Playing tricks on 90 year rivals

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 9, Issue 402, 3 September 1991, Page 12

Playing tricks on 90 year rivals

About 1905 an All Black by the name of Watkins, with his All Black jersey and all, came to settle in Raetihi. In a game against Ohakune the jersey was worn by a less well known player of the team called 'Cosnan the Burglar'. However the change didn't quite fool the opposition. It didn't take long to wake up to the fact that Watkins was indeed the man to watch! The Raetihi Football Club has, in its 90 years, produced one All Black. Ron Bryers played in one test against Australia in 1949 at Wellington.

The Club has been more successful with four Maori All Blacks. They were Ray Parr, Howard Paiaka, Ron Bryers and Steve Gordon. However, in 1913 it had the services of the legendary Frank Mitchenson, All Black from 1907-1913. In the fifties, Des O'Donnell, 1949 All Black, came to Raetihi from Wellington. After the Great War the club was fortunate in having players like Norm Scarrow and Fred Baddely who played for the New Zealand Army team. In 1937 a Raetihi player of great note was the late Bill Trustum who, as a member of the combined King Coun-try-Waikato -Thames

Valley side, scored a try in their 6-3 loss to Danie Craven's Springboks. Most records of the Raetihi Football Club were destroyed in the great bushfire of 1918. However, a few photographs to survive the fires show the early players to be of a very

hardy breed. The club has had it ups and down, almost as many as club colour changes over the years. Several times the club has been holder of most-sub-union trophies, the most significant being the Hetet Shield, proof of King Country premiership.

Now of course allegiance has been shiftcd from King Country to the Northern Wangnaui Sub-Union and the club hopes to foster agains the strengths of the 1937, 1947-53 eras. They go on, now, towards a century of play and may the Raetihi Football Club prosper!