Camden Rams

Last updated

Camden Rams
Club information
Full nameCamden Rugby League Football Club
NicknameCamden Rams
ColoursRed
Navy
White
Founded1910;115 years ago (1910)
Current details
Ground
CoachBradley Speechley
CaptainBradley Speechley
Competition Group 6 Rugby League then to Wests Group Macarthur since 2022 due to change with CRL and NSWRL
20251st
Rugby football current event.png Current season
Records
Premierships14 (1st Grade - 1922, 1923, 1948, 1951, 1978, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2016, 2022, 2024, 2025)
Most capped{{{cap}}} – Jackson Willis - 4 First Grade Premierships (2016, 2022, 2024, 2025)

Kevin Thomson Jnr - 4 First Grade Premierships (1997, 1998, 2000, 2002) 2024 - Ben Powers 100 1st Grade games

2025 - Steele Brown 100 1st Grade games

Contents

The Camden Rugby League Football Club is an Australian rugby league football club based in Camden, New South Wales, formed in 1910. They currently play in the merged Macarthur/ Group 6 Rugby League competition.

In the 1920s the club competed in the Southern Districts Rugby League. [1] They won premierships in that competition in 1922 and 1923. [2] During the 1930s Camden mostly played for challenge cups, although they did participate in a Group 6 league competition in 1935. [3] Camden returned to the re-formed Group 6 competition in 1946. [4] Semi-finalists in 1947, Camden were minor premiers in 1948. Losing their semi-final to Picton, Camden exercised their right to challenge Bowral in a Grand Final. [5] This match was drawn. [6] [7] In a replay, Camden triumphed by 14 points to five. [8] Further premierships were won in 1951, [9] 1978, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2016, 2022, 2024, 2025.

In 2015 Camden RLFC made the grand final in U18's (Div 1), Reserve Grade and First Grade but was unable to bring home a Premiership in any Grade. In First Grade the Rams came up against the Picton Magpies who had dominated the competition over the past few years. They were again too strong and the Rams finished Runners up to end a day with no wins and to chants of 'Ram Soup'

2016 became a record breaking year for the Rams with Camden entering a team in the inaugural Ladies Leaguetag (LLT) Group 6 competition and taking out the minor Premiership. 2016 also became the #4from4 year with Premierships in all four of the premier competitions, making Group 6 history.

The U18s, LLT and First Grade all won minor Premierships whilst Reserve Grade scrapped into 5th position. However, it was a reverse of 2015, the Rams had a record making Grand Final day winning the premiership in U18, LLT, Reserve Grade and finishing with First Grade against the odds ending the Picton Magpies premiership run. Due to a run of injuries the First Grade premiership team included three players eligible for U18's that season including Andrew Horne (18), Jake Scott (18) and Jackson Willis (17 and 9 months), all playing pivotable roles in the season and Grand Final.

In 2019 the Camden Reserve Grade team, coached by Andrew Willis went through the competition to complete the season as undefeated premiers. In the same year U18s won the Premiership and the Rams also won the inaugural Women’s Rugby League competition as undefeated Premiers. The club were named 2019 Club Champions.

With 2020 interrupted with COVID-19 the Rams didn’t field any teams except 3rd grade for the season.

In 2021 the season was cut short with finals not proceeding, again impacted by COVID-19, however Premierships were awarded to all first placed teams when the announcement was made. As a result the Rams Women’s Rugby League team won the premiership.

2022 saw the return of a full season with interruptions through the season but this time as a result of poor weather and flooding rendering grounds unplayable. It was also the first year of the merged competition under NSWRL known as the Wests Group Macarthur Competition, seeing the return of Campbelltown sides from Easts Campbelltown and collegians in First Grade and other clubs in lower grade competitions.

The Rams finished the season proper as equal 1st in First grade but 2nd due to fore and against, Undefeated Premiers in Reserve Grade, 3rd in Women’s Rugby League, 5th in U18s, 4th in Conference Gold and out of the finals in Ladies Leaguetag. The WRL were defeated in the grand final whilst Reserve Grade won as Undefeated Premiers under coach Harrison Fox. However, the biggest upset of the day was when Camden defeated the much favoured East Campbelltown side with a convincing 30 - 4 win. It was the first time in the season the Rams had every 1st Grade player available to play, albeit Jackson Willis who played from the bench after badly dislocating a shoulder only weeks prior. Willis and Josh Goulton were the only returning 1st Grade Premiership winners from the 2016 team. The Club was named Club Champions.

In 2022 The Rams player Danny Fualalo capped off a sensational season by being named the Wests Group Macarthur First Grade Player of the Year. [10]

In 2023 the Rams fielded 7 teams and made the finals series for 6 of them. LLT Silver, Women's Rugby League (WRL) and Reserve were defeated in the Preliminary Final. The Rams Inaugural U18 Girls Rugby League team put in a great effort against a more experience opposition and were defeated. The First grade who finished the season as minor Premiers were leading in the second half, only to allow Thirlmere in for two late tries which narrowly defeated the Rams by 2 points. The U18 boys however put on an outstanding performance to defeat Narellan and finish as deserving Undefeated Premiers.

