After the success of the 1950s when playing mostly as a combine with Acton, the Tigers entered the 1960s with plenty
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of momentum. 1961 saw the club make its first grand final in 20 years as a single entity, ultimately losing by just eight
points.
But there’s an old adage in life that suggests that after every rise there is usually a great fall. Just as the Tigers
appeared to be returning to its former powerhouse status, supporters were shocked to see the club plummet to fifth
position on the ladder.
1962 was a season of great unrest. The club lost many players that weren’t replaced while many in the club didn’t
support the appointment of a new coach in place of popular and successful former Mulrooney Medallist Keith Schow,
who subsequently moved to Canberra club, Turner.
One of the more historic events of the 1962 season was the achievement of 200 first grade games by the late Alan
Muir, who was recently elevated to Wall of Fame Legend status at the 90th Anniversary Dinner last Saturday evening.
By 1964 the future of the Tigers was looking grim. Retirements and departures weren’t able to be offset by new
recruits. Two vice-presidents and the club secretary resigned in protest over the club’s treatment by league headquarters
in Canberra. A headline in the local Queanbeyan Age read “Rules Club at the Crossroads”.
The off-field troubles had an impact on the on-field performances. The club slipped to sixth in 1964 and then to the
wooden spoon in 1965.
In 1966, ’67 and ’68 the club amalgamated with fellow besieged club Turner. Both clubs were struggling for playing
personnel. The amalgamation resulted in yet another playing strip, this time navy blue and white hoops with a large
gold ‘Q’ on the front.
Despite the Turner/Queanbeyan amalgamation generating reasonable playing numbers, the team still couldn’t match
it with the stronger clubs in the competition and finished outside the finals spots consistently.
During the years of the amalgamation the Junior Tigers had maintained their own identity. Many of those junior
players were ready to graduate into the senior ranks. This was a factor in the decision for the Tigers to break away
from Turner in 1969. But, unfortunately another wooden spoon rounded out the end of a difficult decade.