RUGBY LEAGUE
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BILL Clinghan summed up the feeling when he said it was an honour to be chosen in Orange Hawks/Ex-Services Legends of League team.
Hawks and Bloomfield Junior Rugby League Club unveiled their Legends teams at a gala function attended by league 'immortals' Johnny Raper and Reg Gasnier at the Orange Ex-Services Club on Friday night.
The judges had such a tough decision settling on the clubs' greatest ever players organisers decided to name 22 ‘Legends' for both the Hawks/Ex-Services and Bloomfield under 16 sides.
Clinghan, a strong running second rower and punishing defender who represented Group 10, enjoyed a career with Ex-Services and Hawks that stretched from 1975-1992.
"I look at the great players (the club has had) and it's a great honour,'' Clinghan said. "Bruce Perry and Bobby Priest were unbelievable players.''
Current Hawks captain-coach Wayne Hill was the only player chosen in both ‘Legends' teams.
"I didn't really expect it, I feel privileged just to get recognised by my peers and the supporters,'' he said.
Hill played in Hawks' first Group 10 premiership-winning first grade side in 1999 and said it was a special team.
"Any country team would be hard pressed to beat them,'' he said.
Hill and Asa Amone are the only two ‘Legends' still playing with Hawks.
Amone came to the club in the early 90s as a point scoring centre and last season played a major role in Hawks' premiership success success as a front rower.
The Ex-Services/Hawks ‘Legends' contain some great names from the past including Priest, who captained NSW Country and represented Western Division and Riverina and Groups 9, 10 and 20. He is acknowledged as one of the greatest footballers Orange has produced.
Ex-Springbok Louis Newman, who captain-coached Ex-Services to two grand finals, and former Balmain forward Steve Frewin were also honoured.
Ex-Services first formed in 1967 before evolving into Hawks and Bloomfield kicked off in 1981. Naturally, there is a strong family link between the two clubs.
The late Milton Oborn was named in the Ex-Services/Hawks side and son Marty in the Bloomfield 16s, Noel Hurford (Ex-Services/Hawks) and his nephew Tom (Bloomfield) were honoured, as was Rod McDonald (Ex-Services/Hawks) and his nephew Scott (Bloomfield).
The night also paid tribute to the late ‘Legends' – Priest, Newman, Milton Oborn and Bruce Perry.
