D N U O R A HE march
/ 2016
T
S D N U O R G
Cover Story
The gold
standard Wallabies come home to face England in a rivalry that burns deep in the DNA of every Australian P. 44 quick singles | P. 6
game of thrones | P. 18
KING OF BLING | P. 24
News and views from your favourite sporting precinct
Swans, Tahs and Roosters chase their holy grail
The Dwight Yorke story 10 years on
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Saints completed a record streak of rugby league premierships. Think about their glory years as we wonder if it’s possible to win two in a row
y
ES, it was a black-and-white world of grainy pictures and grainier memories, but those golden years when mighty St George ruled the SCG should never be forgotten. So on Sunday 20 March, the big Red V will be back at their spiritual home to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the last premiership in a sequence that will never be repeated. And they will face arch-rivals South Sydney on what should be a magical afternoon. Nostalgia will be everywhere as the code celebrates St George’s 23-4 victory over Balmain in front of 61,129 fans. The 1966 grand final was the last game of the unlimited tackle era, featuring Immortals Graeme Langlands and Johnny Raper. Ian Walsh was
captain-coach and the irrepressible Billy Smith was the halfback and chief agitator. Raper was retrospectively named Clive Churchill Medallist as the best player on the day, Langlands kicked seven goals and they had kept a grand final opponent tryless for the seventh time during their improbable run. It was an era when the game’s stars played hard and lived hard – and the mighty Saints ruled Sydney like no team before or since. As the great Raper said in a Sunday Telegraph interview in 2011: “It was playing for the Dragons . . . that’s what made you feel invincible.” For one afternoon in March these old warriors will feel invincible once again.
Glory years (1956-1966) MATCHES
222
Wins
183
LOSSES
34
DRAWS
5
POINTS SCORED Points conceded
5109
23 per match
2153
9.7 per match
Around the grouNDS
march / 2016
CONTENTS
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REVOLUTION A spectacular summer changed the grand old game forever as the famous SCG went into party mode
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ANNIVERSARY
COVER STORY
We celebrate the Sydney Swans' top moments as they prepare for their 350th game at their spiritual home
Wallabies face England at Allianz Stadium as rugby's bitter rivalry comes home for the first time since 1997
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12
28
32
34
40
48
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FROM THE CEO
POPULAR CHOICE
FAMILY TIES
SEVEN WONDERS
FATHER FIGURE
THE REAL BEALE
FREEDOM FIGHTERS
HEART OF A NATION
The latest from Jamie Barkley
Introducing Populous architects
Our proud 50-70 year Members
The Sydney Sevens in numbers
JWH talks family and the Roosters
Waratah Kurtley Beale opens up
CALENN PD. 3A0-3R1 IN BETWEE
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16
MARCH
The Dragons renew their rivalry with Souths
Inside the Springboks' 1971 tour
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APRIL
The Waratahs welcome the Brumbies
JULY
Hawthorn return for the first time since 2012
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EditorIAL: Charlie Drayton, Darren Hadland, Phillip Heads Design: Tonic Connective Designer: Juliano Guedes Photography: Hamilton Lund, Steve Christo, Caron Lefever, NewsPix, Getty Images Printing: CMMA @SCG @AllianzStadium
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AROTHUE ND S
GROUND
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CEO UPDATE
A SPORTING DANCE
AROUND THE GROUNDS
SCG Trust Chief Executive Jamie Barkley breaks down the sporting bonanza at the SCG and Allianz Stadium
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A CRACKING SUMMER Shane Watson's century in Australia's T20 International at the SCG was one of the highlights of the cricket season
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HERE'S been four sell-outs at Moore Park this year and it's only March. The first was the Sydney Smash between the Sydney Sixers and Sydney Thunder, which brought 38,457 fans through the SCG turnstiles to set a NSW domestic cricket attendance record. The second and third came during the inaugural Sydney Sevens at Allianz Stadium, which attracted more than 70,000 fans in a two-day festival of rugby. And the fourth was the Sydney Derby between Sydney FC and the Western Sydney Wanderers − our second of the season − and the fifth time in a row more than 40,000 fans have come to witness one of the best spectacles in Australian sport. We've already seen bumper crowds for the Sydney Roosters-South Sydney Rabbitohs and NSW Waratahs-Queensland Reds season openers. Now, the spectacular attendances continue when the St George Illawarra Dragons host South Sydney in a Sunday afternoon Heritage Round at the SCG. The Dragons and Roosters will again toss the coin on Anzac Day, as they resume a Moore Park tradition which dates back to 2002 and a rivalry which stretches far beyond that. The Cook Cup between Australia and England will be the showpiece event of the year. The June crowd is expected to eclipse the venue's rugby attendance record of 43,188 that watched the Wallabies beat France last year. And in AFL, the Hawthorn Hawks, winners of the past three premierships, return to the SCG for the first time since 2012 to take on the Sydney Swans in what promises to be another hot ticket for NSW sports fans. Over the next few months half a million fans will enjoy a blockbuster calendar of football, rugby league, rugby union and AFL at Moore Park thanks to a number of club agreements that
have been confirmed. Allianz Stadium will host every Waratahs home game and the Wallabies until 2031, as well as the Sydney Sevens for the next three years; and up to 16 years as long as the tournament remains in Australia. The Roosters will host the Manly Sea Eagles, New Zealand Warriors and Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs as they chase a fourth consecutive minor premiership under head coach Trent Robinson, with the Rabbitohs and Dragons to also play further home games. Sydney FC will be part of the Allianz Stadium schedule for the next 10 years and are building towards an exciting finish to this year's A-League season. They'll also continue their Asian Champions League campaign, while the Socceroos play a World Cup Qualifier against Jordan in March. The Sydney Swans will take to the hallowed turf for their 350th game at the SCG as part of a bumper draw and fans can look forward to all home games and finals being played at their true home in 2017 when their landmark 30-year deal commences. Then there is the new cricket partnership, which Members experienced firsthand this summer. International games in the state will
be played at the SCG along with Sydney Sixers home games for the next seven years. All of this sporting content has been enhanced by an improved game day experience for fans. High speed wi-fi, express food and beverage ordering and advancements in IPTV technology provides supporters with a dynamic and engaging day out at the football. Members and fans are truly amidst a sporting bonanza at Moore Park and we hope you enjoy what's in store.
WANDERFUL The Sydney Derby at Allianz Stadium has quickly become one of the best spectacles in Australian sport
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QUICK SINGLES
AROUND THE GROUNDS
BRAND NEW HOME FOR AUSTRALIAN RUGBY
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THE Australian Rugby Development Centre (ARDC) will be built at Moore Park, with the headquarters to be a community sporting hub and high-performance training facility for the top rugby players in the country. Developed in partnership with the NSW and Australian governments, the ARDC will include a University of Technology campus, delivering a custom-built space designed to promote a culture of sport and education.
It will be located on Moore Park Road in the MP1 car park. Construction is expected to begin in March/April and is due to finish in mid-2017. The facility will include a cafe for Members and car parking will be maintained throughout the development process. The ARDC confirms rugby's future at Moore Park, with Allianz Stadium to host the NSW Waratahs, Wallabies and Sydney Sevens in coming years.
A POOL OPERATOR
THE FORCE IS STRONG TON OF FUN
LONG-TIME Member Bob Lowe and 20 of his close friends swam the length of the Stadium Fitness Centre pool 160 times to celebrate his 80th birthday in November. "When I turned 70, we decided to do 70 fifties on the minute, and here we are 10 years later," he said. Lowe has been a Gold Member since 1984 and is a regular at Allianz Stadium for Roosters and Waratahs games.
WHO knew BB8 was a cricket fan? The Star Wars celebrity visited the SCG ahead of the premiere of Star Wars Episode 7: The Force Awakens. The droid posed for photos alongside the old SCG roller as part of the movie's launch at major icons around Australia.
AFTER five rain-interrupted days of cricket at the SCG, David Warner gave fans what they were waiting for at the New Year's Test against the West Indies. The incumbent opener produced the fastest Test century in the ground's history, reaching three figures in just 82 deliveries. Warner finished with 122 not out off 103 balls, smashing 11 fours and two sixes.
NEWS | EVENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
SINGING IN THE RAIN FANS camped out in front of Allianz Stadium for 40 hours to catch a glimpse of Ed Sheeran’s sold-out concert, which went ahead despite the lightning and rain that swept Sydney on the night. Sir Elton John even made a surprise appearance on stage, with the pair performing a duet of Don’t Go Breaking My Heart much to the delight of the 40,000 people in attendance.
A HEARTY CAUSE
HALLOWED CAROLS
GROUND OF APPLAUSE
THOUSANDS of people came through the Allianz Stadium gates in November for the most important resuscitation event in Australia’s history. The stadium was the marquee venue for Take Heart Australia Day as the initiative attempted to break the Guinness World Record for people trained in CPR in 24 hours.
CHRISTMAS came early for some lucky Sydney Sixers fans, who enjoyed carols on the SCG following a Sunday double-header. Earlier in the evening, Nathan Lyon recorded the best Big Bash League figures in the ground’s history, with 5-23 off just 3.5 overs in the Sixers' 95-run victory over the Hobart Hurricanes.
AS far as curating goes, being a groundsman at the SCG and Allianz Stadium is just about the most glamorous job in the industry. The Daily Telegraph’s photographer Phil Hillyard had staffers Scott Richardson and Peter Silkman test his lights before a promotional shoot on the wicket square.
“There is no more rewarding pursuit, than flogging the Poms like a convict caught with the Governor's wife. Take THAT you bastards!" // P. 44 Peter FitzSimons
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QUICK SINGLES
“He appeared in the Confidential pages as much as the sports pages. Dwight Yorke transcended football. He kicked goals on and off the pitch." // P. 24
Robbie Slater
VALE DUDLEY TINYOW ONE of the Trust's most beloved friends Dudley Tinyow lost his battle with cancer in January at the age of 78. He was a foundation Gold Member, a long-time event day staffer and a regular fixture either at Azure cafe or on the tennis courts.
REIGNING RICHIES
TEE FOR TWO
RAIN didn't stop one of the SCG's marvellous traditions from going ahead at the New Year's Test, with an estimated 501 Richies sitting in the Clive Churchill Stand to pay tribute to the late Australian captain.
HOUSE FULL THE 'house full' sign was put out the front of Allianz Stadium ahead of the Sydney Sevens, with the event selling out with nine days to spare. Fans flocked to see 16 international teams in action across the weekend.
EVER wanted to whack a nine iron on the SCG? Well, top Australian golfers Geoff Ogilvy and John Senden did just that, teeing up in front of the Members Pavilion for Golf
AROUND THE GROUNDS
MCGRATH MILESTONE
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AFTER day three of the New Year's Test was washed out, the T20 International between Australia and India turned pink. The event helped raise further funds for the McGrath Foundation to support the placement of breast care nurses around the country.
Digest’s night of nights. The event celebrated the sensational rise of Jason Day, who took out the 2015 Australian Golf Digest player of the year after winning the US PGA Championship.
SYDNEY SMASH
FOR the second time in 12 months the BBL derby between the Sixers and Thunder broke the NSW domestic cricket attendance record. An incredible 12,220 fans watched the women's game as well.
