likes of centre Gerry Lowe and import Vic Elvins starring.

The 1951 side contained the three Green brothers – Dick, Bob and Pat – as well as the Lowe brothers, Gerry and Bobby.

The late Jock Kachel was another notable in that 1951 team.

63 years on and the Bears had just one set of brothers – Shane and Brock Wadwell– although coach Brad McManus reckoned they were all brothers, such was the tight-knit mateship between the squad.

Brock Wadwell was also named man of the match in Sunday’s grand final win.