Nickname(s) The Bears, Ground(s) Jack Woolaston Oval 2015 3rd | Colours Red Black CEO Greg Hodge Date founded 1911 | |
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Full name North Tamworth Bears Rugby League Football Club | ||
North tamworth bears v west lions grand final day 2011
The North Tamworth Bears are a rugby league team located in the suburb of North Tamworth, in Tamworth, New South Wales, Australia. They were formed in 1911, three years after Rugby League came to New South Wales, and are one of the oldest clubs in New South Wales, in particular in the Country. They play in the Group 4 Rugby League competition, which is administered by the New South Wales Country Rugby League. The North Tamworth Bears won the 2006 premiership beating the Coonabarabran Unicorns.
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History
The North Tamworth Bears were formed in 1911 and were first known as the Rebels until 1947. They played their first game at No 1 Oval at 4:10 P.M. on 22 July 1911, which was also to be the first game of rugby league to be played in Tamworth. The team was made up of nearly the entire first grade North Tamworth Rugby Union team who switched codes. As the rebels they played in 14 grandfinals between 1911 and 1947 winning seven of these games.
From 1947-1955 the club were known as the Tri-colours and during this period the team played in four grandfinals, winning three.
In 1956 the Tri-colours changed their name to the Bears which is currently their name. Between 1965 and 1967 the Bears established their own oval and facilities on Manilla Road. The oval and facilities were titled Jack Woolaston Oval in 1985 in commemoration of the founding President Jack Woolaston.
During the 1980s the bears played in two grandfinals winning the 1980 game, however losing the 1984 game.
The club's first grade team made the grandfinal two consecutive years in 2001, 2002 and also in 2003 however they lost all three matches. In 2005 the Bears won the Northern Division pre-season club championship, first grade major premiership, the minor premiership and the pre-Season Knockout.
Additionally the Reserve Grade and Under 18 teams won the minor premiership and both were grand finalists.
In 2006 the first grade team won the Northern Division pre-season club championship, the preseason Easter knockout competition, and were undefeated for the entire regular season. The Bears then won their second successive premiership against the Coonabarabran Unicorns at Jack Woolaston Oval. The reserve grade team also won the premiership.
2014 saw the Bears win the first grade premiership against the Gunnedah Bulldogs, a feat that earned them the Clayton Cup for the first time since 1951.