TEAM OF 50 YEARS HONOURED

Team of 50 years: Nessie Stewart (left) in honour of father Roy Stewart, Mick Elliot, Russell Ford, Michael Cronin, Bruce Maguire, Paul Quinn, Rod Wishart, Ian Jones, Dave Beckett (front), Greg Sherwin, Tom Fowler, Cole Skelly, Bruce Noble and Ron Costello were announced as the South Coast Group 7 Rugby League Team of 50 Years at the annual presentation last Friday night at Kiama Leagues Club.

SOUTH Coast Group 7 Rugby League has celebrated another successful season, with their naming of the Team of 50 Years a major highlight on of the evening, which was held at Kiama Leagues Club last Friday.

Kiama Knights second rower Daniel Gunning took out all major awards on the evening, which is a first for the group, winning the Michael Cronin Medal by a record margin (see page 43).

With the sides back line dominated by four Gerringong players from different eras - in Russell Ford, Roy Stewart, Rod Wishart and Michael Cronin with Paul Quinn in the front row.

Team of 50 years centre and one of the games greatest ever players Michael Cronin was proud of the honour, as he reflected on the history and tradition surrounding the Gerringong club.

Being picked in any team like this is always a real honour, he said.

For me the highlight wherever I was playing was winning premierships, and we did that at Gerringong a few times. I enjoyed the tradition and history about how the club started.

There are plenty of players that are left out of teams like this who are good players and do put it over you on the day, but selectors can only pick the 13 or 17 players in the squad.

Gerringong crowds are still strong today and I grew up watching local footy as in my time you didnt see all the footy on television that you do today, he added.

The Team of 50 Years will be featured over the next two weeks in the Kiama Independent., starting on page 43.

A full run down of the presentation night is also on page 43, which brings to a close a successful year.

Group 7 Team of 50 Years

Fullback

Russell Ford Gerringong 1950s & 60s

A member of the 1956 premiership side and captain coach in the 1960 premiership team. The first of the running fullbacks who became a local when he married into the Quinn family, who have played an important part in the game over the past 50 years.

Winger - Roy Stewart (60s&70s)

Gerringong Lions

Roy Stewart is remembered as one of the most exciting players in the history of the area. Every time he touched the ball the crowd could sense something was going to happen, with his ability to score tries from seemingly impossible positions was legendary. He played in four premiership winning teams for the Lions and went on to represent Southern Division for 12 years and played in winning teams against France in 1964 and Great Britain in 1970.

Sadly Roy passed away on March 13, 1997 at the age of 57 and to this day remains the only Gerringong player to be afforded a special testimonial game vs Jamberoo, which the Lions won thanks to the trusty boot of Roy.

Winger - Rod Wishart (80s) - Gerringong Lions

A proud Gerringong junior Rod topped the century of points in his initial year of first grade. Recently named in the Illawarra Steelers Team of Steel Wishart burst onto the State of Origin scene in 1990 and represented Australia the following year.

Centre - Michael Cronin (70s) Gerringong Lions

Was awarded the Group 7 player of the year award five consecutive seasons (1970-75) and scored a record 317 points in the 1971 season, back when a try was worth three points. A member of the 1970 and 72 teams Cronin was a shock selection to represent Australia on the 1973 Kangaroo tour, but made the critics eat their words.

He joined Parramatta in 1977 and retired in 1986 as the greatest point scorer in the history of the game, winning two Rothmans medals.

The Michael Cronin Medal for Group 7 player of the year was introduced in 1987 and he was honoured with an Order of Australia Medal (OAM) and Michael Cronin Oval was named after him in 1982 where he has coached both senior and junior teams.