Men of League - Issue 64

Issue 64 - September 2016

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

IN THIS EDITION 5 6-7 8-10 11 12-13 16-17 18 20-21 22-23 24-25 30 31 34-35 37 38 39 44-45 46 47 48-49 50-51 52 54 55 56 57

Ray Warren Jamieson Leeson Michael O’Connor Paul Sironen Queensland Annual Lunch Gala Dinner Noel Kelly Life Member George Peponis Sue Entwistle Never Before, Never Again Brett Horsnell Dally Messenger Shane Flanagan Queensland Golf Day Queensland Growth Ken Thornett Mick Veivers Bob McCarthy Neil Pengilley It Takes Two Dave Chadwick Men of League Round Riverina’s Rewarding Work Brian Fitzsimmons Bob Hagan Robert Culkin

PLUS THE REGULARS: 14-15 Events calendar 19/33 Committee Profiles: Western

Region / Gympie 25 League trivia 26-29 Helping Hand 36 Around the Grounds 40-43 Tributes 58-70 Committee news EDITOR: Neil Cadigan (editor@menofleague.com) DESIGN: Brilliant Logic ADVERTISING: Brilliant Logic Phone: (02) 4324 6962 www.brilliantlogic.com.au www.menofleague.com DEADLINES: Deadline for submitted material for the next edition: 28 October 2016.

NATIONAL BOARD OF DIRECTORS Patron: The Hon John Fahey AC Chairman: Ron Coote AM Treasurer: Geoff Thoroughgood Directors: Mark Gasnier, Brad Howell, Professor The Hon Stephen Martin, Alan Sullivan QC, Darryl Van de Velde and Helen Wood Grant WELFARE COMMITTEE Ray Beattie OAM, Sarah Connor, Ben Ross, Geoff Thoroughgood and Ken Vessey

FROM THE

CHAIRMAN It was a great privilege, as the Foundation’s national chairman and in partnership with the Australian Kangaroos, to present Darren Lockyer as our Captains’ Captain at our Men of League gala dinner to kick off the Men of League Round this year.

I acknowledge the position of all 12 captains nominated and special congratulations are reserved for Darren as someone symbolic of the ethos of rugby league. It was a pleasure to have witnessed Darren play at all levels of the game and especially as captain of the Australian Kangaroos.

Darren’s accomplishments on and off the field have earned him a reputation as one of the greats of the modern era. His presentation at our gala dinner was fitting as the dinner and our dedicated NRL round are about celebrating our success off the field and reflecting on our efforts and work for the past year.

We were given the opportunity to showcase how we care for the rugby league community through our dedicated NRL round in July and we certainly did that better than ever before. We demonstrated that there is care and fellowship off the field

EXECUTIVE Chief Executive Officer: Peter Collins Welfare & Education Manager: Ben Ross Financial Controller: Emile Assaf Operations Manager: Sandra Hopwood

that the league community needs and we will continue to provide.

We also celebrated our success with our huge annual Queensland lunch. It was a tremendous day and with 880 people in the room, certainly the most popular Men of League function I’ve seen. This is great news for the Foundation and I’m proud of our event that the Queensland team conducted.

Since our last edition we have appointed a fulltime chief executive officer, Mr Peter Collins. Peter has an impressive and diverse professional background, with experience in the aviation industry, banking sector and has worked as with the Panthers Group as chief commercial officer.

Peter has a keen love for, and understanding of, the rugby league community and I’m sure you’ll see and feel this in any interactions that you have with him. With Peter leading our staff, committees and volunteers to ever greater outcomes and with the staunch support of you, our members, I am confident we are extremely well placed for the next stage of our growth.

- Ron Coote, AM

ceo@menofleague.com ben@menofleague.com emile@menofleague.com sandra@menofleague.com

Events & Community Engagement Manager: Jason Turik jason@menofleague.com

Database Administrator: Richard Mills NSW State Manager: Stuart Raper QLD State Manager: Frank Barrett QLD Welfare & Education Officer: Mark Bunting QLD Events & Operations: Tegan Jennings QLD Events & Administration: Kristy West QLD Administration: Belinda Perry Media, Marketing & Sponsorship: Louise Duff

richard@menofleague.com stuart@menofleague.com frank@menofleague.com mark@menofleague.com tegan@menofleague.com kristy@menofleague.com belinda@menofleague.com lduff@brilliantlogic.com.au

NSW & CENTRAL OFFICE Level 3, Eastern Grandstand, ANZ Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127 PO Box 7049, Silverwater NSW 2128 Phone: 02 8765 2232 Fax: 02 8765 2808 QLD OFFICE QRL Office, 83 Castlemaine Street, Milton QLD 4064 PO Box 1217, Milton QLD 4064 Phone: 07 3367 6080 Fax: 07 3367 3464

HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

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YOUR MEN OF LEAGUE LOCAL CONTACTS NEW SOUTH WALES CANBERRA MONARO President: Noel Bissett 0407 597 533 Secretary: Susan Gerrard 0406 378 086 CENTRAL COAST President: Don Parish 0414 353 141 Secretary: Trevor Andrews 0412 694 857 CENTRAL WEST President: John Lasker 02 6852 2477 Secretary: Norm Cook 0458 658 827

FAR SOUTH COAST President: Terry Dickson 0429 449 058 Secretary: Damian Kennedy 0417 069 723 ILLAWARRA President: Peter Fitzgerald 0412 263 733 Secretary: Barry Harle 0400 845 424 MACARTHUR/STH HIGHLANDS President: Ron McEntee 0448 118 789 Secretary: Stephen Hazelton 0450 010 770 MID NORTH COAST President: Brian Atherton 0427 523 818 Secretary: Kevin Rayment 0427 533 644 MID WEST President: Badger Babbage 0428 164 398 Secretary: Elwyn Lang 0429 721 266

SOUTH COAST President: David Hayward 0405 102 361 Secretary: Carol Weller 0408 478 043

GOLD COAST President: Ian Amos 0417 005 180 Secretary: Wayne Thompson

SOUTHERN SYDNEY President: Terry Hughes 0447 488 052 Secretary: Bruce Thompson 0419 475 465

GOONDIWINDI President: Trevor Brown 0417 213 686 Secretary: Col Trehearn 0427 712 679

SYDNEY METRO President: Henry Morris OAM 0418 115 706 Secretary: Seamus O'Connell 0411 126 060

GYMPIE President: Ross Groundwater 0408 825 466 Secretary: Greg Pountney 0432 397 974

TUGGERAH LAKES President: Denis Smith 0415 433 976 Secretary: Terry Wand 0438 521 736

MACKAY President: Paul Hudson Secretary: Alf Abdullah 0417 752 694

TWEED DISTRICT President: John Strong 0421 971 586 Secretary: Michael Howard 0410 655 987

ROCKHAMPTON President: Shane Nipperess Secretary: Dominique McGregor

UPPER HUNTER President: Paul Medd 0409 482 297 Vice President: Peter Collins 0419 763 279

ROMA President: Owen Lingard 0400 496 507 Secretary: Jason Coonan

WESTERN REGION Secretary: Ross Tighe 02 6882 4649 Vice President: Bryson Luff 0438 058 563

SUNSHINE COAST President: Don Oxenham Secretary: Barry Marsden 0402 654 231

WESTERN SYDNEY President: Steve Winbank Secretary: Garry O'Donnell 0418 699 257

TOOWOOMBA REGION President: Andrew O’Brien 0417 748 489 Secretary: Rick Laing 0419 212 522 TOWNSVILLE President: Mark Williams 0409 894 427 Secretary: Terry Feeney 0488 000 899

NEWCASTLE HUNTER President: Garry Leo 0400 421 767 Secretary: Peter Corcoran 0413 453 473 NORTH COAST President: Peter Barrett 0414 227 068 Secretary: Terry Clark NORTH WEST President: Don Pascoe 0477 132 456 Secretary: John Campbell 0408 421 065

QLD AND AFFILIATED STATES BRISBANE President: Ian Gatenby 0412 038 013 Secretary: Vance Rennie 07 3350 6436

NORTHERN RIVERS Patron: Bob Abbott AM Secretary: Tony Cicchinelli 02 6621 3096 Media Officer: Barry Cheadle 02 6686 2977

BUNDABERG DISTRICT President: Terry Dodd 0414 526 828 Secretary: Greg Pershouse

NORTHERN SYDNEY President: Trevor Bailey 0414 843 600 Secretary: Jim Phelan 0419 414 759

CENTRAL HIGHLANDS President: Mick Roach 0439 079 686 Secretary: RJ Stewart 0407 766 841

PENRITH President: Alex McKenzie 0414 330 651 Secretary: Adam Przybyla 0407 847 312

FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND President: John McAllister 0409 722 455 Secretary: Pietro Narducci

RIVERINA President: Dave Mulrooney 0438 017 428 Secretary: Ian Lloyd 0457 850 384

FRASER COAST President: Kev Embrey 0427 250 545 Secretary: Jeffrey Bacchi

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

VICTORIA President: Peter Foreman 0439 533 171 Secretary: Greg Brentnall 03 8412 4905 NORTHERN TERRITORY President: Dave Cannon 0428 895 211 Secretary: John Barry 0417 732 660 WESTERN AUSTRALIA President: James Sullivan 0414 733 083 Secretary: Justin Reid 0403 012 252

QLD STATE COMMITTEE Qld State Manager: Frank Barrett Chairman: Darryl Van de Velde Vice Chairman: Pete Psaltis Treasurer: Tony Woodgate Committee: Ken Brown, Mark Donlan, Darryl Foster, Wally Fullerton-Smith, Ashley Tulley, Greg Veivers

RAY’S WRAP

The voice of the game and league’s greatest TV broadcaster Ray Warren

WE NEED RULES REVIEW

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o matter who wins this premiership, the game needs to further look at some of our rules.

Let’s start with golden point which has come into play frequently this year, too frequently in my opinion.

Normally it’s the third man in again. The attacker is held upright while the defence dance him around, at all times trying to slow down the play the ball and get the defence set.

Personally I think the referees can call “held” earlier but the whinge would be that we might cut down the number of offloads. So what, if it cuts down the amount of bad injuries too!

I am one of those who thought it was okay originally but the more of it I see, the more I think the old way was the better option – when neither team can beat the other after 80 minutes, take one point each and go home.

You see the rules don’t bar that third man in to an upright situation unless it’s one aimed at below the knees. You could ask the question “are the knees more important than the back or the kidneys?”

You see the blokes with the whistle are hesitant to blow it in extra-time. Now, I can try to understand why but really it becomes Rafferty’s Rules.

When the prowler comes along later after two men hold up the attacker, playmakers are sitting ducks for that late shot after offloading and are totally unprotected.

I had visions that perhaps using the differential penalty might be worthwhile in golden point extra-time but ultimately I think let’s go back to where we were and take one point each.

Obstruction is causing us lots of grief too. It’s hard for coaches, commentators and the fans to understand what is and isn’t obstruction. We need to simplify it.

The raking or stealing of the ball is so grey it’s like the North of England. My memories of why it came in goes back to Origin and my little mate Alfie Langer.

A couple of big boppers would hold the victim up while Alfie would sneak in and grab the ball from his grasp.

That is where we started to think something needed to be done and, like so many other changes, we went too far. The ball carrier owns the ball so it should be a requisite that he does all he can to protect it.

In this game today we allow one-on-one steals so why not go back to the cause of the problem and say that before it can be a steal there must be three people in the tackle.

That’s what Alfie was, the third man in. So if that’s what started it and you can steal the ball one on one, why not make it okay for the ball to be raked in a two-man tackle. Surely those who play this game should be able to protect the football in a two-man tackle.

