Dapto Canaries
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Club information | |
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Full name | Dapto Rugby League Football Club |
Nickname(s) | Canaries |
Colours | Gold Blue |
Founded | 1911 |
Current details | |
Ground(s) |
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Competition | Illawarra Rugby League |
Records | |
Premierships | 16 (1966, 1968, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006) |
Minor premiership | 8 (1976, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2007) |
The Dapto Canaries are an Australian rugby league football team based in the Wollongong suburb of Dapto. The club are a part of Country Rugby League and have competed in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership since its inception in 1911.
Contents
History, colours and emblem
The Dapto Canaries were established in 1911 and are one of five founding clubs of the Illawarra Rugby League. However, it took the Canaries many decades to win their first title in 1966, and they have been strong competitors ever since. The Canaries won four premierships in five years during the 1970s, and a further three in each of the 80s and 90s. They won another three consecutive premierships between 2000 and 2002, with their final premiership in 2006. The Dapto team is represented by a yellow canary on their emblem, displayed in front of a blue background. The inscription "Dapto R.L.F.C." is displayed underneath. Their jerseys reflect this emblem with the use of gold on blue. The Canaries play at Dapto Showground, Dapto.
Players
Notable players
Players that have played or gone on to play in the Sydney Premiership, or selected for Country, New South Wales or Australia:
- Ronn Mann - Country (1948), NSW (1948).
- Bobby Dimond - Western Suburbs Magpies, Country (1948), NSW (1948), and Australian representative.
- Peter Dimond - Wests, Country (1952), NSW (1950-60), and Australia.
- Lionel Simmonds - Country (1965-68)
- Noel Morris - Country (1969)
- Warwick Shirlaw (1971)
- Allan Fitzgibbon - Balmain Tigers (1968-70), Country (1971), NSW (1968), ~~Dapto captain/coach (1971-81), Illawarra Steelers coach (1982-84)
- Ted Goodwin - St. George Dragons (1972-1978), Newtown Jets (1979), Wests Magpies (1980-82), Country (1971)
- Eric White - Country (1975)
- Brian Hetherington - Newtown Jets (1978-81), Illawarra Steelers (1982-88), Country (1975-1984), NSW (1984-86)
- Ron Pilon - Country (1976), Newtown Jets (1977-78), Balmain (1980-81)
- Steve Morris - St. George (1979-86), Easts (1987-90), Country (1978-1981), NSW (1978-86), Australia (1978)
- Brian Johnson - Country (1978)
- Michael Priest - Country (1979)
- John Simon
- Dean Callaway (1991-00 Illawarra Steelers & London Broncos)
- David Walsh - Country (2000)
- Daniel Mathews - Country (2000)
- Adam Blake - Country (2001-03)
- Paul McGregor - Illawarra Steelers (1991-98), St. George Illawarra Dragons (1999-2001), NSW (1992-1998), Australia (1994-97)
- Terry Lamey
- Craig Fitzgibbon - Illawarra Steelers (1998), St. George Illawarra (1999), Sydney Roosters (2000-2009), Country Origin (2001-08), NSW (2003-08), Australia (2002-08)
- Chris Leikvoll
- Dean Young (2003-13 St George Illawarra Dragons)
- Steve Southern - Cowboys, Newcastle
- Dan Hunt
- Mathew Head (2003-09 St George Illawarra Dragons, West Tigers & Hull F.C.)
Honours
Team
- Illawarra Rugby League First Grade Premierships: 16
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- 1966, 1968, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006
- Illawarra Rugby League Club Championships: 8
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- 1976, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2007