SOCCEROOS RETURN THE Socceroos will play a World Cup Qualifier against Jordan on March 29 at Allianz Stadium. Australia is leading Group B, with the fixture to be the final match of the first round of qualifying.
NEWS | EVENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
HE'S ONE COOL CAT
TURFING OUT THE BOYS
DOUBLE THE TROUBLE
A ROCK star crowd turned out for Bradman Gala Dinner, but it was the local feline that stole the show. The black cat, who spends time in the precinct and is fed by ground staff, has officially been named Richie, with the blessing of his widow Daphne Benaud.
A TEAM of 13 women were brought in to re-turf Allianz Stadium in January while the regular ground staff were busy preparing for the New Year's Test. They laid the equivalent of 1000 backyards under the watchful eye of head curator Michael Finch.
INDIA won over the crowd in their ODI and T20 fixtures at the SCG this summer, which were attended by more than 65,000 fans. The tourists provided two entertaining run chases, with India winning both games in the last over to steal the show at the SCG.
1970 NOT OUT SCG Member Arthur Watson has been umpiring on the hallowed turf since 1970 and has been around for the construction of every single stand, apart from the two pavilions. Watson spent 30 seasons officiating in first-grade cricket and still spends time out in the middle with the ground’s social playing side, the SCG XI. In 2009, his name was etched on a plaque at the front of the Members Pavilion.
INTERESTING NUMBERS 350 GAMES
160 MILLIMETRES 6000 PIES
10 YEARS
THE Sydney Swans will celebrate their 350th game at the SCG this season.
THAT'S how much rain fell on the hallowed turf throughout the New Year's Test.
IT has been a decade since Sydney FC joined the A-League and won their first title.
FANS got on the gravy train for the Sydney Sevens – 20,000 buckets of chips were also sold.
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M E M B E R S H I P R E WA R D S Y O U W I T H I N S P I R E D A N D S E N S AT I O N A L EXPERIENCES Refer a friend or colleague to Gold or Platinum membership before May 31, 2016 and you will both receive an inspired Q Station package or enjoy the flavours of Italy with an OTTO package.
Leave the hectic world behind and experience the invigorating, restorative beauty of the Australian bush and the salt sea air. Enjoy the magic of Sydney Harbour from the privacy of contemporary accommodation - do as much or as little as you please.
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GOLD PACKAGE
• 2 x 7 course degustation menu with PREMIUM matched wine
• 2 nights stay for 2 adults in Deluxe Queen Harbour View Room
GOLD PACKAGE
• Sommelier guided dinner
• Inclusive hot breakfast for 2 adults
• Priority waterside table
• $100 restaurant voucher at Boilerhouse Restaurant to be used either night
PLATINUM PACKAGE
• 1 chilled bottle of wine in-room
• 4 x cocktails at the newly opened Ovolo hotel cocktail bar
PLATINUM PACKAGE
• 2 x 7 course degustation menu with PREMIUM matched wine
• 2 nights stay for 2 adults in Retreat Suites with access to private lounge area
• Sommelier guided dinner
• Inclusive hot breakfast for 2 adults
• Priority waterside table
• $250 restaurant voucher at Boilerhouse Restaurant to be used on either night of stay
• 2x take home Otto gift packs (Olive oil, vinegar, house made pasta and pasta sauce)
• 1 chilled bottle of wine in-room • History Tour or Ghost Tour for 2 adults to be used on either day or night of stay
Refer a friend or colleague to Gold or Platinum membership before May 31, 2016. Call 1800 88 55 55 or visit sydneycricketground.com.au *Terms and conditions apply.
EXPECT AN EXPERIENCE
QUICK SINGLES
NEWS | EVENTS | HIGHLIGHTS
TRUST IN SAFETY
SCG TO BOWRAL
DERBY DAYS
THE safety of fans is a priority when it comes to hosting events, and advancements have been made to ensure this continues in the future. There are 26 automatic external defibrillators located in the precinct and over 80 fire blankets. That's enough fabric to cover the SCG playing field two times over.
ONE hundred cyclists set off from the SCG on Valentine's Day to complete a 125km bike ride to Bowral. The eight-hour trek saw them pass through Picton, Tahmoor and Yanderra as they raised funds for the Steve Waugh Foundation, which supports children suffering from rare diseases.
ALLIANZ Stadium hosted its second Sydney Derby of the 2015-16 A-League season in February, with an energetic crowd of 40,382 turning out for the event. The past five derbies at the venue have attracted crowds of more than 40,000 in what Mark Bosnich describes as the best atmosphere in Australian sport.
"The protestors certainly got their message across, the hill was alive with smoke. Out of all my rugby memories, that is the one that stands out the most." // P. 48 Trevor Allen
BARRY O'FARRELL COMES ON BOARD FORMER NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell was appointed to the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust by NSW Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres in February. He is the tenth Premier to be appointed to the Trust and will be a valuable addition to the board during an exciting time for the sporting precinct. “Barry’s passion and enthusiasm for sport along with his long term service to the public of NSW, makes him an appropriate candidate for this position,” Mr Ayres said. “It’s an exciting time to be
involved in sport in this State with the NSW Government’s record investment rebuilding Sydney’s stadia network." Mr O’Farrell’s appointment began in early March and will conclude in July 2019. Trustees: Chairman Tony Shepherd AO, Deputy Chairman Rod McGeoch AO LLB, Richard Colless AM, David Gilbert, Ron Graham AM, Nihal Gupta, John Hartigan, Alan Jones AO, Lyn Larsen, Stuart MacGill, Maurice Newman AC, Katie Page, Phil Waugh, Steve Waugh AO, Barry O'Farrell.
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THE ARCHITECTS
POPULAR
CHOICE AROUND THE GROUNDS
Award-winning architect Populous to take charge of Allianz Stadium development
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GRAND PLANS Populous bring a wealth of experience and international accolades to the Allianz Stadium development
F
ROM Yankee Stadium to Wimbledon, Populous have been the driving force behind some of the world's most advanced stadia. Now, they tackle Allianz Stadium. The Moore Park area has undergone constant renewal since its conception. First came the Sydney Cricket Ground, followed by the Sydney Sports Ground. A century later in 1988 the rectangular Sydney Football Stadium revolutionised sport in New South Wales. But the expectation of event-goers has changed again, and the Sydney Cricket and Sports Ground Trust is committed to providing the best facilities for its sports partners, Members and fans. In September 2015, NSW Premier Mike Baird and NSW Minister for Sport Stuart Ayres announced that
Paul Henry Senior Principal Populous Paul Henry is an internationally recognised expert in the design and master planning of stadia, racecourses, arenas and Olympic Games. He is an Australian architect with worldwide success and is on the Board of Populous both as an owner and Managing Director of the Asia Pacific Region. Henry has been involved in the design of some of the world’s best sports and entertainment buildings that meet the needs of the community.
Richard Breslin Senior Principal Populous Richard Breslin is on the Worldwide Board of Populous and is a Director of the Asia Pacific region. He is responsible for all projects in Australia and New
more than $1.6 billion will be invested in the state's stadia network over the next decade, marking the start of an exciting chapter for New South Wales. The Populous name alone represents a new breed of sports infrastructure and the blueprint for Moore Park has been modelled on some of their prized works, including Emirates Stadium, New Zealand's Eden Park and London's Wembley Stadium. Allianz Stadium promises to be better. The Populous team will be led by acclaimed architects Paul Henry, Richard Breslin and Chris Paterson alongside local Sydney practice CHROFI, led by co-founder John Choi. Meanwhile, Cox Architecture will continue to work closely with the Trust on the wider SCG masterplan. The vision for the precinct is to
enhance the connection of the stadium with the city and the new Light Rail, while delivering an improved civic outcome and connection to the Moore Park area. "We are designing an innovative and world class facility at Moore park that will deliver the best fan atmosphere into the future," says Paul Henry from Populous. "This is a stadium that will have intense atmosphere at smaller capacity as well as full house events by new design features. The design will offer the maximum variety of fan experiences and is flexible to evolve in the future." The SCG Trust, in partnership with Populous and the NSW Government, is committed to delivering a world class stadium for the sporting public of Sydney.
Zealand and is based in Sydney. During more than 20 years with Populous, Breslin has worked on some of the world’s most iconic stadia, such as Wembley Stadium, Soccer City, Eden Park, Margaret Court Arena, Forsyth Barr, London 2012 Olympic Park Masterplan and most recently Darling Harbour Live.
Stadium PDP and KL Sports City. Paterson is committed to strong project leadership, pro-active and responsive client relations, and the cultivation of dedicated project teams.
Chris Paterson Senior Principal Populous Chris Paterson is a Senior Principal at Populous with over 20 years’ experience in large scale highly specialised buildings that make their mark on a city, including high profile sports projects in Australia and New Zealand. These include the award-winning Suncorp Stadium, Eden Park Redevelopment, Metricon Stadium, Perth Major
John Choi Co-founder of CHROFI John Choi is co-founder of CHROFI, a dynamic architectural practice that operates across a wide portfolio from houses to cities. Established in 2000, the firm's founding design, TKTS Times Square in New York, has been recognised for its design excellence as the city's 'Building of the Decade'. Other notable projects include Stamford on Macquarie, Lune de Sang, The Goods Line with Aspect Studios, Millstream Lookout and Mona Vale House.
