Mick Traynor 14/08/2025

Bricks: In 1979, three weeks out from the finals, Barry Stumbles led all three teams on a two kilometre run from Nicho Park to Hoopers Pub. Waiting at Hoopers were 45 schooners, one for each player. After downing the beers, he lined up the first graders and led them on a run up Hospital hill past the hospital to a vacant building site. Here, under a sheet of iron, he had 15 piles of bricks, in sets of two, one with a player's name on it and the other with the word "Premier" inscribed. From then until the final each...

Mick Traynor 31/07/2025

The 1970 inaugural season was marked by the rare feat of running last in each of the three grades. Both 'A' & 'B' Grades went winless while 'C' Grade won 2 games and drew 2 others to amass a total of 6 competition points. Each foundation player had the distinction of being presented with an engraved wooden spoon as a memento of their first season as a Shammie. 1970 season results for A, B, and C Grade teams, including match outcomes, points for and against, and competition placings. Fortunately, many of the pre-amalgamation players who had deserted the Club in...

Mick Traynor 24/07/2025

Memorable Games The Magnificent 7 In late February 1975 at Kiama Showground Shamrock Officials were organizing the three teams to play in the Annual 7's Tournament. One the eve of the tournament a Kiama Official had asked Shammies to field three teams instead of the two that had been nominated, as one of the Country teams had withdrawn. The first two teams were selected and looked good on paper, the third team picked itself as there were only 7 players left, all forwards:- Barry Johnston, Jan Hicks, Bruce Fergusson, Bill Tiller, Rick Sheppard, Henry Allen, Dave Thompson. Upon inspection of...

Mick Traynor 10/07/2025

Bude is a small seaside town in northern Cornwall. During the 1960s former Shamrock Club President Mick Smith was working as a Lifeguard in that area and when the Bude Rugby Club was formed in 1965 Mick became a foundation member of it and even captained the side. He mixed summer lifesaving duties with winter rugby before returning to Wollongong and joining Shamrocks in the late 60s, just in time to become involved in the foundation years of the merged Woonona sides. His friendship with Cornish mates resulted in a number of them being coaxed to the Australian coastal lifestyle,...

Mick Traynor 19/06/2025

The journey to Ocean Park actually commenced in the late 80s. The club identified that the operations of the club at Nicholson Park would not be sufficient to sustain the growth of rugby for the Shamrocks. After consultation with the then Alderman David Campbell, the club met with Wollongong City Council (WCC) in February 1990 to discuss a long term lease on Ocean Park. However it was evident that any relocation would have had to be funded entirely by the club if it was proposed as a single sport facility. Consequently a multi sport facility was proposed but no progress...

Mick Traynor 05/06/2025

The Club's first coaches played as Captain-Coach. The first was Bobby Brown who coached for the first 2 years and then played on for a further 2 years tallying 54 games. A succession of one season coaches came and went in those formative years – Max Aitken from Bude (aka "The Duke of Cornwall") who helped the Club get its first premiership in 1972; Dave Ramanui, a kiwi; and Terry Lawton. The Blood Cup, Shamrocks Blood Worth Bottling Dexter Porter came to Shamrocks in 1975 as a non-playing coach with the reputation of being "a club-builder" and coached until the...

Mick Traynor 29/05/2025

Woonona Shamrocks began with the amalgamation of two local 'B' grade teams – the Shamrocks RUFC and Woonona Surf RUFC. The Shamrocks rugby team that was formed in the mid sixties had its origins in the youth group of Bulli Catholic parish. Due to the "reputation" that the team had earned for its "robust" and "undisciplined" style of play in the church competition, it appears that the priest at the time suggested they move to Corrimal Parish where a branch of YCW (Young Christian Workers) had been formed. The team strip consisted of a white Guernsey with a huge red...

Mick Traynor 22/05/2025

The 1990's - The Glory Years In 1992 and after losing Eddie James early in the season, Grahame ("Slobbers") Tresidder moved from the second row of 3rd Grade to take over the 1sts. Slobbers gave opportunities to up and coming young players such as Adam Rostirolla and Chris Doyle which they accepted gladly, winning many games by big scores and losing only one match during the season. However, Vikings also had a strong year and finished equal on the table with a better average to deny the Rocks the Minor Premiership. This was revenged when Shammies went on to beat...

shamrocksrugby 15/05/2025

To make up the numbers the Club did two things: - they invented the names of some players and entered them on the Match sheets and/or they played whoever they could muster to run on under those names. The Club drew the ire of officialdom over the playing of unregistered players with the IDRU October Executive Meeting passing the following motion at one of their meetings: "that the Delegates of Woonona Shamrocks be requested to appear at the next meeting to explain irregularities in registration forms and results sheets, and failing their appearance, that the club be called upon to...

Mick Traynor 30/04/2025

Three generations of Aylett's exemplifies theShamrock Family:From L – R Stephen, Barry and David, Corey andRichard.The strength of the club is based on the ongoing longterm commitment and dedication of its familiesreinforcing the camaraderie and enthusiasm that the‘Rocks espouse. Together the Ayletts have talliedover 650 games for the Rockies. Over the 50 years that the Club has been running there has arisen a strong sense of "family" within its ranks – they have referred to this important feature of the Club's culture as "the Shamrock Family" and it is an indicator of the intense loyalty that many Rockies families have...