OLD COLLEAGUES NEWS MAY 2026
Season 2026 is well underway and the Colleagues Blue Giants are in to it both on and off the pitch including a huge squad of Colts and the Colleagues girls team “Blue Birds as I call them causing a noticeable positive vibe throughout!
The season started with a cracking Anzac day event against Waverley. The two Kentwell teams lined up with the last post playing remembering those who served and protected the freedoms we enjoy today. A memorable and unique day for the club, and the Kentwell Blue Giants did not let the big crowd down putting together a stern defensive effort followed by some brilliant ball play running out winners 43-21. Wins also in the Colts, Sutherland and Blue Birds (Girls).
Second round saw the Blue Giants take on Petersham at Camperdown oval (where a car parking withing a km radius is a myth) on a fine day on the sideline (with seating as scare as the parking) not troubling the Colleagues winning Kentwell, Colts, Whiddon, Judd, Sutherland and a draw for the Blue Birds. Kentwell continued where they left off against Waves and scored a most entertaining win 29-12.
Third round, another away game this time against Drummoyne (another inhospitable venue) on their ladies day (looking a bit short on numbers compared to the Colleagues version). Again the Giants came in force dominating in most games. The Kentwell running out winners 26-12. Highlight of the day, a number of Old Colleagues attending and also Old Colleague dads on the fence to watch their sons going round including Matt Collett watching son Hugo and Pete Calligeros watching son George making his debut in the Kentwell in the front row !
Fourth round after a wet weather bye the Giants were back at home in wintery drizzly slippery conditions against Lindfield. The club house was buzzing as the sideline crowd and players took refuge under cover, also a massive colts party going on with the club fielding three colts sides and the first colts scoring a 99-5 win with one of the boys scoring a huge 34 individual point. Both stats club records. It was a different story in the Kentwell. In the toughest contest of the season, an arm wrestle in any sense and not surprising considering the conditions Linfield were victors worrying the Colleagues into a few errors late in the piece and just edging ahead 27-22
Next up is Blue Mountains away at Lapstone. (This round I’ll be happy watching the game from home in the Tim Booth stand on NSW Rugby TV). Www.nswrugbytv.com.au
DIARY note: LONG LUNCH Coming up fast with a celebration of the 1996 season wins (4 from 5)
Friday 12th June,12.00 kick off Dockside, 2 Wheat Rd Sydney. LINK BELOW
//checkout.square.site/merchant/90N9424CH4K4A/checkout/EPM7WCBFBCO2UV4OZTX3CNQF
DIARY Note
Old Colleagues Day and long lunch recovery !
Saturday 13th June, home game Vs Mosman. If last years day is anything to go by a huge day beckons with Old Colleagues from all generations making an appearance.
The Evolution and Dynamic Development of Suburban Rugby.
Vance Lowry (Author: Sky Blue Winters)
Many Suburban rugby clubs were formed and named after the local municipalities where they originated and this still characterizes Division 1 Suburban rugby today. (Woollahra Colleagues, Drummoyne, Waverley, Hunters Hill). Some were also named as old boy clubs based around schools (Knox OB, St Pats, St Ignatius, Trinity, Newington). In the early days, others were named after the primary activity of their members (Bondi Lifesavers, NSW Fire Brigades, Bank of NSW).
Since 1932 the Kentwell Cup has been contested some 98 times.
In 1932, Waverley College (the school) contested, and won, the Kentwell Cup against Hunters Hill. This was a remarkable achievement pitted against older, bigger and heavier opponents. The schoolboys played running rugby with great ball handling skills and fluency. Sanity prevailed and they did not contest it the next year, preferring to compete in the newly created schools’ competition and not against adults.
The concept of promotion and relegation, along with other factors, has fundamentally altered the profile of the Division 1 clubs. Briars (a powerhouse club in the 50’s and 60’s) now plays in a lower division. Furthermore, many of the old boy clubs have had to join them. Some have completely disappeared. Others have had to merge with another club to survive. At the end of each playing season, the promotion and relegation of clubs is based on club championship points: this alters the composition of Division 1.
At the time of writing in 2026, Newport had been relegated and Petersham promoted. Some handle the upward transition while others find it more difficult.
Petersham have a checkered recent history as they won the Kentwell Cup in 2017 (also Club Champions) and 2018. After spending some time in Division 2, they have fought their way back up to Division 1 this season. Other fairly recent promotion success stories are Blue Mountains and Hunters Hill. Blue Mountains won the Cup in 2023-24, while Hunters Hill, who, previously, had been very dominant during the late 70’s and early 80’s, proved too strong for the mountain men in last year’s Kentwell Grand Final.
Change is the law of life and those who only look to the past or present are certain to miss the future.
- John F Kennedy. (35th President of the US 1961-63)
All clubs, both OB and Municipal clubs, have also experienced their own internal pressures of change through player demographics. Player retirement may be due to age, family, study, and other commitments. Players may also contemplate retirement having won a premiership and ‘go out a winner.’ All these factors account for a natural rate of attrition.
In 60 odd years, the following clubs have disappeared, having won a Kentwell Cup Premiership previously: Newington OB, 1969; Bondi Lifesavers, 1971; Matraville, 1985, 86, 88, 91 (joint Premiers with Waverley St Leos, 1992; Dundas Valley, 2003. It is significant that, from these clubs, only Matraville was successful in adding the Bruce Graham Shield (Club Championship) to their trophy cabinet along with their Kentwell Cup in 1986. There is a strong correlation between the depth of a club and success at the top level.
Colleagues are indeed fortunate to have developed a formula for long term success. This involves a strategic philosophy in conjunction with the fostering of a harmonious egalitarian culture within the club. Stability and good governance are also paramount. One must also not forget the role of coaches with their technical skills and their ability to enhance morale within their team and the club.
Colleagues, as yet, have not suffered the indignity of relegation and, whatever the complex components of this magic elixir are, we need to continue to bottle it, as it has reliably transcended decades. This is not to say that the club has not weathered some poor seasons across all the grades. However, Colleagues has demonstrated resilience over time and the ability to ‘bounce back.’
There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work and learning from failure.
- Colin Powell.(65th Secretary of State of US 2001-2005)
…………………………………
Calling all 96 season Colleagues winners for this years long lunch,(30 year reunion)
Sutherland
McGrath,Small,Riddell,Tracy,Shaw,Marks,Nisbet,Reynolds,Perkins,Willis,
DeCarvalho,Jolliffe,Breeze,Campbell(Assist),Welsh(Capt/coach),The General Paton
Bowman(Capt)Paradice,Roberts,Clarke,Lanause,Herbert,Johnson
Judd
Goot,Maxwell,Booth,Tilley(Capt),Lamont,Holdsworth,Ryan,Williamson,Corbett
Lloyd-Jones x2,Smith,Macfarlane,McCarthy,Apps,Keats,Upton,Theakson.
Cullen(Coach)
Whiddon
Cox,Heron,The General,Brincat,Schall,Sinclair,Lotz,Creagh,Buys,LLoyd Jones,Kendell,McCure,Dance,Linker,Einfield,Okamura,Macbride,Haimovich,
Wood(Coach),Foote(Assist),Taylor(Assist)
Kentwell
Urquhart,Brahimi,Cummins,Warfield,Nelson,Poolman,Richard,Gill,Clarke,Forsyth,
Gibson,Gooch,Bannister,Crawford,Sproats,Upton,Griffiths,Woods,Day,Dance,
Collett,Gray-Spencer(Coach)Gray-Spencer(Assist)
Old Colleagues please track down as many 96ers as possible for a great reunion afternoon.