Moama raises shield

By Matthew Kappos

Apr 17, 2025

Moama RSL claimed a section pennant in the Edinburgh Shield, a competition for RSL sub-branches from across Victoria. Photo: Jordan Townrow.

The Duke of Edinburgh Shield, the major bowls event for RSL clubs around the state, was held on April 4-5, across 15 venues.

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About 1500 bowlers competed across the tournament and at Barham, the local side representing Moama RSL took out their section and earned a winners’ pennant.

The locals prevailed in all five of their matches, earning wins over Yarrawonga, Kyabram, Geelong, Sunshine, and hosts Barham.

Moama RSL’s performance also earned third place overall once it was compared, on shot difference, to the section winners across all 15 venues, Ocean Grove earning top spot and taking the Edinburgh Shield.

Team manager for the winning side Barry Cuttriss said the Edinburgh Shield event, which has been running since 1954, was about keeping RSL members and affiliates involved and active in bowls.

“In essence, it's to ensure that the service members continue to stay involved and playing bowls,” he said.

“The service members and also affiliates, it's not totally geared to just the service guys.

“Obviously as the years go by, we're losing service members due to age, so the affiliates make up the numbers and the competition goes (on).

“It just basically allows the service members to interact with everybody and be involved.”

The Moama RSL team consisted of 16 bowlers, competing in rinks of four.

While there were some established playing relationships within the respective quartets, the RSL side doesn’t regularly compete together, its members formed from representatives of the district's local bowling clubs including Echuca, Moama and Rich River.

Moama RSL also sent a home team to Rich River Bowls Club, but it was unsuccessful in claiming the shield.

Cuttriss said he believes this makes 12 section pennants for the club in the annual competition, with Moama having also won the overall shield on two occasions in the earlier days of the competition.

Outside the successful result, he hailed the camaraderie built with the other bowls clubs across the competition.

“The banter was just sensational,” he said.

“We're away for a bit of fun, but we're competitive, and we did it because that's what we want to do.

“When we won the flag, the congratulations from all the opposition was fantastic.

“(It was) played in the right spirit for sure.”

The Edinburgh Shield is the only bowls event Moama RSL competes in throughout the year.