If only those faded old maroon and white league jerseys could talk.
Barcaldine came alive over the weekend to celebrate a century of rugby league in the small outback town, with locals swapping stories of fierce fights, bitter feuds and famous victories in years gone by.
Barcaldine Sandgoannas club president Brad Mutton said past players and supporters from far-flung corners of the state had travelled back for the celebration.
"The weekend was great. It was fantastic. People from far, far away have come back to visit," he said.
"We've had an absolute ball."
One notable visitor was Heinz Blume, a former Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldog who came to Barcaldine as a player-coach in the 1960s.
"Heinz Blume made the team of the 60s as a player and coach," Mr Mutton said.
"He came straight from Canterbury-Bankstown, where Clive Churchill was the coach.
"Clive told him to come to Barcaldine. Even now Heinz shakes your hand and he just about breaks it."
Barcaldine played its first inter-town game against Longreach in August 1919, scraping home 8 points to 7.
On Sunday the Sandgoannas played the Longreach Thomson Tigers in a re-run of the inaugural fixture, this time winning 56 to 8.
Barcaldine captain Richard Egerton said it was a special feeling to play in the anniversary game.
"The way we played, we all put in a big effort, and that's what we wanted to do," he said.
"Everyone was there to support us. It brought a lot of people back to town."
An astonishing collection of memorabilia was pulled together for the festivities in a vivid display of Barcaldine's rugby league history.
The central west rugby league competition was so notorious in the 1990s that a punch-up between Barcaldine and Blackall was splashed across the front of the Sydney Morning Herald's Spectrum section.
In an earlier game that has since become part of country league folklore, referee Hauff sent the entire brawling Barcaldine and Blackall teams into the sin bin, spawning the timeless headline "You're all off, yells Mr Hauff".
John Osmond, who has been painstakingly sifting through pieces of the club's memorabilia in preparation for the anniversary, captured the brawl on video.
"It was 36 minutes in and the ref pointed to the sideline," he said.
"He gave both teams 10 minutes in the sin bin. Then he told the captains if there was another punch it was over."
There was also an interesting story behind the jerseys used for the club's first inter-town game against Longreach, Mr Osmond said.
"There was lots of talk about the first jersey that they wore.
"I found an article that said the seniors wrote to the rugby union committee and asked to borrow their jerseys for the Longreach game."
Mr Osmond said he had come across some astonishing pieces of the club's history, such as a most-improved player badge dating back to 1921, two years after the club was founded.
"I found a record of the very first meeting Barcaldine held when they decided they wanted to play rugby league," he said.
"Interestingly, they decided they wanted to try rugby league because union was too rough."