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SUMMER OF CRICKET
NEW YEAR’S REVOLUTION The SCG has been at the heart of a revolution this summer, with a spectacular finish to a season that has changed the grand old game forever
AROUND THE GROUNDS
By Malcolm Conn
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T
OO much cricket is clearly not enough as SCG Members were once again at the forefront of celebrating the game. Right until the end of the international season, Members – and cricket fans more generally – flocked to the SCG. Strong attendances continued through the final match of the summer, with 34,527 attending the last T20 International between Australia and India, with the tourists winning a thrilling match with Suresh Raina’s boundary off the final ball. It was a stunning ending to the international summer of cricket in Australia, a summer which marked a revolution for the grand old game with a night Test match, a generation shift in the Australian team and the continued success of the phenomenon known as the Big Bash League. The final T20 International – the first at the SCG for six years – was the perfect ending to an incredible summer. The return of Australia’s T20 matches now has all international cricket played at the game’s spiritual home in NSW. This sets the SCG up to be a major player for the World T20 to be held in Australia during 2020. For many days and most nights during the height of this marvellous summer of cricket fans around the country were attending matches in droves and watching in huge numbers on television. Often a million or more fans would tune in for a day of Test cricket then back up for the Big Bash that night, a dozen hours of wall-to-wall cricket! On the back of a successful World Cup last year, the one-day series was again strong, with almost 34,000 fans attending the fifth and final match against India at the SCG despite some wild overnight and morning weather. India may have been 4-0 down, but the excitement and energy created by the World Cup continued during that day and
night of records. Australia scored a helter skelter 7-330, with David Warner and Mitch Marsh making rapid centuries. It was Marsh’s first hundred at international level. Yet all that explosive batting came to nothing as India hauled in the imposing target with two balls to spare. It was the Sydney Test against the West Indies which highlighted just how committed the SCG Members and traditional followers are to their cricket. Despite the weather and Australia leading the three-Test series 2-0 against a modest West Indian outfit, more than 32,000 turned up on the opening day. And even though rain dominated the Test, almost 63,000 attended across the five days. This was remarkable given the weather. Only the Melbourne and Adelaide Tests, the first night Test, attracted bigger crowds across the six-Test summer. So persistent was the rain that only 40 minutes of play was possible on day two while days three and four were washed out without a ball being bowled. It was the first time since the 1989-90 Test against Pakistan that two full days were washed out. This was so long ago that a teenage Darren Lehmann was receiving his first taste of international cricket as 12th man. But not even the weather could impose itself on Warner for the entire Test. When the sun came out on the final day, the brutal left-hander set a record for the fastest Test century at the SCG, from just 82 balls. He finished unbeaten on 122 from just 103 balls with 11 fours and two sixes. Remarkably, it was his first century against the West Indies in eight Tests. The diversity of the crowds at the SCG were as broad as the diversity of the cricket, with the Sydney Sixers again setting records as they played two matches either
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SUMMER OF CRICKET
cricket with a catch David Warner was everywhere this summer. He was a jack-in-the-box in the outfield and as solid as ever at the crease
side of the Test. Chief amongst them was another high-water mark, the biggest domestic crowd ever assembled in Sydney – 38,457 – for the Sixers’ match against cross-town rivals the Sydney Thunder in the last regular game of the season on January 16. It was the second time in 12
months that the record fell at the SCG during the local derby, or Sydney Smash as they like to call it. This was an SCG record that had stood for 80 years from a Sheffield Shield match containing Don Bradman against the most traditional of rivals, Victoria. On the back of that latest record
the Sixers again attracted unprecedented numbers to their four home games with 111,825 flooding through the gates. Before the Sixers took on the Thunder in that last BBL match, their women’s teams met in the Women’s Big Bash League, attracting a crowd of 12,220. These figures highlighted the continued strong growth of the BBL and the spectacular start to the WBBL, which has taken the profile of women’s cricket to another level. The BBL achieved the one million fan double, with a million spectators attending games and more than a million a night watching on television. This highlights just how many people love cricket and how the number of fans is rapidly growing. T20 cricket is not for everyone, but the BBL is attracting families with young children, the life-blood of the game. The 20-over game is doing what World Series Cricket and the 50-over game did for previous generations, attracting a whole new audience. And far from the one-day game spelling the death of Test cricket, it has enhanced the game. Test scoring rates were the equivalent of 2.5 runs per six-ball over before World Series Cricket and are now four runs per over. Likewise, the overall standard of fielding has improved significantly. And now, through the WBBL and the prominence of the Southern Stars, girls have heroes of their own they can emulate as the women’s game in Australia continues to expand rapidly. There is much to look forward to as a cricket fan and, as always, the best of it will be on show at the SCG.
Malcolm Conn is a former chief cricket writer for The Australian and News Corp Australia. In his role as a senior communications official for Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW, he remains one of the game's most respected voices.
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SEASON PREVIEW
AROUND THE GROUNDS
OF
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GAME OF THRONES
Winter is coming, the white battle lines have been drawn and three giants of Sydney sport will be looking to reclaim their dominance this season
I
T might not be as brutal or as cut-throat as the games they play in Westeros and Essos, but Moore Park will become its own Game of Thrones as cricket gives way to the three winter codes. Football is the closest thing sporting fans get to a battle of clans as they proudly pin their colours to the mast and seek ultimate glory. The Sydney Roosters, winners of the past three NRL minor premierships, AFL heavyweights the Sydney Swans and Australia’s top Super Rugby outfit, the NSW Waratahs, all have significant questions hanging over them. Still, all three teams are well positioned to scale the heights of the competition ladder and return their respective premiership thrones to Moore Park. With the defection of fullback Roger Tuivasa-Scheck and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves returning from a knee reconstruction, others will need to perform if the Roosters are to challenge the new power base in Queensland, with the Cowboys and
Broncos now the teams to beat. Roosters coach Trent Robinson addressed the issue, saying: “You can gloss over it saying we finished first in the regular season and all that . . . North Queensland won the title and we didn’t, so there are some scars that just won’t go away.” “It’s just personal. You want to be the best and we weren’t last year.” At the Waratahs, not only do they have to face legions from across the ditch, with the Highlanders, Chiefs and Hurricanes already preparing their Australian invasion, they also have a new coach in Daryl Gibson. “Whenever you take over a winning team everyone’s expectation is that it keeps winning,” Gibson said during the pre-season. “In other ways you say it’s a side that is already set up. You would have to be pretty hopeless to let that slide. "That’s certainly a challenge and one I’m really relishing. “I’m a different personality to
‘Cheik’. I guess I’m probably a little bit quieter and measured . . . what we have in common are our messages and the blueprint that we’ve both been part of over the last three years and that’s not going to change.” With senior players like Adam Ashley-Cooper, Adam Goodes and James Maloney moving on, 2016 marks a new era for the Moore Park-based clubs. To preview the winter that lies ahead, Around the Grounds has produced eight key episodes to be played out in football’s new season of Game of Thrones.
HERITAGE LISTED Sunday, March 20
THIS year’s Heritage Round will be played on a Sunday afternoon at the SCG, with the St George Illawarra Dragons and South Sydney Rabbitohs to commemorate the 50-year anniversary of the Saints’ 11th consecutive premiership.
19
SEASON PREVIEW
ROOSTERS COACH Trent Robinson will be hoping to make allianz stadium a fortress again this year
AFTER their first home clash with South Sydney, the Roosters will line up for a shot at another bitter rival – the Manly Sea Eagles. The Roosters and Sea Eagles rivalry goes all the way back to the 1972 grand final at the SCG and runs through to the Bondi club's last title in 2013. No team has bought as well during the pre-season as Manly, with Dylan Walker, Nate Myles, Martin Taupau and Darcy Lussick joining new coach Trent Barrett to raise expectations at Brookvale. The Roosters have every reason to be optimistic, too, as they look to build on winning the past three minor premierships. Coach Trent Robinson has instilled a culture of success at the Roosters and they will be hoping to make Allianz Stadium a fortress again this year. The two clubs had a gripping semi final at the venue in 2013 – a 4-0 win to the Roosters that remains one of the best-ever matches at Allianz Stadium.
FOR THE DIARY THE OLD RIVALRY V Saturday, April 16 at Allianz Stadium
ANZAC DAY CUP V Monday, April 25 at Allianz Stadium
HAWTHORN'S HERE V Thursday, July 14 at the SCG
AROUND THE GROUNDS
The 1966 grand final marked the end of the most remarkable era in Australian sport, with St George beating Balmain 23-4. It completed a period of dominance that will never be seen again. South Sydney would win the 1967 grand final to start a run of their own. It is easy to celebrate the past when the two most successful clubs do battle, but modern stars such as Souths’ Greg Inglis taking on the Dragons’ Josh Dugan ensures it is about the present day, too.
battle of the beaches Saturday, march 26
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Buddy marvellous The Swans' biggest ever signing Lance Franklin will be back to lead the charge at the SCG this winter
GAME OF THRONES
A LOYAL FRIEND Jake Friend will be one of the leading figures for the Roosters as they chase a fourth straight minor premiership
BUDDY'S BACK THIS WINTER AT THE SCG AFTER taking personal leave at the end of last season, Buddy Franklin is set to return to the SCG determined to prove he is still the most dynamic force in the AFL. Franklin missed the Swans’ entire finals campaign as they bowed out in straight sets. Still, he played 17 games and kicked 47 goals last season. Speaking for the first time since his heavily publicised time-out from the game, Franklin said he was feeling happy and healthy ahead of the 2016 season. “Obviously missing finals was tough; it was tough watching and tough not being there," he said. "But, for me, it was about getting myself right, getting my health back in order.”
Franklin has been a huge part of the Swans' pre-season campaign and fans will no doubt rejoice when he returns for the Bloods at the SCG this year.
TAH WARS Saturday, April 16
THE Waratahs will call Allianz Stadium home in 2016, with the club to play all games and finals at Moore Park until 2031 as part of a new deal. The venue has become a stronghold for the men in blue, with the team losing just three games in their past two seasons. After opening their campaign against the Queensland Reds at home, the next major derby will be against bitter rivals the Brumbies. By this stage of the season, both teams should have blown away any
World Cup hangover and will be at the top of their game. Last time they met at Allianz Stadium, the Waratahs beat the Brumbies 28-13 in front of almost 30,000 fans. Bernard Foley, Israel Folau and Tolu Latu all crossed for tries to record the first of two wins against the ACT side in 2015.
ANZAC SALUTE Monday, April 25
THERE won’t be a spare seat in the house when the Dragons and Roosters battle it out for the annual Anzac Day Cup at Allianz Stadium. The fixture has been one of the highlights on the NRL calendar since 2002, with a record crowd of 40,752 attending the clash in 2013. Last year, the Dragons took the spoils with a gritty 14-12 win over the Roosters amidst a hailstorm,
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SEASON PREVIEW
HITTING THE HEIGHTS
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Waratahs versus the Brumbies is always one of the highlights of the Super Rugby season
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anzac day tradition Australia's military will be honoured as part of the celebration before the Roosters-Dragons blockbuster
GAME OF THRONES
THE BOYS IN BLUE The colour and excitement of Waratahs matches at Allianz Stadium will be hard to beat
which tore through Sydney in the afternoon, and caused an unprecedented break in play.
HAIL THE CHIEFS Friday, May 27
IT is always a massive week when the Chiefs come to town – even if it is without dual international Sonny Bill Williams. The Chiefs visit the Waratahs at Allianz Stadium two weeks before the Super Rugby season goes into its winter recess for the June Test period, so this looms as a pivotal clash for both teams. The Waratahs lost a pre-season trial to the Chiefs 17-12 in Rotorua, conceding a last-minute try, so they will be out for revenge. With the Test season on the horizon, Michael Hooper, Kurtley Beale, Israel Folau, Bernard Foley, Will Skelton and Nick Phipps will be determined to be at the top of their game.
HAWK EYES Thursday, July 14 MIGHTY Hawthorn, winners of the past three AFL premierships, will return to the SCG for the first time since Round 22, 2012. When the two teams last met at the SCG, Buddy Franklin was the high scorer for Hawthorn, kicking four goals in their 102-95 loss to the Swans. This time, Franklin will be in the red and white and looking to bring down his old club. The blockbuster clash against Hawthorn will be one of most highly anticipated games of the year, with the Swans also set to host Port Adelaide at the SCG in August.
biggest hit in town all winter
AS far as big hits go, these cross-code giants sit at the top of the Game of Thrones pecking order. From the Waratahs there is Will Skelton and Wycliff Palu. The two enforcers share a combined weight
of over 250kg and have a ruthless reputation in defence. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Dylan Napa and Kane Evans are three Roosters to avoid. The trio have the potential to shift momentum with their explosive running style and brutal defence.
