Heavy Woollen Donkeys
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Heavy Woollen Donkeys | |
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| Full name | Heavy Woollen Donkeys Social Rugby League Football Club |
| Emblem | Donkey |
| Colours | Black, Green, White |
| Founded | 2002 |
| Sport | Rugby league |
| League | Pre-arranged Social games between supporters teams,Rugby League Conference second teams and national/international development teams |
| Ground | Shaw Cross ARLFC, Dewsbury |
| Official website | www.rugbyleague.org/donkeys |
Heavy Woollen Donkeys are a social rugby league team from Batley/Dewsbury in West Yorkshire. They play their home matches at Shaw Cross ARLFC, the home of Shaw Cross Sharks though they refer to it as the 'donkey sanctuary'. The club was formed in 2002, but had its origins in a team known as the ntl Lambs, which was a team made up of employees from ntl and the Environment Agency and used to train at Lockwood in Huddersfield.
After several games The ntl Lambs went by the wayside during the winter of 2000/2001 but were reborn as the Donkeys a year later when the few remaining players relocated to Shaw Cross.
Their name is a fusion of two ideas. Firstly they are based in the Heavy Woollen District of Yorkshire and, secondly, due to their average age and level of fitness they took on the self deprecating title of Asses.
An explosion of social rugby league saw the formation of IMBRL (Internet Message Board Rugby League) where like minded teams of supporters and enthusiasts arranged fixtures between themselves over the web.
The Donkeys have become famous over a short period of time due their attitude to developing the sport and their love of the game. Keen to support development of the sport the Donkeys will travel anywhere for a game and give anyone a game. They have participated in the Rotterdam International Rugby league Nines in 2004 and 2005.
The Donkeys will be participating in the Kilkenny Rugby League nines in 2007.
Two important Donkey facts:
- They have never "no-showed" for a fixture or competition.
- They have never been "nilled"
The Stable of Origin took place in October 2006. Conceived by Paul "Hank" Hancock the concept was for all Donkeys born within the Heavy Woollen area to face a team of Donkeys born outside the area, known as the "Rest of the World Donkeys".
The Rest of the world Donkeys were triumphant 31 - 20 in the first Stable of Origin.
Other social rugby league teams the Donkeys have played since their formation:
- Wigan Web Warriors
- Warrington Wire
- Sheffield Forgers aka Sheffield Beagles
- Hunslet Supporters
- Leeds Lost Loiners
- St Helens Stickmen
- Bradford Replacements
- Peterlee Pumas, second team
- Leeds Akademiks, second team
- Bristol (Sub)Sonics
- Chesterfield Spires
- South Humberside Rabbitohs
Teams faced in international competition:
- Nottingham Outlaws (Rugby)
- Rugby Rotterdam (Netherlands)
- Scotland Students
- Broughton Red Rose
- Robertson Spuddies (Australia)
- Oxford University Old Boys
- Rotterdam/Hookers (Netherlands)
2006 will see even more new teams face the Donkeys
All Time Records up to end of 2005
- Full contact games: Played 23, won 5, drawn 1 lost 17.
- Ever presents: The 3 remaining (Clarkson. Terry and Wilkinson) all fell by the wayside during *2006, although Clarkson remains the most capped Donkey by 2, having only missed one game ever.
- Record loss; points conceded and margin: 76 :18 and 58 v South Humber Rabbitohs (previous 54-16 and 38 v Warrington IMBRL 2004)
- Record win; points scored and margin: 22-60 and 38 (11 tries) v Sheffield Beagles (2005)
- Leading try scorer: Hardcastle 13 (+ 1 SoO)
- Leading point scorer: Perks 85 (4 T, 34 G, 1 DG)
- Most tries in a season: 6 Robinson (2006)
- Most international 9s tries: Alvy (2)
More new faces came and put on the famous Green/Black/White shirts in 2006. With the all time Donkey count now up to 65.
All time Donkey Squad list:
- Si Alvy
- Rob Castlehouse
- Gaz Clarkson
- Grant Cooper
- Ian Cooper
- Steve Crawshaw
- Neil Day
- Phil Downsborough
- Chris Durkin
- Tony Grundy
- Paul Hancock
- Tim Hardcastle
- Tim Huntley
- Peter Jamieson
- Mark Lockwood
- Danny Macallister
- Jonni Perks
- Dean Robinson
- Steve Tate
- Chris Terry
- Dave Thornton
- Ben `Waite-Wright`
- Matthew `Waite-Wright`
- Glen West
- Tim Wilkinson
- Mark Willans
- Tony Wait
- Lindon
- Si Kerr
- Mick Rigby
- Glen West's grumpy brother
- Kevin, 'The Volcano'
- Dave Auty
- Mike Howes
- Mark Willans
- Neil Gillan
- Ian Thynne
- Graham Jack
- Matthew Kemp
- Alan Mcrae
- Gareth Allen
- Paul Beeby
- Paul Dowgill
- Tim Gaines
- Tom Greenwood
- Frazer Metcalfe
- Sean Mullins
- Mick Phillips
- Paul Strangeways
- Phil Walton
- Ricky Wilby
- Shaun Winstanley
- Paul "Smiler" Smith
- Adam 'Bazz' Barratt
- Dominic Camponi
- Tom Camponi
- John Helliwell
- Mark Horton
- Danny Marsh
- Christian Moorhouse
- Neil ‘Happy Meal’ Strangeway
- Daz Terry
- Andy Walker
- Steve 'Woody' Wood
- Adrian ‘Sinbad’
