True Blues Royce Simmons, Graeme Wynn and Michael Buettner are among seven members of the NSWRL community to receive Australia Day honours today.
The NSWRL would like to congratulate all who were recognised among the 457 total recipients of the 2025 awards in the General Division of the Order of Australia, including Australia Rugby League Commissioner Professor Megan Davis.
Davis was one of six people awarded a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) in the General Division, for service to the law and social justice, national and international advocacy of the rights of First Nations peoples, and to the community.
A total of 320 people received the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), with Simmons, Wynn and Buettner joining four others who have made valuable contributions to Rugby League in NSW as administrators and/or referees: Paul Archer, Woolooware; Thomas Gustard, Eleebana; Martin Meredith, Collaroy; and Larry Raftery, Vaucluse.
Simmons, of Penrith, was awarded an OAM for service to Rugby League as a player and coach; Wynn for service to Rugby League as a player, coach, and administrator; and Buettner for service to the community and to sport.
Simmons played 10 games for the Blues, including the 1986 series win, along with 237 games for the Penrith Panthers, scoring two tries in their 1991 Premiership victory. He is a former Wests Tigers Assistant Coach, and more recently acknowledged for his contribution to raising awareness and millions of dollars for dementia research since his diagnosis with the disease in 2021.
Wynn, of Gymea, was a member of the inaugural NSW Blues Origin team in 1980 and played 238 First Grade games for St George and Western Suburbs, winning a Premiership with the Dragons in 1979. He dedicated many years to coaching juniors at St George District Rugby League Club and Gymea Junior Rugby League Football Club, where he is Club Patron.
Buettner, of Terrigal, played one Origin game for the Blues in 1997 and 263 First Grade games for five clubs. He was a long-serving member of the NRL Match Review Committee and NSWRL Match Review Committee and has been a mentor for the Pass It On clothing charity since 2017.
Meredith and Raftery were awarded an OAM for service to Rugby League as an administrator and volunteer coach respectively.
Meredith, currently the Chair of the Australian Wheelchair Rugby League, has had a long association with the game at national and state levels in a variety of administrative, committee and council roles, in a range of areas including development, coaching, women’s Rugby League, and the affiliated states.
Raftery was acknowledged for his commitment to St Charles Junior Rugby League Football Club as a volunteer coach since 1971.
Archer and Gustard were awarded an OAM for service to Rugby League as referees. Archer has had a lifelong involvement with the Canterbury Bankstown Referees Association; while Gustard was involved with the NSW Country Rugby League Referees Association, and officiated an interstate match between NSW and Queensland in 1973.
