Hay Magpies


The Hay Magpies is a rugby league football club based in the town of Hay, in the western Riverina of New South Wales, Australia. Since 2007 the club has competed in Group 20 in South Western NSW, which is governed by the NSW Rugby League.
Prior to this the club had competed in Group 17. The Hay Magpies were the most successful team in the history of Group 17, winning 12 premierships. The team colours are black and white and the club is named after the ubiquitous Australian magpie.

History of rugby league in Hay

Rugby league was first played in Hay during 1931, a tentative beginning in a township where the dominant football code was Australian Rules. It wasn't until 1936 that Hay Rugby League Club was officially formed and matches scheduled on a more regular basis. The core advocates of the new club were the young school-teacher Sam Willis, three publicans 'Silver' Sullivan, Dan Sutherland and Jim Dixon, and a road-contractor, Bill Jackson. Dan Sutherland was elected first president. The colours of maroon and white were chosen for Hay's uniform. Jim Dixon and another avid league supporter, Frank Walker, donated ornate silver trophies for an inter-town competition between Hay and the surrounding townships of Hillston, Merriwagga and Goolgowi. The same trophies later became objects of contestation in the Group 20 competition.
Senior rugby league was suspended in the district during World War II. In 1947 district clubs reformed into what was known as the Western Zone competition, comprising Hay, Darlington Point, Goolgowi, Carrathool and two teams from Hillston. Hay won the premiership in 1950 under the coaching of 'Johnno' Johnston; playing in black and white jerseys they had a hard-fought 7–5 win over their arch-rivals Goolgowi.
In 1954 the CRL reshuffled the boundaries and formed the Group 20 competition comprising the Western Zone teams plus Ivanhoe, Deniliquin, Barellan and Coleambally. In 1959 Hay won their first Group 17 title under the coaching of Laurie Foley. The win was the first of a hat-trick of premierships for the Magpies and the beginning of the club's 'golden' era.

Modern history

Debut Season in Group 20
In 2011, the club gained full Group status with a First Grade, Reserve Grade, Under 18, Under 16 and League Tag combinations.
Former Welsh International prop Gareth Price was appointed Captain/coach of the first grade team.
The season started with the Magpies playing an all star team coached by Arthur Beetson, captained by Mal Meninga, and containing superstars Gary Belcher Laurie Daley, Bradley Clyde, Marcus Bai, Matt Geyer, Ken Nagas, Andrew McFadden, Jason Croker, David Furner, Ben Roarty, Mark Tookey, Simon Woolford, Quentin Pongia and Shane Millard, with the match referee Bill Harrigan.
The game was won by All Stars 50–8 Hay Magpies 8. Crowd 2500...labelled "fantastic weekend of rugby league"

Supporters and culture

Pie in the Sky Match

Players used in Pie in the Sky matches have been David Furner, Andrew McFadden, Wayne Collins ; Gary Belcher and Darren Smith ; Mark Toooookey Simon Woolford, Shane Millard and Ben Roarty.
Former Melbourne Storm premiership player Ben Roarty played the season with the Magpies in 2009 and was a member of the premiership winning side.

Notable players

Players to play First Grade NSWRL/ARL

  • Bob Lee
  • Ken Flanagan
  • Nicholas Edwards
  • Brett Goldspink Western Reds 1995/96)

    Players to play English Super League

  • Brett Goldspink

    Team of the Century

The Club named "The Little General", Neil-John Nisbet as Magpie of the Century. The team of the century named was:
Fullback Alf Dancey, Wingers Philip Carver, Dean Whitehead, Centres Laurie Foley and Colin Wright Five Eight Les Jackson, Half Back Neil John Nisbet, Lock Neil Scobie, Second row Michael Johnston and Michael Fitzpatrick, Props Billy Curtis Allen Schiller, Hooker Danny Byrnes.
Reserves – Geoff Snowden, Gary Crawford, Billy Poole, Fred Hobbs, Peter Scott, John Curtis. Coach : Kevin Goldspink

Hay Magpies Rugby League Club Hall of Fame members

H S Willis, J V Johnson, Allen Schiller, Bill Curtis, John Curtis, Neil-John Nisbet, Michael Ireson, Robert Matthews, Derek Moriarty, Dean Whitehead, Colin Wright, Peter Montgomery, Geoff Snowdon, Danny Byrnes, Laurie Foley and Michael Johnston, Ken Beissel, *Cecil Kem, *Wayne Dunbar, *Donald Payne, *Ron Gash, *Harold James Little, James Frederick Scott, Patrick Keith Bunyan

