President Stephen Howse received a standing ovation after news that he was becoming a life member was announced.
In a move that surprised no one but the man of the moment himself, Cootamundra Bulldogs President Stephen Howse has been named a Life Member of the club.
The honour, presented at the recent end-of-season presentation night, recognises Howse’s unwavering dedication and pivotal role in the club’s history, most notably his leadership in orchestrating the Bulldogs’ momentous return to the Group 9 competition this year.
The nomination was an executive-led decision, a strategic move designed by the committee to bypass the famously humble President, who had previously declined the honour.
“It was more of an executive nomination,” explained Committee Member and fellow club stalwart, Paul ‘Ned’ Miller.
“We’ve been wanting to do it for several years, to be honest, and we certainly thought that the time was right, in the first year back in Group 9, that he gets the warranted rewards of all his hard work.”
The story of Howse’s Life Membership is inextricably linked to the Bulldogs’ turbulent journey through the regional rugby league land-scape over the last six years. “It was probably four or five years ago when we first went back into the George Tooke Shield,” Howse confessed. “They came to me and said someone has nominated you for life membership, and I said, ‘Oh well, listen, when they get us back into Group 9, I’ll take it then.’”
Miller remembered that conversation and knew the only way to proceed was without Howse’s knowledge. “Every other year, if we’ve got nominations for life membership, we have to run it through the committee, and there was no way we were going to run in this past Stephen again, because he would just say no. So I just said, well, I took it upon myself and a couple of other executives to say, well, we’re going to make that decision for him.
The timing of the presentation, immediately following the club’s successful re-entry into the premier Riverina competition, was deemed perfect by the executive. Howse’s six-year tenure as President began in crisis mode at the end of the 2019 Group 9 season.
“I went to the AGM just to help them out, and two weeks later, they asked me,” he recounted. “I went home and did a little bit of research, rang players and sponsors and came back, and the three options were sink or swim in Group 9; go to another competition, which I was angling for George Tooke or fold.”
With the club facing the real possibility of folding completely—a worry Howse admitted was his “biggest”—he made the “daunting decision” to transition the senior teams into the George Tooke Shield in the Canberra Region.
This move allowed the club to “spend less and survive,”easing the financial burden and buying precious time to rebuild a sustainable foundation.
“By enabling us and Canberra, and a lot of people are thankful to everyone over in Canberra, Mark and Devon, who made us feel welcome, they kind of gave us that bit of longevity for five years to build up our junior numbers and get a bit more financial,” he said. The temporary exit allowed the Bulldogs’ brand to stay strong while the junior ranks flourished.
The decision to return to Group 9 for the 2025 season was never about ‘if,’ but ‘when.’
“It is never good timing to leave a competition, but you’ve got to get it right when you come back,” Howse stressed.
The move was heavily influenced by the new crop of juniors coming through the ranks, a group the club had a responsibility to support.
“It was all about giving our young under-18s somewhere to go,” Miller explained, noting that the Under 18s had been forced to play under rival club banners for two years. “That was one of the main reasons, and… it’s all about Howsey and his contribution to the club has been enormous. He was vital to getting the Club back into Group 9.”
Howse acknowledged the challenge but was confident in the club’s preparation and numbers. “I knew this year we’d have four sides and the numbers looked pretty good, so it was just a good year to strike, and it turned out.”
The young Bulldogs immediately stamped their mark in the elite competition, with the Under 18s winning their premiership, a victory that Howse was quick to praise.
“The 18s winning that comp justified everything we wanted about this year,” he said.
This success confirmed the vision of the executive and the committee, demonstrating that the future of the Bulldogs is bright.
Howse noted the significant shift in the playing group this year.
“Our first and reserve grades were the youngest Cootamundra grades I’ve ever seen in the whole time I’ve been at Coota,” he said, revealing that roughly 13 players from the Under 19s side that played in the Canberra comp three years ago were now featuring across reserve and first grade.
The oldest player in First Grade this year was only 30. “It is a pretty young squad,” he concluded optimistically.
Howse’s dedication goes far beyond his presidential duties. Miller painted a picture of a man utterly devoted to the club’s infrastructure and spirit.
“His contributions extend long, long before that, where as a player, he was always available to help out, but the work he’s done as president over the last five or six years has been incredible,” Miller said. Howse is “forever down at Fisher Park (Les Boyd Oval) doing something, tidying something, fixing something.”
This tireless, unnoticed work is what truly sets him apart.
“You could rarely drive past Fisher Park and not see his car down there three or four times a week outside of training times, and he’s always had a massive passion for the club,” Miller commented.
Howse and First Grade Coach David Buttriss formed a formidable team this year, with both men dedicating countless hours to ensure the successful Group 9 return.
“The two of them spent an enormous amount of time making sure everything fell into place for the year.” The presentation night itself was a celebration of this collective effort, described by Miller as “probably one of our best presentation nights ever.”
The atmosphere, or “the vibe” as Buttriss calls it, was exceptional, with every speaker acknowledging the sacrifices made by the committee and players. Howse, accompanied by his wife Penny, son James, and James’ partner Sophie, who travelled down from Sydney, was caught nearly completely off guard. “I think he had a little bit of knowledge around it, but… From a whole night’s perspective… that was probably one of our best presentation nights ever,” Miller said.
When the announcement was made, Howse received a standing ovation from the entire club community—players, committee, and supporters. “It was so thoroughly deserved,” Miller concluded.
“We certainly would love him to stay around the club,” Miller said, before reiterating the true meaning of the honour: “By no means did we award him his life membership simply because we needed him to go around again. We awarded it because… he’s worthy.”
As the Bulldogs look forward to the 2026 season, buoyed by a young squad and renewed community passion, Howse’s legacy is secure. He is the President who not only saved the club from folding but fulfilled his own promise to return them to their rightful home in Group 9—a true club legend.
– Tully Potts
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