Player and Team Lists Deleted

These lists have been deleted from the web site, as they have been superseded by more current information in the book which was published 4 April 2023. A future project will be to convert the book to an ebook format so that updates (corrections and new information) can easily be made available.

For people who have read the book the author would appreciate any new information and stories which will enrich our knowledge of the Maher Cup era or correct the inevitable errors that occur with a work seeking to record over three thousand players, plus referees and community members. Contact Neil Pollock at pollockpublishing@gmail.com or 0448-440-110.

Maher Cup book

Maher Cup Book Cover

The Maher Cup Book is available for purchase at Mahercup.com.au/store/ – for $63, which includes Australia Post delivery, or over the counter from the following outlets (prices will vary) :

Boorowa Arts & Crafts in the Old Court House
National Library of Australia Bookshop Canberra
Cootamundra Newspower [sold out]
Cowra Services Club
Frazer & Bradley Newsagency Grenfell
The Niagara Cafe at Gundagai
Harden-Murrumburrah
 Museum, Which Craft Cottage and Twin Town Times Office
Junee Newsagency
Temora Visitors Information Centre|
Tumut Newsagency
Museum of the Riverina 243 Baylis St Wagga
Bland District Historical Society’s Museum at Wyalong
The Hunting Ground, 100 Boorowa St., Young

You can also purchase online at Dansnrlcollectibles and Ebay

Reviews and comments:

Twin Town Times – It is simply, a masterpiece! … Neil has brought together over 875 pages of what is expertly and diligently researched material. The Maher Cup is a must for any lover of Rugby League in Country NSW and into the cities, with the city players often providing that extra spark or skill that would see one team triumph over another.

Peter McAlister – This publication is one that is a ‘must have’ for every rugby league enthusiast, collector, historian or just a footy bloke who likes to read about our great game.

Rod Brooke – Unbelievable book. A must to get for all … years and years of research by author Neil Pollock to bring all the stories of the Maher Cup to the people of country Rugby League.

Terry & Cathy Maloney – It is sooo much better than we expected especially due to the social side of life you injected into the different eras.

ABC Nightlife Geoff Armstrong
Below is a lightly edited transcript of the conversation on ABC Nightlife Thursday 28 December 2023 between presenter Rod Quinn and Geoff Armstrong who has been involved with the publication of more than 70 sports books. htps://www.abc.net.au/listen/programs/nightlife/2023—best-sports-books-the-year/103270808?
RQ: Let’s talk about some of the books that you think are worth reading if you’re a fan of this particular person, or a fan of the sport, or just you want to read an interesting story. Where would you like to begin?
GA: … It’s a book by a gentleman by the name of Neil Pollock. It’s been a labour of love of his to tell the story of the Maher Cup, the great rugby league competition from Southern NSW. And he has produced a quite magnificent history. It is quite superb. It is one of the greatest Australian sports books of all time.
RQ: That is a huge call.
GA: It is, but the amount of love and atention that he has brought to his subject – for those who may not know rugby league in NSW is divided into Groups … the Maher Cup is Group 9 …
RQ: Why has Neil Pollock decided to detail every game played in that competition?
GA: I think because he’s a rugby league lover. I think he would have grown up with the history. The stories get told from generation to generation. My favourite story: Nellie Melba turns up one day in Cootamundra and there’s no-one there to greet her, because Cootamundra is playing Temora that day in a Maher Cup game, and that’s where the whole town is … more than 3,000 people watching the football. It became almost a rite of passage for the youth of that time to be involved, either as fans or players if they were so lucky. And in those days, in the 20s and 30s especially, country football was very very strong, and all the towns there would pay good money to the best city footballers to come down and coach the team. Yes, it was not unusual in country rugby league, even into the 70s, for people who had played for Australia, still playing for Australia perhaps, to go and captain-coach a country team in one of these Groups and not play for the big money in Sydney, because they were getting good money in the country. There was more money in the bush. One of the characters was a fellow named Phil Regan. He played for Glebe in Sydney and coached one of the Maher Cup teams – and was just a great character. But the reason it’s such a great book Rod, and like all great sports books, is Neil Pollock the author loves his subject, and he’s a good enough author for that to shine through. And this is another thing about sports books – the great sports books are genuine labours of love …
RQ: For someone like Neil Pollock this is a book, unless you live in that area, you’re not going to find it in the shops.
GA: The way to get the book is through Neil’s web site – the Maher Cup web site. It’s a book that a mainstream publisher wouldn’t touch. I mean the production values on it are wonderful. It’s a beautiful book, but it is a book that the mainstream publishers, quite naturally wouldn’t be interested in. The bookshops wouldn’t want to touch it, because they would never have heard of the Maher Cup and there’s no sales rep who’s going to go out there and sell the Maher Cup – but it’s a book that should be recognised in awards, because it’s that good – but unfortunately the book award industry in Australia, it’s almost impossible for a sporting book to be recognised by the major book awards …
RQ: So that’s your best book of the year?
GA: That’s my best book of a few years actually.

