Barrett Shield Beginnings & the Barrett Family…. It had been suggested at a Wattles Rugby League Club committee meeting in 1992 by Peter Glass that a trophy be introduced for the annual trial between the neighbouring clubs, and Wattles committee member Mary Hamblin (nee Barrett) offered a trophy in the Barrett Family’s name. The Barrett name is synonymous with rugby league throughout the South West Queensland region. The family has very strong rugby league links in the Southern Downs area, their roots with the Warwick and Wattles Rugby League Football Clubs. The Barrett brothers, Tom, Leo, Ron and John played with the famous Collegians Rugby League Club of Warwick, playing careers that included premiership success. Tom, who sadly passed away in 1996, also played a season with Wattles. A dedicated worker for the game, Tom was awarded Life Membership of the Warwick “Cowboys” in 1995, and was joint winner of the prestigious “Merv Lancaster Memorial Sports Volunteer of the Year” award, also in 1995. Annually, Under 16 aged junior rugby league representative sides from the Warwick & District Junior Rugby League and the Toowoomba Junior Rugby League contest the “Tom Barrett Memorial Shield”. John Barrett has also had a significant involvement in rugby league in the St. George area in South West Queensland, and the game on a State and National front. He served from 1994 until 2008 as the Chairman of the Queensland Rugby League’s South West Division and a Director on the Queensland Rugby League Board. He was also a Director of the Australian Rugby League Board from 2003 to 2008. In 2001 and 2002 he served as a Manager of the Australian Rugby League team, including the all conquering Australian “Kangaroos” tour of Papua-New Guinea and Great Britain. A Life Member of the St. George Rugby League Club, the QRL South West Division and the Queensland Rugby League, John was recognised for services to rugby league in 2005 when he was the recipient of the “Order of Australia” in the Queen’s Birthday honours. When one considers the involvement in the game of Tom, Leo, Ron and John, Barrett sisters Mary (Hamblin) and Joan (Bourke) could do little else but also have a rugby league interest. A former long serving committee member and a Life Member of the Wattles “Warriors”, Mary can also boast considerable achievements in the game. While a more than astute Treasurer for many years for the “Warriors”, Mary was also President of the club in 1992 and 1993. This was a historical feat, the first ever female President of a club in the Toowoomba Rugby League competition. Mary also has the honour of being the inaugural winner of the Toowoomba Rugby League’s “Club Person of the Year” award in 1999 and in 2000 was the recipient of the Prime Minister’s Medal for services to administration in Rugby League. Mary and husband Alwyn Hamblin’s four sons, Paul, Darren, Glen and Cameron have all appeared for Wattles in Barrett Family Shield matches, while their cousin Dayne, son of Tom and Gay Barrett, lined up for Warwick. Dayne’s younger brother Frank also ran on for the Warwick “Cowboys” before leaving the area to play with Newcastle and Balmain in the Australian Rugby League competition. Frank has turned very successfully to rugby league administration, having spent three years as the General Manager of the Newcastle Rugby League, and later, as General Manager, Frank was at the helm of the New South Wales Rugby League Western Sydney Development Academy. After a term as Manager of Media & Football Operations for National Rugby League Club the Bulldogs, Frank is formerly the General Manager of communications with National Rugby League club the Melbourne Storm, and currently the Queensland Rugby League Media/Communications Manager based in Brisbane. Dayne & Frank’s sister, Terri Gilbert is a former Queensland Touch Football representative, and has been a member of a Gold Coast representative side that won a Queensland Championship. Another talented family member to don the red, white and blue of the Warwick “Cowboys” and feature in Barrett Family Shield history is Michael Barrett, son of Leo and Theresa. Joanne Barrett, daughter of Leo & Theresa has excelled at the highest levels of Women’s Rugby League, a regular in the Queensland “Brolgas” side (2004/08-2013) that take on New South Wales annually, and a regular in the Australian Woman’s Rugby League side, the “Jilleroos”. The “Brolgas” currently have fifteen consecutive wins in the annual interstate challenge, evidence of the strength and standing of Queensland’s women’s rugby league. Joanne debuted in national colours in 2007 against the New Zealand ‘Maoris’ while touring New Zealand with the “Jilleroos”. She was a member of the 2008 Australian World Cup squad wearing the number eight jersey, the Aussies finishing second. In 2011 Jo toured to Samoa with the ‘Jilleroos’, and was a member of the all conquering 2013 Australian World Cup side that toured the United Kingdom winning Australia’s first Women’s Rugby League World Cup after defeating New Zealand 22-12 at Headingly, the New Zealanders having previously reigned as World Champions across 13 years and three World Cups. Joanne commenced women’s league in 2002 with the Warwick women’s league side, and has turned out for clubs the Toowoomba “Fillies” (where she won two premierships), Wests Mitchelton, Runaway Bay Seagulls & Souths Logan where she has won premierships in 2011, 2012 & 2013. Joanne was a member of and try scorer for the Women’s All Stars team that defeated the Women’s Indigenous All Stars Women’s All Stars 38-6 at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium last year in the 2013 Harvey Norman Rugby League All Stars match-day festival. Last year she was a finalist in the Queensland Womens Rugby League Player of the Year award. Joanne also excelled in athletics, winning a gold medal in shot put at an Australian University Games and finished in the top-eight in the open nationals competition. She also won bronze medals in both the Australian Secondary School Track and Field Championships and the under-21 event at an Australian club championships. The rugby league wheel continues to turn for the Barrett family, Cameron Hamblins son Hunter plays for Wattles juniors while Daynes son Jye turns out for Collegians - both young players holding aspirations I am sure of playing in a Barrett Family Shield match in the years ahead and continuing a tremendous family tradition. Glyn Rees Pic: Wattles 2013 Barrett Family Shield winning skipper Glen McMillan accepts the the coveted award from Dayne Barret, Ron Barrett & Leo Barrett.
Posted on: Sat, 15 Mar 2014 00:00:17 +0000
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