Hawthorn, winners of the past three premierships, return to the scg for the first time since 2012
SYDNEY FC
AROUND THE GROUNDS
ONE DWIGHT
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STAND
Dwight Yorke was only here for one season a decade ago but no one has had a greater impact on Sydney FC or the A-League
D
WIGHT Yorke put the bling into Sydney FC and for that reason he is the club’s greatest signing: bigger than Brazilian superstar Juninho and even better than their Italian wizard Alessandro Del Piero. When the A-League was shiny and new, it needed someone to put the competition on the map and give it credibility. With his mega-watt smile, party-boy image and on-field presence, all-night Dwight broke through Australian sport’s toughest market in Sydney and made football cool. “Dwight is still the biggest thing to happen to the A-League, because he was the first major signing,” says Fox Sports expert and Allianz Stadium ambassador Robbie Slater. “He appeared in the Confidential pages as much as the sports pages. Dwight transcended football. He kicked goals on and off the pitch. “The game needed Dwight and he did the business on the field. Ten years on, we are still talking about the impact he had on the A-League. So much of the success and the profile football has now can be traced back to Dwight Yorke.” To assess the impact Yorke had, you need to go back a decade and remember the dark times. The old National Soccer League had been riven by ethnic differences, crowd
disturbances and financial difficulties. The A-League represented a new start for domestic football. The inaugural 2005-06 A-League season began with Yorke as the code’s marquee man. The English Premier League star accepted a salary of $1 million to come to Australia and join Sydney FC. Despite his off-field reputation, Yorke was a serious footballer. He won the treble with Manchester United and received a number of individual accolades throughout his career, including the EPL Golden Boot during the 1998-99 season as top goal scorer. “That was the biggest point about Dwight. When he came here, he was still a terrific player,” Slater says. “If he had just come to party and have a good time, it wouldn’t have worked at all. "Dwight came here to win and make a difference where it counts – on the pitch." Yorke scored seven goals in his single season at Sydney FC and led the club to the first A-League grand final in 2006. A capacity crowd of 41,689 fans turned out for the game as Sydney FC recorded a gripping 1-0 win over the Central Coast Mariners. With the game in the balance, Yorke found space inside the
Mariners box. He laid off a perfectly timed ball to Steve Corica, who found the back of the net in the 62nd minute for the decisive goal. Terry McFlynn was in the engine room that day a decade ago when Sydney FC became the new code’s first champion. He fondly recalls a magical ride for the Sky Blues and the A-League. “The feeling when we initially stepped on to the pitch was one of
blue heaven Sydney FC claim the inaugural grand final
Sydney FC
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(Steve Corica 62min)
Central Coast
0
MARCH 5, 2006 Crowd: 41,689 Joe Marston medal winner: Dwight Yorke
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SYDNEY FC
euphoria, players were standing two, three yards away from us and we couldn't hear each other,” McFlynn says. “We talked about things at halftime and tried to keep everyone as calm as possible. We'd worked for weeks for that moment and we were 45 minutes away from it. “Thankfully, the Central Coast defence just backed off and let Dwight run with the ball until eventually he found himself inside the 18-yard box. "He got it back to Steve (Corica) and I was right behind him at the time so I probably had the best view of the goal in the whole stadium. “To see it slip under Danny Vukovic's (goalkeeper) arm and hit the back of the net was a memory that will stay with me for the rest of my life. "It made everything, the emotion of the day, the hard work that went into it, the thousands of supporters that turned up to see the game, to
bring it all together in a 90-minute period was sheer elation.” Yorke was named man of the match, taking home the Joe Marston medal, and it was also fitting that he accepted the A-League's first grand final trophy. "I want to thank all the people behind the scenes at Sydney FC, and let's party tonight," Yorke said after the grand final in 2006. That was Dwight in a nutshell, a relentless competitor on the field and one of football's most charismatic characters off it. “We have had better players than Dwight. Del Piero’s signing was massive and I never thought a player of his global pedigree would have come to Australia to play,” Slater says. “Without Dwight, though, we would never have had Del Piero. Sydney FC wouldn’t be the glamour club of the A-League and who knows where the game would be. “Now the A-League takes its place alongside rugby league, AFL
"without dwight, though, we would never have had del piero" and rugby union among the nation’s top football codes. Crowd figures are outstanding. The Sydney derbies are among the biggest events on the Australian sporting calendar. The standard of football gets better year after year. “That all started with Dwight. We should never forget or underestimate the impact he had on Australian football.”
IT'S TIME TO PARTY Sydney FC's Dwight Yorke celebrates winning the first-ever A-League grand final
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50-70 YEAR MEMBERS
OUR
Family TIES AROUND THE GROUNDS
To celebrate the Trust's 50 and 70-year Members, Around the Grounds asks a few of them to share their stories
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CELEBRATING THE INDUCTEES The latest round of 50 and 70-year Members were inducted at a morning tea at the SCG in November 2015
T
HE involvement of the Trust’s 50 and 70-year Members predates today’s legion of sporting heroes. It stretches back to the days when the SCG still had a hill, when St George Dragons were kings of the rugby league world, and when Jack Gibson’s fur coat was still in style. Long-time Members of the SCG and Allianz Stadium represent a golden generation of sport. As Trust Chairman Tony Shepherd puts it, “You, the Members, are why these grounds exist”. Members made the construction of the Sydney Football Stadium possible and the development of the MA Noble, Don Bradman and Dally Messenger stands a success. Both grounds have hosted some of the most timeless sporting moments in Australia’s recent memory. The SCG witnessed St George’s run of 11 premierships, Tony Lockett’s 1300th goal and Shane Warne’s 300th Test wicket, just to name a few. Once the final State of Origin game was hosted at the SCG in 1987, the newly built Sydney Football Stadium became the number one destination for football, rugby union and rugby league in New South Wales. Some of the 50 to 70-year Members may remember John ‘Chicka’ Ferguson’s dramatic last-minute try for the Canberra Raiders in rugby league's 1989 grand final or ‘that tackle’ by halfback George Gregan to inspire the Wallabies to a Bledisloe Cup in 1994. It’s also hard to leave out the Socceroos’ 1-1 draw against Diego Maradona's Argentina, which was played in front of a record crowd of 43,967 fans. Fast forward to 2016 and the Sydney Cricket Ground and Allianz Stadium remain the best places to watch sport in NSW because they carry the memories of every fan, athlete and Member who walks through the gates.
a life-long connection Trust Chairman Tony Shepherd and 70-year Member William Kingsford Smith at the induction ceremony
WILLIAM KINGSFORD SMITH
GREG PURCELL
I FIRST visited the SCG with my father in the late 1930s at the age of about eight, on one of the two ladies tickets that Members received in those days. One of my earliest memories was seeing Arthur Morris, in 1940, play his first Sheffield Shield game for NSW against Queensland. He scored a century in each innings under extreme heatwave conditions. I was also present in 1946 when Donald Bradman and Sid Barnes both scored 234 runs to set a world record Test fifth-wicket partnership of 405. During the 1940s I regularly competed in the schoolboy athletic championships, which were then held annually on the SCG. My wife and I are regulars at the SCG and have only missed one Test in the past 25 years. It is a ground steeped in history and we enjoy visiting every summer.
MY family ties with the SCG stretch back to 1950, when my father Bernie Purcell represented Australia in a rugby league Test against Great Britain. He played a part in Australia’s 5-2 victory to win The Ashes for the first time 30 years. Following a 173-game career with South Sydney, Bernie took over the coaching reins at the club. I was lucky enough to be one of the 78,000-odd fans at the SCG in 1965 as an 11-year-old, watching my dad play a part in the grandest premiership decider ever seen. I went from being a ball boy, to playing on the hallowed turf with Souths and Easts, and was also the general manager of operations at the Trust for five years. I was there when the Sydney Football Stadium opened in 1988 and when the Socceroos held Argentina to a 1-1 draw in front of 43,967 fans a few years later.
Member since 1945
Member since 1964
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LONG-TIME STAFFER CARON LEFEVER HAS WORKED 18 TESTS AT THE SYDNEY CRICKET GROUND AND KNOWS THE PLACE BETTER THAN ANYONE. IN A REMARKABLE EFFORT, SHE COMPILED THE ENTIRE ALPHABET THROUGH THE STRUCTURES AND SURROUNDS OF THE HALLOWED MEMBERS RESERVE, WHICH CARRIES 160 YEARS OF SPORTING HISTORY IN ITS WALLS. A. Ladies Pavilion bathroom
B. Ladies Pavilion roof
C. Members Pavilion home room
D. Members Pavilion away room
E. Members Pavilion lock
F. Umpires room window frame
G. Members Pavilion ceiling
H. Rugby league goal posts
I. SCG light tower
J. Members Pavilion railing
K. Stan McCabe’s sculpture
L. Members Pavilion players’ bench
M. Long Bar archways
N. Upper deck MA Noble Stand
O. Ladies Pavilion window
P. MA Noble Stand railing
Q. The old roller
R. MA Noble Stand bench
S. Tyrrell’s Bar corkscrew
T. Ladies Pavilion light stand
U. Sheffield Shield in home room
V. Level two of MA Noble Stand
W. Door hinge of SCG Museum
X. Fence line between pavilions
Y. MA Noble Stand drain pipes
Z. Ladies Pavilion railing
t ’ n d T l u o AN’ “I c ieUvC e YlO rTicHeA”T b“e p T A e E h tB UE”
VAL
TAB MOBILE
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LOCAL TAB
Applies to all line bets on all Saturday NRL games in rounds 1-4. (No Live bets qualify). Think! About your choices. Call Gambling Help 1800 858 858 www.gamblinghelp.nsw.gov.au. Gamble Responsibly. Think! About your choices. Call Gambling Help 1800 858 858 www.gamblinghelp.nsw.gov.au. Gamble Responsibly.
