The Singleton Bulls Rugby Club will open its doors for numerous past players on Monday to celebrate the life of club great Doug Charles Thrift.
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The five time premiership player, who passed away at the age of 71 on Saturday, played a total of 117 grade games for the club from its inception in 1967 to 1981.
This tally commenced from the club’s inaugural match against Muswellbrook (where he even managed to score a try in the 8-3 win).
“He scored a hell of a lot of tries with the Bulls,” former teammate Brian Coe recalled.
“He was also versatile, he was comfortable in either centre positions (as well as wing or fullback); a star player in the formative years of the club."
“He must have ignored his team mate Max Young at some stage and not passed him the ball so Max gave him the nickname of ‘Superglue’.
The accolades even continued in recent years when named as centre in the Bull’s team of the half century in 2016 alongside greats Coe, Scot Leighton and Steve Merrick.
Thrift was the Bulls’ leading points scorer a total of nine times (scoring over 1300 points); a fair effort given the all rounder switched codes and briefly represented the Singleton Greyhounds.
There he also celebrated a Group 21 premiership when guiding the side to a brave 22-18 grand final win against Scone in 1974.
His talents were also on show each summer on the cricket field.
His representative cricket saw him claim a number of honours at regional level after touring around New Zealand with the Northern NSW Emu Colts team in the late 1960s.
Nevertheless the past great will be best remembered for his feats at Rugby Park just over a year after he received his historic club cap (see story).
He will be remembered by his club at a memorial service this Monday from 1pm at Rugby Park.