‘Really exciting’: Alex Gibbon eyes finals glory for Richmond Range

Alstonville-bred rugby legend Alex Gibbon has returned to his roots after a successful career in the game but he hasn’t quite hung up his boots. See what the former Australian Sevens and Queensland Reds winger is up to locally.

The Richmond Range team at Mallanganee.

Alex Gibbon is as much a man of the land as he is a man of football.

The former Australian Sevens and Queensland Reds winger has set up shop in Old Bonalbo running a beef cattle farm with his wife Paige while moonlighting as a real estate agent.

In 2020 he spearheaded the revival of the Richmond Range Rugby Club which had been dormant for several years.

He signed on as captain-coach with a team to play in the Far North Coast President’s Cup competition, bringing together players from Tabulam, Bonalbo and Mallanganee.

“The Range have made the finals in both the 2020-2021 season but were halted by Covid,” Mr Gibbon said.

“We are hoping to do the same again and bring home a trophy in 2022.”

The club has gained momentum with state funding for lights so the teams can train at night.

They previously had to hire lights for this purpose.

Page MP Kevin Hogan said it was great to see the club back and while the lighting will help them continue to grow.

Alex Gibbon with Page MP Kevin Hogan when he delivered $130,000 funding for lights at Mallanganee Memorial Park.

Mr Gibbon said the resurgence of the club had been incredible.

After the drought then the bushfires, a lot of families were getting each other and their community back on their feet.

“We had over 36 players initially show up at our first training back in 2020, and the crowd support was huge,” Mr Gibbon said.

He said one of the reasons behind firing the club back up was travel distance making it difficult for players to get to bigger towns for training.

“You have quality players in lower divisions because they can’t commit to training,” he said.

Rugby is the social fabric that draws a community together and it was no surprise that Richmond Range has burst back into life.

“There are a lot of players who have been part of the club that are really excited to be back playing,” he said.

Paul Hewetson, Alex Gibbon, and Glen Pollard are ready for a backs move.

Mr Gibbon brings years of experience having played for the U17 NSW rugby team when he was at St John’s College Woodlawn.

He was then selected and played for Southern Districts in the Shute Shield Sydney competition.

Between 2013 and 2017 he represented the nation playing for the Australian Sevens and travelling the globe.

While under contract with the Queensland Reds in Super Rugby, he began planning his next step in life and launched his business Stonebridge Droughtmaster.

He is currently operating out of Old Bonalbo and working in real estate for Ray White.

Planning has also been in place for a women’s Range team which looks set to go ahead with the men’s first grade this season.