Three generations in Men of League

The Men of League family is spread far and wide – from Perth to Parramatta, Darwin to Dubbo, from Melbourne to Mackay and Tweed Heads to Townsville.

And in the case of the rugby league-mad Lavery family, Men of League membership is spread over three generations and three states. Bruce (90), lives in Perth, his son Vince (69) is now retired and resides at Mooloolaba and his son Dean (43) lives in Sydney, where this family tree first started to grow.

Vince says the family’s love affair with rugby league kicked off around 60 years ago when he and his brother, Bruce Jnr, first laced up a pair of footy boots. After playing for Garden Island in the war years, his dad had a long association with Greenacre, where his younger brother Mark also played. Bruce Jnr was a 15-year member of Greenacre and after moving to Perth was a team manager for five years at the Sorrento Dolphins RLFC.

While Vince and Mark both started their careers at Greenacre, Mark went on to later play with Canterbury and Vince with Wests and the Coogee Randwick Wombats. They then joined up again at Marist Brothers, in the South Sydney Junior competition.
Dean was one of the originals at Coogee Dolphins when the club kicked off in 1994. He was secretary of the club for eight years and is still actively involved.

“We have all had a great association with rugby league, love the game and enjoy our association with the Men of League,” said Vince, who regularly attends events and functions organised by the Sunshine Coast committee. – TONY DURKIN

The three generation Men of League members – Vince, Bruce and Dean Lavery – at Bruce’s 90th birthday