More recently there is the ‘prowler tackle’.

Once it was reasonably easy to understand. It went this way: If the attacking side gains an advantage by impeding a defender then it was known as a ‘shepherd’. The pertinent words are GAINS AN ADVANTAGE. I could run behind one of my own players but if there is no defender within cooee, that is not obstruction.

If someone impedes a player not in the vicinity of where the ball is but the ball and the play comes back to where that player was impeded, then that is an obstruction. All that seems fairly clear and simple but we introduce inside and outside shoulders and all that stuff that baffles people.

Surely it was simpler for all concerned the way it was… “if the attacking side gains an advantage from impeding a defender” then it is obstruction. Someone was OBSTRUCTED. Domino!

Finally, Ron Massey, who is a Men of League Honouree as I am, is not well. His contribution to league has been enormously significant.

He’s a great man and a dear friend and I wish him well.

HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

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Maddie Cox, Amanda Leeson, Jamieson Leeson, Skye Leeson with Men of League’s Ben Ross.

INSPIRING JAMIESON Jamieson Leeson is an example of Men of League providing comfort to more than old footballers. The Foundation has been as inspired by her attitude to life as she has been by our support. BY AARON HENRY

W

hen we think of big hearts in rugby league we usually think about giant props battling at the collision, hardy hookers who play 80 minutes, back-rowers who make 40 tackles every game or the little men who confront and contain bigger men every weekend.

We usually think about big hearts being in the athletes out on the field but they aren’t restricted to the footy field. The big hearts are everywhere in the rugby league community – just ask Jamieson Leeson.

Jamieson Leeson is 13 years old and lives in Dunedoo, about 90 kilometres east of Dubbo in New South Wales.

Jamieson and her whole family are rugby league mad and Jamieson herself is a one-eyed Manly Warringah Sea Eagles supporter.

Jamieson lives with spinal muscular atrophy, known as SMA, which is a degenerative muscle condition. SMA is the childhood version of motor neuron disease and 6

MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

Jamieson’s life is confined to a wheelchair. She has never walked or crawled and her life is dependent on her mother, Amanda, doing the basic things in life that we all take for granted – getting dressed, cutting up food, getting into and out of cars.

Jamieson has some mobility with the use of her electric wheelchair but has increasingly limited use of her arms and hands. Her muscles grow weaker with time, because her condition is degenerative and there is no cure. This means increasing reliance and dependence on Amanda.

Despite her condition, all her life Jamieson has been a familiar face at her brother Codi’s rugby league games, cheering him on and supporting the club where needed.

Meanwhile, Amanda has been a regular volunteer in the canteen and at club barbecues. She has also ferried Codi and his teammates thousands of kilometres over the years to attend training and matches around central western NSW – the long roads and somewhat nomadic

Jamieson Leeson.

weekend life of footy players and families in the bush.

Helping Jamieson into and out of their family car everyday has taken its toll on Amanda, who has previously ended up hospitalised with a slipped disk in her back. So with the Leeson family facing this latest challenge, the big hearted rugby league community of Dunedoo stepped in.

Men of League Western Region committee president Martin Cook says: “The Leeson family are just rugby league through and through. That’s why it was easy for the entire local rugby league community, including the Men of League Foundation, to come together to help one of our own.

“The Leesons are very well known in the Dunedoo rugby league community. The family is known for helping with everything needed around the club and always staying positive despite the challenges they face.”

After some local events in partnership with the Western Region committee, the Leesons soon had a visit from Men of League welfare manager Ben Ross. With Ben came an announcement that the Foundation would be providing the Leesons with a customised van with specialist wheelchair lift to help with daily transport of Jamieson.

“There was pure joy on the faces of Amanda and Jamieson when I told them about the van. It’s going to be a customised van that will help with their health,

make travel and transport safer and save them a lot of time. The van will genuinely improve their overall wellbeing and I know it’s going to make a huge difference to their life,” Ross said.

“The van was actually the request of Jamieson. When we asked how we could help her, she wanted a van because she knew how much this would help her mum. Despite all the challenges Jamieson faces, she has a big and beautiful heart to ask for help for her mother.”

Former national board member Cook added: “Helping Jamieson and her family has been one of the most rewarding causes that our committee has been involved in. We know that they are tremendously thankful and it’s been a pleasure to be involved in helping to improve their quality of life.”

In July, Amanda and Jamieson attended the Men of League gala dinner at the Four Points by Sheraton, Darling Harbour, as special guests of the Foundation.

Here Jamieson was joined by her favourite player of all-time, Sea Eagles player Brenton Lawrence. Brenton had visited Jamieson when she was in intensive care, to lift her spirts and now holds pride of place as her favourite NRL player.

“I don’t know where we’d be without the Men of League,” Amanda said at the gala dinner. “We are really humbled by your support. I can’t thank the Foundation enough.”

HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

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DUAL INTERNATIONAL WHO SAYS ’86 ROOS THE BEST Michael O’Connor was a richly talented centre who played with the best in both codes, and has some rare tales to tell. He says the ’86 Kangaroo tourists’ backline was the best he saw. BY STEVE RICKETTS

M

ichael O’Connor is rated “the most scintillating centre” to play rugby union for Australia according to the official Wallabies website.

But it is the 1986 Kangaroos backline he regards as the best in his time as a dual international.

O’Connor was forced to play wing to cement a spot in the ‘86 side, while rugby league ‘Team of the Century’ centre Mal Meninga was relegated to the bench for the second Test against Great Britain, and chosen in the second row for the third.

The Wally Lewis-captained ‘86 team in England and France was rated by then ARL supremo Ken Arthurson as the best to leave this country, superior even to the 1963-64 outfit and the Max Krilich-led 1982 Invincibles.

“That’s ridiculous, when you think about it, that Mal couldn’t get a start,” O’Connor said. “Garry Jack, as fullback, had to keep out Gary Belcher. That shows you the quality of that side. That was the strongest backline I played in.”

O’Connor and Lewis, teammates at Test level but bitter enemies in the State of Origin arena, had first come to grips at the TG Millner Field in Sydney, battling for a position in the Australian Schoolboys rugby union side that was to tour the British Isles late in 1977.

Lewis, who was playing club league for Valleys, had enrolled at Brisbane State High to finish his schooling and was an automatic selection for Queensland Schoolboys.

“Wally was a year older than me and was built like a back-rower,” O’Connor said. “I was ACT captain and Wally was captain of Queensland. As you do in union, you shake hands before the game but Wally kept his arms by his side.

“I thought, ‘this is going to be tough’. We were both playing inside centre. I’ve never come across anybody as competitive as Wally. He wasn’t interested in any

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other player on the field other than me. He absolutely outplayed me. Aside from the verbals, every time I passed the ball he knocked me over. Fortunately I got a chance to redeem myself in a trial down the track.

“People often ask me the greatest player I have played against. Without hesitation I say Wally, because of that competitive streak. He had to win at all costs and he read the game so well.”

At Origin level, that bitter rivalry from ‘77 was still evident. But in his debut Origin match on May 28, 1985, O’Connor had the bragging rights, scoring all the points - two tries and five goals - in the Blues’ 18-2 win at a rain soaked Lang Park.

The Blues’ bus had broken down in Caxton Street on the way to the ground and Queensland supporters started rocking the vehicle and jumping up to hit the windows.

“It’s quite intimidating,” O’Connor said. “In the old Lang Park dressing rooms you could clearly hear what was going on outside, and that wasn’t good.

“I just followed Brett Kenny wherever he went that night, and he had a blinder. He was so creative.”

O’Connor went on to play another 18 Origin matches, finishing with three series wins from seven, including his debut campaign in 1985 when the Blues won the Shield for the first time.

He is best remembered for the sideline conversion of a Mark McGaw try at the Sydney Football Stadium in 1991, giving NSW a 14-12 win over Queensland and sending the series to a decider.

But the pressure of landing that goal, in the wet, was nothing compared with a kick he took in an English Challenge Cup semi-final.

O’Connor had switched to Manly from St George in 1986, and the following year scored a try and kicked

Michael O’Connor playing for the Kangaroos.

five goals in the Sea Eagles’ 18-8 win over Canberra in the last grand final played at the SCG. After playing for Australia in the 1988 World Cup final against New Zealand in Auckland, O’Connor headed for the UK to join his Manly skipper Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin in an off-season stint with St Helens.

“St Helens are like St George, a proud club with a great history,” O’Connor said. “Mal Meninga had great success there in ‘84-85 and just about had the keys to the city. When I arrived, Fatty said to me: ‘I hope you brought your Superman cape. They’re expecting big things from you’.

“People often ask me, ‘you know that kick in ‘91? It was probably the most significant thing I did, and now, living here in Queensland, people say to me, how did you feel? The pressure must have been unbelievable!

“I tell them it pales into insignificance compared with the pressure I was under at St Helens. Fatty and I were the only players on guaranteed match payments.

The English guys were working during the day; training Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, and playing for win bonuses.

“In the Challenge Cup, the further you go, the more you get. If we beat Widnes in the semi-finals, the players got 5,000 pounds each. A lot of money.

“On full-time against Widnes I had a 40-metre penalty to win the game, and just about every one of my

teammates - and as ‘Fatty’ will tell you, none of them had any teeth - came over and reminded me of just how important this kick was.

“I’ve never been so scared in all my life. I kicked it and we went through to the final against Wigan at Wembley. That was pressure.”

O’Connor played representative union for the ACT, before moving to Brisbane in 1981 at the urging of Wallabies’ coach, Bob Templeton.

“I joined Teachers Norths, only because my good mate, (fellow Wallaby) Chris Roche painted a good picture of the club,’’ O’Connor said. “We struggled.

When I arrived, there wasn’t a bloke in the place who had a girlfriend. There were all these boys from the bush, and all they wanted to do was get on the drink.”

O’Connor made such an impression in his two years playing for the Queensland Reds, he was named in their Team of the Century in 1999.

In five years in top level union, including 12 Tests for the Wallabies, O’Connor never had his nose broken.

It was broken seven times in his first two years in league, earning him the nickname ‘Snoz’.

O’Connor believes league and union have never been more apart than now, because of tackle techniques.

“When I played league, it was still about tackling low,” he said. “In union now you have to tackle low to get

HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

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the player on the ground as quick as possible, so you can turn the ball over. In league, it’s not to get the player on the ground quickly, otherwise he is going to play-theball. So, to slow him down, they’re taught to tackle high, to hold up, and then the third tackler in will go low.”

O’Connor and Michael Beattie were centres in the 1985 NSWRL grand final, which Canterbury won 7-6, the difference an Andrew Farrar field goal.

“We were the best side all year, and we had flogged the Bulldogs in the major semi,” O’Connor recalls.

“The only match where Warren Ryan out coached Roy Masters was the grand final. We just couldn’t get out of our own half because all Canterbury did was bomb our fullback Glenn Burgess, and in those days you had to do a line drop out. That was one of the great disappointments of my career.”

O’Connor revealed that one of his reservations about switching codes in 1983 was the prospect of having to give up international travel.

As a Wallaby he had been to Argentina, England, Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, New Zealand and Fiji. As a St George rugby league player, the only time he was assured of a trip out of Sydney, was to play against the Steelers in Wollongong or the Raiders in Canberra.

Masters offered O’Connor $40,000 to sign, and it was tempting for the then 21-year-old, given his main source of income was from bar work at Brisbane’s Paddington Hotel, while he completed university studies.

“I said to Roy, the only thing holding me back was the travel,’’ O’Connor said. “Roy replied that the Dragons did travel.

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

Michael O’Connor in a recent picture with his wife Susan and (from left) daughter Samantha and sons Keegan and Riley.

