The second get together of the Jack Ryder Club was the annual luncheon at Camberwell Sports Ground during the Maggies V Dandenong 1 dayer.

A 2 course Gourmet carvery was provided by James Spit Roast Service, who not only supplied a wonderful spread, but offered fantastic service and couldn't have been more helpful. Before indulging in Apple pie and Black Forest Cake we were entertained by our guest speaker for the event.

Brendan "Bushy" McArdle engaged the guests with yarns about his career and life in cricket. His first year of involvement in Premier League Cricket (then District Cricket) was in 1965 when his brother-in-law took him to Northcote when Bill Lawry was in his prime.

"I started in the 4ths and worked my way up through the grades and that very first season was the year that Bill Lawry made 282 no which was probably the most famous innings ever on the Albert ground. This made a very big impact on me as a young fourteen year old just coming into the game. Things have changed an awful lot since those days but the fabric of the game is still as stong as ever and the people at the grass roots level are still as committed as ever."

Brendan's first captain at Northcote was Bill Lawry and then Rodney Hogg and Gary Cosier, all of whom went on to represent Australia at test level.

All in all Bushy provided very entertaining listening.

The next Jack Ryder function will be Wednesday 2nd February at Kew Golf Club.

Thankyou to Paul Jeffries, Sports Journalist, who contributed to this article and provided the photos of the luncheon.

Become a member

Have you considered becoming involved in the Maggies main support group, the Jack Ryder Club?

Jack Ryder, and ex Collingwood Cricket Club legend and greatest cricketer Victoria ever produced, is honoured by the Camberwell Magpies in the form of the Jack Ryder Club.

We welcome and encourage you to be part of the Magpies family by joining other parents, past and present players and sports lovers in general who come together as one group as members of JRC.

The JRC meets for luncheons and dinners on six occasions each year to enjoy the social side of cricket in a very pleasant environment with a prominent and interesting guest speaker. Speakers in the past have included leading sporting identities in Bob Merriman, Malcolm Gray, Geoff Tamblyn, Peter Schwab, Ken Jacobs, Ray Bright, Michael O'Sullivan, Colin Lovitt QC, Ross Turner from Cricket Australia and most recently a very entertaining Darren Berry and Brendan McArdle.

For an initial $100 joining fee and $120 annual subscription you receive a polo shirt, tie and the camaraderie of the Jack Ryder Club network.