The yarns, jibes and tall tales were quickly flowing as 1979 minor/major premiership captain coach John “Junior” Wood was joined by former players Alan West, Neil Robinson, Les Thompson and Kriss “Crazy” Graham at Fred Harvey this week.

They were also joined by former club administrator Mike Nolan who was instrumental in along with Graham in pushing the idea of forming the Woodberry Warriors Old Boys into a reality.

The group will join together en masse for their inaugural gathering at Saturday’s top-of-the-table clash between the new generation of Warriors and Wallsend Maryland at Fred Harvey Oval.

More than 200 former players, volunteers and administrators have already signalled they will be turning up for the big day which kicks off at the Tudor Hotel at 1pm and continues across at the oval for kick-off at 3pm.

“We’re only a small club, but we’ve always achieved way beyond our size,” Nolan who found his way to the club after his soccer playing days were over.

There have been premierships and lean times, but one of their proudest achievements is that they have fielded a team every year since being formed in 1974 and starting in 1975 as the Woodberry Woodpeckers, even if in 1980 it was as the Beresfield Warriors.

“We’ve had some great teams and great players, but the club is a family and we are recognising that with Old Boys membership open to everyone who has played, volunteered in support roles, the ladies who worked in the canteen, and those who served in the administration,” Nolan said.

The club’s first coach was former Kurri Kurri first grader Ross Jeffery and the team of promising youngsters and older experienced players laid the foundation for a great start and continued success.

Former South Newcastle hooker Junior Wood took over as captain/coach in 1977, with Jeffery becoming secretary, and they claimed the minor premiership bowing out of the finals in the preliminary final.

In 1979 Wood led the team to their minor and major premiership double with what club stalwarts still regard as their best team.

In 1980 the club held on with a merger with Beresfield as the Beresfield Warriors, but the rivalry “across the bridge” meant this was always going to be a short-lived entity and Woodberry returned in their own right in 1981 and made the finals. In 1982 with Wood again at the helm they claimed their second major premiership beating Greta in the grand final.

The rest is history and there will plenty of old boys to fill you in on the rest on Saturday.