Sport
20 March, 2026
Special reunion for Raiders
NORTHERN Raiders Cricket Club will celebrate season 2025/26 – along with two special past premierships – at its annual presentation evening in Warrnambool tonight (Friday).
The club will announce its senior and junior award winners throughout the evening, along with celebrating past premierships.
This will include the 70 year reunion of its A grade flag from 1955/56, Colts premiership of 1975/76, the club’s A grade One Day Cup victory of 1995/96 and the 30 year reunion of the B grade premiership side of 1995-96 (MECCA).
Raiders club member Peter McDonald said tonight’s event will be a great opportunity for current and former members, players and supporters to celebrate and reminisce.
“It will be great to acknowledge the memory of what these 70-year guys achieved back in 1955-56,” he said.
While none of the A grade cricketers from the 1955-56 premiership side are alive today, the sons of five of those players were members of the 1975-76 Colts premiership team.
They included Kevin Ryan (son Anthony), Charlie McDonald (son Alan), Keith McDonald (son Ray), Ivor McNeil (son Darryl) and John McDonald (sons David and Peter).
John McDonald was captain of the 1955-56 senior premiership and then also went on to coach the 75-76 Colts team.
“John McDonald mentored the juniors for an incredible 44 consecutive years at the Grassmere club, which involved 14 premierships.
“We’re hoping to have as many sons as possible from the 50-year Colts team to represent their late fathers on the night.
“Our premiership success from the 1995-96 season was from the former Mount Emu Creek Cricket Association.”
Tonight’s presentation evening and reunion celebrations will take place at The Flying Horse (upstairs function room) from 6pm.
