About 50 guests attended the invitation-only event at Tuncurry Beach Bowling Club. This included former Australian representatives John King and John Elford along with ex-Balmain and Penrith prop Bob Boland and Jim Hall, a former Eastern Suburbs front rower who was among the founders of the Men of League Foundation.

Originally from Wollongong, Wells played 21 tests for Australia between 1952-1960. He also made 35 appearances for NSW. In 2007 he was inducted into the Australian Rugby League Hall of Fame and was named in the list of Australia’s 100 greatest players in 2008. He was named in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2016.

Wells finished his career in Group Three as captain-coach of the Port Macquarie Sharks in 1970, steering the side to the grand final, where they were beaten by the Tony Paskins-captain-coached Forster-Tuncurry. He still lives in Port Macquarie and is a patron of the Mid North Coast Men of League.

In his era players were presented with a cap when named in Australian teams. However, Wells’ cap had been lost and Mid North Coast Men of League president Brian Atherton made arrangements for a special one to be made. This was presented to Wells during the luncheon, as was a specially made Australian jumper.

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