In 1970, Squash was admitted as a major sport. The record on the courts has been very impressive since. Since 1970, the Squash players have won 20 Pennants.

The Briars’ Hockey teams have notched up an impressive record in the 70’s in 1973 and B Grade pennant was won. 1974 was a bumper year. Premierships were won in the A Grade, B Grade and the juniors as well as the Club Championship. 1975 saw the C Grade being Premiers and the winning of the club Championship.

Football won the WhiddonCup in 1971 and 1975. However, at the conclusion of the 1976 season, the footballers seemed certain for relegation. This set about an unprecedented effort, involving enormous cost of bother members’ time and money, which successfully averted relegation and laid the foundations for a revival of Briars’ football. The 1977 and 1978 seasons saw us slowly climb off the bottom with some encouraging performances. Hopefully, a bright future lies ahead with the affiliation with Ashfield Juniors, who we took under our wings this season.

The Cricketers won the B Shires Premiership in 1972 and 1973. In 1976, Briars sponsored Junior Cricket through the Croydon Cricket Club.

The seventies have been a decade of tours. The footballers and Squash players toured New Zealand in 1973. The footballers went on their fourth tour of New Zealand in 1977 and are ready to go on a tour of North America. The Cricketers and families went on their first tour to New Zealand in 1974. The footballers made regular trips to play Melbourne’s Powerhouse and the Kangaroo Valley XV. The Cricketers have had weekend’s away in Newcastle and Taree. The Squash players have been to Dubbo.

The seventies saw the coming of the “jeans, t-shirt and thong generation” to the club. To some, the greatest social upheaval came in International Women’s, 1975. In 1975, it was passed the Extraordinary General Meeting, after much debate, “that women be allowed in the Club rooms during normal trading hours”. In 1977, the Rosebuds Women’s Hockey team was established. From being Grand Finalists in their first year they went on with three teams in their second year, all coming runners-up.

One of the Club’s most popular and successful amenities was established in 1973, the ‘Focus on The Briars’.

Off the field, the 70’s saw the demise of the Annual Ball, because of dwindling attendances and financial losses. Other functions, such as ‘Chicken and Champagne Nights’ and ‘Happy Hours’ are now popular. Of course, the Annual Dinner continued to be ever popular. Speakers have included john Thornett, Alan Davidson, Gordon Samuels, Q.C., the President of the Australian Rugby Union – our own Bill McLaughlin, Norman May, Peter Johnson, Tim Caldwell and Dick Marks. The recent introduction of Club Picnics has proved popular. In 1977 and Athletics Day was held.

Throughout the seventies, the Club’s Planning Committee has worked tirelessly behind the scenes to secure for the club a ground of our own. In 1978, their efforts have borne fruit. The Club now has a ground in Elliot Street, Belfield. In our sixtieth year, we are about to commence our biggest job ever.