Each year there was an end-ofseason trip, and the previous year it was to Hawaii, where they were planning to go again. That’s the thing which got me over the line.”

The trip away fund was deposited with the Nugan Hand Bank, which went belly-up. So there was no trip to Hawaii.

O’Connor formed a committee with teammate Graeme Wynn and organised a trip the following year to Rio de Janeiro in Brazil.

St George made the grand final in all three grades, so all three teams travelled.

“It was a disaster,” O’Connor recalls. “A lot of the guys hadn’t been out of Sydney. We get to Rio airport and the place is like nothing you see in the brochures.

“You’re going through these shanty towns. All of a sudden the boys are starting to sober up after the flight, asking: ‘Snoz. What are we doing here?’

“Our tour guide told us about the high crime rate and the fact HIV was rampant. By then the boys were ready to string me up.”

During the trip, Roy Masters stumbled across Ronnie Biggs, the ‘Great Train Robber’ who was on the run from justice, after fleeing Britain and then Australia.

Masters told Biggs the Dragons were an Aussie Rules side from Melbourne, where Biggs had two sons who were playing the game.

“He was very disappointed when he found out we were from Sydney,” O’Connor said. “He was about as disappointed as (St George prop) Craig Young, because he was an ex-copper.

‘Youngy’ just kept on saying, ‘This bloke’s just a f.... criminal.’

“At the end of the lunch, Ronnie asked if anyone was going to Melbourne? Silly me. I put my hand up, because I was going to the Melbourne Cup. He said: ‘Would you mind taking this package back?’ Me and a couple of mates went to the Dandenongs, where Ronnie’s wife lived, had a cup of tea with her and delivered the package.’’

O’Connor and his wife Susan live on the Sunshine Coast and he is employed by the Australian Rugby union in a selection and development role for the Sevens program. He was Sevens coach for six years but when the program moved to Sydney he opted to remain in Queensland.

The 1986 Australian backline O’Connor rates the best in his time, was: Halves: Peter Sterling, Wally Lewis; centres, Gene Miles, Brett Kenny; wingers, Michael O’Connor, Dale Shearer; fullback, Garry Jack.

‘SIRRO’ STILL THE HERO

BY TONY DURKIN

B

almain Tigers number one supporter, the late Laurie Nicholls, used to chant “Sirro … the hero!” and Paul Sironen is certainly a hero on the Sunshine Coast through his generosity that will benefit injured Caboolture player Andrew Grant via a $1500 donation.

Grant, a 42-year-old father of five who operated his own building business, fractured his C5 vertebrae in a Sunshine Coast division 2 match playing for Bribie Island more than 12 months ago. He is wheelchair bound and unlikely to walk or work again.

On the Sunshine Coast recently with fellow international Trevor Gillmeister for a post-Origin luncheon at the Post Office Bar and Restaurant in Maroochydore, three-time Kangaroo ‘Sirro’ donated a Balmain Tigers jersey as an auction item to aid the Grant family.

Signed by Sironen and fellow Tigers legends Wayne Pearce, Ben Elias, Gary Jack, Gary Freeman and Steve Roach, the jersey raised $1500 at auction.

The money will be donated to the Men of League Foundation on the Sunshine Coast and passed on to the Grant family.

It is the second cash donation to the Grant family orchestrated through the Sunshine Coast committee and co-owner of the Post Office Bar and Restaurant, John Calcino, has been the catalyst for both.

Paul Sironen with the signed Tigers jersey (photo – Kathy Gorring).

Last year $20,000 was raised by friends and business associates of Mr Calcino after the former Reed Property Group chief financial officer went on a successful weight loss program. That donation was split between the Grant family and the James Ackerman Trust, with $10,000 donated to each.

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QLD ANNUAL LUNCH The annual Queensland lunch is always held with a rugby league orientated theme and this year’s recent event certainly didn’t disappoint.

BY AARON HENRY

W

ith nearly 900 people in the room at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, the passionate Queensland supporters of the Men of League Foundation were treated to a theme of ‘Dual Internationals’. The entertainment and fun roiled all afternoon with not just rugby league elite, but also rugby union’s.

Star guests on the day in honour of the theme were Rugby World Cup and NRL premiership winner Brad Thorn, former NSW Waratah, Queensland Maroon and Australian Kangaroo Mat Rogers, Dally M Medal winner and Wallaby Lote Tuqiri, allaby and NSW Blues icon Michael O’Connor, Roosters’ premiership winner and former Wallaby John Brass and Australia’s 37th dual code international Geoff Richardson.

Emceed by Alan Wilson, and presented with fantastic support from sponsors BMD and Sci-Fleet Motors, the afternoon was a chance for the tightly-knit Queensland rugby league community to celebrate the success of the Foundation for the past year whilst rubbing shoulders with the game’s elite.

The afternoon started with a wonderful story of wellbeing and fraternal care with Shane Brunner telling his story to the crowd. A former Toowoomba Valley Rooster, Newton 12

MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

and Eastern Suburbs Brisbane hooker, Shane was a motorcycling enthusiast who would take a long annual road trip with fellow riders through the Kangaroo Valley in NSW. During last year’s trip, Shane was involved in a major accident which resulted in him now living as a paraplegic.

Men of League have since been involved in helping to care for Shane with things such as visits to hospital with one of Shane’s beloved Parramatta Eels legends, Nathan Hindmarsh. Shane, who attended the lunch with his family, was presented on stage with his son and held all guests speechless as he spoke for his love of his family and the rugby league community who had helped him tremendously since his accident.

Queensland welfare and education manager Mark Bunting said that being invited to the lunch, meant so much to Shane. “Talking to Shane’s mum at the lunch, she said that the lunch gave Shane one of the biggest smiles on his face that she had seen in a while. Shane felt so happy and privileged just to be invited along to the day and I’m glad that we were able to pay tribute to him by having him as our special guest,” Mark said.

“It was great for everyone to see how far Shane has come in his journey of recovery. It was also great for

Shane and his family to see how much support he really has within the rugby league family. Family means so much to Shane and are a great support network for him.

Sometimes people need additional support outside their immediate family and friends and that’s the role that we play. I’m so pleased Shane saw and met lots of his supporters today,” Mark concluded.

Our dual international guests spoke with Alan Wilson and Seven News Brisbane Sports presenter Pat Welsh on their football careers and their – sometime contentious – cross over between codes that they had all made during their successful careers.

and reminisced about playing together for many years – including when Rogers and Thorn played together in school.

Part of the celebrations during the day included recognising the efforts and hard work by volunteers within Queensland for the past year.

This saw Mick Veivers recognised by being named the Men of League Foundation Honouree and his cousin Greg Veivers being awarded a life membership for his outstanding contribution to the Foundation over the last 12 years.

‘Durko’, as he is affectionately known across the game, is widely acknowledged as a highly respected rugby league judge and this award recognises his immeasurable dedication and contribution to the Men of League in Queensland.

As a member of the Men of League Sunshine Coast committee, Durkin has been a major driving force behind the committee’s remarkable success, taking on many roles such as wordsmith, fundraiser and master of ceremonies.

In announcing Greg’s honour, Men of League Foundation’s national chairman Ron Coote, AM, acknowledged that Greg’s commitment and dedication to the success of the Foundation had been unparalleled over many years and recognised the very humble Greg as the heart and soul of Men of League in Queensland.

In receiving his award Durkin was quick to pay tribute to Calder as a much loved player, coach and rugby league servant. “Steve was just a wonderful, wonderful man with a great passion for rugby league and the Foundation and I hope the rest of us can work for the Foundation as Steve did – without fuss and with plenty of results”.

Rogers, Thorn and Tuqiri spoke about switching between codes in the more modern era of the games

This year the Queensland Volunteer of the Year Award was renamed in honour of the Foundation’s first Queensland chairman, the late Steve Calder. The award was presented by Steve’s wife, Sue Calder, to Queensland league media stalwart Tony Durkin.

The day was a great success for the Foundation and an exciting day for all those who attended. The Foundation’s Queensland lunch certainly appears to have locked itself into the calendar as one of the must-attend Queensland rugby league events of the year.

Shane Brunner sharing his story.

Sue Calder (left) and Craig Brown (right) presenting Tony Durkin with the QLD volunteer of the year award.

Never missing an opportunity to bring up State of Origin rivalries, whilst on stage with Brass and Richardson, O’Connor took the chance to remind the Queensland crowd of a certain touchline conversion he kicked in game two of the 1991 State of Origin series.

Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t entirely favourably recalled by Maroon attendees.

HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

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MEN OF LEAGUE EVENTS CALENDAR SEPTEMBER 23

Bundaberg - Kick Off Club

Salter Oval Club House

23

Illawarra - Grand Final Luncheon

Dapto Leagues Club

25

Mid North Coast - Annual Bowls Day

Taree Leagues Bowls Club

25

North Coast NSW - Bowls Day

Sawtell Bowls Club

25

Newcastle Hunter - Nelson Bay Bowls Day

Nelson Bay Bowling Club

30

Tuggerah Lakes - Kick Off Club

Norah Head Sports Club

2

Gympie - Golf Day

Gympie Pines Golf Course

8

Newcastle Hunter - Trots Night

Newcastle Paceway

8

Roma - Golf Day

Roma Golf Club

13

Sunshine Coast - Kick Off Club

Mooloolaba Surf Club

14

Bundaberg - Sportsman's Dinner

Brothers Sports Club

14

Western Australia - Test Match Eve Sportsmen's Lunch

Gloucester Park

14

Fraser Coast - Golf Day

The Hervey Bay Golf Club

15

Riverina - Caulfield Cup Day

Murrumbidgee Turf Club

15

South Coast NSW - 'An Arvo With Cootey'

Milton Ulladulla Ex-Servos Club

16

Northern Rivers - Golf Day

Ballina Golf Club

16

South Coast - Bowls Day

Shoalhaven Ex-Servicemen's Club

21

Rockhampton - Golf Day

Yeppoon Golf Club

21

Tuggerah Lakes - Golf Day

Wyong Golf Club

21

Western Region - Gala Golf Day

Dubbo Golf Club

22

NSW - Cox Plate Race Day Function

Royal Randwick

29

Canberra Monaro - Bowls Day

Canberra Bowling Club

29

North West NSW - Carvery Dinner

South Tamworth Bowling Club

30

Tweed District - Bowls Day

Coolangatta Bowls Club

OCTOBER

Events are subject to change.

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

MEN OF LEAGUE EVENTS CALENDAR NOVEMBER 5

Goondiwindi - Golf Day

Goondiwindi Golf Club

5

Riverina - Bowls Day

Tumut

5

Western Sydney - Race Day

Coolibah Hotel

11

Sunshine Coast - Golf Day

Twin Waters Golf Club

11

Illawarra - Kick Off Club

Corrimal Leagues

25

Bundaberg - Kick Off Club

Salter Oval Club House

TBC

Southern Sydney - Kick Off Club

JD's Bar and Grill

2

Northern Sydney - Kick Off Club

North Narrabeen Surf Club

6

Illawarra - Kick Off Club

Collies Club

7

Brisbane - Kick Off Club

Broncos Leagues Club

8

Gold Coast - Bowls Day

Gold Coast Bowls & Community Club

8

Sunshine Coast - Christmas Luncheon

Mooloolaba Surf Club

9

North Coast - Sportsman's Breakfast

Coffs Hotel

10

Bundaberg - Christmas Race Day

Thabeban Park

11

Fraser Coast - Golf Day

Maryborough Golf Club

11

Tweed District - Christmas Party

Coolangatta Sands Hotel

DECEMBER

Events are subject to change.

HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

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Captains’ Captain nominees (from left) Keith Barnes, Wally Lewis, Max Krilich, Darren Lockyer, Graeme Langlands and Mal Meninga with Men of League CEO Peter Collins (back left) and chairman Ron Coote AM (back right).

LOCKY’S MANTLE CAPS A GALA EVENT Darren Lockyer was anointed as the game’s greatest Test captain in history at the Men of League’s gala dinner which is truly one of the best nights of celebration on the rugby league calendar. BY NEIL CADIGAN

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en of League Foundation’s annual gala dinner is one of the most anticipated functions on the calendar and it attracts perhaps the most decorated assembly of rugby league ‘royalty’ than any other function in the sport.

And the 2016 dinner, the Foundation’s 15th, was yet another wonderful event which culminated in the naming of the Darren Lockyer as Captains’ Captain, the greatest Australian Test skipper.

captain), a figure beaten only by current Queensland and Australian skipper Cameron Smith, and he is a two-time winner of the Golden Boot as the world’s best international player.

Lockyer was selected from a list of finalists which also included Keith Barnes, Arthur Beetson, Clive Churchill, Brad Fittler, Max Krilich, Graeme Langlands, Wally Lewis, Chris McKivat, Mal Meninga, Cameron Smith and Ian Walsh.

Lockyer, who holds so many Australian league appearance records, was overwhelmed when announced before an audience of 520 at the Four Points by Sheraton, Darling Harbour, as being the game’s greatest leader from a poll that combined public voting with the views of an independent panel of experts.

“Unbelievable,” is how Lockyer described the honour after called to the stage by MC Tim Gilbert.

Yet it should not have been any surprise. He holds the record for most Tests for his country with 59, plus the most as captain with 38, of which 31 were victories (two draws). He played 39 games for Queensland (22 as

“I remember coming in this afternoon to do a signing session and ‘Changa’ was there and it just seemed surreal being in the same room signing the same memorabilia as Changa Langlands.

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“I look at the people nominated and… I grew up watching Wally and I grew up watching Mal. The other guys I didn’t get to see but I know they are icons of our game.

“It’s special, it’s humbling and something I have always appreciated, to be in that position to captain my country.

I never took it for granted but I probably appreciate it more now that I’ve retired from playing.

“I grew up watching Wally and used to get up at four o’clock in the morning and watch Kangaroos games. I saw Mal score his try [in the second Test of 1990 at Old Trafford]. So to wear the green and gold was a privilege and to be captain was even more of a privilege.

“I have so many good memories and I was fortunate that in that era there was a lot of international football played and there is not one moment that I regret.

It was fantastic.”

Lockyer’s introduction to the Test captaincy was as difficult a situation as most before him had confronted.

He was 26 and was given the job after Andrew Johns withdrew from the 2003 Kangaroo tour of Britain because of a knee injury and the other previous Test captain, Gorden Tallis, was also unavailable through injury. There were 19 genuine candidates for the tour who were ruled (in many cases by their protective clubs) as unavailable for the third end of season tour of England in four seasons.

The critics had hailed it as the best chance for Great Britain, who had a well-established side that included Sean Long, Kris Radlinski, Danny Peacock, Adrian Morley and skipper Andy Farrell, winning the Ashes since they last held the trophy in 1971.

Honourees Bob McCarthy MBE (left) and Mick Veivers AM (right) with Men of League Patron The Hon. John Fahey AC (centre).

“I got knocked out 15 minutes from the end of the game and couldn’t remember a thing but I knew we got towelled up on the scoreboard, and the media just seemed to thrive on the fact we were going to lose the Ashes for the first time in 30 years.

“We went over there and pretty much won all three games in the last five minutes and for me it was a wonderful experience. It worked out okay because we got the result in a clean sweep but I wouldn’t say it was easy by any means.”

The nominees were chosen by the panel of David Middleton (chairman), Greg Alexander, Noel Kelly, Phil Rothfield, Steve Ricketts and Ian Heads and there were 3618 public votes.

The Australians were behind in all three Tests until the final minutes but Lockyer, playing fullback, was instrumental in the dramatic comebacks with the Aussies winning 22-18, 23-20 and 18-12.

The other highlights of the gala dinner were the awarding of Men of League Foundation life membership to Noel Kelly (see page 18), and Mick Veivers AM (page 44) and Bob McCarthy MBE (page 46) becoming Men of League Inductees.

“It was pretty daunting for me the first time as captain for Australia,” Lockyer recalled. “And while I appreciated the honour, the first time being in that position, the media in England and even in Australia were saying it was the best chance the Poms had of winning the Ashes in 30 years, so there was a lot of pressure on.

Graeme Langlands donated his 1963 Kangaroo tour jersey to be auctioned with the proceeds going into Langlands’ trust. Gary Johnston from Jaycar Electronics Group was the successful bidder at $52,000 and generously donated the item to the rugby league museum at the NRL’s headquarters at Moore Park.

“And we had a friendly game against the Kiwis, although there is really no such thing as a friendly game against New Zealand, and we went over to North Harbour Stadium and we got our arses kicked.

The Foundation would like to thank the sponsors of the night for their generous support – presenting partner Jaycar Electronics, silver sponsors Bryden’s Lawyers and ICAP.

lawyers

HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

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‘NED’ AWARDED LIFE MEMBERSHIP

BY DAMIEN STANNARD

T

here’s Noel “Ned” Kelly the legend and Noel Kelly the man. One is consistently touted as one of the toughest rugby league players Australia has produced.

A footballer who played 28 Tests and World Cup matches for Australia, eight games for Qld, six for NSW and three grand final appearances for Wests.

A celebrated figure who belongs in such illustrious company as the Australian Rugby League Team of the Century alongside Clive Churchill, Reg Gasnier, Wally Lewis, Arthur Beetson and Johnny Raper.

He was sent off so many times his running gag was that the sound of a postman’s whistle would prompt him to automatically jog towards the shower.

That’s the legend.

The same man is so humble, compassionate, and generous that he regards his contribution to the Men of League Foundation as perhaps his most important role.

“I didn’t start it, but I thought it was a great idea,” he said.

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

“I reckon Men of League has helped hundreds of people, not just footballers but their wives, kids and families. Most of the time it might just be an electricity bill or car rego, just long enough for some one to get back on their feet. It’s a wonderful organisation and I hope it keeps going.”

The three-time Kangaroo played a significant role as one of the inaugural board members, a position he held from 2002 up until 2014.

He was both surprised and honoured to be awarded life membership of the organisation. Kelly still delights in its growth to over 40 committees across six states.

While he no longer occupies an official post, the octogenarian often stares down his crook knees and aching back to attend Men of League fundraisers and other events.

And he revels in stories of people who travel hundreds of kilometres to be part of these rugby league community shindigs.

“It’s a very important part of rugby league,” he said.

WESTERN REGION COMMITTEE PROFILE

BY AARON HENRY

T

here is a familiarity in speaking with Martin Cook, when he talks about the work the Western Region committee do for the Foundation in New South Wales. A familiarity about how the committee works, a hardworking team in a big geographical area, bowls and golf days, but also a familiarity of genuine care for helping those in the rugby league community who need it the most.

As president of the committee, Martin describes the boundaries of the Western Region as “from Wellington in the east to as far west as the rugby league community goes”. That’s a big area in anyone’s books.

Based out of Dubbo, the committee works with a series of smaller sub-committees and key volunteers throughout the region in key towns such as Gilgandra, Dunedoo, Warren, Wellington, Baradine and Coonamble. Each appointed representative on the committee works their own network and rugby league community then all meet once a month in Dubbo to plan upcoming events, membership, fundraising and discuss how to help those who are in need of support.

It’s a model that works. Hardworking and highly connected volunteers working remotely and all pulling for the same cause. The proof is on the scoreboard for the Western Region committee having raised close to a quarter of a million dollars in the past five years through a range of annual bowls days, golf days and special causes.

Cook can’t heap enough praise on his committee members for their successes. “We have a great team, led by our tireless secretary Ross Tighe. Our former treasurer Michael Quade, who has stood down after recently being appointed to a new job – which means we are looking for a new treasurer! Our Dunedoo representatives Matt Guan, John Sullivan and Charlie Dalgleish and Gilgandra representative Bryson Luff.

“Our compassionate welfare committee members John Croft, Tony Kelly, Bob Pilon – who was man of the match when Western Division beat Penrith Panthers to win 1974 Amco Cup, and Pat Yeo, grandfather of Penrith Panthers back-rower, Isaah Yeo. Our events are always strongly supported by our volunteers Peter Orbell, Andrew Hamblin, Jim Lang and ABC sport broadcaster, Dubbo Photo News and voice of the west

Harley Smith (front left) enjoying Origin with his family.

Geoff Mann who doubles as our committee media officer and MC to all events.”

The committee have recently been involved with helping Jamieson Leeson and her family (see page 6) and have previously helped local boy Harley Smith and his family. Harley and his father suffer from Huntington Disease and, as part of a special game day experience, Harley met fellow Dubbo boy and local junior Isaah Yeo as Isaah ran onto the field to play for the Penrith Panthers against West Tigers.

Martin also tells of the committee’s help for Brewarrina local Fred Gibson. Fred was a well-recognised player from the Orana Region who passed away from complications associated with motor neurone disease.

Fred had been a stockman and one of his biggest disappointments in being confined to a wheelchair was that he was no longer able to check cattle.

“There is no wheelchair accessible transport in Brewarrina, which meant that Fred hadn’t been out of his house in six months. So he had very limited social contact. We helped Fred with a Toyota Hi-ace van with a wheelchair hoist and one of the first things he did was get out and check his cattle. Fred and his family were so grateful for our assistance and the small impact that we had on his life,” Cook said.

That’s the familiarity of the Foundation. Where ever the rugby league community is, there are people who love the game and devote time and energy to helping make differences to people’s lives.

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GEORGE GIVES LEAGUE SOME GOOD MEDICINE George Peponis is truly one of the statesmen of rugby league … premiership winning club captain, Test captain and head of club, state and World Cup organisations while also working as a doctor. BY BARRY ROSS match of the tour on 17 June after team doc Bill Monaghan had to return home early because of a family situation.

Instead of running on to the field with his team for this final match against Auckland, Peponis sat on the sidelines with coach Frank Stanton. Australia won the game 21-7 and although there were no serious injuries, George had his medical bag next to him through the 80 minutes.

Born in Tripoli in September 1953, George migrated to Australia with his family when he was eight months old.

After a few years in Melbourne, the family moved to Sydney and settled in the Earlwood area.

Like former Prime Minister John Howard, George attended Earlwood primary and then Canterbury Boys High School.

George Peponis is chaired off by teammates after leading the Bulldogs to the 1980 premiership.

N

SWRL chairman George Peponis is recognised as the first doctor, and first Greek man, to captain Australia in rugby league – both culturally significant breakthroughs for the game that had previously been typecast predominantly as blue-collar Anglo-Saxon.

Yet it is little known that he is the only man to captain Australia and also serve as the Australian team doctor… at the same time.

As skipper of the 1980 Australian team to New Zealand, Peponis had to act as doctor for the last 20

MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

At high school, he played some rugby union while he also joined the St George Dragons in the Canterbury junior league. After doing well in the 1970 HSC, Peponis began a medical degree at the University of NSW, graduating in 1977 – three years after making his first grade debut as a hooker for the Bulldogs in 1974 and playing in the grand final against the Roosters in his eighth first grade match.

He went on to play nine seasons and 132 games of first grade with Canterbury. He was captain in 71 of these matches including the 1979 and 1980 grand finals, the second which brought the club’s first premiership since 1942 with an 18-4 victory over the Roosters.

