Wagga Tigers premiership reunion

Members of the 1993, 1994 and 1995 Grand Final winning sides will converge on the Union Club Hotel in Wagga this Friday night to reminisce about the glory days, before moving on to Robertson Oval on Saturday where they will be treated to a post-game function in the Clubrooms.

Captain-coach of those teams, ex-South Melbourne and Essendon legend Terry Daniher, said the collective efforts of everyone at the club were vital in bringing some silverware back to the Tigers.

“I certainly realise now how lucky I was that I had good people around me, the president and the committee did a tremendous job in making the club a good place to be around,” said Daniher.

“We had highly successful businessmen that would be cleaning dunnies out in the change rooms before the games and making sure there were rosters in the canteen for match day.

“Everyone shared the workload and everyone put their hand up, that’s something that can be difficult at times, to get people to pitch in, that’s why they were a good club.

“The place was a good place to be at and be around.”

Simon Wilson played in the 1994 and 1995 premiership winning sides, and said that Daniher’s strict training regime was a vital part of the club’s success.

“Terry was a notoriously tough trainer, so everyone trained really hard,” said Wilson.

“One memory I have of the week before we actually played in a grand final was running up Willans Hill a number of times, and you just wouldn’t expect to train that hard the week leading up to a Grand Final but he just pushed us really hard.

“We’d all thought we’d finished, then we went and did some ball work and some extra training so he just had you in a mindset where everyone knew they were fitter than the opposition .”

Wilson believes that the stability at the club helped create a positive culture that laid the foundations for the Grand Final victories.

“The club was in a pretty good position at the time and with Terry as coach, there was a fair bit of stability throughout the three or four years.

“It was probably more about, like all premierships, the camaraderie of the team that helped the footy club enjoy a really successful period.

“Clubs are built on community and spirit and culture, particularly in country footy, so whilst there’s different people there all the time, it’s critical to try and keep bringing people through the club.”

An impressive turnout is expected for the weekend’s events, with only one player from each premiership team unable to attend the festivities, a result that will no doubt provide a great atmosphere for Saturday’s clash with Turvey Park.

Daniher said the premierships won in those years were especially satisfying for players and supporters alike considering the hard work put in by everyone involved.

“I had a list of players that were prepared to train and work hard and it helps a little bit when you’re a playing coach, you’re able to set a little bit of a standard.

“It was hard work, when you’re first at it you tend to make a few blues along the way, but to cap it all off with a premiership in the first year was pretty self-fulfilling in the end.

“You could see all the relief and the enjoyment on the faces of all the patrons and all the supporters of the club.

“It actually bonds you together because of the fact that it was hard work and we did it all together, it’s just very satisfying I think and very rewarding from the point of view that you’re mates for life with all those guys that you played with.