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Moves to form a club “under Rugby Rules” were held on the 5th May, 1896 at Dobbs Hotel. The Temora independent of the 2nd May 1896 stated “With little practice Temora should be able to hold its own with any of the Clubs around”.
The first meeting was attended by Messrs Fyfe (Chairman), Crain, Bagnall, Eagar, Keegan, Rue, Bourke, Kellick, Woods and O’Brien. Officers were elected. The Patron was Mr J Meagher JP. President was W Talbot, Vice Presidents were P Meagher, Burstal, Greville and Tewksbury. The Committee was O’Brien, Eager, Kellick, Bagnall, Keegan and Walsh. Eager, O’Brien and Bagnall were elected the Section Committee.
It was proposed “that Claret Guernsey and stockings and white pants, if possible,” be the colours of the Club.
At a meeting on Thursday 4th June 1896 a further meeting was held at the Empire Hotel. At that meeting it was proposed that the members of the club meet for a run on Tuesday and Thursdays at 7.30p.m.
The first Rugby game was proposed for Saturday 13th June 1896 against Orange Waratahs. The side chosen was Bagnell, Woods, Fyfe, Green, Walsh, Bolland, Cowen, Clark, Allsop, O’Brien, Kellick, Duffy, Keegan, Hawkin, Lindsay, Ley, Bray, Aldridge, Warner and Twist. The game did not occur due to Orange not be able to make the journey.
The first game of Rugby in Temora appears to have been on Saturday 13th June, 1896 between the Public School and the Convent School. The Public School defeated the Convent by three points to nil.
A game was arranged against the Cootamundra Pirates on Saturday 27th June, 1896 did not take place due to a misunderstanding.
This game was played on Wednesday 15th July, 1896, were Temora was defeated 5 points to 3. The side was Fullback - Bagnall, Three quarters - Walsh, Moore, Kellick, 5/8 - Woods, Half - Lindsay, Wing forwards - Keegan, O’Brien, Forwards Warner, Clark, Bolland, Fyfe, Ley, Twist, H. Geale, Bray, Aldridge and Hawkin.
On Saturday 28th July a game was played between Temora and the Mimosa Stags at Temora. Temora won 11 points to nil.
Temora again played Cootamundra on the 1st August, 1896 and were again defeated. The score 29 to 5. According to the Temora Independent “most of the Temora players were suffering from well attempts to warm themselves on the way down in the cold.”
A local derby was played on Wednesday 5th August between the local “Mugs” and the team that played against Cootamundra. The “Mugs” consisted of Hellick, Ley, Woods, Clark, Bolland (2), Warner, Wheeler, Moore, Lowe, Geale (2), Trefie, Stuart, Naylor, Boxsell, Ross and Hughes.
The next year the Half Holiday Association Football Club was formed at a meeting at Elliots Westminister Hotel on the 3rd April. The President CB Greville, with Secretary Mr Taylor, Mr Banes - Treasurer. They played their first game on the 29th April.
Temora football Club was to play Paddington Borough Footballers on Saturday 22nd May. The game did not eventuate until May 26 where Paddington defeated Temora 13 -12.
In may 1897 a decision was made to form a branch union in Junee. The Temora Independent stated “the decision is a wise one for Junee is in the heart of the country where the Victorian game prospers. The Branch will be the centre of a competition which it envisages 2 Wagga sides and Temora will compete." There had to be at least 6 sides to form a competition.
On Saturday 14th August 1897 Temora played Barmedman. Barmedman won 8 nil. This was the first football match played at Barmedman.
Temora had to wait until the next year for their revenge. They played Barmedman on 4th June 1898 and won 20 - 0.
On Saturday 18th June, Temora travelled to Barmedman and were again victorious. The score was 6-0. The Temora Independent quotes, “After ….toasts had been proposed, the hall was cleared and a dance was held”. “The Temoraites returned home on Sunday evening, and all speak in glowing terms of the treatment meted out to them by their Barmedman friends”.
On Saturday 6th August, it was Temora Juniors turn to play Barmedman. The Juniors also won and the score was 10-9.
On 23rd August, Temora played the combined Wagga and Experimental Farm Club side at the Experimental Farm. The Temora Independent said, “No good football was shown during the match and rough play was frequent”. Temora were victorious 3-0.
At a meeting held early in 1899, Mr Dibbs was declared the best all-round player during the 1898 season. The 1898 season was said to be a good one as Temora won all 54 games it played
Temora’s first game against Young was on Wednesday 12th July, 1899 where Temora and Young drew 3 all. The next week Temora Juniors played Young and Young was victorious 16 points to 5. The Temora Independent was quoted as saying, “The day was beautiful and fine and the attendance numbered 300, a large number of the fairer sex were conspicuous by their presence”.
Temora’s next game was on the 19th July against Wagga where Temora was victorious 33 points to nil.
The Temora Juniors then played Cootamundra on Wednesday 16th August and lost 12-3. This was considerably better than their last meeting where Temora lost 39-0.
The next game of rugby in Temora was on Wednesday 23rd August where there was a fancy dress football match in aid of the Benevolent Society. There was a novelty bicycle race and the brass band was in attendance.
By 1902 a competition had been formed.
It was called the Southern (Temora) Branch and the boundaries included Yalgogrin, Ungarie, Wyalong West, Wyalong and Barmedman on the North, the Bland on the North West, Sebastopol on the South, Lintondale on the West and Ariah Park on the East. The Branch colours were purple, with a “S” on a shield on the left breast. The Patron was AR Tewksbury, President RC Dobbs and Vice Presidents AO Ness, WJ Cartwright, EJ Davoren, JT Fleming, M Lazarus, WF Hyde, E Perrot, W Shields, H Irvine and T Tutill. The Treasurer was C Eagar, Secretary AH Rue and Committee was R Curran, WC Gunn, E Byron, A Bray, F Muckhan, R Mathews and L Higgins. The representative on the New South Wales Rugby Union Council was SB Davidson and Delegate to New South Wales Rugby Union was T Eagar.
The Clubs included Sebastopol (colour Maroon, Secretary J Degan) Barmedman (Colour Green with gold sash, Secretary A Naylor) West Wyalong (Colour Royal Blue - WW in centre, Secretary E Gorman), Wyalong (Colour Navy Blue, Secretary H Fraser), Lintondale (Colour Black, Secretary V Crisp) Temora (Colour Green, Secretary AH Rue), Temora Juniors (Colour White, Secretary A Bray), and The Bland (Colour Royal Blue with Gold Bars, Secretary T Hill “Morangaree”).
Pictured: The 1904 side
