Bulls History

It all started when…

Rugby Union was established in Charters Towers in 1890, earlier than most of Australia, but games were played here as early as 1885.

An Englishman, Harry Speakman, introduced the game to the many miners in the town. Interest steadily grew and various teams were formed. The first Charters Towers representative team was selected in the year of its establishment, 1890. Rugby Union continued to grow in our city until it became known as one of the premier rugby areas in the state.

Many players gained representative honours between 1890 and 1915. In this time, Charters Towers produced nine Queensland representative players and two Australian representatives, the brothers EW 'Long Bill' Richards and TJ 'Rusty' Richards. Rusty was inducted into the North Queensland Sporting Hall of Fame on July 16, 1996.

Various teams contested an inter-city competition at this time. Information on these matches only dates back to 1902.

Three clubs, Queens, Natives and Federals participated, with Queens the eventual inaugural premiers.

Unfortunately, Rugby Union faded from the scene until a meeting on 20 October 1980 involving Warren Inch, Bob Armstrong, Jim Geaney and Peter Hulthen resulted in the reformation of the game in Charters Towers. The new committee consisted of Patron Dr Jock Allingham, President Bob Armstrong, Vice President Jim Geaney, Secretary Peter Hulthen and Assistant Secretary Warren Inch. Armstrong was Captain/Coach.

A reserve grade team was entered in the 1981 Townsville District Rugby Union competition. Charters Towers went on to a third placing in that year and was runner-up in 1982. Superfast policeman Jim McMahon represented Townsville on the wing in 1981. The side was Reserve Grade premier in 1983/84.

Captain/coach John McIneiry and Greg Smith represented Townsville against the All Black Andy Hayden's Ponsorby team in 1983, and 1984 saw Greg Smith and Geoff Lawler represent Townsville and North Queensland.

The club entered into the A Grade competition in 1985 under the guidance of Captain/Coach Geoff Lawler. After a slow start the Towers stormed home to a creditable performance. Greg Smith and Lawler represented Queensland Country in that inaugural A Grade year and also in 1986. In 1987, Charters

Towers failed by one point to make the finals. Ian Martineau was North Queensland Captain and both he and Lawler represented Queensland Country.

Charters Towers made its first appearance in the semi-finals in 1989 under Armstrong's guidance.

Charters Towers players to have also represented the Townsville Brolgas include Joe Vitelli (1988-1989), Joe Siui(1995-2001), Gil Griffiths (1998-1999), Adrian Costello (2000) and Peter Fry (1999-2001).

Since reforming, the Bulls have hosted Townsville representative side games and international club sides from New Zealand, Canada and England. The club has held an annual Men's and Women's Tenz competition from February to March and still hosts a School Tenz competition in October. The year 2000 saw the formation of the women's team, the Bullettes, joining the competitive A Grade and Reserve Grade teams. In that year Ted Vinson was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for Rugby.

2001 marked the 21st anniversary of the Bulls and the introduction of a junior's team, which saw the club field teams in A Grade, Reserve Grade, Juniors (U17s) and Women's Rugby. 21 years of Bulls Rugby and Rugby's contribution throughout the Centenary of Federation were celebrated in 2001.

An Under 20s side and an Under 14s side were added to the club in 2006, with both new sides making it through to the semi-finals.

2007 saw the addition of an Under 16s side, along with Walla rugby starting for our very young Bulls.

In the last nine years, the junior sides have grown to three competitive sides in the TDRU competition, Walla rugby continuing to breed new players and premierships being won by both senior and junior sides.

In September 2015, (TJ) Tom ‘Rusty’ Richards was inducted into the World Rugby Hall of Fame. The Tom Richards Trophy is the international trophy awarded to the winner of British& Irish Lions v Australia test series. Tom Richards was the only player to have played for both the Wallabies and the Lions.

Robert (Bob) Armstrong

Bob Armstrong spearheaded the reforming of the Charters Towers Rugby Union Club in the early 80s. Sadly, Bob passed away on January 26, 2020, aged 74 years.

Here’s a tribute to his team mate and friend from Peter Hulthen.

“I had known Bob as a hooker (N0 2) for the GPS Club in Brisbane during my time at Teachers Norths. Bob had previously played in Sydney for Eastern Suburbs. Bob lived at Vaucluse in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs and attended Cranbrook School at Belleview Hills. Bob knew Rugby Commentator Gordon Bray from the Easts Club. Sports Journalist Peter Mears also was a long-standing friend of Bob from school days.

