“Unbelievable” was the best way Ian O’Neill could describe the success of the Macquarie Raiders 50th Anniversary dinner held at the Dubbo RSL Club on Saturday night.
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O’Neill and a small but dedicated team of past and present players and others were the master minds behind the weekend that started with the final round of Group 11 football on Saturday at Apex Oval, followed by the dinner, and a barbecue at the South Dubbo Tavern yesterday.
“The dinner was unbelievable and the response from the 350 people there was a great way to celebrate the club’s 50th anniversary,” O’Neill said.
“The DVD put together on the history of the club by Andrew Barnes was absolutely brilliant and kept the audience spellbound for the full 70 minutes.
“We did intend to break the DVD up with some interviews with Geoff Mann during the night but that didn’t happen.
“Andrew did a fabulous job on the DVD which is now a part of Macquarie’s history. It covers the premiership wins and the losses, the people past and present and interviews with people who were just fans of the Raiders.
“Footage of interviews with the likes of Don Parish, Marshall Peachey and Noel Sing were a feature but at $25 it’s a piece of Macquarie memorabilia that is a real treasure.”
The DVD will be on sale at all Macquarie games and from club officials.
Also part of the night was an auction and of particular importance, the presentation of life membership to Brett Harvey and Robert Holmes, long-time sponsors of the club for many years. That job was left to current first grade coach Jim Kelly and Raiders president Gavin Board.
The auction items were only few but more than $16,000 was raised from the proceeds.
On offer were a number of framed guernseys, one of the 2000 premiership winning side, another from the 1959 side that won the Clayton Cup for being the most successful team in Country Rugby league and another donated by Ross McDermott of his 1978-79 guernsey which brought more than $3000.
A Newcastle Knights fan also put in money for an Andrew Johns guernsey.
“We can’t thank everyone enough for coming along to the dinner, being part of a great night and a special thanks to those who put their hands into their pockets at the auction,” Ian O’Neill said.
“And the biggest thanks is to the former players and their families who came along, mingled with the current players and others, their stories were priceless and the company even better.
“Lastly, to the people on the organising committee, our thanks.”