Re-living the 1992-93 premiership seasons of the Kempsey Cannonballs

It's also the year our mighty Cannonballs last tasted sweet outright premiership success in the first grade competition.

It was their back to back year after victory in 1992, previously last winning in 1977.

It's also important to note in 2002, the Cannonballs were declared joint premiers after Kullen Beathe's fatal accident in the grand final.

Before heading to 1993, let's go back a few years to see where the foundations started for the 1992-93 success.

In 1987 the winning club culture began as the Phil Carroll coached reserve grade side were declared premiers.

The following year, under 19s won the inaugural Mid North Coast under 19 competition under coaches Phil Carroll and Garry Munday.

In that same year of 1988 a new feeling was brewing at the club as Mr Ian Walton donated land in Crescent Head for playing fields, the same field used today.

The under 19s did the double in 1989 to be declared premiers while there was plenty of individual success. James Lancaster was selected in NSW Country u'21s, Tony Norton was announced MNC Player of the Year and selected for NSW Country.

1991 saw success for reserve grade again, the side was undefeated at home and took out the minor and major premierships while the club was MNCRU Club Champions.

In 1992 the goal posts were erected at Ian Walton Park however the grounds weren't officially declared open until 1995.

On August 22 1992, the Cannonballs first grade side knew they were running onto Toormina Rugby Park looking to win their first MNC grand final since 1977.

Coach Allan Nugent was at the helm and was a player in their last premiership side.

Their opponents, Coffs Harbour Beaches were minor premiers and certainly favourites.

Some people also claimed the Cannonballs played their grand final the week before, defeating Coffs Harlequins 39-3.

Kempsey let the large crowd know their class, putting in 15 unanswered points at half-time, playing perfectly to Nugent's plan of taking to the Beaches 'head on'.

Tries went to Steve Keir, Mick Norton and Todd Farrawell with Stan "Magic" Tuluvu crossing over in the second half to take the tally to 20 with the final score reading 20-10.

Captain Mark Rogers was awarded Player of the Match.

The loss for the Beaches was described by Sunday Telegraph journalist Mike McConnell as potentially, "the end of an era in country rugby... Coffs won more than a dozen premierships in the 15 years it was part of the Far North Coast competition... When Coffs split into two clubs last year to compete in the Mid North Coast competition, the two sides predictable fought out the grand final but Kempsey has ended all that with their historic win."

The 1992 victory laid the perfect platform for a back-to-back assault on the Mid North Coast Rugby Union competition.

Early in the season the club had success at the Armidale and Urunga knockouts.

The Cannonballs first grade side finished the 1993 regular season in first place after a dominant season.

Port Macquarie, Coffs Beaches and Coffs Harlequins trailed behind them.

In reserve grade, Dorrigo finished first, Kempsey second, Coffs Beaches third and Port Macquarie fourth.

The first grade major semi-final saw Kempsey come up against Port Macquarie for a home grand final.

The two sides had only played each other once prior in round one where Port won convincingly.

August 14 was the date of the major-semi final and on Friday's August 20 edition of the Argus, the page 38 headline read, 'Two direct hits by the Cannonballs'.

First grade grade had won 11-10 in a nail-biter while reserves upset Dorrigo 15-10.

With the Cannonballs into the grand final, their success was the talk of the town.

Their opponent would be Port again after they defeated Coffs Harlequins 40-17 while in reserve grade Dorrigo won 15-12 against Port.

A three page feature was filed in the Friday August 27 edition of the Argus with comments from both Kempsey's captain Mark Rogers and Port's Kevin Byrnes.

"It's the Cannonballs to win," Rogers said.

"We are the defending premiers and have been the best side all year. Everyone is ready to play to a game plan and if we stick to it we will win."

"It is going to be very tough to beat Kempsey on their home ground. We are in with a big show though. You can say that Port is a good even money bet," Byrnes challenged.

It's not often sport makes the Argus front page but that it did on Tuesday August 31 as the Cannonballs toasted to success with back-to-back grand final victories.

At Verge Street Oval, the first forty minutes saw a stalemate with the scorers unmoved from their seats.

Fly-half Lee Clay opened the scoring with a penalty goal in the second half.

Clay continued to take the life out of Port, slotting a 45-metre field goal and then another penalty soon after to make the score 9-0.

Prop Ben Hough then made a drive into attacking territory before a cut-out ball from Clay found the hands of Adam Hudson who ran for a 20-metre dash to score.

Following on from that try, Steve Dobbyns joined the action with a five-pointer, burrowing his way over with Clay converting to make the score 21-0.

Port came back with a try but it was too late as the jubilant Cannonballs tasted sweet success yet again to make it two wins on the day after reserve grade defeated Dorrigo 16-6 in extra-time.

In first grade, Mick Norton was awarded Player of the Grand Final while Zone Player of the Year was Trevor Baillie. Lee Clay took out top point-scorer in First Grade.

Kempsey Cannonballs 1993 grand final first XV:

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