Westpac NSW Blues team doctor Nathan Gibbs, Newtown Jets director Glen Dwyer and NSW Rugby League Referees Association Patron Doug Wintin OAM were awarded NSWRL Life Membership at the NSWRL Annual General Meeting at the NSWRL Centre of Excellence today.
The meeting also saw the current NSWRL Board retained, with Bob Walsh and the Hon. Kevin Greene AM re-elected unopposed, after another successful season which featured record participation numbers for the third consecutive season (122,430), including female participation breaking the 30,000 barrier (33,306) for the first time in history.
Members also voted to support constitutional change to prepare the organisation for compliance with government gender equity requirements in sport.
Dr Gibbs began his Rugby League career as a student at Marcellin College in Randwick before progressing through the Junior Representatives competitions for South Sydney Rabbitohs.
He went on to play 86 first grade games for Souths between 1978 and 1983, including winning the Tooth Cup in 1981, and a further nine games for the Parramatta Eels in 1984 before retiring to pursue his medical career.
He has served as team doctor for the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles (1990-94, 1996-97), the Australian Kangaroos (1990-94) and the NSW Blues (1990-97, 2013-present).
Dwyer started his Rugby League journey in 1970, playing 10 seasons of senior Rugby League predominantly for Wagga Kangaroos, Maitland Pickers and Sydney University but also managed one pre-season game for his beloved Newtown Jets in 1972.
He was first elected as a Newtown director in 1994 and has remained on the board ever since. He has held positions as Club Secretary and NSWRL Club Delegate, has been the Jets media officer since 1997, and received the NSWRL’s Ray Stellar Award in 2010 for Club Person of the Year.
Wintin first picked up the whistle as a referee in 1964, officiating in the Cronulla-Sutherland competition. He later became an administrator for the Cronulla Sutherland District Rugby Football League Referees Association where he held positions including Treasurer, Delegate to Junior League, Senior Vice President and Coaching Panel Member.
He was graded to the NSW Rugby League Referees Association in 1970 where he went on to hold positions as Assistant Secretary, Sponsorship Committee Representative, Referees Advisory Panel Member and NSWRL Delegate.
Wintin has been awarded Life Membership of the Cronulla Sutherland District Rugby Football League Referees Association and NSW Rugby League Referees Association. He won the Denis Braybrook Award as Community Official of the Year in 1997, and was awarded an Order of Australia Medal in 2016 for services to Rugby League in particular refereeing.
To be eligible for NSWRL Life Membership a member must have provided either at least 40 years continuous service to the game or be a person who has, in the opinion of the Board, provided an extended period of outstanding service to the NSWRL.
The NSW Board includes Chair Carolyn Campbell, Deputy Chair John Anderson OAM, Joe Kelly, Terry Brady, Tarsha Gale, Walsh and Greene.