A-LEAGUE: SATURDAY 12 MARCH
NRL: SATURDAY 30 APRIL
Sydney FC v Wellington Phoenix
Sydney Roosters v Newcastle Knights
SUPER RUGBY: FRIDAY 18 MARCH
SUPER RUGBY: SATURDAY 7 MAY
NRL: SATURDAY 26 MARCH
SUPER RUGBY: SATURDAY 14 MAY
QUALIFIER: TUESDAY 29 MARCH
SUPER RUGBY: FRIDAY 27 MAY
NSW Waratahs v Highlanders
Sydney Roosters v Manly Sea Eagles Socceroos v Jordan
A-LEAGUE: SATURDAY 2 APRIL
NSW Waratahs v Cheetahs NSW Waratahs v Bulls
NSW Waratahs v Chiefs
NRL: SUNDAY 5 JUNE
Sydney FC v Adelaide United
Sydney Roosters v Wests Tigers
SUPER RUGBY: SUNDAY 3 APRIL
NRL: SATURDAY 11 JUNE
NSW Waratahs v Melbourne Rebels
Sydney Roosters v Melbourne Storm
ASIAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: TUESDAY 5 APRIL
RUGBY TEST: SATURDAY 25 JUNE
A-LEAGUE: SUNDAY 10 APRIL
NRL: THURSDAY 30 JUNE
Sydney FC v Pohang Steelers
Australia v England
Sydney FC v Perth Glory
Sydney Roosters v Canterbury Bulldogs
SUPER RUGBY: SATURDAY 16 APRIL
SUPER RUGBY: SATURDAY 9 JULY
NRL: MONDAY 18 APRIL
NRL: MONDAY 18 JULY
NSW Waratahs v ACT Brumbies
Sydney Roosters v Penrith Panthers
ASIAN CHAMPIONS LEAGUE: WEDNESDAY 20 APRIL
NSW Waratahs v Hurricanes
Sydney Roosters v Cronulla Sharks
NRL: MONDAY 25 JULY
Sydney FC v Urawa Red Diamonds
South Sydney Rabbitohs v Manly Sea Eagles
NRL: MONDAY 25 APRIL
NRL: DATE TO BE CONFIRMED
St George Illawarra Dragons v Sydney Roosters
Sydney Roosters v Brisbane Broncos
NRL: SUNDAY 20 MARCH
St George Illawarra Dragons v South Sydney Rabbitohs
AFL: SATURDAY 9 APRIL
Sydney Swans v GWS Giants
AFL: SATURDAY 23 APRIL
Sydney Swans v West Coast Eagles
AFL: FRIDAY 27 MAY
Sydney Swans v North Melbourne
AFL: SUNDAY 19 JUNE
Sydney Swans v Melbourne
AFL: SATURDAY 2 JULY
Sydney Swans v Western Bulldogs
AFL: THURSDAY 14 JULY
Sydney Swans v Hawthorn
AFL: SATURDAY 6 AUGUST
Sydney Swans v Port Adelaide
AFL: DATE TO BE CONFIRMED Sydney Swans v Richmond
ALL FIXTURES ARE CORRECT AT TIME OF PUBLICATION.
50-70 YEAR MEMBERS
I’ve watched Freddie Trueman play while sitting next to my Nan and I’ve now seen Greg Inglis score a few tries alongside my children.
IAN BANGS
Member since 1964 MY father signed me up when I was quite young and I became a Member of the SCG when I was 10 years old. It has given me some wonderful sporting memories and I’ve enjoyed watching the transformation of the ground over the years. The 1971 Springboks tour of Australia sticks out for me, back when the apartheid movement was in full-swing. As a teenager, I probably didn’t recognise the significance of the series at the time but the way the Wallabies and the Springboks played the game back then is something that stays with me. All five of my sons are now Members and I enjoy catching up with them each summer. I’d have to say the SCG is my favourite oval – it truly puts you in the heart of the action.
THE NEW INDUCTEES 70-YEAR MEMBERS Mr James BAIN AM Mr David BODY Mr Brian FRANCE Mr David HOARE Mr Gregory HODGSON Mr David JONES
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Mr William KINGSFORD SMITH
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Dr Ronald LEWIS Mr David MOYES Dr Colin ORR Dr Kevin ORR MRS Betty SIMPSON
THE NEW INDUCTEES 50-YEAR MEMBERS Hon Peter ANDERSON
Mr Garry LEONARD
Mr Michael ARNOTT
Mr Maxwell LEWIS
Mr Ian ARTHY
Mr John MAC DONALD
Mr Ian BANGS
Mr Peter MARSH
Mr Anthony BELLANTO
Dr Donald MAXWELL
Mr Colin BLAIR
Mr John MC CAFFREY
Mr William BOURKE JNR
Mr Timothy MC CARTHY
Mr Deane BOWRING
Dr Vincent MC CAULEY
Mr Thomas BOYCE
Mr Paul MC COWAGE
Mr David CHRYSTAL
Mr Thomas MEAGHER
Mr Alan COATES
Mr Eric MEALE
Mr Matthew COLLINS
Mr Michael MOREING
Mr Thomas COYLE JNR
Mr Philip MYLES
Mr Russell CROMPTON
Mr Garth NEWTON
Mr Ross DOHERTY
Dr Charles OLIVER
Mr Justin DOWD
Mr Jeffry PARKER
Mr Michael FALK
Mr Christopher PAUL
Mr Maxwell FITZGERALD
Mr Graeme PEARCE
Mr Gary FLOWERS
Mr Gregory PURCELL
Dr Anthony FREEMAN
Mr Darryl QUIGLEY
Mr Peter GANNON
Mr Michael ROWLAND SMITH
Mr James HANDO
Mr Richard SEDGWICK
Mr Peter HENNINGS
Mr John SEDGWICK
Mr Gary HENWOOD
Mr John SIMMONS
Mr Allan HUDSON
Mr Gordon SMITH
Mr John HUNTER
Mr Gavin SOLOMON
Mr Maxwell INGRAM
Mr John TAINSH
Mr Michael JOHNSTON
Mr Stephen UPTON
Mr Alan KELLETT
Mr Robert WALTON
Mr Michael KENNEDY
Mr Robert WATERHOUSE
Mr Graham KING
Mr David WESTAWAY
Mr Gregory LAUGHTON
Mr David WILLIAMS
Mr Colin LAWTHER
Mr Anthony WILSON
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SYDNEY SEVENS
WONDERS The inaugural Sydney Sevens delivered in a big way, with more than 70,000 fans enjoying a festival of rugby 1. CROWDED HOUSE TICKETS were snatched up nine days out from the Sydney Sevens at Allianz Stadium. A total of 73,313 fans attended across the weekend, with an estimated 20,000 visitors from interstate and overseas making the trip for the event. The Sevens provided a tourism windfall of $7 million to the city and offered rugby a timely boost ahead of the 2016 domestic and international seasons. And it’s here to stay. The Sydney leg of the HSBC Sevens World Series is locked in at Allianz Stadium for at least the next three years.
2. ROAD TO RIO THE Sydney Sevens formed an intriguing dry run ahead of the Rio Olympics, where rugby will make its return after a 100-year absence. Australia’s men's and women's teams proved they are contenders. The women smashed Ireland to win their three-match series, while the men beat England and South Africa to reach the Cup final, where they lost to New Zealand 27-24, conceding a try after the siren. "They were gutted," Aussie coach Andy Friend said. "Two games, 34 minutes against New Zealand and we're three points behind them."
AROUND THE GROUNDS
3. FANCY DRESS
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PAMELA Anderson, Steve Irwin and Donald Trump doppelgangers were out in force as fans made the most of the ‘Go Global’ theme. The southern stand became the hot seat for entertaining performances, while hula dancers, drums and ukuleles offered a South Pacific vibe. Fijian supporters showed why sevens is their national sport, waving a sea of sky blue flags during each game the crowd favourites played. Australian bolter Cameron Clark even had his own supporter group, the 'Clarky Army', and he pleased them with a hat-trick on day one.
4. SONNY THRILL WILLIAMS FANS flocked to catch a glimpse of dual international Sonny Bill Williams. His style was on show in the shortened format of the game, with offloads aplenty and his trademark footwork putting some razzle-dazzle into a polished performance by the men in black. He even gave Quade Cooper some advice on making the switch to sevens, telling the Aussie flyer to “buy a new set of lungs". Perhaps that's why New Zealand, controversially, had eight players on the field when they scored a crucial try in their 17-all draw with Australia on day one.
5. CELEBRITY HEADS PLENTY of celebrities caught a glimpse of Allianz Stadium’s newest attraction. San Francisco 49ers star Jarryd Hayne came along on day two with fellow rugby league funny man Beau Ryan. Wallabies Quade Cooper and Nick ‘Honey Badger’ Cummins were taking photos with fans, while The Man, Anthony Mundine, watched on from the stands. Waratahs Nick Phipps, Dave Dennis, Michael Hooper, Will Skelton and Kurtley Beale enjoyed the action and were joined by Roosters gun Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in the Trust suite.
6. SYDNEY SOCIAL IT took less than an hour for the hash tag #Sydney7s to start trending on Twitter, with social media going into meltdown as thousands of fans documented their weekend. Weird, whacky and wonderful pretty much sums up the Sydney Sevens. The event generated 1.06 million Twitter impressions, while Facebook attracted 1.87 million fans in just two days. Officials also believe Allianz Stadium recorded its highest number of 'selfies' since One Direction played at the venue in 2015.
7. TRY-TIME
Tries: 268 Conversions: 165 A TOTAL of 16 countries competed Points:1670 in 45 games across the weekend, giving fans a truckload of rugby to Aus top try-scorer: Henry Hutchison (5) savour. To put it in perspective for Player of the tournament: Rieko Ioane (NZ) all of those rugby naysayers, not a Cup winners: New Zealand single penalty or drop goal was Shield winners: Wales kicked – unlike Braith Anasta in Bowl winners: Canada the Auckland Nines. Plate winners: Argentina
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AROUND THE GROUNDS
SYDNEY ROOSTERS
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father of the pride Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, partner Chelsea Cormack and their new arrival Zahli Rae
DAD TO THE
BONE Jared Waerea-Hargreaves opens up on fatherhood and the Roosters
W
HEN Jared WaereaHargreaves looks into the eyes of little Zahli Rae, it is hard to believe he is one of the most fearsome players in the NRL. The 27-year-old enforcer has always been a contradiction. On the field, he can be ruthless and aggressive, providing the muscle necessary for the backline stars to steal the spotlight. Off the field, he is thoughtful and gentle, a new father bursting with pride. As he prepares for his sixth year at the Roosters, the motivation for the 2016 season comes from the beautiful eyes looking back at him. Waerea-Hargreaves had Zahli Rae in the back of his mind when he steamrollered five defenders in the Sydney Roosters 28-18 win over the Parramatta Eels at Allianz Stadium last year. It was a Saturday night, Round 23, and just three days after he and his partner Chelsea Cormack welcomed their little daughter Zahli Rae to the world. "I was in awe of everything that
was going on," Waerea-Hargreaves says. "I'd just had my first child and both my partner and baby were healthy and that's all I could have asked for. Footy was the last thing on my mind while I was playing that game . . . it just became second nature out there." The remarkable solo effort secured a ninth straight win for the Tri-colours and kept them in the hunt for a third consecutive minor premiership. A week later, he limped from the field in the 12th minute of the clash with the Brisbane Broncos with a torn anterior cruciate ligament injury. It was a massive blow for the club, losing their forward leader and a player rated the best front-rower in the game. "It was the hardest thing I've ever had to deal with in my career so far and to not be there towards the end of the season last year was really tough," Waerea-Hargreaves says on the eve of the new season. "Since then, I've been training on my own a fair bit. It's a
challenge that I've embraced and tried to enjoy as much as possible. "I've been very fortunate and blessed to have the mother of my child and partner alongside me to support me through the hard times, and to have Zahli with us is like a new beginning." The Roosters need Waerea-Hargreaves at his best this season after the defections of representative backs James Maloney (Sharks), Michael Jennings (Parramatta) and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (Warriors). The glamour club has State of Origin and Test experience across the field, a coach in Trent Robinson who has a 70 per cent winning record during his three years at Moore Park and a pack that remains among the most formidable in the game. The generational change is happening off the field, too. Waerea-Hargreaves and Blake Ferguson have just become fathers, with Sam Moa and Aidan Guerra to soon join them. "It's definitely positive to see the club go from where we have been in the past. Most of the boys were single and doing their own thing and now players are starting families, so it's pleasing to see us all start to grow up," he says. "I see myself as a leader at the club and my family is now the reason I play the game." Despite the changes off the field and the pre-season dramas, Waerea-Hargreaves insists the culture and belief that head coach Robinson has instilled at the Roosters remains a positive. "We'll continue going in the direction that we're going. It doesn't matter who comes and goes, we're still on our journey," Waerea-Hargreaves says. "We just have to believe in each other, believe in our team and believe in everything we have going here at the club. "It's the unknown and that's what makes it exciting."
