Jamie Parsons
Rankins Springs Dragons RLFC are gearing up to host their annual round of the Proten Community Cup this weekend, this time with extra meaning as they celebrate 100 years as a Rugby League club.
The Dragons held their first game on 15 May, 1926 against Sims Gap and are still here 100 years later to take on Barellan on Saturday.
This week instead of the usual red-and-white they will be wearing their original colours of royal blue and gold, chosen at the first AGM and worn until 1954. The town still carries the colours of blue and gold, with the local primary school keeping those colours in their crest.
A set of the centenary jerseys will be auctioned off at the Conapaira Hotel after the game. The pub is the major sponsor of the jerseys, along with RAF Heating & Cooling, Judd’s Contracting, Midstate Trading CJ & KL Parsons and Streat Fencing. Each number features a different sponsor on the back.
The club became known as the ‘Dragons’ in the 1950s and will wear their first Dragons logo, a throwback to 1979 when the Dragon first appeared on the jersey. A range of centenary merchandise has been sold in the year and will be on sale at the canteen.
Along with celebrations on the day, local and three-time premiership player Bart McIntyre will play his 50th competition game for the club, only the sixth player to do so in the Proten Cup era.
The club took a top four spot last weekend with a win against Deniliquin in both grades, 22-0 in the women’s and 42-0 in the men’s. Billy Vearing and Natalie Gibbs won the Player’s Player Awards that weekend. In Round One the boys went down 18-10 in Goolgowi, and the girls had a 4-all draw that was cut short due to injury, with Thomas Judd and Joel McIntyre picking up the mugs.
The win was a welcome result after a couple trial losses to West Wyalong and Forbes, with the teams hoping to carry the momentum into this week and beyond. As such, no matter the result, Saturday will be a time for celebration.
Click here for all draws for the Proten Cup.
