2026 AGMs

Wednesday, 25 February

Members and supporters are advised that the 2026 Annual General Meetings of both the Old Boys’ Association and the Seniors Interim Committee will be held on Sunday, 8 March at Hamilton North Bowling Club.

The Old Boys AGM will start at 11am and the Seniors Interim Committee will begin immediately after at about 11.30am.

Agendas for both meetings are included in the right hand column.

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OLD BOYS MEMBERSHIP 2026

Wednesday, 25 February

The Old Boys’ Committee has voted to maintain existing membership fees for 2026 which means the 50% reduction introduced last year will remain.

Treasurer, Ken Beveridge, said there was a positive reaction to the reduction last year and that membership numbers increased as a result of the initiative. He was hopeful that maintaining the low fee would attract more players and supporters of The Waratahs to become an Old Boys’ member in 2026.

The membership fee structure for 2026 is:

Full Membership - $50 (will include subsidy for Sports Luncheon)

Social Membership - $20 (for former players and supporters who live outside the Newcastle area and cannot attend most functions and activities)

Membership for 2026 is now open and payment can be made via the Greater Bank – BSB637000 A/c 715493713 – marking your payment ‘Membership’ with your name.

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DONATION TO GOOD CAUSE

January, 2026

The Waratahs Old Boys’ Association has unanimously supported a donation to a Go Fund campaign to assist the family of a young Hamilton Rugby member who passed away shortly before Christmas.

Sam Morgan, who was 29, played Juniors for The Waratahs before transferring to Hamilton. He passed away on 19 December from a rare and aggressive form of streptococcal pneumonia sepsis.

The Old Boys’ committee was in full support of a donation from the association as Sam left behind a fiancée and a young 22-month-old son. The committee voted to donate $500 as part of a ‘rugby community contribution’ to help support the young family.

The Go Fund campaign is reaching its goal of $80,000.

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SIX NAMED IN ‘MODERN AGE’ TEAM

December

Six players from The Waratahs have been named as the best in a ‘modern age’ team from the past 25 years.

The Newcastle Herald published the list of 25 players after nominations from a region wide selection panel.

The Tahs players are Dan McGavern (wing), Carl Manu (5/8), Alain Miriallakis (prop), Hayden Pedersen (centre), Ben Petersen (fullback) and Mark Taufua (forwards).

The Herald said the players must have played in the Hunter competition for three years and were selected on a criteria including talent, leadership, longevity, premiership successes, representative careers and individual honours.

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85th ANNIVERSARY - OUR INTERNATIONALS

In continuing our series of historical items as part of the club’s 85th Anniversary we look at players who have represented The Waratahs on the international field…

AUSTRALIAN WALLABIES

Cyril Burke BEM (Wallaby No.344) 26 Tests (1946-56)
Declan Curran (Wallaby No.618) 5 Tests (1980-1983)*
Mike Fitzgerald Great Britain Tour (1975-76)
Ron Harvey (Wallaby No.436) 2 Tests (1957-58)
John Hipwell OAM (Wallaby No.519) 36 Tests (1968-1981)**
Peter Horton (Wallaby No.569) 21 Tests (1974-1979)***
John (Jack) Marshall (Wallaby No.363) 1 Test (1949)
Dominic Vaughan (Wallaby No.632) 5 Tests (1982-83)****

* 1 Test when playing for University of Sydney in 1980; 4 with The Waratahs.

** 28 Tests when playing for The Waratahs (1968-75); 8 with Armidale City (1976-82); Captain in nine Tests.

*** 3 Tests when playing for The Waratahs in 1974; others with Armidale City and Teachers/Norths in Brisbane; includes two unofficial Tests.

**** all matches when playing with Warringah after transfer from The Waratahs.

AUSTRALIAN UNDER 21s

Brent Tilse and Dominic Vaughan (Captain) - (1980)

AUSTRALIAN JUNIOR REPRESENTATIVES

Schoolboys (1977) - Peter McPherson and Dominic Vaughan
Under 16s (1977) - Henry Barrkman and Randell Rankin
Under 17s (1977) - Paul Burke, Brent Tilse and Dominic Vaughan
Under 16s (1983) - Adrian Bubb
Under 17s (1986) - Steven Foot
Under 17s (1988) - Brendon Lowndes
Under 17s (1991) - David Luban

AUSTRALIAN COMBINED SERVICES

Grahame Charge (1970)
Ken Stokes (1974-78)
Paul Barrett (1984)
Chris Nielsen (1984-85)
Ray White (1986)
Warren Downing (1992)
Mitchell Drake (1995)
Michael McCabe (2003)
Luke Troy (2003, 2004, 2008, 2014)
Patrick Wall (2004)
Robbie Harlow (2014-15)

AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S RUGBY

Kelly Sager – hooker - (1998) - Australian Squad (1999, 2000 and 2001);

Australia ‘A’ v England (2002)

Maya Stewart – right wing - Australian Schoolgirls 7s – World School Championships, New Zealand (2018) and Australia A – Oceania Women’s Rugby Championship, Fiji (2019).

SAMOA

· Winston Wilson - Samoa Tour of New Zealand 2009

PAPUA NEW GUINEA WOMEN’S RUGBY