The bush's greatest team

The now defunct Mandurama Reds rugby league team was once so successful it was able to attract a potential Kangaroo and advertised for a coach at Sydney wages. Public historian Sam Guthrie who grew up near Mandurama and now lives in Belfast, Northern Ireland has been trying to seek funding for a oral history project telling the story of Mandurama through the lens of its former rugby league team. Mr Guthrie currently works with community groups on topics of contested history related to the peace process having conducted research projects with Queen's University Belfast, the British Red Cross, and the Irish Language Community Centre in West Belfast, Ionad na Fuiseoige. He's also delivered papers on the peace process to the Oral History Network of Ireland in Derry and the Oral History Society in London at the British Library. He's now turning his attention to something closer to his birthplace, the once mighty Manduama Reds. To receive funding he hopes to prove the value of the project by identifying participants. "I'm interested in how community relates to collective memory but also the likely impact of itinerancy on collective memory," Mr Guthrie said. "Mandurama, as a community, appears to have little to no collective memory of the Mandurama Reds. "The stories communities tell are how they shape their history and the process of shaping this history, evolving as it does through generations, is impacted by what they choose to remember. "So my reason, in seeking to look at this from a perspective of intergenerational or transmitted memory, is to seek to actively restore memories of community through sporting success in Mandurama - a community with little time left to make much of its history." Mr Guthrie says the team itself has a history of success beyond its station. They were declared the best in the west of the state several times. Before 1930 they had a number of undefeated seasons including 1926 when the team was photographed for the Sydney Sun. "In 1925 the team was the first willing to play an all-Aboriginal team from Cowra and in 1929 some of the Mandurama players played for that Erambie All Black team," Mr Guthrie said. As part of the work he has already carried out Mr Guthrie has uncovered two never before seen photographs of Australian Test cricketer Ernie Toshack, one of Don Bradman's Invincibles, who played rugby league with the Reds and then Cowra before making a permanent switch to cricket. The team existed in some form until the late 1950s/60's but Mr Guthrie fears time may be running out to connect with anyone who played for the side. "Over the last twelve months I am aware of two former players who have passed; the Prosper brothers of Mandurama," he said. "I hold out slim hope that there might be one or two players around," He is looking for anyone who could tell stories that their parents or grandparents might have told them. He's also hopeful there may be someone in the district who might remember attending a match as a child. He has had some luck via Facebook but only through comments and short memories. If you can help you can contact Mr Guthrie via his email address samuel.j.r.guthrie@gmail.com