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AROUND THE GROUNDS
SYDNEY SWANS
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SWANS’ CROWNING GLORY
From Warwick Capper’s flying mullet to Buddy Franklin, the Swans have become an integral part of Sydney as they prepare for their 350th game at the SCG
BIRTH OF A GIANT March 28, 1982 IT started with a win. After relocating from South Melbourne, the Sydney Swans played their first official match at the SCG in front of 15,764 fans, marking a new era for the game outside of Victoria. They defeated Melbourne 20.17 (137) to 16.12 (108) to christen their new home in style. Then Prime Minister Bob Hawke was the No.1 ticketholder and he mingled with players before the game. Mark Browning had 35 disposals and John Roberts kicked four goals for the Swans. However, life in those days were a struggle, as captain Barry Round recalled in The Age in 2012. “We were training on the SCG No.2 Oval, which was used as a car park when they had rugby league games on, so there would be car tracks and dips and bumps and so on,” Round recalled. “We all had daytime jobs so we trained at night, but we had no lights, except for a tiny square in one corner where we had to do all our skills.” There have been greater wins, better performances and premierships, yet none of that would have happened if the move hadn’t been taken to relocate. From humble beginnings rose a giant.
GOLDEN POINT September 21, 1996
FOR all the goals Tony Lockett kicked at the SCG, perhaps his most famous kick was the behind to send the Swans to the 1996 grand final. After the final siren, with the scores locked at 69 apiece, Lockett lined up a kick from 55 metres knowing that any score would send the Swans through to their first grand final since 1945. Big Plugger, despite carrying a groin injury into the game, launched the ball through the night,
scoring the behind for victory before being mobbed by his teammates.
PLUGGER’S RECORD June 6, 1999
LOCKETT is a permanent fixture on the Swans' highlight reel. The legendary full-forward kicked 295 goals at the SCG for St Kilda and Sydney but one goal will forever be immortalised at the ground. Plugger’s 1300th career goal against Collingwood in Round 10 of the 1999 season, taking him past Gordon Coventry’s record, inspired the grandest pitch invasion ever seen at the SCG. Coventry’s total had stood since 1937. Lockett took a chest mark in the forward pocket in front of the Members Pavilion and willed a wobbly kick through the posts to stand alone as the game’s greatest goal scorer and send the crowd of 41,264 into rapturous celebration. Lockett would finish the game with nine goals straight as the Swans won by 51 points. Following a season total of 82 majors, Lockett announced his retirement with 1357 goals from 278 games. He would return in 2002 to play three more games and ultimately leave with 1360 goals.
SAINT NICK September 10, 2005
SWANS forward Nick Davis produced one of the greatest quarters in finals history to send his team to the 2005 preliminary final. With 20 minutes left, Davis kicked the final four goals of the match to bring the Swans back from 23 points down against Geelong. He finished with four goals from 24 disposals, kicking the final goal with just 10 seconds left for a three-point win. The Swans would go on to defeat St Kilda in the preliminary final and
37
AROUND THE GROUNDS
SYDNEY SWANS
38
NICK davis' final miracle
New hero buddy franklin
Tony Lockett, king of the scg
favourite son Adam goodes
then West Coast in the grand final, securing the club’s first premiership since 1933 to raise the flag at the SCG for the first time. Davis’ four goals against Geelong on a magical night at the SCG would prove as instrumental as Leo Barry’s epic grand final mark in the Swans winning that 2005 premiership.
BUD TO THE RESCUE June 14, 2014
HE arrived in the Harbour City with great fanfare and a nine-year, $10 million deal, yet it took some time for Sydney to fall in love with Lance Franklin. After a slow start to the season and doubts about the value of the deal, Buddy answered all the doubters against Port Adelaide. In front of 41,317 fans – the third biggest home-and-away attendance at the SCG – Franklin kicked the last five goals of the match as the Swans won by four points to launch their run at the minor premiership and another grand final. “It was a superb crowd, 41,000 all supporting us,” Franklin said after the match. “It was something very special. I can’t wait to get back here and see all our supporters out in force.” Franklin was brilliant as he kicked a 65m bomb and scored another improbable goal from the boundary. He went on to claim the Coleman Medal in 2014 as the game’s leading goalkicker.
GOODES TO GO September 9, 2015
IN the long and rich history of the SCG, Swans veteran Adam Goodes has played more matches on the hallowed turf than any other professional sportsman. Countless early morning training sessions, shots at goal, handballs, marks, team meetings, warm-ups, warm-downs, sprints and skills were a constant in his life up until his retirement last year. He left the game as arguably the
most distinguished player in the history of the Swans and South Melbourne clubs. Most importantly, he retired graciously despite being repeatedly booed by opposition fans, forcing him to take personal leave to assess his future during his final year. The Swans’ faithful rallied behind their champion during the storm, with a crowd of 38,690 giving Goodes a standing ovation in the seventh minute of the third quarter – to commemorate his No.37 – during their Round 18 clash against Adelaide. Goodes retired with a career total of 372 games, two premierships, two Brownlow Medals and 464 goals. He remains one of the SCG's favourite sons.
THIS LITTLE PIGGY August 1, 1993 BEFORE Lockett became a Sydney sporting hero, he was the victim of a celebrated prank when he and his St Kilda team came to the SCG in Round 18, 1993. Plugger was out injured. Still, he wasn’t forgotten as fans released a piglet with Lockett’s No.4 painted on its side. Commentator Sandy Roberts even exclaimed: “There’s a pig at full-forward!” When the two sides met the following year, Lockett exacted his revenge as he kicked 11 goals in Saints' one-point win. Of course, all was forgiven when Lockett famously transferred to the Sydney Swans in 1995.
SCG HONOUR BOARD Most goals in a game at SCG Goals
14
Player
Team Opposition Year
Gary Ablett Snr Geelong Sydney 1994
12
Tony Lockett
Sydney Richmond 1998
12
Tony Lockett
Sydney Richmond 1996
12
Tony Lockett
St Kilda
12
Brian Taylor Collingwood Sydney 1985
11
Tony Lockett
Sydney Hawthorn 1998
11
Tony Lockett
Sydney Brisbane 1996
11
Tony Lockett
St Kilda
11
1991
Sydney
1994
Jason Dunstall Hawthorn Sydney 1994
Most games for Sydney at SCG Games Player
143
Sydney
Adam Goodes
Most career goals at SCG Goals Player
295
Tony Lockett
Teams
St Kilda, Sydney
136 Michael O’Loughlin
246 Michael O’Loughlin Sydney
128
Jude Bolton
190
Adam Goodes Sydney
125
Mark Bayes
176
Barry Hall
123 Daryn Cresswell
176 Warwick Capper
St Kilda, Sydney, Bulldogs Sydney, Brisbane
39
NSW WARATAHS
THE REAL
BEALE AROUND THE GROUNDS
NSW Waratahs flyer Kurtley Beale opens up on a gruelling pre-season, the Rugby World Cup experience, his golf game and even a love for One Direction
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true blue match-winner Waratah Kurtley Beale takes on Matt Giteau from the Western Force back in 2007
THE INTERVIEW
K
URTLEY Beale signed with the NSW Waratahs at the age of 16 in 2005. He was still a student at St Joseph’s College, where he schooled the rest of the GPS competition with brilliant footwork and the attacking vision of a seasoned veteran. After announcing himself as the ‘wonder kid’ of Australian rugby, Beale quickly lived up to his potential, making his NSW debut in 2007 and becoming the first-choice fly-half by the following season. Over a decade on, and with more than 100 Super Rugby caps and 60 Tests, Beale is now one of the senior members of the Waratahs squad as he embarks on a mission to win another premiership.
How do you stay hungry ahead of a new season?
WITH a lot experience under my belt, you’ve just got to accept that a new season is always going to be tough. Having that mindset and the right attitude gets you through the hard work. Coming back to the Waratahs from the Rebels was a big shift for me. There was a change under Michael Cheika and I certainly felt that. Now with Daryl Gibson taking charge, that work ethic has been maintained. Daryl is a pretty relaxed guy but a very smart operator. He knows how to manage the workload and he’s trying to maintain that legacy but put his own spin on it at the same time, which is exciting.
What was the best moment out of the World Cup?
THE whole World Cup was special. We went in to it with plenty of people back home not really giving us a chance to make it through the pool stage. I think getting past England was a pretty big moment and it was really the start of our campaign. Proving people wrong throughout the tournament was a great feeling and getting to the final
was an amazing experience. The All Blacks were just too good.
Is a third Rugby World Cup a goal for you?
I'VE got to get through a few more pre-seasons, but it’s definitely a goal. Each year is getting tougher, but knowing how to manage it and having a greater knowledge of the game will help me to be a better player and person. A third World Cup is a long way down the track and my focus right now is purely on getting another premiership with the Waratahs.
How exciting will it be to take on England at Allianz Stadium in June?
ALLIANZ Stadium is the best place to play rugby. To have a packed house against England at Moore Park is going to be one of the better experiences. They’re coming back for revenge after their disappointing World Cup and I think that will create a lot of interest around the game. Hopefully we’ll be able to put a number on them and have a successful series.
There are plenty of characters in the Waratahs, who’s the funniest?
THERE'S a lot of young guys coming through now that are great value. Tatafu Polota-Nau is definitely the weirdest cat but an all-round great bloke who loves to have a joke. When he rides into the car park on his motorbike, with his afro hanging out of his helmet, I sometimes question what he gets up to.
What’s the one sledge you remember most?
I REMEMBER Drew Mitchell sledged me when he was at the Western Force and I was in my second year at the Waratahs. He was letting me know that I couldn’t tackle and then Matt Giteau
“I want to be a better player off the field, that’s something I’m striving towards” Kurtley Beale actually ran through me on the next play to score a try. Drew definitely makes me remember that one.
What event would you bring to allianz stadium? I'D like to see Yothu Yindi play a concert here, it could be their comeback tour. I went to One Direction last year and that was a great experience. I wasn’t really on the ‘One D’ bandwagon, but once I walked out of the stadium, I was sold.
What’s your biggest hobby away from footy?
GOLF is probably my biggest hobby outside of footy and I love keeping up with the PGA Tour. Last year, myself, Dave Dennis, Brendan McKibbin and Adam Ashley-Cooper played almost every off day in a little competition we had going. I didn’t end up winning, but to be able to get away from rugby and challenge yourself in another sport is important.
You survived Sydney to Hobart, how was it?
IT was pretty nuts to be able to get out there and try something new. I think that’s what I needed after the World Cup. I wanted something to keep me busy and to sign up with the Perpetual Loyal team was one of the best things I’ve done. I met a lot of great people, the skipper Anthony Bell is an outstanding bloke and everything
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NSW WARATAHS
THE INTERVIEW
THE ARTFUL DOdger Since his schoolboy days, Kurtley Beale has developed a reputation as one of the most slippery players in the game
they do for charity is awesome. It was all about getting out of my comfort zone and testing myself in that environment. Those pro sailors are tough, they’re a different breed and walking away from the challenge has given me a new respect for the sport.
