Sometimes a photo can trigger all sorts of memories and connections. This framed photo of our 1961 under 18s found its way into the hands of Nick Dan who passed it on to my brother Steve who gave it a deft flick on to me for safe keeping.

While others will know more, the only face I recognise is that of the late Robbie Wood (Greens #1294) who came back to play seniors rugby between 1970 to 1974. Growing up in Merewether in the 1960s we remember Robbie as a local surfing legend. He was the guy often on his own out in the big surf fearlessly charging everything on his massive 10’6” gun board. Apparently known as the “Rhino Chaser” that board, curtesy of the Wood family, is now on proud display above the main bar at the renovated Beach Hotel.

Robbie was a Founder, Open Club Champion, President, Life Member and Hall of Fame member of the Merewether Surfboard Club. For good measure he was also a successful surf lifesaving ironman.

That leads me to the grainy photo below of Robbie on his famous board with the late Warren “Chippy“ Chipchase at the Catho Bombie in 1963.

Chippy (Greens 1127, 147 games,118 in first grade) was an excellent surf swimmer at state and national level and a fine rugby hooker who I reckon was the best in the comp at that time. Chippy was older than me and he certainly looked after me when I played my first grade game as a 17 year old in 1968. Later on when I arrived back in Newcastle in 1976 he got me the interview that lead to a job with a firm I remained at for the rest of my career in the law. He was also a natural in the water and an awesome spearfisherman and when not in the water, a fine barrister who I was delighted to brief throughout my legal career.

Robbie and Chippy are great examples of the strong connection our Club has with the local surfing community. There is a strong surf culture in our Club’s DNA. It is expressed through the many threads that join us with the Merewether Board Club and the local Surf Clubs namely Merewether, Dixon Park, Cooks Hill and Newcastle.

The level of connection we have with the Merewether Surfboard Club is made clear in the honour board below prepared by Peter Ryan for their 60th anniversary and kindly provided for our use.

I intend to chase down more detail in relation to the Surf Clubs but that will have to await another day. In the meantime here are a couple of things to whet your appetite. The first is our all Greens backline of Rob Carnell, Ken Shelswell, Mick Bickley and Peter Miller which won the Northern districts beach relay in 1968 competing for Merewether Surf Club.

The next is our last NSW Waratah and the current Chairman of our Greens Foundation Rob Monteath who won the Aussie Junior Beach Sprint title competing for Merewether Surf Club in 1972.

Robbie and Chippy were both rugby playing true watermen who are perfect examples of our connection to surf culture. It got me thinking about some other things.

I am so very glad that our Club has not taken the lazy and well-trodden path for a sporting club of adopting a bear, a type of cat, a bird or some other potentially threatened species as its mascot. That just seems unimaginative and meaningless.

Our Green Wave is not trivial because it reflects our tradition and DNA. It’s not a mascot but a totem which embodies the spirit of the Club. Our Green Wave is a force of nature: powerful, unstoppable, enduring. I saw it on the field and on the hill at last years Grand Final. I see it watching wave after wave of our juniors move through from grommets to U18 and into seniors. It has real weight and meaning I believe and it’s great to be on that wave.

John Davis