Camden Rams

The Camden Rugby League Football Club is an Australian rugby league football club based in Camden, New South Wales, formed in 1910. They currently play in the Group 6 Rugby League competition.

In the 1920s the club competed in the Southern Districts Rugby League. They won premierships in that competition in 1922 and 1923. During the 1930s Camden mostly played for challenge cups, although they did participate in a Group 6 league competition in 1935.
Camden returned to the re-formed Group 6 competition in 1946. Semi-finalists in 1947, Camden were minor premiers in 1948. Losing their semi-final to Picton, Camden exercised their right to challenge Bowral in a Grand Final. This match was drawn. In a replay, Camden triumphed by 14 points to five.
Further premierships were won in 1951, 1978, 1994, 1997, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2016

In 2015 Camden RLFC made the grand final in U18's (Div 1), Reserve Grade and First Grade but was unable to bring home a Premiership in any Grade.

Camden entered a team in the 2016 inaugural Ladies League Tag Group 6 competition taking out the minor Premiership and the Premiership after beating Campbelltown City in the grand final match.

Also in 2016 the U18s, Leaguetag and First Grade all won minor Premierships and went on to take home the Premiership trophy whilst Reserve Grade scrapped into 5th position and went on to win the Premiership. Camden RLFC is the first club in Group 6 CRL history to win the four premier competitions that it competed in the same season. #4from4

First Grade Premiership Coaches:-
2024: Camden Rams RLFC - Bradley Speechley (Undefeated)
2022: Camden Rams RLFC
(Captain Coaches - Mason Cerruto and Bradley Speechley)
2016: Camden Rams RLFC (Captain Coach- Scott Borg)
2002: Camden Rams RLFC (Captain Coach- Mitch Newton )
2000: Camden Rams RLFC (Captain Coach- Andrew Willis)
1998: Camden Rams RLFC (Captain Coach- Peter Gentle)
1997: Camden Rams RLFC (Captain Coach- Peter Gentle)
1994: Camden Rams RLFC (Captain Coach- David Greene)
1978: Camden Rams RLFC (Captain Coach- Rod Jackson)
1951: Camden Rams (Keith Clarke)
1948: Camden Rams (Herb Narvo)
1928: Camden Rams
1922: Camden Rams

In 2019 the Camden Reserve Grade team, coached by Andrew Willis went through the competition to complete the season as undefeated premiers. In the same year U18s won the Premiership and the Rams also won the inaugural Women’s Rugby League competition as undefeated Premiers. The club were named 2019 Club Champions.

With 2020 interrupted with COVID-19 the Rams didn’t field any teams except 3rd grade for the season.

In 2021 the season was cut short with finals not proceeding, again impacted by COVID-19, however Premierships were awarded to all first placed teams when the announcement was made. As a result the Rams Women’s Rugby League team won the premiership.

2022 saw the return of a full season with interruptions through the season but this time as a result of poor weather and flooding rendering grounds unplayable. It was also the first year of the merged competition under NSWRL known as the Wests Group Macarthur Competition, seeing the return of Campbelltown sides from Easts Campbelltown and collegians in First Grade and other clubs in lower grade competitions.

The Rams finished the season proper as equal 1st in First grade but 2nd due to fore and against, Undefeated Premiers in Reserve Grade, 3rd in Women’s Rugby League, 5th in U18s, 4th in Conference Gold and out of the finals in Ladies Leaguetag. The WRL were defeated in the grand final whilst Reserve Grade won as Undefeated Premiers under coach Harrison Fox. However, the biggest upset of the day was when Camden defeated the much favoured East Campbelltown side with a convincing 30 - 4 win. It was the first time in the season the Rams had every 1st Grade player available to play, albeit Jackson Willis who played from the bench after badly dislocating a shoulder only weeks prior. Willis and Josh Goulton were the only returning 1st Grade Premiership winners from the 2016 team. The Club was named Club Champions.

In 2022 The Rams player Danny Fualalo capped off a sensational season by being named the Wests Group Macarthur First Grade Player of the Year.

In 2023 the Rams fielded 7 teams and made the finals series for 6 of them. LLT Silver, Women's Rugby League (WRL) and Reserve were defeated in the Preliminary Final. The Rams Inaugural U18 Girls Rugby League team put in a great effort against a more experience opposition and were defeated. The First grade who finished the season as minor Premiers were leading in the second half, only to allow Thirlmere in for two late tries which narrowly defeated the Rams by 2 points. The U18 boys however put on an outstanding performance to defeat Narellan and finish as deserving Undefeated Premiers.

In 2024 the Rams fielded 8 teams into the competition with WRL (in both season 1 and 2), two LLT teams, two U18 Boys teams, U18 Girls Rugby League, Reserve Grade and First Grade. The WRL finished season 2.0 as Minor premiers but missed making it through to the GF. LLT Silver made it though to the finals, but missed making the GF. U18 Gold went on to be Undefeated Premiers beating East Campbelltown 26 -16 in the GF. Reserve grade went on from Minor Premiers to win the Premiership 22-20 over Oakdale. First grade seeking redemption for 2023, went through as Undefeated Premiers beating The Oaks in extra time in the Grand Final 38-26. Josh Goulton and Jackson Willis made it their 3rd First Grade Premiership with the Rams, whilst Brad Speechley, Bailey Dickinson, Ben Powers, Brad Hopkins, Danny Fualalo, Kisi Taulani, Logan Matapuku and Steele Brown got their second Rams First Grade Premiership.

