Hanging up the Boots

 As Craig bows out after nearly 50 years, he’s opened up to ClubLIFE.com.au about the changes he’s witnessed in the industry over his tenure.

Back when he started, Craig was playing in the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL), now known as the NRL, where it was common for almost all of the players to have jobs alongside their footy careers. It was an era in which tobacco companies were still permitted to sponsor the game.

In Craig’s case, he would play games mid-week alongside his day job of working on the bowling greens or behind the bar at his local club.

“Greenkeeping during the day, playing footy through the season and for extra dollars when I turned 18, I worked behind the bar at night at Bankstown Sports Club and Yagoona Bowling Club,” he says.

Despite spending much of his time keeping greens in good condition or pouring beers for patrons, Craig made his first-grade debut in a Wednesday night Tooth Cup quarter final for the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs against the Newtown Jets in 1981.

That night he played alongside Canterbury legends such as Peter Mortimer, Steve Folkes, Andrew Farrar and Graham Hughes. 

Craig went on to play another 35 NSWRL first grade games for Canterbury, the St George Dragons and Western Suburbs Magpies before finishing his playing days at the Illawarra Steelers in 1986; all while juggling jobs at local clubs.

With the footy boots hung up, it was only a couple of years later that he moved into a managerial role.

“My management career kicked off at Mittagong Bowling Club in 1990. In 1992 I went to the Grange Golf Club; I was secretary manager from 1992 to 1998. Then from 1999 to 2005 I was the Fisherman’s Club (now Gerroa Fisherman’s Club),” says Craig.

It was in 2005 that Craig started at Mittagong RSL. It was where he would spend the next 19 years of his career.

“People when they retire, they say ‘well, I gave my life to this’ and that…but to be honest with you, the club industry gave me my life,” says Craig. 

“It’s been a constant part of my working life since day one and I couldn’t thank the people and clubs that I’ve worked for enough for getting where I’ve gotten to.

“The industry has been so good to so many people. That needs to be recognised.”

In his time as Mittagong RSL General Manager, Craig was a crucial part of many of the Club’s achievements.

The most memorable for him are the times of natural disaster where the Club would help those impacted in the local community.

“We had the bushfires come at us in 2019 and again in January 2020,” recalls Craig. 

“The Club was an emergency evacuation centre for 43 days. We had two massive nights when people were evacuated. 

“The Club was chock-a-block of people and animals. The way our staff gelled together and got everything done was absolutely brilliant.”

While his professional time at clubs has come to an end, Craig is looking to continue to give back to the local community.

“I'm feeling well and healthy and am always interested in the community,” he says. 

“I will look for any sort of voluntary things that I can do to help and assist. If any sort of expertise they think might be useful, I’ll probably put my hand up and say, ‘hey, let's get on with it’”.

While reflecting on his career within the industry, Craig also paid tribute to former ClubsNSW Director Rod Desborough.

“I wouldn’t be doing what I am doing if Rod didn’t show the degree of faith he had in me,” says Craig. 

“He put me forward for the job at the time at the Grange. Also, the Club Chairman at the time, Jim Primmer, was an absolute massive influence for me in my management career.”