In the early 1970s, Canterbury introduced a scholarship scheme to help their younger players complete tertiary studies while playing with the club.

This scheme was of great benefit to George as it allowed him to focus on his medical degree while at the same time putting in the necessary work to succeed at first grade level.

The first of George’s eight Tests came in 1978 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in the 24-2 win over New Zealand, with the doctor scoring a try in his Test debut as he did in his first grade debut.

After touring with the 1978 Kangaroos, Peponis captained the Australians to the first 3-0 Test series win over Great Britain. He was skipper in five of his eight Tests and also captained NSW in four of his eight games and City Firsts in two of his three matches.

Peponis began general practice in 1979 and he is still doing this, although not putting in the hours he did 37 years ago. He continued playing with the Bulldogs until April 1982 when an injury at Leichhardt Oval against Balmain saw him announce his retirement soon after.

A few years after retiring, he began serving the football and the leagues clubs as a board member and from 2002 to 2009 he was Bulldogs chairman, taking on the role shortly after long-serving Barry Nelson stood down in the aftermath of the salary cap scandal that saw the Bulldogs docked 37 competition points that season.

In 2010, Peponis was elected as chairman of the Canterbury Leagues Club, a role he continues in today, as well as being the NSW Rugby League chairman since 2012. In January this year, he became the chairman of the 2017 Rugby League World Cup.

George Peponis.

“An Australia-New Zealand Test match will be played in Perth later this year and there is a State of Origin game there in 2019. We believe that the attendance will be good, as it will be for the Test match.”

A positive for the NSWRL is the television ratings for the Intrust Super Cup are now higher than the Holden Cup under-20 competition.

“I am elated to be involved with the World Cup, as I have no doubt it will be a success,” he said. “Australia is a co-host with New Zealand and there are 14 teams involved. For the first time, we are holding the women’s World Cup at the same time as the men’s.

“There is plenty of interest in our Intrust Cup while the clash between the premiers of this competition against the winners of the Queensland competition on grand final day has become a popular addition to the rugby league calendar.”

“Participation levels in our game have decreased slightly over the past few years, but the women’s numbers have increased greatly. The involvement of women in rugby league is vital as they are the mothers and sisters of our future payers.

The other great development at state league level is the construction of a $20 million Centre of Excellence at Sydney Olympic Park.

“It is tremendous to see how women are taking bigger and broader roles in our sport. As I said their playing numbers are up and they are prominent in the media, while in administration, ladies like Katie Page, Raelene Castle, Marina Go and Rebecca Frizelle are wonderful assets.

One of the most respected people on the Australian sporting landscape, Peponis was given an OAM in January 2013. He was named in the Berries to Bulldogs 70 years Team of Champions in 2004, was inducted into the Bulldogs Ring of Champions in 2007 and is a life member of the football club.

“When Deborah Healey was appointed in June 2013, she became the first female to win a place on the NSWRL board. I believe in 2016, there are nearly half a million women directly involved in rugby league.”

The doctor has provided some good medicine for rugby league’s development over several decades now – from the improved ‘branding’ of the game by having a doctor and ethnic representative as national captain, to being a club, state and now international leader through the World Cup.

Peponis says that expansion of the game will play a part in future State of Origin venues.

And he doesn’t appear to be ready to hang up the committee-room head chair just yet.

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LEAGUE’S FIRST LADIES Sue Entwistle is believed to be the first female official to tour with the Kangaroos and provide a significant contribution to Anglo-French league relations. BY IAN HEADS

A

grainy photo from a forgotten age re-emerged during the recent NRL Women in League Round, the annual celebration that has grown to become a rousing reminder of the female contribution to all departments of today’s game.

The snapshot, reproduced here in its faded glory, is a reminder of a different time, one in which rugby league was almost entirely ‘men’s work’. Yet even from the vast distance of 108 years it captures a remarkable sense of the spirit of a young New Zealand lady, Bella, hanging determinedly to her seat on the sidelines at Sydney Showground, despite the overwhelming and boorish presence of the sprawling NSWRL president E.W. O’Sullivan.

Bella was one of two young female guides who came to Sydney with the New Zealand Maori team in the game’s genesis year, 1908.

If Bella was a pioneer – so too are the women who kicked off the second wave of more formal female participation in and around league in the 1970s and ‘80s.

The story of one of them, Sue Entwistle, an adventurous French-speaking high school teacher, is one of the better unknown yarns of the game, and a foundation stone in the story.

In 1975 Enwistle, armed with a French Government scholarship, was teaching in a small school in Albi in the Midi Pyrenees region. Chancing to be in the central square, the Place du Vigan, one afternoon in the town made famous as the birthplace of painter Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, she encountered a passenger coach with a Kangaroo flag draped along one side. Sue had been musing on the fact that she was the only Aussie in Albi when, suddenly, here was a busload of them.

In a meeting of grand chance, she had run into the Australian World Cup team of ‘75, strangers in a strange land in France’s south, but on a determined mission to win back the cup they had lost in 1972.

To paraphrase Humphrey Bogart, it was to be the start of a (mainly) beautiful friendship.

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

A reproduced photo from the New Zealand Maori tour of 1908.

“I was very happy to see some other Aussies,” says Sue. “They didn’t have an interpreter with them; they were struggling and (team manager) Bob Abbott asked me if I could help.”

So it was that Sue Entwistle from faraway Townsville took the plunge and became interpreter, guide, food expert, cultural advisor, travel consultant, troubleshooter and general eminence gris of Australian touring teams in France over the next 15 years.

Joining the 1975 campaign she was told by a leading player to: “sit at the front of the bus and don’t look over your shoulder”. After that first adventure in which Australia won the World Series, Sue would subsequently hook up with the 1978 Kangaroos, the 1982 ‘Invincibles’, the 1986 ‘Unbeatables’ and the Kangaroo team of 1990, smoothing the path for

struggling team managers who spoke no French, and were seriously out of their depth without her. When drama happened – and it did now and then – she was the first call.

Sue has a hatful of stories and memories she could share, but in the on-the-record department she sticks to the theory that what goes on tour stays on tour.

Her loyalty to the game in that regard is admirable because she could share tales of occasional rampages and damage done and ungracious behaviour by young homesick men challenged by the experience in a pre-smart phone/instant communication era – in which to call home from France was a major challenge and expensive.

Never throughout that time, five tours over 15 years, was she on the payroll of the Australian Rugby League (a remarkable fact to consider in today’s free spending game). A key figure in the operation, she worked for nix and it is disappointing that her contribution seems to be have been forgotten by officialdom over the ensuing years.

She doesn’t quibble – preferring to value instead the enduring friendships she has with the likes of Frank Stanton, Kevin Walters and others – and especially the memories of travelling with the good guys of the tours, those with open minds who were interested in the new experience of life in France.

As virtual team leader she set out to encourage players to savour the food, the sights and attractions of La Belle France… and numbers did.

Via the whims of chance, Sue toured with and came to know some of the modern greats of rugby league.

Today she remembers positively the likes of Wally, Sterlo, Mal, Sirro, Brandy, Junior Pearce, Bob Lindner, Brad Mackay, Mark Geyer, Rod Morris, Des Hasler, Ian Schubert, Royce Simmons, Brad Fittler, Laurie Daley, Chris Johns. A person of generous spirit, she says there are not too many ‘black marks’ among players she met along the way - although a small number of notable names dwell on that shortish list.

Her unusual contribution to the game reaches beyond the five tours. Through her connections with French rugby league she became a committee member of the Albi Club and was able to open a pathway to France for numbers of Aussie players of adventurous spirit, becoming first link in a chain that exists to this day. For some, the experience was life changing, Queenslander Hubie Abbott being the first of them, with Albi, in 1979.

These days Sue lives and work on the Gold Coast, keeping her health strong after battles with cancer over the last few years.

Old friends ... 1978 and ‘82 Kangaroos coach Frank Stanton with Sue Entwistle, his valued aide on the French legs of those tours.

It’s a happy coincidence of the game’s story that Sue Entwistle’s tour experiences coincided with a growing movement back in Sydney, of talented young women taking their media skills into rugby league and other sports –from the late 1970s that provided the first female league journalists Julia Sheppard and Dorothy Goodwin, then Jenny Cook, Debbie Spillane and later Jacquelin Magnay, Rebecca Wilson, Nicole Jeffery, Karen Tighe and Margie McDonald. All of them confronted high hurdles and prejudice in what had been a male dominated world. But all headed resolutely on - leading to the next tranche, featuring ex-swim champ Johanna Griggs and progressing onwards to today’s team of articulate and leagueknowledgeable TV commentators such as Yvonne Sampson, Erin Molan, Mel McLaughlin and Fox Sport’s Lara Pitt and more.

In its spirit, the Women in League round includes each one of them - from 1908’s Bella to globetrotting Sue Entwistle on her European pilgrimages and on to the modern media pioneers, plus women in so many diverse roles around the game - players, board members, administrators, referees and fans.

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NEVER BEFORE, NEVER AGAIN

BY GEOFF ARMSTRONG

fans — and they deserve access to this unique tale of great football and great footballers.

It’s important, too, that we never forget the giants of the past; I can still remember Harry Bath imploring us during interviews with Rex Mossop on Channel Seven in the late ’70s to pay due homage to those ‘who dug the well’.

I was reminded of this in 2014, after I published Ian Heads’ The Night the Music Died, the story of Western Division’s impossible Amco Cup victory in 1974.

Western Division were coached by Johnny King, and during the making and promotion of The Night the Music Died I came to know a little of this remarkable football man.

Listening to Johnny talk about his years and about football generally, I couldn’t help thinking what a shame it was that he never coached his old club.

Sitting next to him at a St George Illawarra-Sydney Roosters game in 2014 was a special experience — I learned more about the game that night than at any other time in my life.

Johnny King played in the last seven of St George’s 11 consecutive premierships.

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arry Writer’s classic story of St George’s 11 straight premierships, Never Before, Never Again, was first published in 1995. It has been out of print for much of the past 20 years, which has led to it becoming something of a collector’s item, available on eBay for five or six times its original price tag.

With this year being the 50th anniversary of Saints’ 11th grand final, I thought it was time for a new edition.

A number of things motivated me.

I wanted to get a superb book back in print. Rugby league followers, and sports fans generally, love a good page-turner, and Never Before, Never Again is as good as it gets.

Since 1995, a new generation of fans have come to the game — including many new St George Illawarra 24

MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

When Larry agreed to a new edition of Never Before, Never Again, he also quickly warmed to the suggestion that Johnny could help with an epilogue.

Johnny agreed to an interview — he’s one of those blokes who is always willing to help — and then he added: “I’ll get Eddie along.” Meaning Eddie Lumsden, who was as much a fixture on the Saints’ right wing as Johnny was on the left. And so the chapter that closes the book was born.

Typically, Johnny and Eddie pull no punches, not least when talking about league today.

“Don’t talk to me about Cameron Smith, he’s never won a scrum in his life!” King argues pointedly.

“Killer [Kearney] would kick his rival hooker to death to get the ball.”

But there is also a genuine warmth to the two men, as they recognise the quality of modern footballers.

“It’s a tough game played by tough men,” they acknowledge.

“Each generation throws up its champions.”

They’d like, I’m sure, a closer link with today’s stars.

“When I was starting out,” Lumsden remembers.

“I was grateful when the old players gave us the time of day and when they did we picked their brains so we could improve ourselves.”

MEN OF LEAGUE FOUNDATION HAS 10 COPIES OF ‘NEVER BEFORE, NEVER AGAIN’ TO GIVEAWAY. TO BE IN THE RUNNING, VISIT OUR WEBSITE WWW.MENOFLEAGUE.COM

He had conversations with legends such as Dave Brown, Ray Stehr and Chimpy Busch, and talked with the Souths stars of the ’50s such as Clive Churchill and Jack Rayner.

