The Charters Towers Rugby Union Football Club Inc also has a Golden Oldies team called the 'Knackered Bulls'. This is open to any player over the tender age of 35 and you don't have to be a former player with the club. The Knackered Bulls are regular travellers to Golden Oldies Tournaments held both nationally in Australia and internationally.
The Golden Oldies Tournament for 2010 is scheduled for Sydney.
In November 2007 the Golden Oldies went to Wellington.
In September 2008, they are going to Edinburgh, Scotland.
Knackered Bulls take Charters Towers to San Diego USA
Armed with novelty knickknacks from Charters Towers (including fly swats and vegemite) the Newmont Knackered Bulls are on the count down for their departure to the International Golden Oldies Rugby Union Festival in San Diego USA. The week long festival gets under way in earnest 15 - 22 May 2005 and Charters Towers will be represented by 14 players, 18 partners and kids who are all going to enjoy some grass roots rugby with other old ruggers form 19 countries making up 130 teams for all over the world. The Newmont Knackered Bulls will join 3000 Golden Oldies for a week of rugby and enjoy some spectacular experiences such as the Opening Ceremony in the $450M Petco Park baseball stadium and the Finale Dinner on the US military aircraft carrier Midway.
Golden Oldies rugby is built around fun, friendships and fraternity for players over 35 years of age. Mrs. Pat Griffiths, one of the many partners, is rearing to go to her seventh festival. 'Gordon and I love the rugby and enjoy the sport, meeting up with others that we met at past festivals.' To Mrs. Griffiths this festival will have a unusual twist as it is doubling up as a family reunion. 'I have always wanted to travel to the United States and we will be having a family reunion at Cherry Creek outside Los Angeels with others who are traveling from other countries including Holland,' she said with a glint in her eye.
The Newmont Knackered Bulls are well renowned for their antics at the Golden Oldies Festivals. Four years ago in Toulouse, France, members donned cow and bull masks in the Welcoming Ceremony march past. This time the Knackered Bulls are equipped with Aussie flyswats, Koalas, Bundy rum and Vegemite for handing out at the Welcoming Ceremony and march past. Opposing team players will be presented with scrotum like bags jammed full of goodies that promotes Charters Towers and Australia and are very popular memorabilia.
Debby Smith is a Golden Oldies festival veteran and looks forward to the break, 'I go for the social atmosphere, the humour and being with people having a good time. You never see any fights it is all good fun.' On the other hand Wayne Wills is heading off with his wife Judy for their third festiva.l 'I am going to enjoy the rugby and a well earned holiday. I'm looking forward to the closing ceremony on the flight deck of the US Midway and the 'party' trip to Mexico.'
Due to their vintage, three of the players from the Newmont Knackered Bulls are entitled to wear purple shorts. Golden Oldies Rugby rules entitles purple shorts players to run or walk 10 metres with the ball without being touched by the opposition. The Bulls will be relying on the purple short circle of Gordon Griffiths, Kevin Wadley and Vern Symes to win the team some valuable yards in the 60 minute game broken into three 20 minute breaks.
Joe Vitelli is heading off with his family for their third festival and he claims the fellowship, spending time with his family and friends, and a dash of time on the rugby paddock as the lure for him. As a coordinator of the team he will be relieved to see everyone arrive safely to take up the festival atmosphere.
Newmont Pajingo presents the jerseys for the Knackered Bulls side heading to the Golden Oldies in San Diego in May 2005.
Charters Towers Knackered Bulls travelled to Blackwater for the Central Highlands Golden Oldies Rugby Festival, September 26-27. The five-hour trip to Blackwater was forgotten as the hospitality of the home side, the Rocking Coalers, was first class. The Knackered Bulls saw a cameo appearance by their own Gary (Terribull) Grant who now has a higher opinion of women's rugby as the two biggest girls put him on the ground. Four mens teams, the Rocking Coalers, the Emerald Highlanders, the Bundaberg Rum Ruggers and the Knackered Bulls, played under the Golden Oldies laws, with any infringements dealt with severly with a trip to the Tin Bin. The games were in 15-minute thirds, with unlimited interchange. Each game started with a glass of port and every third with a tinnie.
Stars for the Knackered Bulls were Jim (Chuckabull) Mitchell, Joe (Parchabull) Vitelli, Robbie (Certifyabull) Robinson and Gary (Terribull) Grant, with Steve (Palatabull) McWilliams always in the port, sorry, in support! And they were happy to see old teammate Andrew Reid and his family as he is always good for a game of rugby and a laugh.
As the day drew to an end, it was discovered that all teams forgot to bring along a scorer so all the games were declared invalid and they will have to play them again next year.The entertainment from a local band was great and went on until the wee hours, followed by a recovery breakfast on Sunday morning. After a few goodbyes, the Knackered Bulls left for the trip home with a few extra bruises. In the true spirit of the Golden Oldies tradition, there was much fun, friendship and fraternity!
The Charters Towers Knackered Bulls have returned to the Towers after another successful Golden Oldies tournament with plans already in the pipeline for the 2005 tour to San Diego. First-timers to the event held this year in Brisbane now know why the core band of travellers make the commitment to tour to the festivals. The opportunity to play rugby with people from other nations and to renew those friendshops each tour is a strong pull.
The Bulls were able to partner the team from Andorra, who they had met in Toulouse in 2001 and the Andorreans assisted the Bulls in their match against the Texas XXXXs. Unlike the other matches, the game against the Texans proved to be a torrid affair. The 'purple circle' were forced to sit out part of the match as the Americans showed they wanted to play serious rugby and were not at first prepared to allow for the Golden Oldies basic rules of not tackling the over 70s. On the advice of the referee, the 'purple circle' of Vern 'Grazabull' Symes, Gordon 'Dispensabull' riffiths, Ron 'Accountable' Barnes and Nev "Reliable' Ritchie controlled possession, walking the ball the length of the field from try line to try line.
This match was a highlight for the Bulls as it was played on the number one field at Ballymore, the home of Queensland rugby. An added bonus was thre presence of ex-Wallaby and festival ambassador, Chris'Buddha' Handy at the post game celebrations. A particularly moving monent for all players came when the Andorrean team, in true European style, burst into song as a finale to the match. Tries were scored by Ted 'Exposabull' Vinson, James 'Quackabull' Doyle and many others. Steve "Transportabull' Champion was voted personality of the match for laying his body on the line resulting in cracked ribs. Steve 'Palatabull' McWillam made a cameo appearance at No. 8. Congratulations to Greg 'Unstoppabull' Smith for his organisation of the tour, ensuring all games were played in the true spirit of Golden Oldies rugby 'fun, friendship and fraternity'.
Former players from the Bulls joining the team in Brisbane include Bob (Breakabull) Armstrong, Geoff (Wasabull) Lawler, Ian (Onceabull) Martineau, Peter (Princabull) Hulthen and Sean (Fixabull) Murray-Smith.
2001 saw a touring party of 37 (ranging in ages from 2 to 72 years young) join a small army of 135 teams and supporters from around the world. They converged in southern France for the Toulouse Golden Oldies World Rugby Festival which ran from May 19 - 26.
Previous tournaments where the Knackered
Bulls have returned with memorabilia to grace the Bulls clubhouse include
Dublin, Christchurch, Vancouver and Adelaide.
If you are interested in playing Golden Oldies rugby, enjoy a good joke while a scrum is being fed, the odd cold beer, bottle of wine, glass of rum or maybe even a glass of port before, during and after the game, then the Knackered Bulls are looking for you. The man at the helm is Greg Smith.
Contact:
ctrugby@rugbynet.com.au 
Updated 8/2/09