Who were your sporting heroes growing up?
MY first day back at training this year was probably one of the toughest days of my career. I’ve never been in a darker place. We had to do a bunch of tests and a six-minute time trial. Coming straight back from holidays, I’ve never been pushed that hard. But it’s difficult to compare to the Sydney-Hobart experience. That was scary stuff. I was at the back with Phil Waugh and Anthony Minichiello. It was all fun and games until Phil tried to give me a cuddle when he was feeling sea sick.
Who’s the most famous person you have in your phone?
What’s the toughest training session you’ve ever had to do?
I GREW up watching rugby league; Andrew Johns, Brad Fittler, Anthony Mundine, Nathan Blacklock – those guys were amazing. I tried the Mundine goose step a lot through school but I could never nail his back flip to celebrate a try.
APART from Izzy Folau and Matt Giteau, I’d have to say Tom Slingsby – the sailor and gold medallist. I met him through the Sydney to Hobart and we’re good mates. Anthony Minichiello and Matthew Hayden are two others. I might have Andrew Johns’ number as well, just quietly.
If you could meet three people, who would they be?
DENZEL Washington, for sure. He’s my favourite actor and I’m a big fan
of all his movies. Kanye West, and I guess Kim Kardashian as well if they come in a package.
what’s your favourite Position in the backline? IT would be great to be able to play in the No.12 jersey outside Bernard Foley, but if Daryl Gibson wants to bring Izzy Folau up to the centres then I’m happy to play fullback. I’m all about helping the team.
At what point in your career did you feel like you made it?
IN 2011, when I won the John Eales Medal. It was the best season I’ve had and that was when I started to realise that I could make a real impact on the sport. It was extra special to be put up for the award by my teammates. Every year you set goals and try to become the best player you can be, but I also want to be a better person off the field, that’s something I’m striving towards.
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COVER STORY
CHARIOTS
OF IRE
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Australia will play England at Allianz Stadium for the first time since 1997 in what shapes as one of the biggest events of the year
44
v third test, June 25, Allianz Stadium
B
RING on the white of England, the gold of Australia and the Pommy banter because The Old Enemy is coming to town in June. England’s exit from the Rugby World Cup put a smirk on every Australian’s face as they became the first host nation to bow out before the knockout stages. Remarkably, this series will be the first time the Wallabies and England have played each other in a three-Test format. The first two will be hosted in Brisbane and Melbourne, with Allianz Stadium to host a potential decider. This year’s Test, on June 25, will celebrate the first official Test match between Australia and the British and Irish Lions, played at the SCG a day earlier in 1899. Australia won 13-3 in front of a crowd “dressed almost exclusively in heavy black coats and hats” according to Peter Jenkins in his book, Wallaby Gold. There is something about rugby which takes the sporting rivalry to a new height. Perhaps it’s the history, or the stinging memory of Jonny Wilkinson’s drop goal in the 2003 World Cup final, or the sound of ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’ ringing in every Australian’s ear after that loss.
Last year, Allianz Stadium recorded its biggest rugby crowd of 43,188 for Australia’s 39-14 win over France. Now imagine England. Every Paddington pub will be awash with gold, while the best players of this generation take to the turf to continue a rivalry that began 117 years ago. England will be under the watchful eye of former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones. He led Australia to a 2001 Tri-Nations victory and Japan to an incredible 34-32 triumph over South Africa at the most recent World Cup. He was also Australia’s coach when Wilkinson kicked that drop goal 13 years ago. Now Jones is on the other side as he seeks to improve England’s 3-17 record against the Wallabies in Australia. He will also be aiming to lead the men in white to their first win at Allianz Stadium. His counterpart is Michael Cheika, who led the NSW Waratahs to their maiden Super Rugby title in 2014 and proved the punters wrong as he guided Australia to the World Cup final in his first full year in charge. This is more than just a game of rugby. This is a rivalry embedded in our DNA, the chance to put England in their place again.
the PASSing of time Wallabies half Nick Farr-Jones slings one to Michael Lynagh in 1991
FLying the flag Cover boy Nick Phipps is looking forward to the challenge England presents
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COVER STORY
start of the rivalry The British and Irish Lions and Australian teams who played in the first Test at the SCG in 1899
WHAT BEATING ENGLAND MEANS TO ME Stephen Moore
Phil Waugh
Wallabies career: 2002-present Tests: 102
Wallabies career: 2000-2009 Tests: 79
TO get the opportunity to play against England in Sydney will be pretty special. We know they’re a very proud sporting nation, and there will be a fair amount of attention on the match with Eddie in town. There have been some great sporting memories between Australia and England around the SCG precinct over the years; I am sure fans will be in for a real treat.
THERE is so much history and tradition associated with a Wallabies and England Test. Whenever the Wallabies have the opportunity to play England, whether at home or at Twickenham, the players are fully aware of the long history between the two teams and the importance of winning each and every Test. I’ll never forget losing to England in the 2003 Rugby World Cup final, and the games between Australia and England will always have an extra level of interest because of that.
Peter FitzSimons Wallabies career: 1989-1990 Tests: 7 SOMEWHERE deep within our cultural DNA is written: for an Australian sportsperson, there is no higher calling, no more rewarding pursuit, than flogging the Poms like a convict caught with the Governor’s wife. Take THAT, you bastards!
Nick Farr-Jones Wallabies career: 1984-1993 Tests: 63 THE All Blacks were and are the benchmark, but beating our Pommy mates always gave me the greatest satisfaction. After all, I debuted in 1984 at Twickenham and was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time
seven years later as captain of the Wallabies for our 1991 Rugby World Cup triumph over England. I also fondly remember putting 25 points on them at the Sydney Football Stadium that same year, three days after my first child was born. To be part of a Wallaby team that ran the Chariot off the road more than once was something I’ll look back on. The camaraderie and mateship between the two countries is stronger than ever.
Drew Mitchell Wallabies career: 2005-present Tests: 70 I have many great memories from my sporting career. However I feel extremely lucky to have been a part of three Wallabies wins against the Poms in their own backyard at Twickenham. To sit in the famous baths in the change rooms and blow the beer froth out of the Cook Cup was one of the most satisfying feelings I've had to this day. Hopefully the Wallabies will get to do that at Allianz Stadium this year.
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AROUND THE GROUNDS
SCG BATTLEGROUND
48
Storm of protest Police quell the crowd as tempers flare at the SCG during the Springboks' tour of Australia in 1971
FREEDOM FIGHTERS Racial tensions, player boycotts, protests, pitch invasions and a dangerous cocktail of sport and politics. This was the Springboks’ tour of Australia in 1971 By Charlie Drayton
t
HE Sydney Cricket Ground was ringed by a white picket fence – commercial signage hasn’t arrived at Australian sport’s most famous venue, but the police have. Three hundred uniformed officers, dressed in identical black garb, position themselves a yard apart along the inside of the fence. The officers circle the celebrated ground, forming a barrier between the field and fans. It is July 6, 1971, and Australian sport has rarely experienced scenes like this. The Springboks are in town and among the fans who go to watch Sydney take on South Africa are an estimated 10,000 protesters. Meredith Burgmann is one of them. She takes her seat at the front of the MA Noble Stand and places her metal esky against the barrier. Disguised as a middle-aged Afrikaans woman, in a red wig, she sits next to her sister, Verity, and two friends. “For the first half of the game we talked in what we thought were
Afrikaan accents about the football and then just after halftime we asked police if they would move aside so we could get a better view,” Meredith recalls. “They must have been quite amazed when a few minutes later these crazy people jumped on to the esky and over the fence. I can still remember that moment. I didn’t know what to do because it never occurred to me that we’d actually get on to the pitch.” Meredith runs to the centre of the ground and promptly lays down in the middle of the ruck amongst the players, while her little sister, Verity, grabs the ball and kicks it into the sky before being tackled. The Bulletin later calls it the “kick of the season”. Meredith is dragged to the front of the Members Pavilion by police, where she receives a chorus of insults from fans who had come to watch the footy, not the frenzy. “It was quite clear that there was very heated opposition to the
49
SCG BATTLEGROUND
demonstrators because we were mucking up their sport,” she says. “As a spectator, I understand that, but we saw it as a more important issue. And because I was a sports lover, I was particularly upset by the fact that sport was being used by the apartheid regime to advertise how wonderful white South Africa was.” Bail was set at $100. Meredith, as the ring leader, was sentenced to
“It was like we were waiting to be shot by someone in the crowd”
AROUND THE GROUNDS
Geoff Shaw
50
two months in prison − the longest term for a demonstration at the time. Her fellow protesters were given good behaviour bonds. Following a prolonged court case, Meredith managed to have her sentence downgraded. “I spent two days in Silverwater Jail in a pink flannel nightie, sharing a cell with a little old lady shoplifter,” she says.
CHAOS AT THE SCG
TWO days after the game, Wallaby centre Geoff Shaw was escorted to the ground as he and the rest of the NSW team attended a compulsory police briefing. They were preparing, in more ways than one, to face the Springboks the next day in what would be the fifth match of the 1971 tour and the second game at the SCG. The team sat in the empty stands as they watched police pull the sheets off two tables, revealing a collection of objects including
making his point on the field Centre Geoff Shaw is proud that he took his place in the Wallabies team despite the controversy that surrounded the tour
bike chains, nails and marine flares. Shaw recalls the sergeant’s words. He said: “These are the type of weapons the enemy will be using." And they did. July 10, 1971 remains the most controversial day in the 160-year history of the SCG. Protesters hurled flares over the two metre high barbwire fence. In all, 140 people were arrested. Meredith Burgmann, who had been bed-ridden following the events on the Tuesday, took a seat at the back of the hill to watch the chaos unfold. Police had dug trenches on the side of the field next to piles of sand to contain the smoke bombs. “It was like we were waiting to be shot by someone in the crowd,” Shaw says. “The commotion was extremely daunting. I didn’t know what to expect or know what to do. When you come to a major sporting ground to be greeted by a chorus of insults and projectiles, it starts to get personal. I thought, hang on a minute, this isn’t Australia.” Commentator and dual international Trevor Allen was at the top of the Brewongle Stand, calling his first game of rugby. “They asked us not to bring any controversy to the game, but it was incredibly difficult,” Allen explains. “The protesters certainly got their message across, the hill was alive with smoke. Out of all my rugby memories, that is the one that stands out the most.” John Jeffries, a barman at the Bat and Ball Hotel on Cleveland Street, recalls the day vividly. “Hundreds of protesters who didn’t make it into the ground were chanting their way down the street,” Jeffries says. “There were undercover cops littered throughout the hotel and as soon as the demonstrators would come in for a schooner to refresh their lungs, the police would jump on them. It was like they knew every one of them by face.” Rugby that day became the vehicle for Australia to express its
political views on the apartheid regime, but, for Geoff Shaw, it was just another opportunity to play footy at the highest level. “As players, we should never have been put in a position to figure out whether we wanted to play or not. My own family was split. It divided clubs, families and Australians all over the country,” Shaw offers. He went on to feature in all three Tests of the 1971 tour as Australia’s first-choice centre. “I’m glad I did play,” he says. “It was another opportunity to put on the jersey for Australia and that opportunity doesn’t come easily.”
