Dapto Canaries

Dapto Canaries

Club information
Full name	Dapto Rugby League Football Club
Nickname(s)	Canaries
Colours	Gold      Blue
Founded	1911
Current details
Ground(s)	Dapto Showground, Dapto, New South Wales
Competition	Illawarra Rugby League
2010
Records
Premierships	16 (1966, 1968, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006)
Minor premiership	8 (1976, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2007)

The Dapto Canaries are an Australian rugby league football team based in Dapto. The club are a part of Country Rugby League and have competed in the Illawarra Rugby League premiership since its inception in 1911.

History, colours and emblem

The Dapto Canaries were established in 1911 and are one of five founding club of the Illawarra Rugby League. However, it took the Canaries many decades to win their first title in 1966, and they have been strong competitors ever since. The Canaries won four premierships in five years during the 1970s, and a further three in each of the 80s and 90s. They won another three consecutive premierships between 2000 and 2002, with their final premiership in 2006. The Dapto team is represented by a yellow canary on their emblem, displayed in front of a blue background. The inscription "Dapto R.L.F.C." is displayed underneath. Their jerseys reflect this emblem with the use of gold on blue. The Canaries play at Dapto Showground, Dapto.

Players

Notable players

Players that have played or gone on to play in the Sydney Premiership, or selected for Country, New South Wales or Australia:

• Ronn Mann - Country (1948), NSW (1948).
• Bobby Dimond - Western Suburbs Magpies, Country (1948), NSW (1948), and Australian representative.
• Peter Dimond - Wests, Country (1952), NSW (1950-60), and Australia.
• Lionel Simmonds - Country (1965-68)
• Noel Morris - Country (1969)
• Warwick Shirlaw (1971)
• Allan Fitzgibbon - Balmain Tigers (1968-70), Country (1971), NSW (1968), ~~Dapto captain/coach (1971-81), Illawarra Steelers coach (1982-84)
• Ted Goodwin - St. George Dragons (1972-1978), Newtown Jets (1979), Wests Magpies (1980-82), Country (1971)
• Eric White - Country (1975)
• Brian Hetherington - Newtown Jets (1978-81), Illawarra Steelers (1982-88), Country (1975-1984), NSW (1984-86)
• Ron Pilon - Country (1976)
• Steve Morris - St. George (1979-86), Easts (1987-90), Country (1978-1981), NSW (1978-86), Australia (1978)
• Brian Johnson - Country (1978)
• Michael Priest - Country (1979)
• David Walsh - Country (2000)
• Daniel Mathews - Country (2000)
• Adam Blake - Country (2001-03)
• Paul McGregor - Illawarra Steelers (1991-98), St. George Illawarra Dragons (1999-2001), NSW (1992-1998), Australia (1994-97)
• Craig Fitzgibbon - Illawarra Steelers (1998), St. George Illawarra (1999), Sydney Roosters (2000-2009), Country Origin (2001-08), NSW (2003-08), Australia (2002-08)
• Dean Young - Dragons (2003-), Country Origin (2010), NSW (2011), Australia (2010)

Honours

Team

• Illawarra Rugby League First Grade Premierships: 16

1966, 1968, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1994, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2006

• Illawarra Rugby League Club Championships: 8

1976, 1985, 1990, 1992, 1997, 2000, 2006, 2007

References

External links

• Dapto Canaries Homepage
• Country Rugby League Homepage
• Illawarra Rugby League Homepage