“They’d share their wisdom about what it was to be a champion rugby league player and I’d lap it up.

“They’d say ‘you’re young, but you’ll be old like us one day’. I laughed, ‘No chance of that!’

“But they were right, and here I am, 80 years of age.”

Geoff Armstrong is the publisher at Stoke Hill Press The Special 50th Anniversary Edition of Never Before, Never Again is available wherever good books are sold, or via the Stoke Hill Press website – www.stokehillpress.com

LEAGUE TRIVIA 1. Which NRL team this season had a four-man interchange bench with players who all had a surname starting with P? 2. What years have the Cronulla Sharks played in grand finals?

3. Who has scored the most career tries – Billy Slater or Brett Stewart?

4. Brisbane, Gold Coast Giants and Newcastle entered the competition in 1988. Can you remember their inaugural captains?

5. What year was the top eight final series format introduced?

6. Who was the last winner of the Brisbane Rothmans Medal?

7. Kiwi international Jeremy Smith, the NRL’s oldest player in 2016, has now retired. What clubs had he played for?

8. Who recently won the English Challenge Cup? 9. Of the coaches of the eight finals teams in 2016, all but two have coached at State of Origin level (head or assistant coach). Name them.

10. Which current NRL referee is the son of a Parramatta grand final winner player?

ANSWERS: 1. Gold Coast Titans – Agnatius Paasi, Leivaha Pulu, Eddy Pettybourne and Nathan Peats. 2. 1973, 1978 and 1997 Super League.

3. Bill Slater with 172, Stewart has 163. 4. Newcastle – Sam Stewart; Brisbane – Wally Lewis; Gold Coast – Billy Johnstone. 5. 1998.

6. Alan Weiland from Wests in 1996. 7. Melbourne, St George Illawarra, Cronulla and Newcastle. 8. Hull FC, they beat Warrington 12-10 in the final.

9. Paul Green and Anthony Griffin. 10. Grant Atkins. His father Graeme played on the wing for the Eels in their first premiership victory in 1981.

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LENDING A HELPING HAND ADRIAN ASTORQUIA

Northern Sydney welfare officers Norm Pounder and Ken Vessey visited Adrian Astorquia at the Pacific Lodge Nursing Home, Dee Why. Norm and Adrian were Manly teammates in the 1960s and 70s and reminisced about old times, particularly their reserve grade premierships teams of 1969 and 1973.

They also enjoyed talking about their adventurous trip down the length of the Murray River with a group of surf club mates in an aluminium surf boat from the North Narrabeen Surf Life Saving Club, as part of the 1988 bicentenary celebrations. They were tight lipped about giving away too many details about what happened on the trip and only added “what happened on the river stayed on the river.”

Adrian was born in Innisfail, where he played Foley Shield, before being recruited by the Sea Eagles.

He played mostly lower grade but had two first grade appearances.

He still follows the Sea Eagles in the NRL and has lost none of his passion for supporting them.

He has a loving family comprising of daughter Simone, son Anthony and their families including three grandchildren.

Norm Pounder, Adrian Astorquia, Adrian’s daughter Simone and Ken Vessey.

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RAY BERNASCONI

Ray Bernasconi, a wonderful servant of the Western Suburbs Magpies club, was visited at Bethel Nursing Home, Ashfield by Warren Thompson and Alan Webb.

Recent poor health has meant John has spent time in a wheelchair and the visit by the three Men of League staff certainly cheered him up.

Mark and John are good friends from Mark’s time in Rockhampton.

At 84, Ray has great memories of his involvement with the Magpies.

Originally from Narrandera, Ray came to Sydney and worked for the railways as a shorthand writer and soon after began a two-decade association with the club.

He was third grade secretary between 1961 and 1972, winning two competitions, was the club secretary from 1980 to 1983 and assistant secretary from 1984 to 1987, and made a life member of Wests in 1971.

Along with James and Alma McWhinnie, he was responsible for the recording of player statistics and establishing Wests archives.

Ray who sadly lost his wife some 20 years ago to leukaemia, has one daughter Cathy who has two lovely daughters. A photo of Ray and his granddaughters hangs proudly on the wall in his room.

JOHN BURROWS

Rockhampton league identity John Burrows received a visit from Queensland welfare and education officer Mark Bunting, NSW state manager Stuart Raper and welfare and education manager Ben Ross.

All three were in Rockhampton for the Confraternity Shield rugby league carnival – the largest schoolboy carnival in Australia.

John had a career playing in the country areas of Queensland and NSW and as an administrator of the Fitzroy’s club in Rockhampton over a long period.

Stuart Raper and Mark Bunting visiting John (front) and Rose Burrows.

GRAEME ‘BILLY’ DIXON

Billy has been suffering from severe burn injuries from a road train accident in Darwin and has received several visits from welfare officers in Sydney. Even with his severe injuries Billy still had a positive outlook and a sense of humour.

He was taken out for a day and visited the NRL Museum where he had a chance meeting with Eels legend Nathan Hindmarsh.

An invitation was issued to the Men of League by Graeme Dixon, Billy’s father and Bingara club president, to visit Billy for his homecoming to the former gold mining town on the Fossickers Way just short of Warialda. Norm Pounder and Bill Hamilton attended with their wives Fay and Dianne.

The Bingara Rugby League Club had been struggling and the back to Bingara Day had been organised to rekindle the passion.

The Bingara Bullets and Quirindi took the field with a guard of honour

of about 50 former players as well as a thunderous applause from the crowd.

Bingara won 44-32 before festivities began, moving on to the Sporties Club where a function was attended by more than 150 people.

Next day Norm, Bill and their partners admired many old buildings and the fruitful orange tree lined streets which are picked by schoolchildren each July and followed by an orange and Greek festival on the weekend which includes a Greek feast along the main street of town.

If anyone is passing through Bingara Graeme Dixon (Billy’s dad) can be found at the Bingara RSL most days and is always up for a chat and a beer.

rugby league injury. In his playing days, Eric played in the Group 2 competition for Kempsey Cowboys alongside former Magpies forward Jim Murphy and for Smithtown Tigers with another Magpies player in rugged John Elford.

Eric was asked who his hardest opponent was and he replied: “Without any doubt, a second-rower named Garry Silvia of Nambucca Heads in 1975-76.”

Eric is a talented artist and in his life he has sketched many rugby league stars including Noel Kelly, Harry Wells, Johnny Peard, John Sattler, Arthur Beetson, Billy Smith, Graeme Langlands and Tom Raudonikis, many of which have been the excellent source of revenue at local Men of League Foundation functions.

when his old mates walked into his room is a huge understatement.

It didn’t take too long before the banter began.

Elford grew up in Frederickton, NSW, and played his junior rugby league in Kempsey and with the Smithtown Tigers.

Clearly a talented junior player, he representing Smithtown’s under-18 side when he was only 13 years old and went on to play in their first grade side at just 16 year old.

Noel Kelly reminisced to a time when he was captain-coach of Wests in 1965.

Kelly travelled to South West Rocks with Billy Owens to see and meet a red hot 17-year-old player, he had heard much about.

Elford was soon on his way to Pratten Park next year and ‘Ned’ proudly boasted of how he christened Elford as ‘Snoozer’.

Dick Reading, Graeme Dixon and Norm Pounder.

Norm Pounder, Fred Jackson, Ann Carney, Noel Kelly, Eric Carney and Carl Ros.

ERIC CARNEY

JOHN ELFORD

The Men of League grapevine was working at its best when Mid North Coast president Brian Atherton advised that an active Men of League member, Eric Carney of Port Macquarie, was recovering from surgery at Royal North Shore Private Hospital.

Northern Sydney welfare officers Norm Pounder, Fred Jackson and Ken Vessey wasted no time in visiting Eric and meeting his lovely wife Ann and to their delight Noel Kelly and Carl Ross.

Eric’s surgery had involved placing rods in his neck as a result of an old

Northern Sydney welfare officer Ken Vessey had the pleasure to accompany a group of former Western Suburb Magpies players to vist John ‘Snoozer’ Elford recently.

Noel Kelly, John ‘Chow’ Hayes, Barry Glasgow, Tim Murphy, Pat Thomas, Carl Ross and Geoff Squires all made the visit to see their former teammate from Wests teams in the 1960s and 70s.

John was recovering well at Prince of Wales Hospital from surgery to his aorta.

To say that Elford was surprised

John played 132 first grade games and 42 reserve grade games from 1966-1976. He began on the wing before moving to the second row in 1971.

1972 was his finest year, gaining selection in the NSW team, playing two Tests and touring with the Australian World Cup squad but unfortunately during a qualifying match in France he broke his arm.

He fractured it again twice more, leading to his premature retirement from Sydney grade rugby league.

John was selected in the Wests Club team of the sixties and was bestowed with life membership of the club.

He returned home and during 1977-1979 he was a successful captain-coach with his old Smithtown Tigers Club.

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Unfortunately, further arm and hand injuries in 1979 forced his permanent retirement.

to hear the banter which took place between them all and had Trevor smiling.

John resides with his lovely partner Vicki at South West Rocks, where he is a successful oyster farmer and his oysters are well known as the best money can buy.

He is fortunate to have the support of his wife of 50 years, Pat, as well as his loving family.

supported North Sydney Bears, Manly Warringah and Balmain but since 2000 she has been a ‘one eyed’ Storm supporter Vicki has travelled to home games in Melbourne to see her team play and will gladly tell anyone that Billy Slater is her favourite rugby league player.

Vicki was great company because of her courage, confidence and bright attitude to life.

Carl Ross, John Elford and Noel Kelly.

TREVOR HEILER

Alan Webb, Trevor Heiler, Warren Thompson and Ken Vessey.

Welfare officers Warren Thompson, Ken Vessey and Alan Webb visited Trevor Heiler at Westmead Private Hospital after Trevor had surgery to remove a melanoma located on his right leg.

VICKI HUDSON

Unfortunately the meanoma had spread and he was admitted to hospital for further surgery, this time to his brain.

At the time she was receiving treatment for serious spinal injuries, which she had sustained in a fall down stairs at her home.

Trevor suffered a relapse after this surgery and his recovery has been slower than was hoped.

Vicki has been home since January this year after spending 62 weeks at Royal North Shore Hospital as well as the Royal Rehab Centre.

However, he has now turned the corner and is making steady progress towards recovery.

Trevor played his junior football with Alexandria Rovers and played President’s Cup for South Sydney.

He was graded with South Sydney in 1961 and played a total of 21 games – six first grade games, 11 reserve grade games as well as four third grade games.

Trevor then played for Kingsford in the second division competition.

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

Northern Sydney welfare officers Ken Vessey, Norm Pounder and Fred Jackson first met Vicki Hudson at the Royal Rehab Centre in early 2015.

She is a paraplegic incomplete and admitted that she has been having some difficulties in coming to grips with being at home, after such a long duration spent recovering in hospitals.

Vicki hails from Merewether, Newcastle, growing up in a rugby league supporting family.

Her brother John has played first grade for South Newcastle and is still active in rugby league in the Newcastle district.

She proudly told us that she

Norm Pounder, Vicki Hudson and Fred Jackson.

DOUG IRVING

Welfare officer Graham Willard visited Doug Irving in Canberra Hospital earlier this year.

Doug is recovering from knee surgery as a result of many years of playing rugby league.

Doug played all his early football at Harden before moving to Canberra in 1972 where he joined the Tuggeranong Buffaloes.

Unfortunately his playing career ended after suffering a severe injury to his knee.

