Warren Saunders OAM Tribute Charity Walk
St George Cricket Club | February 25, 2025
The St George Sutherland Medical Research Foundation (SSMRF) will again be the recipients of funds raised from the St George District Cricket Club Annual Charity Walk. Named in honour of their former Patron, Warren Saunders OAM, the Walk recognises the enormous contribution he made to the St George community.
The Charity Walk, is being held this Saturday, the 2nd Anniversary of Saunders’ passing at the age of 88. Club President, Kevin Greene, will lead the Walk, commencing at Hurstville Oval before following a roughly 20 km path to Sutherland Oval where St George 1st Grade take on Sutherland. Greene will be accompanied by John Saunders, his wife and children.
Warren Saunders was a member of St George DCC for 75 years, commencing as a thirteen year old, in the U/16 A W Green Shield, moving through the ranks to become 1st grade Captain, President and for over thirty years Co Club Patron, with his good friend Brian Booth MBE, who passed two months after Saunders.
As well as captaining the 1st grade team to five premierships, Saunders represented NSW in the Sheffield Shield, where he was also captain. After his distinguished playing career, he was a State Selector and Cricket NSW and Cricket Australia Director.
The enormous respect Saunders received in cricket circles was replicated in the business world when, in 1961 he established, in Hurstville, Warren Saunders Insurance Brokers. His ability to listen and communicate was legendary and underpinned the success of the business. As well as mentoring and supporting young cricketers at St George, he set many young men and women on the road to success in business with his considered, yet simple advice.
Warren Saunders lived and breathed St George. He became Deputy Chair of St George Bank, a Director of St George Leagues Club and in the 1990s led the fundraising for the redevelopment of Calvary Hospital at Kogarah. Giving back and generosity were second nature, particularly if it involved helping make his local community a better place. Hence his support for SSMRF.
The St George DCC Charity Walk has raised, in the last 11 years, over $200,000 for SSMRF and as Kevin Greene says ‘is our way of giving back to the community that has supported our Club for 115 years. It is fitting that the Walk now honours one of our Club’s greatest on and off field members. The term Legend is overused but in Warren’s case inadequate.’
‘Our family is honoured that Dad’s memory is celebrated in this way and we are proud to join the Walk. It’s amazing that the Walk coincides with Dad’s anniversary and against Sutherland. The two Club’s 1st grade teams play annually for the Norm O’Neill Trophy. Norm and Warren were teammates, coming through St George together and sharing a wonderful friendship,’ said John Saunders.
Donations to the Warren Saunders Tribute Charity Walk can be made by the following the below link and are tax deductible.
