North Tamworth Bears
Encyclopedia
The North Tamworth Bears are a rugby league
team located in the suburb of North Tamworth
, in Tamworth
, New South Wales
, Australia
. They were formed in 1911, three years after Rugby League
came to New South Wales
, and are one of the oldest clubs in New South Wales, in particular in the Country. They play in the Group 4 Rugby League
competition, which is administered by the New South Wales Country Rugby League
. The North Tamworth Bears won the 2006 premiership beating the Coonabarabran Unicorns.
From 1947-1955 the club were known as the Tri-colours and during this period the team played in four grandfinals, winning three.
In 1956 the Tri-colours changed their name to the Bears which is currently their name. Between 1965 and 1967 the Bears established their own oval and facilities on Manilla Road. The oval and facilities were titled Jack Woolaston Oval in 1985 in commemoration of the founding President Jack Woolaston.
During the 1980s the bears played in two grandfinals winning the 1980 game, however losing the 1984 game.
The club's first grade team made the grandfinal two consecutive years in 2001, 2002 and also in 2003 however they lost all three matches. In 2005 the Bears won the Northern Division pre-season club championship, first grade major premiership, the minor premiership and the pre-Season Knockout.
Additionally the Reserve Grade and Under 18 teams won the minor premiership and both were grand finalists.
In 2006 the first grade team won the Northern Division pre-season club championship, the preseason Easter knockout competition, and were undefeated for the entire regular season. The Bears then won their second successive premiership against the Coonabarabran Unicorns at Jack Woolaston Oval. The reserve grade team also won the premiership.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
team located in the suburb of North Tamworth
North Tamworth, New South Wales
North Tamworth is a suburb of Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia, in the city's north. It is located on the northerly side of the Peel River between the suburbs of East Tamworth and Oxley Vale. North of North Tamworth are the satellite suburbs Hills Plain, and Moore Creek...
, in Tamworth
Tamworth, New South Wales
Tamworth is a city in the New England region of New South Wales, Australia. Straddling the Peel River, Tamworth, which contains an estimated population of 47,595 people, is the major regional centre for southern New England and in the local government area of Tamworth Regional Council. The city...
, New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
. They were formed in 1911, three years after Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
came to New South Wales
New South Wales
New South Wales is a state of :Australia, located in the east of the country. It is bordered by Queensland, Victoria and South Australia to the north, south and west respectively. To the east, the state is bordered by the Tasman Sea, which forms part of the Pacific Ocean. New South Wales...
, and are one of the oldest clubs in New South Wales, in particular in the Country. They play in the Group 4 Rugby League
Group 4 Rugby League
Group 4 is a rugby league competition in the New England and north west area of New South Wales, run under the auspices of the Country Rugby League.-Structure:...
competition, which is administered by the New South Wales Country Rugby League
New South Wales Country Rugby League
-2011 Tier 2 Championships:-History:Newcastle was the first city outside Sydney to start a league competition, being involved in the Sydney Premiership in 1908-09 and then starting their own competition in 1910....
. The North Tamworth Bears won the 2006 premiership beating the Coonabarabran Unicorns.
History
The North Tamworth Bears were formed in 1911 and were first known as the Rebels until 1947. They played their first game at No 1 Oval at 4:10 P.M. on 22 July 1911, which was also to be the first game of rugby league to be played in Tamworth. The team was made up of nearly the entire first grade North Tamworth Rugby Union team who switched codes. As the rebels they played in 14 grandfinals between 1911 and 1947 winning seven of these games.From 1947-1955 the club were known as the Tri-colours and during this period the team played in four grandfinals, winning three.
In 1956 the Tri-colours changed their name to the Bears which is currently their name. Between 1965 and 1967 the Bears established their own oval and facilities on Manilla Road. The oval and facilities were titled Jack Woolaston Oval in 1985 in commemoration of the founding President Jack Woolaston.
During the 1980s the bears played in two grandfinals winning the 1980 game, however losing the 1984 game.
The club's first grade team made the grandfinal two consecutive years in 2001, 2002 and also in 2003 however they lost all three matches. In 2005 the Bears won the Northern Division pre-season club championship, first grade major premiership, the minor premiership and the pre-Season Knockout.
Additionally the Reserve Grade and Under 18 teams won the minor premiership and both were grand finalists.
In 2006 the first grade team won the Northern Division pre-season club championship, the preseason Easter knockout competition, and were undefeated for the entire regular season. The Bears then won their second successive premiership against the Coonabarabran Unicorns at Jack Woolaston Oval. The reserve grade team also won the premiership.
Sources
- 1 North Tamworth Bears History retrieved 14 July 2007