Member for Southern Downs James Lister officially opened the new $4.5 million Warwick Cowboys Clubhouse at Father Ranger Oval on Saturday, February 28. The clubhouse was built by the Fleetwood company and is 2.6 metres above ground level and .9 of a metre about the highest known flood level. The work took four months.
Mr Lister said the building was one of 198 Queensland projects funded by the State and Federal governments through the Community Recreational Assets Resilience Program. “The initial funding was for $500,000 but the work couldn’t be done on the existing infrastructure,” he said. “I pay tribute to the volunteers who provide their own time and resources to the Cowboys, it is the result of a lot of hard work.
“This is the biggest sport grant in my time in parliament and I thank the State and Federal Government for their joint support.”
South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said his first premiership was in Warwick with Collegians. “I first went on the team bus to footy at the age of five, in 1966 I played on the first day rugby league was played at Father Ranger Oval,” he said. “At the former ground, the Warwick Showgrounds, the show was in March with horses making the field hard and then we played footy to September.”
Fr Hal Ranger was heavily involved in the move of the sport from the showgrounds to Queens Park and spoke at the opening about committee members at the time, including Wayne’s uncle Eddie Brosnan. “Fr Ranger was a dynamic person who was always around young people and the schools, he had a huge impact on our lives,” Wayne said. “I remember Collegians winning A grade, reserve grade and under-18 premierships in the one year, I played in the Warwick and District under-18 side when we beat Roma in the Caltex Cup final against the odds. “This is a different era, it is important the Cowboys survive in an era where mateship and friendship is so important to young men and women.”
In reciting a poem for the opening and 40th year of the Cowboys, Marco Gliori spoke of playing for a Queensland Public Service side under the coaching of Wayne Bennett. “The game was a curtain raiser to a Queensland Residents game against New Zealand, former Warwick junior Dale Rowdy Shearer was in the Queensland team. “Ninety per cent of rugby league fans haven’t played rugby league.”
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