RUGBY LEAGUE
THERE is a line in the 1975 John Paul Young classic, Yesterday’s Hero, that goes a little something like this.
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“See the people who stop and stare and say ... haven’t I seen that face somewhere a long time ago.”
There’s going to be a lot of familiar faces from Group 10 eras long ago when the Blayney Bears and Orange CYMS go head-to-head in the annual Michael “Huck” Hornby Memorial Trophy at King George Oval on Sunday.
The two clubs have been playing twice annually, home and away, now since 2014 and Bears president Adam Hornby said Sunday’s clash, set to start at 11.40am, will add another memorable chapter to the growing tradition between the two clubs - won on both occasions by Blayney in 2015.
“It’s just a lot of fun,” Hornby said.
“The old boys really enjoy it, and everyone had a little ginger wine to warm up.
“You need to have that relationship between clubs, and CYMS and Blayney have had a great relationship for a long time ... to be honest, we probably wouldn’t do this with anyone else.”
He said two old boys’ games a year - the Bears will travel to Wade Park for the return trip on August 14 - was more than enough action for both teams, with the respective line-ups to boast several former first grade players, namely former Balmain Tiger and Blayney outside back James Grant.
“All of our boys are locals and love their league ... and I don’t reckon too many of them are silly enough to play more than two games,” Hornby laughed.
Both clubs are enjoying strong seasons across the board, with Blayney’s league tag side on top of the table and both clubs’ premier league teams entrenched in the top five.
But Hornby reserved special mention for the Bears’ under-18 side - an outfit winless from their first five games in 2016.
“Most other teams would have chucked the towel in by now, not these boys,” he said.
“They’ve all turned up in the pouring rain to train and they’re a tremendous credit to both coaches Richard Hobby and Josh Rainbow.
“We couldn’t be prouder of the way they’ve gone this season and after battling to get a team at the start of the year, to now being there week-in, week-out, we couldn’t ask for more.
“Steve Mooney, super-coach,” Hornby added when talking about the Bears league tag team.
“Men or women, they’re probably the most entertaining team in Group 10 at the moment. They throw the ball around and deserve to be where they are.”
The Bears and CYMS girls begin Sunday’s five-game program at King George Oval from 9.30am. Premier League kicks off at 1.45pm.