Bob joined Peter Allan’s business the Charters Towers Veterinary Clinic. Bob specialised in small animals and was known to most in Charters Towers and District who had animals.

It was as a vet that Bob encouraged Peter Allan to employ young ‘vets’ who had been rugby players, such as Bulls life Member, Greg Smith who has been a long-standing stalwart and fantastic player for the Bulls.

As there was no rugby union in Charters Towers when Bob arrived in 1978, he ventured to Townsville, when not on call and played with University Club.

It was there, he formed new friendships with people such as Angelo Alberts, John “Tractor” Tracey, Bill Muller, Jon Gable, John Louth and Reg Fuller. These people gave support to Bob’s vision to enter Charters Towers into the TDRU competition.

In 1980, Rugby was played mainly in Brisbane, the Darling Downs, Rockhampton, Cairns and Townsville.    In talks with myself and others interested in Rugby Bob came up with the idea to enter a Charters towers team in the Townsville and District Competition.

Bob wrote at the time of the Club’s 30th anniversary reunion:

“As founding President of the CTRUFC, it gives me great pleasure to celebrate 30 years of the existence of the club...The idea of forming a Rugby Club in Charters Towers came to me the moment I hit town in December 1978 and discovered there wasn't one, and yet there was a competition in Townsville...The early home games were played on the Richmond Hill Primary School field: being a school ground, the sale of beer was a problem, also the consumption thereof. The current set-up wildly  exceeds my original dream.”

The Inaugural meeting of the CTRUFC was held at Millchester School on 24th November 1980.

 A motion was moved by Bob Armstrong to formally launch the new club. This was carried unanimously, and Bob was duly elected as our First President. The Club entered the TDRU reserve grade competition in 1981.

Bob was a popular figure around the Towers and had mustered the support of many past Rugby players including Dr Jock Allingham, Ron Edgar, Jim Geaney, Warren Inch, Gordon Griffiths, Chris Allingham, Greg Dux, John and Peter Costello and even some ex League players such as Greg Dauth, Chris  Gunthorpe. John White and Trevor Gough. Bob could be heard regularly on local radio station 4GC ‘s Saturday morning sports segment hosted by Les Bagley.

Bob became the Bulls first captain coach. Many of the early players had only played Rugby League and local sceptics could only see the club folding due to the domination of League in the local community including the boarding schools. It was only a couple of years before Bob’s vision came to fruition with Charters Towers winning the Reserve Grade Premiership in 1983 and 1984. Townsville teams just loved coming to the Towers to share in the country hospitality, championed by Bob.

Bob Armstrong was our original Golden Oldie. In the early eighties, Australia was not involved in Golden Oldies rugby. It was the brainchild and the Kiwis and supported by Air New Zealand. Bob heard about this new concept and nominated with a New Zealand team to attend the first Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival at Long Beach California. Bob has the honour of being Australia’s first Golden Oldie Player.

Bob thought that this concept was great for ex-competitive rugby players and in 1992 organised a meeting at his Plant Street residence to push for a Knackered Bulls Rugby team of over 35 years players to attend the World Rugby Festival in Dublin. Local rugby players have taken to Bob’s idea like a duck to water and as a result the Knackered Bulls have now attended many festivals in different parts of the world.

The club owes Bob a vote of thanks for initiating many of the traditions now taken for granted at The Bulls.

Bob coached the Bulls to their first TDRU reserve grade premiership in 1983. This really gave us great kudos in the eyes of the local Charters Towers fraternity who up until now had been died-in-the-wool League supporters.

Bob left for England to further his career in 1983.After some time there, he returned to the Towers. He also coached the Bulls over several seasons up until 1994 before moving to Sydney to care for his aged Mother. Bob has returned for several functions and was a regular and key member of the Knackered Bulls. Festivals attended by Bob have been held in Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Canada, Argentina, the USA , Australia, New Zealand and Japan. Bob has also attended a number of world cups .

Charters Towers and the rugby fraternity everywhere is saddened by Bob’s passing. His legacy can be seen at the end of Phillipson Road and in the pride and enjoyment of all those young Charters Towers boys and girls who enjoy the game. May he Rest In Peace.”