Doug Cameron and Jack O’Connell are perhaps two of the greatest names in Young rugby league history and they made a return to their “second home” recently.
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They were import players from Chippendale, Sydney and Molong who came to play for the then Young Tricolours from 1954 to 1956.
O’Connell was 24 years old and Cameron, just 18 years old.
The pair were in town on May 15 to attend the funeral of Timothy “Ted” John Dwyer OAM, a former secretary of Group 9 Rugby League and the Young rugby league club.
It was the first time they had seen one another in 30 years.
Cameron, now 59, and O’Connell, 83, created quite a stir in local pubs in Boorowa Street during their visit when they bumped into old friends who were dubbing them “rugby league legends”.
“These men are two of the best footballers who were ever in the bush,” said Councillor John McGregor, clearly thrilled to see the pair at the Australian Hotel.
“Doug Cameron was the best halfback they’ve ever seen,” he said.
In 1955 Young had the best side in the bush, winning the Clayton Cup and, according to Cr McGregor, they would have beaten every side in Sydney except for three.
Cameron played in the Fernley Junior League for NSW and was selected to play for Australia before he got injured.
He played for Australia against England in Wagga in 1956.
Cameron met his future wife while he was in Young, Marlyne Desprez from Maimuru and the couple are still married today.
Prior to playing for Young, O’Connell had played for the Riverina with Country Rugby League.
He was also selected to play for the Southern Districts side against England in Wollongong in 1955 where he kicked six out of eight goals, and played New Zealand in Cootamundra in 1956.
“I tell you what – we had a good side,” O’Connell said, “I think you need a lot of mateship to play for a side and we had that.
“We had a terrific camaraderie with that side – it was unbelievable,” he said.
Their brief and unexpected interview with The Young Witness saw another Young councillor, Alan Miller, also comment on how they probably haven’t had this kind of publicity for a while.
“But they deserve it,” Cr Miller said.
So what did it feel like to be back in the Cherry Capital for the pair?
“Very special,” O’Connell said, “this was second home – we love coming back to Young.”