PEACE AT LAST FOR MEREDITH IT has been almost 45 years since Meredith Burgmann jumped the white picket fence at the SCG. In 1999, when Meredith was elected as President of the NSW Legislative Council, she made a pledge to Parliament that she wouldn’t run on to the SCG again. She was in charge for eight years until 2007, making her the longest serving presiding officer in Australia. During her time, she controversially ordered the removal of the Queen’s portrait from the President’s Office and replaced it with an Aboriginal painting. As a member of the SCG since 2000, Meredith is a regular at Sydney Swans games. Now, she leaves her red wig at home at peace with the fact that no sporting team will be chosen on colour again.
HOW IT ENDED
FOR Meredith Burgmann and the thousands of other protestors, the 1971 Springboks tour marked a turning point in Australian culture. “We sort of had a feeling we’d won. We knew that no more racially selected all-white teams were going to come to Australia. We knew we’d made that point,” she says. Ahead of the Test in Brisbane, Queensland Premier Joh Bjelke-Peterson called a State of Emergency. A week after the final Test at the SCG, Australia severed sporting ties with South Africa. The cricket tour at the end of the year was cancelled and no Australian team played South Africa until 1994, when its athletes were no longer chosen on race. The following year South Africa hosted the World Cup. Coach Kitch Christie famously led a mixed-race South African team to victory, with 63,000 fans at Ellis Park to witness a momentous occasion. President Nelson Mandela presented Springboks captain Francois Pienaar with the trophy after their 15-12 victory over New Zealand − marking a new era for rugby and ending the apartheid stigma with a simple handshake.
REBEL WITH A CAUSE Meredith Burgmann, top, is dragged from the SCG by police and below, interrrupting the Springboks game against Sydney
51
HEART OF A
NATION
The tragic tale of the father of Australian Rules and one of the most important figures in Australian sport By Greg de Moore
AROUND THE GROUNDS
T
52
a remarkable journey Greg de Moore delivers the Jack Marsh History Lecture at the SCG
OM Wills was our first great cricketer and the man who, more than any other, created the game of Australian Rules – our great and unique contribution to the culture of world sport. My interest in the Tom Wills story started almost 20 years ago when I came across a short article. It told me that he died by his own hand in 1880 in Melbourne. He was only 44. Determined to find out why he died, I drove to the NSW State Library to locate his obituary. I found that the day before he died he was admitted to Melbourne Hospital, now the Royal Melbourne. I flew to Melbourne and found his medical notes, stored in the back room of the hospital. By the age of 44, he’d become an alcoholic; he stopped drinking suddenly and developed a condition we call DTs, delirium tremens. He was hallucinating and paranoid. In that state he absconded from hospital; the next day he was dead. I now knew how Tom’s life ended, but how did he get there? The story begins in Sydney.
Tom’s parents were descended from convicts. His father was brought up in George Street and became editor of this nation’s first newspaper, The Sydney Gazette. His mother was a Parramatta girl raised in the Female Orphan School in Rydalmere. Tom was born in 1835 in southern NSW at a place called Captain’s Flat, near Queanbeyan. When Tom was four, his mother and father overlanded from NSW down to the Grampians in western Victoria. Tom’s playmates were all black boys and girls from the Tjapwurrung Aboriginal group. At the age of 14, his ambitious father packed Tom off to England where he attended the famous Rugby School. Tom learned three things: How to play cricket; how to play the early game of rugby school football; and how to drink beer. He returned to Melbourne at the end of 1856, just 21. Within days of returning he walked out to bat on the MCG. Soon he captained the Victorian team to repeated victories over NSW. When cricket ended, there was no organised football; winter was barren. In the winter of 1858, Tom wrote what I regard the most important letter in our sporting history. He wrote these colonies should form a football club. Tom and three other men sat in a pub next to the MCG and penned 10 rules, which became the starting point for Australian Rules football. Tom Wills became the first captain of what became the first AFL team, Melbourne. By 1861, Tom was recognised as a polymath sporting genius. But in that year something happened that changed his life forever. His father, Horatio Wills, took Tom and 30 other Victorians to Queensland to settle a new property. On October 17, Aborigines amassed and attacked, slaughtering 19 men, women and children. Tom miraculously survived; his father didn’t. His mind started to
a story of healing Jack Marsh, back row third from left, and his Aboriginal cricket team that played at the MCG on Boxing Day in 1866
unravel and he dealt with his nightmares by drinking himself into a state of oblivion.
Tom was not present. His place was usurped by an entrepreneurial English cricketer.
FIVE years after the massacre, Tom left Melbourne and travelled through western Victoria, to the region close to South Australia. And he helped find and train 10 Aboriginal farm labourers in how to play cricket. Tom Wills became their captain and coach. On Boxing Day 1866, Tom Wills, a white man, led his team of black cricketers on to the MCG. It was estimated close to 10,000 people watched the first day’s play, surely one of this nation’s first great acts of healing between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people. The team was due to travel to England with Tom at the helm. But, at the last minute, the financial organiser was found to be corrupt and the tour collapsed. One year later, this Aboriginal team was taken to England in 1868.
IN the last year of his life, Tom was an alcoholic, a beggar. On Sunday, May 2, Tom Wills took his life. Many people measure the worth of a cricketer by the number of runs scored, and a footballer by goals kicked. For me it is whether that sportsman transcends the field, and if their life tells us something about who we are as people and what we are as a nation. And that is the lasting legacy of Tom Wills. It is a story that leads us to the heart of our nation, and it offers us an understanding of what it means to be Australian.
JOIN US NEXT YEAR
The Jack Marsh History Lecture is named in honour of the NSW Indigenous fast bowler and is held at the SCG each year in January.
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STADIUM FITNESS CENTRE
FIT FOR
AROUND THE GROUNDS
A KID 54
The Stadium Fitness Centre is offering two unique services this winter, with the Crèche and our School Holiday Program available throughout coming months
Holiday Heaven
D
OES your child want to be the next David Warner? Well, look no further. The Stadium Fitness Centre is running its popular School Holiday Program again in April for children aged 7-12. A large variety of sports, games and activities will keep participants occupied throughout each day, including cricket, soccer,
rugby, tennis, swimming, yoga, squash, football and appearances from professional sportsmen and women. Your children can also get a behind-the-scenes tour of Allianz Stadium and the SCG. To register an interest in the holiday clinics, please call 9380 0160 or see a staff member at the Stadium Fitness Centre.
week one
week TWO
9am – 3pm each day
Crèche and the School Holiday Program is available to Gold, Platinum Members and their guests Cost
9am – 3pm each day
Monday
11 April
Monday
18 April
Three days: $210
Tuesday
12 April
Tuesday
19 April
Single day: $80
Wednesday
13 April
Wednesday
20 April
Crèche Care
N
EED to free up your day? Let the crèche take care of your children. The interactive child-minding service at the Stadium Fitness Centre is led by our experienced carers and provides an entertaining and educational space that you can trust. The indoor facility is equipped with a creative room, a nappy
change area, washroom and a kitchen. Children aged eight weeks to five years old are eligible for the service, however during school holidays, the program is open for children up to seven years old. Bookings can be made via the Venue Services Office by visiting a staff member or by phoning 1300 724 737.
4 babies (8 weeks -12 months old) 5 toddlers (12 months – 2 years old) 5 toddlers (2 - 3 years old) 7 pre-schoolers (3 – 5 years old)
COST
Hours of Operation Monday - Friday 9.00am - 1.30pm
Saturday
Session Times:
9.00am - 10.30am
Session Times:
7.00am - 8.30am
10.30am -12.00pm
8.30am - 10.00am
12.00pm - 1.30pm
10.00am - 11.30am
Please note that the Crèche does not operate on public holidays
Ratio
7.00am - 11.30am
All bookings for the Crèche are 90 minutes in duration
5 pack 90 minutes: $50.00 10 pack 90 minutes: $90.00 20 pack 90 minutes: $170.00
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THE SUMMER IN SNAPS
THE PERFECT GIFT Family and friends of Members can join the SCG waitlist for $50. Once elected, applicants will have access to a bumper calendar of sport. If you're looking for the perfect gift or know someone interested in joining, have them fill out the application form included in the Around the Grounds package
Howzat! Plenty of wickets fell and runs were scored in a hot summer
t at others hold cour The Chappell br st kfa ea Br rs be the annual Mem
AROUND THE GROUNDS
e SCG re on fire at th The Indians we e pitch th f of d an on this summer
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Everyone was tickled pink on Jane McGrath Day, including Prime Minister Mal colm Turnbull
Plenty of activities were on offer for Members at the New Year's Test
The Women's Big Bash add ed another dimension to the excitem ent
a et Centre was The Indoor Crick s kid r fo popular place
SCG stalwart Tom Parker chats to Members at the Curator's Breakfast
Caribbean flair was on sho w even as the cricketers faced the mus ic
t of fans as brighter se One of the pink spirit e th et into Members g
st Chairman Tony A family affair, Tru fans Shepherd greets
at the re everywhere The Richies we two y da e th as New Year's Test ed tradition continu
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SCG XI TOURS
BOLLYWOOD BOUND
AROUND THE GROUNDS
T
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HE SCG XI is embarking on a maiden tour of India in April this year, as the social playing side continues to tick major cricket destinations off their bucket list. Former Australian cricketers Stuart Clark, Stuart MacGill and club captain Simon Katich donned the black and gold blazer during the 2015-16 season, with the team enjoying trips to Lorn Park, Bradman Oval and Adelaide. The SCG XI also hosted the famous Hong Kong Cricket Club in a weekend which featured golf as well as one-day and T20 cricket. Following a successful trip to England alongside the Ashes series, the SCG XI will now jet off to India for matches in Delhi and Mumbai. The group will enjoy 10 nights in premium hotels, a sight-seeing tour of the Taj Mahal, a night at the Australian High Commission and some Indian Premier League action.
LORD’S PRAYER IN June 2014, SCG Member and Maitland local Shaun Leary got a phone call from a friend who told him about the SCG XI tour to England. At 44, he had long retired but didn’t want to pass up the opportunity to live out his cricketing dreams. After solid performances in the first three games, Leary earned a call-up for their match at the great Broadhalfpenny Down. Leary got off to a tidy start as he reached 48 but he strained his quad on the way back for his half-century, taking out the wicket-keeper in the process. He went on to limp and smash his way to a winning ton, booking his place in the SCG XI for the upcoming game against the MCC at the home of cricket, Lord’s. “Don’t think that you’re too old or that you can’t do it because chances are you might surprise yourself,” Leary says.
THe man from maitland SCG XI Member Shaun Leary poses next to his stunning century at Broadhalfpenny Down. His story is proof that it's never too late to pursue your cricketing dreams
Live you cricket dreams To register your interest in joining the SCG XI please contact dkelly@scgt.nsw.gov.au
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