This injury however, did not dampen his spirits or prevent him from continuing to be involved in the rugby league community.

Doug moved on to be a major part of the committees for both Tuggeranong Buffaloes and Valley United Clubs. He served many terms in the roles of both president and secretary.

For many years Doug has sponsored players from the Tuggeranong clubs as well as generously donating meat trays for raffles and for use in the club canteen.

Merv became captain-coach of Leeton for three years and had a year at Parkes. In the late 1960s he coached Arncliffe Scots reserve grade in the former second division competition while his great mate Ross Kite coached the first grade side.

Merv still enjoys a beer with his mates and regularly attends Cronulla Leagues Club for a drink and a yarn. He also attends Men of League Southern Sydney functions.

TED MORAN

Mid North Coast committee members visited a number of local nursing homes earlier this year.

Ted Moran, who has had an amputation below the knee, was delighted to see president Brian Atherton as well as accompanying committee members Dennis Tutty, John Sullivan and Mick Stone.

Ted is a member of one of the Forster-Tuncurry- Hawkes’ iconic footballing families.

Welfare officer Graham Willard (left) visiting Doug Irving in Canberra Hospital.

MERV LEES

Welfare officers, John Peard and Alan Webb visited Merv Lees at The Palms Nursing Home in Kirrawee.

As a centre, Merv played in the 1956 grand final for the St George Dragons against formidable foes, the Balmain Tigers.

In that era there were no player replacements and during the feisty encounter Merv broke his collarbone.

Fortunately, the mighty Dragons battled on with 12 men and managed to win the match 18-12.

This kicked off their run of 11 consecutive premierships.

John Peard, Merv Lees and Graham Renkema.

DION MARR JR

Dion Marr Jr unfortunately lost an eye after being involved in an incident at a taxi rank in Coffs Harbour, which ended his rugby league career. Dion started with the Kempsey Dragons and Narku Warriors before moving to the Redfern All Blacks. He moved back to Group 2 with Nambucca Heads, Dunngatti Dragons, where he was captain, and Sawtell Panthers and was player of the year.

Dion also did pro-boxing for a couple of years. He is married with seven children.

Standing: Brian Atherton, Mick Stone, John Sullivan and Marshall Loadsman. Seated: Dennis Tutty and Ted Moran.

RON PERRY

Ron was visited by Mid North Coast committee members after suffering ill health for some time but still has strong views on the game from yesteryear and today.

Ron was part of Forster-Tuncurry’s great sides that played under the brilliant Tony Paskins in the late 60s and is also the father of Mick Perry, the major sponsor of our annual golf day.

Merv played with St George from 1953 to 1958, representing City and NSW. He was a member of the NSW team that played Great Britain in the infamous game at the SCG which was abandoned by referee Aub Oxford in 1956.

Peter Barrett (right) visiting Dion Marr Jr.

Mick Stone, Dennis Tutty, Ron Perry, John Sullivan, Marshall Loadsman, Brian Atherton and Ned Wheeler.

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‘MEN OF LEAGUE SAVED MY LIFE’

BY DAMIEN STANNARD

I

t cost Brett Horsnell just a few dollars to join the Men of League Foundation. When he needed it, that membership was priceless.

“It saved my life,” the former Gold Coast, South Queensland Crushers and Parramatta forward said.

Life should never have been so precarious for the Keebra Park High School product. Big things were expected for him when he became the first ever Queensland captain of the Australian Schoolboys.

He had led the likes of Brad Fittler, Tim Brasher and David Fairleigh on a successful New Zealand tour in 1988 and the rugby league world was seemingly at his feet.

There had been an offer from recently crowned NSWRL premier Canterbury but Horsnell’s heart had been drawn closer to home at the Gold Coast Giants.

“I’m a born and bred Gold Coaster,” he said. “I’d been looking to go to the Bulldogs but Johnny Sattler had always been good to the family and I knew him from around the football area.

“We did a handshake and that was one of the reasons I came back from that schoolboys tour and signed to come to the Giants.”

From humble beginnings playing reserve grade and rolling kegs at the Palm Beach Hotel, Horsnell played 154 NRL games for Gold Coast, the Crushers and Parramatta before winding down his career in the Gold Coast competition.

The back-rower was among the first generation of full-time rugby league

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players but he was later to confront a raft of issues that almost cost him his life.

A painful and enduring back injury combined with personal problems took a heavy toll. He withdrew from the game and his former colleagues and was unwilling to seek help when Horsnell hit his lowest ebb.

“I thought about taking my own life,” he said. “It took a friend of mine to see my Men of League key ring and (she) asked me what it was.

“I explained it (and) she helped me fill out the form when I didn’t want to. It went against everything that a man thinks of himself and it saved my life.”

Horsnell reached out to the Gold Coast committee and they remain part of his support network to this day. Gold Coast committee’s Bob Honan, the former South Sydney centre and dual international, has been an especially supportive ally.

The Foundation helped with the medical costs associated with back and eye surgery and, most importantly, re-connected him with the Gold Coast alumni.

“I’d love to thank Benny Ross, Ian Amos and Bobby Honan and the rest of the guys on the Gold Coast who I go out and have a coffee with pretty regularly,” Horsnell said.

“It is very important to become a member because you never know what life’s going to throw at you.”

The Gold Coast Titans made Horsnell feel part of the Men of League round (Telstra Premiership round 21) and invited him, through Men of League’s help, to the Gold Coast players reunion to coincide with the round.

The event saw almost 100 from the Giants days of 1988 through to current Titans, and their guests, attending. It was a warm way for Horsnell to reconnect with the game and former teammates.

MEMORIES OF DALLY M

BY STEVE RICKETTS

and came across it. I thought if I don’t put it in the right hands it is likely to get thrown out when I’m gone.”

Cassidy, 80, a retired microbiologist, lives at Deagon in Brisbane’s north, and is good friends with former Brothers players Len Dittmar and David Wright, both Queensland representatives in the 1970s, with Wright playing for Australia in 1975.

Tim Cassidy (second from right) with Queensland Men of League president Darryl Van de Velde and former State players Len Dittmar and David Wright.

A

meeting with rugby league’s legendary pioneer Dally Messenger was the crowning glory of Tim Cassidy’s football trip of a lifetime in 1958.

Chosen in the pack for a Brisbane Church League challenge match against Bondi United in Sydney, Cassidy was content with seeing the bright lights of Australia’s largest city, and playing his own version of interstate footy.

Meeting Messenger, ‘The Master’ as he was known, was a massive bonus, and Cassidy did not let the moment slip without getting his own memento, which he has now passed onto the Men of League.

“When our side arrived in Sydney, we were divided into groups, to pursue different activities,’’ Cassidy recalls.

“My group went to NSW Rugby League headquarters in Phillip Street. “I didn’t realise Dally Messenger was in residence there, in one of the apartments. He came down and had a long chat to us. He was full of anecdotes about his playing days.

“One I can recall, came from the 1908-09 tour of Britain, when spectators told him before the match the local side was going to “kill you convict bastards. After the game, which Australia won, Dally went over to the supporters and said: ‘I’m still alive’.

“I was a great privilege meeting him. He wasn’t a big man, but he had a presence about him. At the end of the chat, I grabbed a NSWRL envelop and had Dally autograph it. I was doing a clean-up at my place recently

Dittmar and Wright had taken Cassidy to several Brisbane Men of League lunches and, being aware of the great work done by the charity, he decided to donate the prized autograph, perhaps for fund raising purposes. It is now on show in the history display area at the new QRL headquarters in Brisbane.

Like Messenger, Cassidy was a league pioneer, being a foundation player with the Queensland University side which started up in the early 1960s, at the request of students, many of whom had played at league schools, but were ‘forced’ to play union at university.

University’s first coach was former Test lock Harold ‘Mick’ Crocker who was a hard task master.

“Mick was one of my favourite players when I went to interstate games and Test matches in the early 1950s,’’ Cassidy said. “He was one of the fittest players of the time, and I remember him saying that he believed the only sportsmen, in those days, who trained like professionals were rowers and boxers.

“He would take our university side to Albion Park Paceway for training, and would say: ‘I’ll give you a quarter of the track start, and the first bloke I catch, I’ll kick him up the backside so hard his nose will bleed’.

Consequently, everyone ran like mad, because they knew Mick meant it.’’

Cassidy was also a rower who contested the final selection trials - in Rockhampton - for the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. But he is perhaps best known as an ocean racing yachtsman, a man who has gone down in history as having skippered the smallest vessel (27ft or 8.23 metres) to finish the Sydney Hobart Yacht Race (in 1978) and his yacht, Klinger, is part of race folklore.

“We were lucky to finish at all, after a 360 degree capsize in Storm Bay,’’ Cassidy said.

Dally Messenger died aged 76, a little over 12 months after Cassidy’s meeting with him.

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GYMPIE

COMMITTEE PROFILE

BY AARON HENRY

W

ell known for its country music muster, Gympie in the centre of the Cooloola region of Queensland draws easy comparisons to Mudgee in New South Wales. A strong agricultural presence in the area saw plenty of players available for the rugby league teams – which saw four teams once play out of the regional town. But as industry in the area has changed so has the rugby league competition. Player drain has seen the Gympie Devils now stand as the last rugby league club in the area.

That certainly hasn’t stopped a core group of volunteers keeping the Men of League name in the area and working to care for the rugby league family.

Greg Pountney, who serves dual roles as committee secretary and welfare officer, speaks highly of the small, hardworking group of volunteers, but says they’re always looking for more people to lend a hand.

“Given our location, we can struggle to attract guest speakers for events, but that has helped us to come up with new ideas for Men of League events,” Poutney said.

“We’re trying out something different with our up-coming kick off club, we’ll be having a sports quiz to go along with it. We’ve also got some great local guest speakers coming up at future events who are involved with a local high school. They’ll be coming along to meet everyone and have a chat about the pathways that local players who are currently in high school have into rugby league.

“Gympie committee have also had a visit from Dr. Chris Sarra to speak at a Men of League meeting.

Chris is a member of the ARL Commission and founder of the ‘Stronger Smarter Institute’, Australian of the Year finalist and former Queenslander of the Year.

“We’ll also be establishing our golf day as a regular feature in the rugby league calendar and are locking it in for the morning of NRL grand final day.

We’re hoping that rugby league fans might make a celebration of the day and begin grand final day by teeing off for a few holes with the Men of League before settling in to watch the grand final,” Greg said.

With regional Queensland often called the heartland of rugby league, Gympie made a perfect venue for a

Gympie Men of League membership officer Ken Condon, local legend Dan Tanner and secretary Greg Pountney.

visit from the Intrust Super Cup earlier this year. The match saw a clash between Sunshine Coast Falcons and Tweed Heads Seagulls play as the curtain raiser to Gympie vs Nambour. The match was part of ‘Get in the Game’ Country Week and saw the game televised live from Albert Park Gympie.

This was a great opportunity for the Men of League to pop up a stand and get out to raise some awareness around the great work they do in caring for the men, women and children of the rugby league community.

“We’re always on the look out for how we can help those who may need it in our community,” Greg said.

Locally the committee have helped a former player, who was wheelchair bound after falling through the roof of his home whilst cleaning gutters, by having a wheelchair lift installed in his car. “It got to the stage where, because he was wheelchair bound, and couldn’t move in and out of his car, he just didn’t go out of his house or socialise. It was great to be able to help him out.”

In a lesson that can be used around the country Pountney says one of the best fundraising events the Gympie Committee ever did was a Bunnings BBQ. “I couldn’t believe it. Bunnings had recently come to Gympie so we booked in to do a BBQ. It was a drizzly cold day in June but we were really busy and were able to make more money than we expected. It was such a great day for us that we’ve just booked in to do another one!”