A Dozen Pictures From Those Days

People have sent many pictures to this blog and the Facebook page that add to our understanding and appreciation of the Maher Cup years.  Photos have also been gathered from various local history Facebook sites.  Below are 12 of my favourites.

1Jack Coulton, Ray Dunn, Vince Sullivan and Gordon Hardwick share a beverage at the Royal Hotel, Gundagai about 1950. Source: Barry Luff via Lost Gundagai  Facebook site.

2Barmedman, the Maher Cup, Jesus, Rusty Gorham. The Gorhams came to Barmedman from Boorowa before WW2. Russell enlisted in the AIF, returning to farm wheat and sheep on “Clear View”. In 1949, aged 24 he married Merle Quinlan, sister of his football mate Col Quinlan. A big man with safe hands Rusty was good enough to represent Group 9 and Riverina. At 44 he was still playing along side his sons Dennis and Frank in the Barmedman team. He also become an administrator, coach and club patron. Photo courtesy of Maureen Gorham.

3Broadcasting on a cold Tumut day in 1965. The callers are John Ringwood and Bill Dennis. Grenfell reserve Wally Gam is trying to keep warm behind. Source: Tumut RSL Club collection. Story: http://mahercup.com.au/blog/2015/09/08/snow/

4Greek-run cafes were in every Maher Cup Country town and village and provide fond memories of our social life as teenagers.  This is the Kovellis family at their Allies Cafe, Grenfell.  Source: Trish Forde on the You Know You’re From Grenfell Facebook site. Story: http://mahercup.com.au/blog/2014/09/30/greeks-in-our-lives/

5Proud Harden boys 1949. All played Maher Cup – Jack Phemister, Bruce Tozer, Ryan McCarthy, John Dowd and Don White.  Photo from Wal Galvin’s collection.

6Blokes celebrating at a Tumut wedding in the early 1950s. Billy Rivers, Ken Stubbs, Geoff Williamson, Andy Kell, Pop Peel, Mick Rivers, Gary McGrath, Ross Kell, Les Kell.  Source: Steve and Lesley Kell on Tumutians Facebook site.

7The tough and unmistakable Ron ‘Dookie’ Crowe leading out on to a typically dry West Wyalong field. A fearsome place to play. Sorry misplaced the source of this one. Story: http://mahercup.com.au/blog/2015/06/19/ron-crowe/

8Reunions played an important role in Maher Cup history. It was not just about sport but friendship and community. Source: Beverley Wellington on Facebook site Gundagai and Its People.

9Brass bands have always been part of the Maher Cup world. Source: Joy Peter Paul Grovenor posted to the Harden Murrumburrah Historical Society Facebook page.

10Gnarled warriors Fred De Belin and Nevyl Hand. International footballers who moved to Maher Cup Country in the 1940s, raised their families in our small towns and contributed to the community for the rest of their lives.  Source: https://www.cootamundraherald.com.au/story/2221017/farewelling-a-legend/ Stories: http://mahercup.com.au/blog/2015/06/18/fred-de-belin/ and http://mahercup.com.au/blog/2014/04/14/nevyl-hand/

11 & 12

Young Jimmy Dowell holds the Maher Cup in 1957 when Tumut played in red & green instead of their traditional sky blue.  Source: Lost Tumut Facebook site. Photography by Ted Shai-Hee


It’s not always about football. Wally Towers from Muttama who played for Barmedman and Gundagai with his children. Source: Wal Galvin collection.