First Grader Jack Miller finished the year as competition top point scorer and joint top try scorer. Club stalwart Chris Browne finished the year as Reserve grade competition top point scorer, whilst Lindsay Munro finished as top Try Scorer. Aiden Richards from 18 Gold took out the competition top point scorer and Joel Collins top try scorer. The Camden Rams were also awarded the Semi Professional Club Championship.

Notable players

*David Greene (Penrith Panthers)
*Peter Gentle (St George Dragons)
*Andrew Willis (Western Suburbs Magpies)
*Jason Eade (Western Suburbs Magpies & Western Reds)
*Mitch Newton (Canterbury Bulldogs, Australian Kangaroos)
*Scott Davey (Canterbury Bulldogs)
*Kevin Thomson (Balmain)
*Mark Thomson (Western Suburbs Magpies)
*Ray Cashmere (1999–2012 Western Suburbs Magpies, West Tigers, Salford City Reds & North Queensland Cowboys
* Dean Collis (Wests Tigers, Cronulla Sharks)
* Shannon McDonnell (Wests Tigers, Newcastle Knights)
* Mason Cerruto (Penthrith Panthers, Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
*Danny Fualalo (Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs)

Local Juniors played NRL or NRLW:
*James Tedesco (2012– Wests Tigers / Sydney Roosters), NSW and Australian Captain
* Dean Britt (2017– Melbourne Storm)
*Abbi Church (2022- 2023 Parramatta Eels, 2023 Prime Minister's XIII)
*Macie Carlile (2023 - St George Dragons)
*Madison Mulhall (2023 - St George Dragons)

Local Juniors played NYC (U20)/ Jersey Flegg (U21):
*Mark McCormack (Wests Tigers)
*Jesse Jackson (Wests Tigers)
*Zac Greene (Canterbury Bulldogs)
*Will Kerr (Canterbury Bulldogs)
*Jackson Willis (St George Illawarra Dragons)
*Ben Powers (Wests Tigers)
*Kereti Tautaiolefua (Sydney Roosters)
*Bailey Dickinson (St George Illawarra Dragons)
*Jay Kirk (Wests Tigers)
*Cameron Lawrence (Canterbury Bulldogs)

Male Player of the Year: ''introduced 2018''

* 2018 Luke Pollard
* 2019 Will Kerr
* 2022 Danny Fualalo
* 2023 Bradley Speechley

Female Player of the Year: ''introduced 2018''

* 2018 Abbi Church
* 2019 Abbi Church
* 2022 Paige Knapp/ Karina Copeland
* 2023 Katie Stevens

Rookie Award (Male):

* 2016 Jackson Willis
* 2017 Steele Brown
* 2018 Luke Peoples
* 2019 Ben Quinlan
* 2022 Tom Chanter
* 2023 Harry Delaney

Rookie Award (Female) ''introduced 2023''

* 2023 Katie Stevens

Rising Star Award (Male):

* 2016 Andrew Horne
* 2017 Greg Bentham
* 2018 Cameron Oitmann
* 2019 Raymond Redman
* 2022 Lindsay Munro
* 2023 Lachlan Dooner

Rising Star Award (Female) ''introduced 2023''

* 2023 Breanna Cunningham

Shaun Durrington Socialiser of the Year:

* 1986 Brendon Reilly
* 1987 Colin Mulley
* 1988 Steve Ricketts
* 1989 Craig Chapman
* 1990 Duncan Skinner
* 1991 Shaun Durrington
* 1992 Paul Dooner
* 1993 Glenn Redman
* 1994 Kevin Thompson
* 1995 Mathew McHutchinson
* 1996 Gavin Bell
* 1997
* 1998 Duncan Macauley
* 1999 Adam Buckley
* 2000 Andrew Willis
* 2001 Matt Fenn
* 2002 Mick Kearney
* 2003 Matt Urban
* 2004 Matt Dickinson
* 2005 Daniel Finch
* 2006 Lee Baxter
* 2007 Robbie Weir
* 2008 George Gordon
* 2009 Pat Purcell
* 2010 Elliot Kidd
* 2011 Mark De Ubago
* 2013 Chris Corby
* 2014 Jason Stevens
* 2015
* 2016 Harry Lording
* 2017 Riley Thomson
* 2018 Jeremy Hill
* 2019 Ramigo's
* 2022 Jackson Willis
* 2023 Patty Dumont

Andrew Willis is the only person to have coached and won Premierships in each premier competition with the Rams. 2000 - First Grade, 2016 - U18s, 2019 - Reserve Grade, 2021 - Women’s Rugby League.

Josh Goulton and Jackson Willis have won 3 First Grade Premierships with the Rams 2016, 2022 and 2024.

See also

References

{{reflist

External links

Camden Rams website

Rugby league teams in Sydney
Rugby clubs established in 1953
1953 establishments in Australia
Camden, New South Wales