The Warren Bulldogs are the little bush club that’s roaring back into Rugby League by fielding a first-grade men’s side and women’s League Tag side in 2025 for the first time in eight years.
People power has helped the Bulldogs resurrect themselves and again take part in the Castlereagh Rugby League competition bringing it up to an 11-team draw next season.
President Brett Brouff said the seed was planted back in June when a meeting was held at the golf club in Warren, a town of around 1,300 people about an 80-minute drive northwest of Dubbo in NSW’s central west.
“We had 56 members from the town turn up at that first meeting,” Brouff told nswrl.com.au
“They all said they’d help us out, engage everyone to help with the ground preparation, the canteen, do all the support jobs you need – our army of volunteers basically.
“Then we had a meeting in early August to form the committee at our first annual general meeting. More meetings and lot more hard work and we got 23 first-grade players and 18 League Tag.
“We then went to the Castlereagh meeting on Sunday (24 November) and we got accepted back in by all the other clubs. It’s all go from here.”
The above photo has Warren Bulldogs President Brett Brouff (centre) congratulated by Castlereagh League secretary Bryson Luff and Castlereagh Board member Peter Hazelton. (Photo: Supplied)
The reasons behind the demise of the Warren Bulldogs were simple, even though the junior grades continued throughout.
“Just personnel,” Brouff said. “We couldn’t get the players – people left town and the senior club just fell apart, which has happened in a lot of small towns.
“Since we’ve had our juniors for quite a lot of years, they have stayed in town and have now got jobs in the area.
“Parents and others starting asking themselves ‘Why can’t we try and get Rugby League going again in Warren among the senior players?’.”
The golf club meeting was called in mid-June and the rest is now history.
“It just completes our club once again and we’re all really looking forward next year to when the Castlereagh League kicks off on 26 April,” Brouff said.
“There’s a real excitement in the town – it’s got our little town buzzing that’s for sure.”
The Warren Bulldogs page on Facebook attracted many messages of congratulations along with calls for expressions of interest from coaches.
The club received a further boost with Castlereagh’s board deciding Warren could host the senior and junior pre-season knockout competitions on 12 April at Victoria Oval.
