Terrigal Rugby Club

A short history and some reminiscences of the early days.
Written by Life Member, Col Pink.
The Terrigal Trojans RFC was founded by Alan Davis and David Thompson in late 1974.

1975

From 1970 to 1974 the Brisbane Waters Rugby Club (BWRC) were competing in the Newcastle Rugby Union competition. In 1974 the BWRC made the decision to start a local rugby competition on the Central Coast for the following year, 1975.

The original Central Coast Rugby Union (CCRU) foundation clubs were Terrigal, Avoca, Gosford, Woy Woy, Wyong and The Entrance.

Terrigal Trojans: The name “Trojans” was chosen for the new Terrigal Rugby Club following a visit from the Vancouver Trojans in 1971. A few of the Vancouver Trojans stayed on to play locally during the ‘70’s. The Vancouver Trojans toured again in 1977.

David Noble was the inaugural Terrigal Club President, David Dixon was the inaugural Club Secretary/Treasurer, “Pos” Davis was Club Coach in 1975. The first Patron of the Club was Neville Wentworth, who formerly played 1st Grade for East Rugby Club, being part of the famous Wentworth Family.

Training was Thursday night at the Leagues Club field in Gosford and the Trojans trained with the Gosford Red Devils. Both sides had a drink after training at the Union Hotel (now demolished) which was located on the corner of Mann Street and Donnison Street Gosford. The Leagues Club Field is now the Gosford City Regional Park.

1975 was a tough year for the Trojans as they struggled for numbers. The original BWRC players were now distributed between the 6 foundation clubs, which meant that experienced players were thinly spread. The Trojans had a core of players from the BWRC however they found strong support from Terrigal Surf Club.

In 1975 Terrigal Surf Club had 45 active members (the Surf Club was also struggling for numbers). Alan Davis spread the word through the Surf Club that Terrigal was to field a Rugby team, in the new competition, and the Trojans were looking for players. The ‘Clubbies” responded and were a big part of the early success of the Trojans in 1970’s especially when the 2nd Grade was introduced in 1976.

The 1975 competition kicked off on Saturday 3rd May 1975 with all six clubs playing at Grahame Park Gosford on Saturday afternoon. Each of the six clubs had a 1st Grade side only, with three games being played consecutively on a Saturday afternoon. The original Terrigal RFC jumpers were red, white and blue hoops. In 1976 the Club adopted the playing “strip” that is still in use today. Royal Blue Jumper, White Shorts and Red Socks.

The first points scored for the Trojans was a try, to prop Terry “Friar” Walton.

The Trojans finished with the inaugural wooden spoon in 1975. Despite scoring more tri’s than any other team, the Trojans had no regular goal kicker. But it would be the only wooden spoon in the Club’s history.

The 1975 and 1976 end of year Presentation Nights were held at “Oves” restaurant, now the “Cowrie”, on Scenic Highway Terrigal. At the Presentation Night in 1975, David Noble, Club President, stated in his speech that while The Trojans were not the Premier Team in 1975, they are the Premier Club. The Trojans are still the Premier Club today.

The Trojans went on to win the Club Championship in 1976, 1977, 1979 and 1981.

1976-1980

In 1976 the Trojans secured a home ground at Erina Oval for training and games. With a dramatic change in fortune, the Trojans won the 1st Grade premiership in 1976 after being wooden spooners in 1975.
1976 also saw the introduction of a second grade into the competition with the Trojan second grade being minor premiers in 1977, 1978, 1980 and 1983.

In late 1977 the Trojans secured the use of the Haven Oval for the following year, the 1978 season. The field had little to no drainage and held water after heavy rain, but it was home and still is.
The first home game, in 1978, at the Haven Oval for the Trojans was against the Entrance Rams, in heavy rain. The Trojans won the game 6–3, against the run of play, after a run-a-way intercept try, by centre Col Pink.

The Trojans went on to win 1st Grade Premierships in 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1979, being Minor and Major Premiers in these years.
In 1980 the Trojans were beaten in the Grand Final by The Entrance, in a nail biter 16-15, at Grahame Park.

The Trojan’s first Country Representative was Peter Ryan in 1979.

1980 saw the introduction of a Junior competition with the Trojan’s first International (Junior) Representative being Scott O’Connell, who toured Great Britain with the Australian Schoolboys in 1984.

Reg Delaney and Gary Kirk were both major contributors to the establishment of the Trojan’s Juniors. The contribution of the juniors would prove crucial in the late ‘80’s as a number of established players retired and Terrigal turned to its juniors (now seniors) for the coming decade ‘90’s.

1981-1990

In 1982 the Trojans secured the use of the disused laundry/toilet block, on the eastern side of the Haven Oval, as its first Clubhouse. This building was part of the now closed Haven Caravan Park and it was opened by the Hon. Brian McGowan MLA in September 1982.

On the day a Terrigal Invitation XV played the Australian Barbarians A.

The Trojans won the 1st Grade Premiership in 1984, 1985 and 1986, with the Trojans being Grand Finalists in 1980, 1981 and 1983.

In 1987 the Trojans were Minor Premiers and Grand Finalists but were beaten in the Grand Final by Woy Woy.

Following the 1987 season a lot of senior players hung their boots, so in 1989 the Trojans found themselves in a play-off for the wooden spoon against Ourimbah at the Haven Oval. Both teams sat on 3 points, from a draw against each other and one win. An epic battle took place at the Haven with the loser taking home the wooden spoon for 1989. The Trojans went on to win the match and avoid the wooden spoon, thanks to Paul (Fatty) Catanzaritti and his “Carts” field goal. With the guidance of Al Davis, the wizardry of Fatty’s field goal the Trojans cartwheeled over the wooden spoon.

1990 The Trojans went into a rebuilding phase, relying on their local juniors (now seniors) to take the club into the ‘90’s and beyond.