Daily Liberal, 28 April 2008
The rugby league fraternity of Dubbo enjoyed an entertaining Men of League Foundation gala dinner at the Dubbo Civic Centre on Saturday night. Numerous former players including the NRL Team of the Century members John Raper and Noel Kelly, and two of the greatest 100 players Ian Walsh and Ron Coote attended the dinner.
The guests each took turns speaking with Men of League’s Martin Cook to the 250-strong crowd, including former commentary duo Barry Ross and Rex Mossop and Gold Coast Titans assistant coach Trevor Gillmeister, who revealed the inner thoughts of a Queensland State of Origin player.
But there were none better than John Peard, who put the audience into rapturous laughter and hysterics with his 15 minutes of comedy and there were plenty of fascinating audiovisual presentations.
The Men of League Foundation is a charitable organisation aimed at helping former rugby league players who have fallen on hard times.
A special presentation was made to Dubbo’s Ray Brassington, for whom Men of League has funded a motorised gopher to assist his mobility.
Brassington is a life member of Dubbo CYMS and was the club’s strapper during the 60s, 70s and into the 80s.
The evening was also used to raise money for the Isaac Minney Appeal.
The proceeds of an auctioned Adam Gilchrist cricket bat went to the appeal along with other fundraising activities throughout the evening. In total, including money at the gate of Apex Oval before the Anzac Day Derby on Friday, $4000 was raised during the weekend.
Marty Simmons conducted the auction of the bat along with numerous other items, while a silent auction also took place, and organisers were pleased with the support from the Dubbo community.