Country rugby club Forbes Platypi chasing history with three grand final teams

It has a proud history and devoted volunteers and now this little rugby club has claimed a piece of history on its grand final day - in a special jersey honouring three Bali bombing victims.

The Forbes rugby club have a big weekend ahead as they chase a piece of history.

It has a proud 52 year history, devoted volunteers and players and now three teams from the Forbes Platypi rugby club were part of a piece of history at their grand final weekend in Parkes.

For the first time 12s, 14s and 16s teams qualified for the decider in the same season.

And each team on Saturday ran out in a reproduced jersey they had made 20 years ago to honour players Paul Cronin, Greg Sanderson and Brad Ridley, victims of the 2002 Bali Bombing on an end-of-season rugby trip.

These teams were all coached by members of the Forbes Platypi side which won the premierships themselves two decades ago, wearing the special jersey.

On Saturday the club claimed U14s title when the Forbes young guns beat the Dubbo Junior Roos.

The Forbes rugby club have a big weekend ahead as they chase a piece of history.

The Platypi won the match 48-5 in a great result for the club.

Thompson Hurford scored a trifecta of tries while Mac Glasson nailed five conversions and a penalty kick. Snow Hodder, Bobby Mundy and Williams also scored tries.

The Forbes Under 12 side were beaten 39-0 by the Mudgee Wombats in their decider and the Dubbo Junior Roos has another win in the 16s with their 31-22 defeat of the side from Forbes.

EARLIER: “I expect it will be quite packed,’’ said Dave Hodder, the U14s coach and player/captain of the victorious 2003 winning side ahead of the grand final day..

“This is the first time we have three teams in the grand final which is quite a feat because we play against big towns. We only have around 8000 people here.’’

Front row: Tom Whitty, Lochlain Farrelly, Patrick Ryan, Oliver Walker (c), Zac Fraser, Tom Glasson, Tyler Jelbart, Michael Price. Middle row: Coach Michael Ryan, Max Coote, Mitch Dunstan, Nate Reid, Will Moxey, Beau Jeffrey, Mykel Coe, Charlie Sturgess, Charlie Spry, Head Coach Greg Moxey. Back row: Manager Justin Walker, Jack Smyth, Tom Vickers, Reece Matheson, Kolby Newham, Jacob Hogan, Nash Pout, Trainer Tony Fraser.

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Hodder, whose team navigated the season undefeated to be minor premiers, said the club is run by good people who are invested in the players and community.

“We have a good support crew with older guys who have played before,’’ he said.

“Most of the people who are coaching have played in the past and this year is special because all the coaches from the under 12s to 16s have been associated with the premiership winning side.

Ash Kennedy with ball along with Mac Glasson, Bobby Mundy, Jaggar King and James Wright

Mac Glasson with ball, Thompson Hurford, Snow Hodder and James Wright.

“That’s pretty cool and we all have boys in the sides.’’

Hodder said wearing the reproduced jersey this season was special.

“In 2003 we had a special jersey made in remembrance for the boys who died in Bali in 2022,’’ he said.

“We decided to replicate the jersey again this year and all the senior and junior side wore it.’’

Hodder’s 14s team has his son Snow playing and one girl in prop Aurora Farrelly.

“We also have a woman’s side in the seniors that was started a few years ago and we are promoting that as much as we can.’’

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Originally published as Country rugby club Forbes Platypi chasing history with three grand final teams