The survivors of Boorowa’s victorious Maher Cup win over Cowra in 1953, Joe Barton, Jack Regan, Adrian Sykes and Don Glover, would remember the first time the Boorowa Leagues Club (1953) had two representatives in the Country First’s team: Captain/Coach Ernie Hammerton and Bryan Orrock.
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However prior to 1953, there were two other Boorowa league players, namely in 1947.
International hooker George Watt was selected in the Country Firsts and again in 1949.
Boorowa born Johnny Scott was selected in the Country Seconds as halfback.
Johnny Scott, as a result of his performance, was immediately offered a contact with St George, where he played until 1951 before returning to Boorowa to work as a Holden car salesman with Ginty O’Leary.
The following year he was offered a contract with Young.
With the demise of the Country v City annual rugby league match to be “staged” at Mudgee on May 7, ;looking back, Boorowa were a formidable and proud team, winning the Maher Cup on four occasions and having representatives in Group 9 and Riverina teams.
Besides Watt in 1947, Scott in 1949, Hammerton and Orrock making the 1953 Country Firsts, speedy winder Harry Simmons the following year made the Country Seconds team.
Hammerton attributes his time in Boorowa and representing Riverina and Country Firsts that the NSW and Australian selectors became aware of his ability as a hooker in the scrums.
At the time, Ken Kearney of St George was the NSW and Australian hooker.
Thus in 1953, when Country defeated City and Hammerton won the scrums over his nemesis Kearney, therefore Hammerton was selected for NSW while playing for Boorowa and the Australian Kangaroos touring team the following years when returning to play for South Sydney.
