The magnitude of what Western Division achieved in 1974 still isn't lost on Johnny King.
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The underdog triumph of the blokes from the bush in a competition featuring the best clubs in the country remains one of the great stories in rugby league.
King was the coach of the Western Division side that won the Amco Cup and he was at Narromine on Saturday as 50 years since that incredible victory was celebrated.
King was joined by a number of the players from 1974 at the Cale Oval reunion and they presented the current Western side with their jerseys ahead of the Country Championships opener against the Northern Tigers.
Current Western coach Kurt Hancock spoke ahead of the presentation about what it meant to have the class of 1974 in attendance and how the story of their success is something he's been aware of since he was a child.
Country values
King was the one who made it a reality as he created the camaraderie, belief and, most importantly, the fitness levels within the side.
He was hopeful that message, as much as the story of success, would get through to the players of today.
"It was bloody hard work," he said of the 1974 season.
"Once we got one win, I said it wasn't enough. We'd come all this way and if they were prepared to knuckle down and do the work we could win it.
"When we played New Zealand in our first game, we were 33-to-one of winning. But the smile on their face and what they achieved after that first quarter, it generated the rest of the next three quarters.
"It got them going and that's the thing about football. It's great to see my old mates here but if the young fellas knuckle down and realise what they can achieve by training hard; there's money to be made but you've got to do the hard work first. It doesn't come easy."
When King thinks back to that 1974 season it's the way the other sides underestimated Western Division that stands out.
After defeating the Auckland Falcons 13-7 in their first game, the club from the country defeated the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs 12-10.
They then drew 12-all with Manly at Orange's Wade Park in the semi-finals but advanced through to the decider on a penalty countback.
Strength and fitness
In the grand final, the tough, uncompromising style of footy King had developed led Western to a stunning 6-2 victory.
"The Sydney sides took us too lightly and they honestly thought we'd run out of steam," King said.
"I trained them pretty hard and they all had to knuckle down and do it. They knew it wasn't going to be easy going and doing the hard training, especially when most of them were farmers.
"They knuckled down and did what I wanted and when they came out they really realised they had a side to play.
"That's the thing we look back on. I do. I believe conditioning was a big thing in our game."
Nine of the 24 players who wore the famous green Western jerseys in 1974 have died.
Some were represented by family members at Narromine and also on Saturday night at the Dubbo RSL for the official reunion dinner.
"I was saying to someone here, I told them (Western Division players) it's not going to be easy knocking them down because you're playing experienced players," King said.
"Especially when we were playing Penrith because they were a big side compared to our side.
"The determination and will to win was there but the thing which stood out to me was the condition in that last 10 minutes.
"I know it was only 20-minute quarters but everyone was under the impression that in the last 10 minutes we'd knock up and run out of steam.
"But they didn't. They kept coming. And it was a great morale-booster for country football.
"If you knuckle down and work hard, you can achieve anything."
Nick Guthrie
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
I started working at the Daily Liberal in 2013 and now hold the position of senior journalist. I cover all that's happening in sport in Dubbo and the wider western area and have a passion for doing so. If you've got a story that needs telling, reach out.
