On a big occasion at Victoria Park, TRYC are celebrating 20 years since their back-to-back premierships in 1997 and 1998, recognising David Pieper’s 350th career game, raising money with a raffle for North Wagga ruckman Josh Hanlon, and remembering the late ‘Grunter’ – who also played for the Hawks, but is renowned as one of the greatest Magpies. 

“He was really good to play with. Brad Aiken even said last week that he used to fear playing against The Rock because of that one man. That’s how much intimidation he had,” Driscoll recalled of the man who won five premierships with TRYC.

“When I made my debut, the first thing he said to me was, ‘Don’t worry mate, I’ll look after you. You’ll be right. You go and try and get a kick.’ I was like, you beauty, thank you. He’s probably the best player we’ve ever had at the club.”

The Magpies-Hawks fixture has been played in honour of O’Leary since his death in 2013. 

The home side take winning form in, just. They stopped a six-game losing streak beating the Northern Jets last week but remain two wins outside the five.

“We’re pretty much do-or-die now for the rest of the year if we want to play finals,” Driscoll said. “We’ve got to get a couple of back after those early ones we lost.”

Driscoll – who has been one of their best and most consistent this year – admits it hasn’t been the easiest of season and last week’s breakthrough was a relief. 

“It was a good feeling around the club after losing six straight, we haven’t done that for a while,” Driscoll said. He wasn’t there in 2014 when they missed finals for the first time in a decade.

“It was a bit of weird feeling (losing). I’ve been very lucky to be successful out there. That’s probably one of the longest stretches I can remember and it does grind you down a bit after a while.”

The Pies go in with two wins against a Hawks outfit that has had only two losses. 

Adding to the occasion, and TRYC’s hopes, is the return of former coach David Pieper, who will play his 350^th career game. 

With the milestone including his time at Wagga Tigers and five seasons at North Wagga as well as 12 years at Victoria Park, Pieper played down the personal milestone. He was reluctant to take away from club events at The Rock. 

“It’s a massive day with the back-to-back reunions and I think they've got nearly everyone there coming back for it. And it’s a big game for the club,” Pieper said.

His 350 games included two senior flags with the Pies (in addition to one at Tigers in 2001) and Pieper was happy to declare leading TRYC to that 2015 premiership is the highlight of them all.

“Definitely one of the highlights,” Pieper said. “In 2001 I was very young but it was enjoyable. There was also The Rock in 2011 but we lost a few along the way.

“But ’15 was very fulfilling and it was great especially with the blokes behind the scenes who put so much in, like Mark Driscoll, Bob Driscoll, Zoc (Michael Mazzocchi) and Gavin Hofert who’s always been there, through all my coaching.”

Pieper’s father Gerald played more than 400 games for Wagga Tigers on the way to 512 in his career. David says luck with injury has helped him get a fair way there but there’s “not a hope in hell I’ll play that long!” 

Matt Hard, Brad Aiken and Brad Langtry come to mind as some of the best players he’s come across in later years (as opponents, and representative teammates), while Tigers Stephen Priest and Darren Cook were stars in his early days. 

But up with the best of them is Mark O’Leary.

“He wasn’t very enjoyable to play against, but you stood a foot taller playing with him,” Pieper said. 

“He was the old school. Whatever happened on the field, you had a beer afterwards. And he always gave 100 percent in every game, no matter what the scoreboard was.”