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Newcastle Herald

Simon McCarthy

Singleton Roosters return to the field after horror Hunter Valley bus crash

Roosters Peter Lorimer Rooster (Organization) Singleton Roosters Singleton Chris Minns Kyah McBride Dave Layzell Sue Moore New South Wales

Singleton Roosters

Readers are advised that this report may contain the names and images of deceased First Nations people.

The Singleton Roosters AFL club, devastated by the loss of several players in a horrific wedding bus crash in June, rallied and returned to their home field for the first time on Saturday, July 15.

Five weeks had passed since a bus carrying 35 guests from the wedding of Roosters club couple Mitchell Gaffney and Madeleine Edsell rolled near the Hunter Valley Expressway, killing 10 passengers, including Roosterettes coach and former club president Nadene McBride and her daughter Kyah, the team's captain.

The communities of Singleton and Cessnock were left reeling as the extent of one of the region's worst road tragedies became clear.

Even as they shouldered their grief on Saturday, though, the club's president Dylan Hixon said the Roosters and the broader community were trying to return to some normality.

"We have lost important people to our club," Mr Hixon said, "Nadene was a beautiful woman - she used to tell me to man up and have a go; she never wanted anyone to sook about things. She just wanted everyone to go out there and have a crack.

"I sat there imagining all the times she would have said 'what are you all crying over me for, go out there and play footy'. This is what she would have wanted."

The NSW Premier Chris Minns was in Singleton on Saturday for the Roosters fixtures and announced $1.7 million would be put towards improving amenities at the club in the wake of the crash. Picture by Peter Lorimer

The NSW Premier Chris Minns speaks with Mitchell Gaffney, the groom of the Wandin Estate wedding. Picture by Peter Lorimer

Emotion was palpable at Rose Point Park on Saturday as the Singleton Rooster's AFL club returned for the first men's and women's matches since a devastating bus crash claimed 10 lives from the club and community in June. Picture by Peter Lorimer

The Roosters women's team, the Roosterettes, lost their coach and captain - mother and daughter Nadene and Kyah McBride - in the horror crash on June 11. Husband and father Graham 'Banger' McBride was on the sidelines on Saturday, surrounded by his club members. Picture by Peter Lorimer

The NSW Premier Chris Minns, pictured here with club president Dylan Hixon, was in Singleton on Saturday for the Roosters fixtures and announced $1.7 million would be put towards improving amenities at the club in the wake of the crash. Picture by Peter Lorimer

Graham 'Banger' McBride was on the sidelines on Saturday, in support of the team his late wife and daughter, Nadine and Kyah, led. Picture by Peter Lorimer

The Roosters' first-grade women's side took on Cardiff in the day's first fixture at Rose Point Park before the men's third grade played The Entrance-Bateau Bay in the afternoon.

Cardiff won the former clash 6.7 (43) to 4.6 (30), while the men beat The Entrance-Bateau Bay 12.9 (81) to 5.8 (38).

In a moving gesture, before play commenced on Saturday, the challenging Cardiff Hawks formed up an honour guard alongside the Roosterettes' local supporters as the home side took the field.

When play broke, both teams joined together around Graham 'Banger' McBride - the husband and father of Nadene and Kyah - in an emotional rendition of the team song.

"Everyone rallying behind us has just been amazing," Mr Hixon said, "We're a small country town and a small club in a rugby league-dominated area, but everyone has come out to support us.

"I sit here every day and think this is just amazing."

NSW Premier Chris Minns travelled up for the club's return and, with local MP Dave Layzell and Mayor Sue Moore, said $1.7 million would be put towards improving the Rose Point AFL facilities, including installing accessible amenities for the women's grades.

The work also includes plans for erecting a memorial at the club to remember the lives lost in the crash.

"It is a real privilege to be invited in," Mr Minns said on Saturday, "There are no consolations after this kind of tragedy - it is so horrible - but if there is any glimmer of hope, it's that people were here for one another when they needed to be.

"They are leaning on each other. They are going to need each other in the years ahead.

Singleton Mayor Sue Moore said it was a historic and emotional day for the club and its supporters, but seeing the Roosters return at the weekend was helping the town to heal.

"Everyone has a connection in some way - everybody knows everybody in a small country town like Singleton. It's hugely important that we can pull together and work through these kinds of things, and today is just an example of how that is coming together."

Mr Layzell said, even as the town and club grieved, they sought ways to channel their anguish into a lasting legacy.

"We're looking for ways to channel that grief into something positive," he said, "The fact that everyone is out playing today is part of that process."

Mr Hixon said the club would aim to return to regular fixtures from now on, except for the men's first-grade side, who withdrew from the Black Diamond Cup in the wake of the crash and have since forfeited their fixtures.

"We want to get back to normality," he said, "It's what they would have wanted. They would be up there now, watching us playing footy."

Later, only moments before he took to the field, Mr Hixon addressed a packed press conference surrounded by Rooster's supporters and players waiting in the wings.

"I love this club," he said, "I'll love it until the day I die."

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