THE first four members of the Group Three Rugby League hall of fame will be inducted at a function to be held at Wingham Services Club on Friday December 6.
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They are Kevin Hardy, Warren Kimberley, Tony Paskins and Wally Sneddon.
The induction will be run in conjunction with the Mid North Coast Men of League chapter. Former Australian and NSW hooker and captain Danny Buderus, a Taree league product, will be special guest at the night.
Hardy and Kimberley have had long associations with Group Three Rugby League as players, coaches, Hardy with Taree United and Kimberley with Wauchope. Hardy also had success coaching Group Three and North Coast sides.
They then moved into administrations with the group and the Country Rugby League, where Kimberley is a former president. Hardy is still president of the Group Three Junior Rugby League.
Paskins finished his stellar career in Group Three as captain-coach of Forster-Tuncurry from 1968 to 1970, winning two premierships. The Forster side in 1968 lost just one game and is regarded as one of the best to have played here in the post war era.
Sneddon was association with two clubs in this area - Taree Old Bar where he was a captain-coach and Wauchope. He coached the Blues to the 1969 premiership and was also a prominent first grade refereee.
The Times will provide profiles of all four inductees leading into the December 6 ceremony.
Group Three secretary Barrie Smith confirmed that there will be two new inductees added to the hall of fame each year. He added that all four inductees were nominated by either the public or Group Three clubs. Plaques outlining the achievements of the inductees will be on permanent display at the Wingham Services Club, the major sponsors of Group Three Rugby League.