Senior Riverina representatives (while at Magpies)

1967 Geoff Snowdon, Phillip Carver
1975 Michael Johnston, Neil Scobie
1983 Dean Whitehead
2016 Matt Wakefield, Luke Serevi 2019 Harley Hey
2016 Rachael Pearson, Megan Pearson Luci Lugsdin, Ellie Darlow, Jessie Carter

Group 17 Rugby League First-Grade Premierships">Group 17 Rugby League">Group 17 Rugby League First-Grade Premierships

  • 1959 – Hay vs. Ivanhoe ; coached by Laurie Foley.
  • 1960 – Hay vs. Darlington Point; coached by Billy Poole.
  • 1961 – Hay vs. Goolgowi; coached by Billy Poole.
  • 1967 – Hay vs. Coleambally ; coached by Geoff Snowdon.
  • 1972 – Hay vs. Deniliquin. coached by Bill Curtis.
  • 1975 – Hay vs. Goolgowi ; coached by Michael Johnston.
  • 1982 – Hay vs. Hillston ; coached by Kevin Goldspink.
  • 1989 – Hay vs. Goolgowi coached by Neil John Nisbet.
  • 1990 – Hay vs. Goolgowi coached by Neil John Nisbet.
  • 1991 – Hay vs. Hillston coached by Neil John Nisbet.
  • 1994 – Hay vs. Hillston ; coached by Chris Aylett
  • 1995 – Hay vs. Rankins Springs ; coached by Jack Byrnes

    Group 20 Rugby League Premierships">Group 20 Rugby League">Group 20 Rugby League Premierships

Group 20 Reserve Grade premierships

  • 2009 – Hay v Griffith Black and Whites at E W Moore Oval Griffith won 26–24

    Group 20 Under 18 premierships

  • 2010 – Hay v Griffith Waratah Tigers at E W Moore Oval Griffith won 22–18

    Group 20 League Tag premierships

  • 2015 Hay Magpies defeated Leeton Greens at E W Moore Oval Griffith 12–4.....
  • 2016 Hay Magpies defeated Leeton Greens at E W Moore Oval Griffith 12–0 Man of the Match Luci Lugsdin

    Playing record

Playing record compiled from scores published in the Rugby League Week.
YearGroupLadder PositionPointsFinal PositionReport
198317124FinalistTAN
198417710TAN
198517221Grand Finalist
198617
198717416Semi-Finalist
198817122Finalist
19891730Premiers
1990171st or 2ndPremiers
199117125Premiers
199217221Finalist
199317316Grand FinalistTAN
199417413PremiersYT TAN
199517316PremiersYT TAN
199617417Semi-Finalist
199717318FinalistTAN
199817
199917
20001774
20011778
200217
200317119Finalist
200417218FinalistTAN
200517613
20061758
200720
200820
200920 Premiers
201020
20112088
20122096
201320616
2014205th - Lost Semi Final18
201520812
20162090
20172094
20182096
201920618
202020Not Played: COVID-19
202120 4th - Lost Semi Final
2022207th
2023206th

Records

Group 20 League tag records held By Rachael Pearson (as at 30 June 2018)

Group 20 Player of the Year...2010, 2011, 2014 and 2015, 2016
Most tries scored in a match – 6
Most goals in a match – 12/12 v Griffith Waratah Tigers 2016)
Most points in a match 40, 40
Pearson is the only player in the Group 20 competition, up until the 2017 competition, to have posted 100 points in a season – and she has done it every full season she has played – with the exception of 2010 when kicks for goal were not allowed. That season she scored 88 from 22 tries. In 2011 she posted 184 in competition matches PLUS another 34 during the final series. 2012/2013 she was absent during studies in Canberra. She returned in 2014 and posted 138 points, plus another 10 in the finals. 2015 Rachael's tally reached 194 – before finals. 2016 Rachael scored a record 262 points 2017 Injury in final game of the season ended her year. She finished with 194 points 2018 Rachael equalled her own point scoring record of 262 points - Rachael joined St George Illawarra Dragons in the NRLW competition, playing in the Grand Final and finishing as runner up to Sydney Roosters. Rachael was named in the NSW State of Origin squad in 2022 and named the Young Gun Player of the Year for the Dragons.