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 player was expected to take both bricks with them at all times – at training, work, eating and even sleeping with the exhortation “learn to love the bricks”. Three weeks later they won the club’s initial first grade premiership.

Back: K Roney, B Nutt, C Gamble, R Mercer, G Ryan, R Meijer, R Gilmour, J Semkin, P Lucas, B Stumbles
Front: L Duffy, P Howard, R Mitchell, P Pilcher, K Mungoven, B Marshall, G Magee
(Ball Boy: M Roney).

Ex-Wallaby and ex-Dragon Barry Stumbles moved to the Illawarra in 1977 and reportedly made enquiries with Kiama Wallaby Garry Gray on the quality of rugby clubs in the Illawarra. For some reason, he was advised that Shamrocks were probably not a worthwhile proposition, but when Committee members got word of his possible availability, he was invited to a “Shamrock BarBQ interview” at the home of Barry Aylett. He eventually finished up fully clothed in the pool and amazingly, liked what he saw and made an application to the Club for the 1978 coaching position. He commenced as player/coach after clearance from the IDRU but his playing career with the Rocks was cut short after only 2 games when his registration as a player was rejected by the Country Rugby Union on the basis of his professional Rugby League history. He brought with him some talented players in Peter Lucas, Peter Howard and John Semkin. In his first season he took all grades from lowly positions on the table to have them all in the Grand Finals. He did this by instilling enthusiasm, dedication, and a strong will to win along with being the fittest in the competition. His brief reign was the turning point for the club- he converted a pub side into a major force in Illawarra Rugby.

Higher Representative Honours, 1978-79: Peter Lucas (NSW Country) & Illawarra

Peter Lucas: (78-79) – Brought to Shamrocks by Barry Stumbles. Primarily a classy and pacy No 8 but who played centre in the Club’s first premiership in 1979. Country Rep in 78 & 79 he played 35 games (78 & 79) before returning with Stumbles to St George. Following his winning of the 1981 Sydney Best & Fairest, was a surprise selection in the 81-82 Wallabies tour of British Isles. Three caps for Australia against the All Blacks in 1982.

Higher Representative Honours, 1978-79: Peter Lucas (NSW Country) & Illawarra

Rod Mercer: (late 70’s-90’s) Plucked from ‘C’ Grade as a winger and converted to a back rower by Stumbles. So good, that he played No 8 in the 79 GRAND FINAL pushing Lucas into the centre. Easy winner of the inaugural Illawarra Mercury’s IDRU Player of the Year and Most Consistent Player of Year (They then changed the rules so this could not be achieved again). He won IDRU awards again in 1987 and 1983 respectively. A regular Illawarra rep from 1980-85 and part of the Illawarra 1981 & 83 Ardath Cup Winning rep teams. Selected for NSW Country in 1983. Played 264 games for the Rocks over 18 seasons (1979-97), winning 2 First Grade (79 & 80), a 2nd Grade (94) and a 3rd Grade (95) premiership. Good reliable goalkicker he was the Districts leading pointscorer in 1980 and the club’s highest pointscorer seven times. Club Captain 1984, 85 & 88 and Club’s B & F in First Grade twice & Third Grade once. He was also a champion surfboat rower for Bulli and an 11 time participant in the George Bass Marathon.

Glenn “Ox” Hutton

Glenn “Ox” Hutton: (80’s-2000’s) The Ox played 259 games over 15 seasons, from 1982 to 1996 and was such a dominant force in the competition that he won the Illawarra Player of the Year award 4 times and was Most Consistent Player on 2 occasions. A punishing and hard working No 8, he made scoring pushover tries a specialty and seemed to have an eternity to work with the ball every time he got it. Glenn was Club Captain in 1986, 1987 and 1989 and won First Grade B & F in 1987 and 1990.

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Excerpt from “50 Years of Rugby: The Woonona Way” by Mick Traynor, documenting the history of the Woonona Shamrocks Rugby Union Football Club from 1970 to 2019. Reproduced with permission from the author.

To read more of the book, you can download it here.