Anyone expecting a light-hearted, fun-focused affair between Knox Old Boys and Orange Emus in Saturday nights BrothersIVBrothers Legends charity game at Endeavour Oval had their eyes opened very quickly, the two sides tore into each other put on a serious show for the bumper crowd.
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Although the clash was played with a far bigger picture in mind it was part of the BrothersIVBrothers fundraising effort for Western Care Lodge and Orange hospitals clinical trial program and certainly in the right spirit, there was no denying the two sides goal was to win, and claim the Lachlan Robertson Memorial Cup as a result.
With a handful of ex-Intrust Super Shute Shield stars, past Australian Schoolboys, a former Wallaby and a former Australian sevens ace on the field too, the clash was played at a frenetic pace and had everything you could ask for massive hits, intercept tries, huge carries and scintillating tries, it had it all.
Eventually the Knox side proved its class, running out 47-24 winners over the hosts.
Rugby was the winner, theres an old cliche for everyone, Knox prop and co-founder of BrothersIVBrothers Bryn Robertson laughed, before giving an indication of just how tough the clash was.
The first 10 or 15 minutes, I think, was Kentwell or Burke Cup (NSW Suburban Rugby Unions top two grades) level, it was immense, absolutely brutal.
It was about mateship, togetherness, you know, and its two great clubs with some great people involved, I loved it.
Emus skipper Graydon Staniforth echoed that sentiment, saying his troops were completely shellshocked by their Sydney-based rivals.
They were a bit more polished than us, we didnt really realise how good theyd actually be, Staniforth said.
A lot of the guys are still pretty sharp really, you can tell Knox had played together before and we were pretty scratchy.
Of course, the Legends game was just one part of the massive event, which continued on into the night with raffles and a live auction, with well over $60,000 raised in total final counts were yet to be done at time of publication though.
We genuinely didnt know how this would go, how it would work out way out here in the country but its been incredible, Robertson enthused, the first five editions were all hosted in the city.
But there must have been 600, 700 people out here watching, despite it being absolutely freezing, for one reason, supporting the cause, which is just incredible.
That was test number one I think, maybe we should have a rematch next year. Weve all had such a wonderful experience, weve been so welcomed and enjoyed every minute.
If were welcome back, wed love to come.
Staniforth sung the concepts praises as well, as did Orange Emus president Steve Fergus, the latter also pledging to help the BrothersIVBrothers initiative in the future in any way possible.
Its massive for everyone. Obviously its a big weekend for Emus, but Knox too, and the money thats been raised for Western Care Lodge and the Orange hospitals clinical trials, thats staying in Orange, its great, Staniforth said.
Knox is just such a great club to come out and do something like this for the Orange and central west communities, and it gave a few of us old boys a chance to run around again as well we might not get another chance.
The whole thing was just awesome, Fergus added.
BrothersIVBrothers, and the guys involved, had no real connection to Orange at all before this but they want to share what they do and help people, and whats been raised is staying in this region were so proud to be a part of something like this.
The organisation and effort BrothersIVBrothers have put in has just been incredible, weve just hosted it and put a team together. I think itd be great to partner with them in future years, whether we play them again or just help out where we can, wed love to keep helping.
Its a real credit to the Robertson brothers, the Knox club, everyone involved. To come all this way, and do such good in the community, its awesome.