IT’S no coincidence the round nine clash between Moree Boars and Gunnedah Bulldogs at Boughton Oval on Sunday features the Bernie Briggs Cup.

Moree Boars Rugby League Football Club will remember the man known universally as “9”, who rewrote the record books time and time again in the 1970s and 1980s.

The big day of rugby league features four grades – under-18s, reserve-grade, ladies tackle and first-grade, with first-grade playing for the Bernie Briggs Cup.

Bernie passed away in January, 2017.

He died way too young – just 58 – and had so much more to give to Moree.

Bernie will always be remembered as the kid who converted the John Brookes try to give Moree High School a one-point win in the 1973 University Shield Final against Forbes High School.

But he was much more than that.

Good judges say, the bigger the contest, the better Bernie played.

He was one of those gifted sportsmen who only runs onto a paddock every generation or two.

His warm nature, genuine modesty and gentle spirit set him apart and his sporting achievements were incredible.

He was part of Moree High School’s undefeated under-16s squad and, apart from his pinnacle role in the 1973 University Shield grand-final, he also played with that year’s under-18s Group 5 grand-final winners.

He was also named the NSW combined high schools’ 15-years javelin champion – a talent he discovered by sheer chance – and was an all-rounder with the north-west area open cricket team.

Bernie played for the under-21s Northern NSW Emus cricket team that toured New Zealand and, between tours, won the 1973 State javelin championships.

He was also awarded two north-west area Blues in 1973: one for athletics and a special Blue for rugby league and cricket.

Bernie grew up at Yarraman and did what all kids do when growing up in a small community in the 1960s – 90 percent of the time was spent outdoors and 90 percent of the time outdoors was spent playing sport.

And he was good.

It was a time when kids played football in winter and cricket in summer and there was very little time for anything else.

Bernie played his first game of competition cricket in 1969 when he was 11 years old.

The big boys from Yarraman were playing against Berrigal Creek at Yarraman Sports Ground but they were a man short.

One of the players, George Tooth, said he knew a kid that could fill the spot and off he went.

George returned about half-an-hour later with a young Aboriginal kid.

The kid’s hair was slicked back, his cricket whites were perfectly pressed and spotless, and he had that hint of competition in his eyes.

Robert Jurd was there that day, and says he will never forget the moment.

“Bernie turned up ready to play. It was as if he had been sitting at home waiting for the call-up. After he’d sent a couple of balls down, we knew the kid could play,” he said.

Bernie went on to play A-grade cricket for Moree and was a regular with the north-west area open team.

Bernie handled a soccer ball just as stylishly. He scored a few goals during the season for the Moree open soccer team and in 1973 they won the regional competition.

All of this at just 15 years of age.

Briggs also played three times for Northern Division against Great Britain – the third time he was “off his game” and soon after the match was admitted to hospital with pneumonia.

Bernie was named North-West Area Education Department’s Sports Boy of the Year in 1973 and was presented with the award at a special dinner at Tamworth in early 1974.

“Quietly spoken, Bernie amassed an enviable record last year, despite that in many instances he had to concede up to a couple of years in age,” New Dawn magazine reported in March, 1974.

“Although concentrating a lot on football and cricket, Bernie is not neglecting his schoolwork and got mostly advanced passes at the final Third Form exams last year.

“Bernie is known around Moree as a quiet, modest person, and is well-liked and respected and is currently enjoying an extraordinarily successful season in the Moree first-grade cricket competition.”

Remarkably, Bernie stockpiled all these achievements and awards well before his 16th birthday.

Bernie also played in seven rugby league grand-finals for The Big M, in juniors as well as seniors when the club became the Moree Boars in the late 1970s.

He helped win six of those seven grand-finals.

In all, Bernie played in 142 A-grade matches for Moree and was a long-standing life member of the club.

He collected the coveted Moree Champion A-Grade Best and Fairest Award in 1980 and again in 1984.

To honour Bernie, limited edition Moree Boars #9 beanies in St George colours will be available on game day.

A full canteen and bar will operate.

Moree Boars Bernie Briggs Cup

When: Sunday, June 29

Where: Boughton Oval Moree

Times

Under-18s: 11.05am

Reserve-Grade: 12.20pm

Ladies Tackle: 1.30pm

First-Grade Bernie Briggs Cup: 3pm

(this article is a compilation of articles written about Bernie over several years).