Rooster Wishart selected into Hall of Fame
Bowls WA Awards Night Friday May 27th There are not many players, if any, who have had a career as long and fruitful as the flamboyant Graeme Wishart better known to many in the bowling world as Rooster. Renowned as an excellent team player who has never been afraid to get vocal on the green supporting his team mates, his ferocious drive and very accurate up shot is a trademark which has won him and his team many games of bowls.
After a serious sporting injury a young Graeme began playing bowling as a 17 year old in 1976, introduced to the game through his father Rod Wishart, who already had a big involvement in the sport and would later go on to be a State President. Steady progress at club level and a willingness to practice and play with the top players at Victoria Park saw him quickly elevated up the grades in pennants.
Wishart then really burst onto the state scene winning the prestigious Doubleview Masters Pairs with team mate Vic Andrijasevich in 1984. State selection quickly followed in 1986 and he was never out of the state team over the next 21 years through to 2007, a brief return to the team in 2011 was to be his last of a record 334 games for Western Australia. It is possible this number of games will never be broken, it will certainly be a long time before anyone will even get close. During those years WA was a powerhouse at State level winning Alley Shields in 1987, 1991, 1992, 1994 and 1999. Rooster also won two Super League Gold Medals with Fours in 2005 and Triples in 2006. He was named as best player in the Championships for WA three times winning the Allan Eddy/Rod Wishart Award in 1988, 2000 and 2001.
Other achievements include three State Titles with a Fours in 1995 which he skipped, a Pairs in 1998 and a Triples in 2010. The Triples was particularly satisfying for Rooster as it was with a couple of youngster in Shane Knott and Daniel Patterson who were playing in their first state championship final. Malaysia games fours gold in 1995 and another Doubleview Masters Pairs win in 2003 are also on the bowls resume.
In recent years Wishart has followed in his fathers footsteps by becoming a State Selector. There is no doubt he has the credentials to know what it takes to play at that level given his past record and is hoping to impart some of his bowls knowledge onto the next generation of WA stars.
A well deserved round of congratulations to Graeme Wishart on his achievements and selection into the Bowls WA Hall of Fame.
