Four generations of the Kruse clan have called the Nightcliff Dragons their rugby league playing home

NIGHTCLIFF Dragons are proud of their family history which has seen many families form a bond with the club, one such family being the Kruse clan which has seen four generations play at the club over 60 years

The Kruse family has played for Nightcliff for four generations. Back row: Will Senior, Will junior, Shanta-Rae, Jias Front row: Jerome, Shantara.

NIGHTCLIFF Dragons are proud of their family history which has seen many families form a bond with the club, one such family being the Kruse clan which has seen four generations play at the club over 60 years.

The Kruse Nightcliff connection begun with Will Kruse senior who started his rugby league career in New South Wales before moving to Darwin in the late 1950s to play for the Wallabies.

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He would soon move to the Dragons when the formed playing in C-grade through to A-grade with work commitments making appearances difficult at times.

Though he would later return to support A-grade coaches such as Chico Motlop and Charlie Chilli while coaching under 16s through to 18s during the 80s.

His continued commitment to the club which saw him also take on roles as a committee member and a sponsorship guru would ultimately earn him a life membership at Nightcliff.

“I played with Nightcliff for a few years but work commitments meant I wasn’t always available,” Kruse senior told the NT News.

“A lot of my good mates that I would muck around with and grew up playing with played there so always a club I would come back to.

“Nightcliff was always a great family club and I encouraged Will junior to come and play with him becoming one of the big stars for them. Now four generations have played there which is special.”

He was followed by his son Will Kruse junior who earned the nickname ‘The Flash’ for his lightning speed and ability to score tries from anywhere.

Kruse junior started at the club at the age of 11 becoming a valued senior player winning a number of club awards and representing the touring Australian Aboriginal Kangaroo side in the Pacific Cup.

Junior’s daughter Shanta-Rae would follow in his footsteps playing in the Dragons first women’s side as a winger like her father.

She played for a number of years and was involved in two premiership winning Dragons outfits.

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And now her own children Jias, Jerome and Shantara play in the club’s age grade teams, all diehard Dragons loving the chance to don the Nightcliff colours and carry on the family’s legacy with the club.