NT Rugby union stalwart Dennis Bree is still playing the sport he loves at 71

A Darwin rugby union mainstay still pulls on the boots every week after more than five decades of involvement in the sport on and off the field.

At the age of 71, Darwin rugby mainstay Dennis Bree pulls on his jumper every week and with what some presume is 1000 senior games under his belt is still going strong.

Bree can be found at Rugby Park in Marrara almost every Saturday with his trademark smile and wearing the colours of his beloved Palmerston Crocs.

And despite his age he doesn’t look like giving up any time soon packing down in the front row, perhaps the most physically demanding position on the field.

He will turn 72 this year, and with his sights on playing seniors with his grandson he will be a mainstay for years to come.

“The trick is to never give it up,” Bree said.

“I’ve never missed a season, sure I’ve been out injured and I’ve been away for work, but I always make sure I try and get back to play at least one game.

“You only do things for that amount of time if you really enjoy it and I’ve got a lot out of rugby.

“I’ve got a pact with my grandson that I’ll keep going until he plays seniors so I can have a game with him - maybe we can even get his dad out of retirement.”

Dennis Bree makes a tackle during Swampdogs Round 12 B-Grade clash with Casuarina at Rugby Park. Picture: NT Rugby

Bree will often take to the field for 30 minutes to aid the B-Grade, before topping up the bench for the A-Grade match right after.

And while he has hundreds of games under his belt, no one quite knows exactly how many he has played.

“Well, I was on the first committee of the NTRU (Northern Territory Rugby Union) back in 1976 and I’ve been playing with Palmy since then,” Bree said.

“The club’s tried to work it out a couple of times and they reckon it’s 1000 but I think that’s them rounding up to try and hit it before our club’s 50th anniversary.

Dennis Bree with current Wallabies coach Eddie Jones in 2005. Picture: Susan Bown

“I’d say definitely over 800, maybe 900, but I’m still not the oldest player – we asked Rugby Australia last year and I was only ninth on the list.”

Off the field Bree has been just as much a stalwart as he is on it working as the NT Rugby president from 1992-2001.

He also served on the Australian Rugby Union Board from 2001-2005 and also took the role as Palmerston Crocs president on two separate occasions.

For his long service to the game, which includes involvement in establishing Darwin’s Hottest 7s and comps in Katherine and Alice Springs, the Darwin A-Grade premiership shield was named after him.

Bree’s brothers Bernie, Noel and Patrick were all heavily involved in the game’s administration, while his son Daniel was also an NT rugby president.

“I’ve been to lots of grand finals but one really interesting period was when I’d just come aboard as president the day after our NT team beat Scotland.”

Dennis Bree with his grandson Hamish Blake. Picture Glenn Campbell

“We talked them into coming along and then when we beat them, well I’d thought it’d all be downhill from there.

“But I was lucky enough to serve during a pretty great time for Territory and Australian rugby - we were winning lots of games and had Wallabies and plenty of administrators coming up.

“It’d be great to have more players visiting Darwin and the NT these days but its hard being an outpost and I know they’re doing their best.”

Looking ahead, Dennis remains optimistic about the state of the game, and his place in the sport.

Dennis Bree playing for Palmerston against Bayside at Nightcliff Oval in 1981.

“I feel we have to keep our base strong and continue investing in community rugby,” he said.

“Just looking around here, we’ve got five full fields and I’m able to watch my grandson play which is amazing, but I’m also conscious we need to have really clear pathways for our kids to stay in rugby

“Kids up here grow up playing sport all year around so I’d love to see more support for rugby so it can become a mass sport and rival other codes in the Territory.”