Ballina picks its league Team of the Century
A couple of 1930s Kangaroo tourists, a current NRL player and a host of top-line ‘bush’ football stars were among those chosen in the Ballina Rugby League Team of the Century announced on Saturday night at the Ballina Seagulls Leagues Club.
Frank Curran and Jack Reardon were Kangaroo players on a tour to England and France in 1937 and 1938, with Curran going down in history as the first Australian player to score on French soil.
Joining them in the team was Mitch Aubusson, a Ballina junior who this year was a regular first-grader for Sydney City Roosters.
Other team members included former Sydney first-graders, Country representatives and Northern Rivers representatives.
Team of the Century:
Fullback: Michael Ross.
Wingers: Brian Adam, Len McMullen.
Centres: Jack Reardon (captain), Brad Mansfield.
Five-eighth: Chris Storrier.
Halfback: Wayne Cullen.
Lock: Shane Miles.
Second-row: Mitch Aubusson, Michael Boyd.
Front-row: Frank Curran, Mick Koellner.
Hooker: Brenton Bowen.
Reserve backs: Dick Roberts, Darren Hampton, Ron Cooper.
Reserve forwards: Max Beecher, Josh Mather, Keith ‘Sprogs’ Miller.
Coach: Greg Fryer.
One highlight of the night was the auctioning of a set of caricatures drawn by Gary Lightfoot which was bought by Team of the Century member Wayne Cullen.
PICTURE: The Ballina Team of the Century. Front, from left, Sandra Gibson (representing Ron Cooper), Janet Green (representing Keith ‘Sprogs’ Miller), Brian Adam, Reninya Roberts (representing Dick Roberts), Yvette Bowen (representing Brenton Bowen), Brad Mansfield. Back, from left, Brian Rix (Ballina Seagulls club president), Darren Gill (representing Len McMullen), Mitch Aubusson, Mick Koellner, Greg Fryer, Max Beecher, Frank Curran (representing Frank Curran senior), Darren Hampton, Mick Boyd, Wayne Cullen, Robby Miles (representing Shane Miles), Michael Ross, Denis Meaney (organiser), Josh Mather, Chris Storrier.
