“ I came into rugby when I was 11 and continued playing the game until the early 80s when I and a couple of old rugby league mates , played third grade with the Hawkesbury Valley Rugby club ,” Vaughan explained .

While at Armidale Teachers College , Vaughan ’ s form was good enough for him to make regular appearances for a powerful New England XV which included future champion Wallabies Greg Cornelsen and Peter Horton , and NSW Waratah , the late Charlie Onus .

During long tenure with Hawkesbury Valley RUFC , Vaughan has done it all – player , first and lower grade coach and on the administrative side , he ’ s held every position , president , vice-president , secretary , treasurer and an ardent supporter of all teams .

Vaughan gave local rugby a huge boost in the early 80s when he instigated innovative and highly successful junior skills sessions .

“ I reckon we put 250 boys and girls through the system which not only taught footy skills to the kids , but also aided their parents into getting fit , because it was imperative that they helped me operate the sessions ,” Vaughan said .

Now , let ’ s backtrack a wee bit to the other rugby code !

“ I moved to Windsor after bidding farewell to that bus at Rosevale , I

boarded at Tate ’ s Hotel in Windsor after forming an enduring friendship with the publican ’ s son , Col ,” Vaughan said .

Col and a few other new mates played league with Windsor , and they roped Vaughan into joining the club for the 1974 season .

The former rugby second rower had built up to just over 100kg and the classy player who had morphed from the scrum to the centres , quickly made his presence felt through his powerful running , rugged tackling and ball skills .

In the 1974 and 1975 seasons , Windsor competed in the second-tier Metropolitan Cup competition during which time he caught the eyes of Penrith Panthers officials .

In 1976 Vaughan was in nine first grade run-on sides for the Panthers and over his two years tenure with the club he also made a good handful of appearances off the bench .

His team-mates over that period included Great Britain greats Bill Ashurst and Mike Stephenson , Bob O ’ Reilly , Zac Olejarnik , Terry Geary and Bruce Ward .

Always handy with bat and ball – Vaughan ’ s summers were filled with cricket , winning six first grade premierships , three each with Windsor RSL and Windsor Country Club .

He was also a regular face in local

representative teams including the Hawkesbury XI which took on touring star-studded Jack Chegwyn teams .

His interest in the flannelled-fools game continues with his association in NSW Vintage Cricket ( over 65 years ) for which he is occasional player and team coordinator for the powerful Penrith Vets where he plays alongside Hawkesbury legend , Ken Hall .

Vaughan has been backing winners throughout his career – taking on teaching as a career and on sporting fields .

But his biggest win was meeting and marrying Richmond lass , Janine Bessell , whom he met at a party in 1975 .

The couple married in 1979 and are doting parents to son , Dane , and daughter Natalie , and devoted grandparents to their four boys .

In the horse racing game , good breeding begets good offsprings and that is certainly the case with the Humphreys family .

Janine is a legend in local netball circle as is her nonagenarian mum , Beatrice .

Janine , who spent most of her working career in admin – for many years she was the postal manager at Penrith Plaza - was a top-class netballer and played the game until she was 35 .

She also served netball in

Vaughan Humphreys in full flight for the Penrith Panthers . Sport has been an integral part of the highly respected teacher ’ s life .

numerous administrative roles – a true servant of the game . Breeding ? Dane , 44 , followed his dad into Hawkesbury Valley RFU ranks and played over 300 games for the club – such were his skills , there ’ s little doubt he could have played at a much higher level , but he was always content to play locally .

Natalie , 42 , inherited her mother ’ s netball skills and was a wizard on the court from the first time she grabbed a netball .

At 15 , she was selected in the NSW Combined High Schools age team and in 2005 she secured a spot in an Australian Indoor Netball team which was to make a tour of South Africa .

However , the tour was aborted due to political ramifications – but Natalie ’ s Australian touring top is proudly on display in the Humphreys ’ Freemans Reach home .

Vaughan Humphreys – oh lucky man !