In 2024 the Rams fielded 8 teams into the competition with WRL (in both season 1 and 2), two LLT teams, two U18 Boys teams, U18 Girls Rugby League, Reserve Grade and First Grade. The WRL finished season 2.0 as Minor premiers but missed making it through to the GF. LLT Silver made it though to the finals, but missed making the GF. U18 Gold went on to be Undefeated Premiers beating East Campbelltown 26 -16 in the GF. Reserve grade went on from Minor Premiers to win the Premiership 22-20 over Oakdale. First grade seeking redemption for 2023, went through as Undefeated Premiers beating The Oaks in extra time in the Grand Final 38-26. Josh Goulton and Jackson Willis made it their 3rd First Grade Premiership with the Rams, whilst Brad Speechley, Bailey Dickinson, Ben Powers, Brad Hopkins, Danny Fualalo, Kisi Taulani, Logan Matapuku and Steele Brown got their second Rams First Grade Premiership.

First Grader Jack Miller finished the year as competition top point scorer and joint top try scorer. Club stalwart Chris Browne finished the year as Reserve grade competition top point scorer, whilst Lindsay Munro finished as top Try Scorer. Aiden Richards from 18 Gold took out the competition top point scorer and Joel Collins top try scorer. The Camden Rams were also awarded the Semi Professional Club Championship.

In 2024 the Camden Rams were awarded the prestigious Claytons Cup, recognised as the best performing team in Country rugby league.

In 2025 the Rams entered 8 teams across the Southern and Macarthur Competitions. All teams earnt spots in the finals series. LLT Gold, Reserve Grade and First Grade all finished on top of the ladder at the end of the regular rounds. U18 Silver and U18 Gold both moved through to Grand Finals but didn't walk away with the win. LLT Gold went on to earn the title of Undefeated Premiers. The WRL played in the Southern Corridor competition and despite finishing 2nd they finished as Premiers. Reserve Grade also moved through to the Grand Final after a tight semi, and earnt the Premiership title in a strong game against The Oaks. First Grade also moved straight through to the Grand Final after a few injuries in the Semi. The day prior to the Grand Final Captain Coach was cleared to play after suffering a nasty concussion in the Semi. The Rams came up against 2nd placed Campbelltown Collegians who were a much bigger pack and tough throughout the year. The Camden boys went out and had a strong 1st half but let the determined Collies pack back into the game. The Rams however were too strong and on to win the title as back to back Premiers, only dropping one game through the season.

The Rams were named Premiership Club Champions for the 4th straight year, with Jackson Willis and John Ryan awarded the competition top point and try scorer along with Joss Haddad in LLT (point scorer), Shylah Noonan in LLT (try scorer), Sam Lynch (try scorer) in Reserve Grade and Jemma Crane in WRL. Hunter Redman was named 18 Gold Player of the Year, and Brad Speechley First Grade Coach of the Year.


First Grade Premiership Winning Coaches:-

Notable players

Local Juniors played NRL or NRLW:

Local Juniors played NYC (U20)/ Jersey Flegg (U21):

Male Player of the Year:introduced 2018

Female Player of the Year:introduced 2018

Leaguetag Player of the Year:Introduced 2025

Rookie Award (Male):

Rookie Award (Female)introduced 2023

Rising Star Award (Male):

Rising Star Award (Female)introduced 2023

Shaun Durrington Socialiser of the Year:

Andrew Willis is the only person to have coached and won Premierships in each premier competition with the Rams. 2000 - First Grade, 2016 - U18s, 2019 - Reserve Grade, 2021 - Women’s Rugby League 2025 - WRL Silver

Jackson Willis has won 4 First Grade Premierships with the Rams (2016, 2022, 2024, 2025) drawing along side Kevin Thomson Jnr. Josh Goulton, Brad Speechley, Bailey Dickinson, Ben Powers, Brad Hopkins, Danny Fualalo and Steele Brown all now holding 3 First Grade Premiership titles.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Football". Camden News . Camden: National Library of Australia. 22 July 1920. p. 3. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  2. ↑ "Football". Camden News . Camden: National Library of Australia. 6 September 1923. p. 6. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  3. ↑ "Football". The Southern Mail . Bowral: National Library of Australia. 31 May 1935. p. 2. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  4. ↑ "Point Scores". The Southern Mail . Bowral: National Library of Australia. 12 July 1946. p. 5. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  5. ↑ "Football". The Picton Post . Picton: National Library of Australia. 22 July 1948. p. 2. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  6. ↑ "Football". Camden News . Camden: National Library of Australia. 5 August 1948. p. 9. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  7. ↑ "Fifteen All Draw". The Southern Mail . Bowral: National Library of Australia. 6 August 1948. p. 7. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  8. ↑ "Bowral Defeated in Grand Final". The Southern Mail . Bowral: National Library of Australia. 13 August 1948. p. 4. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  9. ↑ "Camden Wins Football Premiership". Camden News . Camden: National Library of Australia. 30 August 1951. p. 8. Retrieved 27 August 2017.
  10. ↑ "Camden Rams History - Camden Rams RLFC - FOX SPORTS PULSE". Archived from the original on 13 April 2015. Retrieved 13 April 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.