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FLANAGAN LEADS SHARKS REVIVAL Shane Flanagan has had to battle through club instability, limited resources and controversy at Cronulla to now be at the helm of a respected, successful and talented Cronulla Sharks. BY BARRY ROSS

N

o matter where the Cronulla Sharks finish in 2016, the achievement of coach Shane Flanagan and his team from the ‘shire’ has to be put into perspective.

To finish third on the NRL ladder, record a club record run of 15 games without a loss (14 wins and a draw) and have renewed public and corporate confidence after having won the 2014 wooden spoon and being embroiled in the ASADA controversy shows a group of obvious character, commitment and strong leadership.

Flanagan took over the Sharks’ coaching role for the last seven games of the 2010 season after Ricky Stuart resigned. By the start of the next season the Sharks were well and truly locked into survival mode.

They finished 13th on the ladder, had no CEO, probably the smallest staffing level in the NRL, could not spend to the salary cap and many wondered if the club had a future.

On the field, performances improved with his team finishing 12th in 2011 before reaching the semi-finals the next two seasons – finishing seventh on the ladder in 2012 and fifth in 2013.

Yet controversy shadowed the club due to the ASADA drama that saw Flanagan suspended from the final two games of the ’13 season through the 2014 season after an NRL investigation. All that time he had to run the gauntlet of public perception.

During this period, Flanagan received strong support from his wife and three children, while most Shark fans stood by him.

“I was more worried about my family than myself,” Flanagan said. “As a family, we were devastated.

My wife and children were not involved in any way, yet they were suffering every bit as much as I was.”

The Sharks took the wooden spoon in 2014 amidst all the external pressures and controversy with Peter Sharp caretaker coach for the first 14 games and Jamie Shepherd taking over for the last 10.

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Shane Flanagan faces the media with Wade Graham.

Back in the saddle in 2015, Flanagan guided the Sharks to sixth place at the end of the regular season before going down to eventual premiers North Queensland in the second week of the finals series.

In the meantime, they turned their home ground, Remondis Stadium, into a fortress with only one loss from 12 games.

The club supporters have responded with an average home crowd figure of nearly 15,000 this season. While Flanagan attributed the on-field success over the past couple of seasons to several variables, he stressed that the off-field work by the club’s officials played a major role.

“Obviously we have a good team with many talented individual players, but we also have a very stable club environment,” he emphasised. “The directors of both the football and leagues clubs are doing a great job and this has set the scene for our good form on the paddock.

“The development work between our leagues club and Capital Bluestone has established a lasting legacy for our football club as well as brought many benefits to the local community. Things have really gone ahead in a very positive manner and the current board are to be congratulated for what this has brought to us.

“Money is now coming into the football club and the difference from our current situation to a few years ago is chalk and cheese.

A passionate Flanagan gets his point across in the Sharks dressing room..

“Our staff situation is first class and we have added a high performance person and a physio, among many other improvements.

“You need these things as you cannot compete with the big clubs without them. Whatever happens in 2016, our club is moving in the right direction.”

While the Cronulla coach was more than happy with his club’s off-field situation, he was just as pleased with his playing group. He feels he has the right blend of experience and youth, led by a strong captain.

“James Maloney has been a big asset this year.

He has great vision and teams have had success wherever he has played. Mick Ennis is one of the most competitive people I know and is the ultimate professional. His long and successful career is evidence of his professionalism.

“I was pleased when Wade Graham and Jack Bird played State of Origin this year. They deserve this but I feel their best football is still in front of them. Wade is a great team man and a future leader, while Jack’s talent and poise at such a young age is amazing.

“Look out for Valentine Holmes in 2017. His 18 tries this year from our first 25 games, plus the fact that he only turned 21 in late July, indicates that he has a tremendous future.

“I could talk about each and every one of my extended playing roster as they all bring something to our club.

“Paul Gallen is a quality person and an excellent leader. He is super tough and continues to set a first

class example, both on and off the field, week after week. The things he does, such as hospital visits and spending time with sick children, is a measure of what a top class person he is. He goes out of his way to keep these things under the radar.

“Andrew Fifita receives a lot of criticism and sometimes he is a bit too enthusiastic. But you have to remember he didn’t come through the junior league system and so he doesn’t have the background and experience of most other players. Success came late to him. He is a 125kg human who can move at speed and is a big positive to our team.”

At 51, Flanagan had a good playing record followed by an impressive coaching background, before breaking into the first grade coaching scene. As a Penshurst RSL junior in the St George area, he played 78 first grade matches with St. George, Western Suburbs and Parramatta, A plumber by trade, he began coaching in 2004 with the undefeated Roosters’ Jersey Flegg side and moved on to coach the Junior Kangaroos, and in 2007 was an assistant coach to Ricky Stuart with the Australian team. From the next year he worked with the NSW State of Origin team under Craig Bellamy for three seasons.

Time will tell whether he becomes the coach to bring the Sharks the long-awaited inaugural premiership they’ve been chasing for nearly half a century, but to have overcome the obstacles of the past few seasons and to be genuine top four contenders and minor premiership candidates up to the last round, is a tribute to Flanagan’s resilience and obvious ability.

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AROUND THE GROUNDS ... A PICTORIAL LOOK AT EVENTS IN RECENT MONTHS

Darren Lockyer after being announced as the deserving winner of the Captains’ Captain at the gala dinner.

Jacqueline and Wally Lewis at the Men of League gala dinner held at Four Points by Sheraton Sydney, Darling Harbour.

Michael Buettner (left) with former Parramatta Eels and Kiwis captain Nathan Cayless, at the gala dinner.

Winners are grinners at the Queensland Annual Lunch held at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Ben Ikin (left) with Men of League Foundation Honouree Mick Veivers at the Queensland annual lunch.

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Darren Lockyer with Shane Brunner (front right) and family, at the Queensland annual lunch.

Some of the celebrities and guests in the field of 29 teams.

TEAMWORK WINS FOR BRONCOS

BY TONY DURKIN

D

uring their stellar playing careers, internationals Allan Langer, Michael Hancock and Ben Ikin relied heavily on teamwork to get them over the line. And it was that same valuable ingredient that scored them an impressive win in the annual Queensland Men of League golf day, held recently at Brisbane’s Indooroopilly Golf Club.

Teaming with Broncos hooker Andrew McCullough and representing the Queensland FOGs, the Broncos connection scored the narrowest of wins, by just one shot.

“We combined superbly, which you have to do to win these events,” said eight-marker Ikin, a member of the host club.

“It seemed that one of us always came up with a good shot. We drained half a dozen long putts and were never off the fairway. But having said that, we did have two bogeys to go with our 10 birdies.”

A strong field of 29 teams teed off in the four-man Ambrose event, which was sponsored by the

BMD Group and Sci-Fleet Toyota, as part of their new partnerships with Queensland Men of League as official vehicle supplier and BMD Queensland Welfare.

BMD Group chairman and managing director Mick Power addressed the media before the celebrity putting contest, which attracted a host of ex-players, including former Australian captains Wally Lewis and Langer, plus Wally Fullerton Smith, Craig Greenhill, David Wright and Ben and Shane Walker.

The FOGs team, with Langer, Hancock and McCullough playing off the maximum handicap of 18 for non-AGU players, had 10 birdies and two bogeys in their round for a net score of 55.

said Steve Duncan, Sci-Fleet’s fleet sales manager.

“But it wasn’t all about the golf.

My guests had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed the Men of League hospitality and the course.”

Ikin, who plays regularly at Indooroopilly, said he was stunned

by McCullough’s drive on the parfour fifth hole on the red course.

“I often play there with professionals Matty Guyatt and Adam Blyth, and I have never seen them hit it that far,” he said.

“Andrew dead-set cracked the ball over 300 metres. It was an awesome drive.”

Runners-up were the Sci-Fleet Toyota team of Steve Duncan, Andrew Fannin, Marc Pearl and Gary Wilson, who shot eight birdies for net 56. All played off 18.

“It was one of those fluky days on the golf course when one of us always seemed to save a good shot for when one was needed,”

Winning team, with Brisbane patron Ron Atkins (second from left), Ben Ikin, Michael Hancock, Allan Langer and Andrew McCullough.

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GROWTH OF QLD’S CAUSE T

BY STEVE RICKETTS

he Queensland Committee of Men of League has become a powerhouse of the national foundation, with $832,000 distributed to needy members in the last 12 months.

There has been no looking back, ever since former Australian skipper, Greg Veivers and former Brisbane Rothmans Medal winner, the late Steve Calder, met at the Caxton Hotel back in 2004, to discuss the formation of the state body. The historic lunchtime meeting was at the instigation of Veivers' brother-in-law, Broncos' coach, Wayne Bennett who had witnessed the extraordinary work done by Men of League in New South Wales.

Today there nearly 30,000 members across the country, with approximately 12,000 of those in Queensland.

This year, for the first time, Queensland has employed a full time welfare and education officer, former secondary schools teacher, Mark Bunting, who operates from state of the art office space in the new Queensland Rugby League headquarters in Castlemaine Street, Brisbane.

Frank Barrett is full time state manager, with Kristy West the events and operations manager, and Belinda Perry, administration officer. Long serving operations manager, Tegan Jennings is on maternity leave.

Queensland committee chairman Darryl Van de Velde said his five years in the post had been some of the most rewarding of his association with the code, which started as a player in the 1960s, and extended to coaching and administration at the top level in Australia and England.

“It is wonderful to be able to give something back to a game which has been so good to me,” he said. “But the success of the Queensland organisation is down to our hard working committee members and the volunteer network, which extends throughout the state.

“Five years ago our annual state lunch made $12,000.

Our most recent lunch cleared $125,000.

The Queensland Committee members are Frank Barrett (State manager), Darryl Van de Velde (chairman); Peter Psaltis (vice-chairman); Tony Woodgate (treasurer); Greg Veivers, Ken Brown, Mark Donlan, Darryl Foster, Wally Fullerton-Smith and Ashley Tulley. The committee's expertise covers areas as diverse as the media, accounting, the law, insurance and the ADF (Australian Defence Force).

Van de Velde, who played for Queensland against Great Britain in 1977, is a proud Maroon, and as parochial as the next 'cane toad'. But he understands the importance of a national approach from Men of League.

"We are very mindful of our responsibilities to our Queensland members, but we also have to look at the big picture. We are proud of our Queensland network and we want to boost our membership numbers, because that is the core of what we are do,” Darryl said.

Greg Veivers was presented with Life Membership of Men of League at the Queensland Annual Lunch at the Brisbane Convention Centre on September 2, with National Chairman, Ron Coote AM in attendance.

"Greg has been the cornerstone of the Foundation since its inception in Queensland,'' said Van de Velde. "He is always looking outside the square to ensure we fulfill our charter.''

Greg's cousin, Mick Veivers AM, was inducted as the 2016 Honouree for his contribution to the code and Tony Durkin was named 2016 Queensland Volunteer of the Year for his work with the Sunshine Coast Committee.

The theme of this year's annual lunch was 'Dual Internationals', and those in attendance, who had played at Test level in league and union, included John Brass, Geoff Richardson, Michael O'Connor, Mat Rogers, Brad Thorn and Lote Tuqiri.

The appointment of Mark Bunting to the welfare role has been a great step forward, because it is important we get out in the field, to help volunteers and members.

As I speak, Mark is on the road to Goondiwindi and St George, doing a great job.

“We have everything we need in our new office space, and we are indebted to the Queensland Rugby League for providing the area rent free. Chairman, Peter Betros and managing director, Rob Moore are great supporters of Men of League and attend many of our functions.”

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Queensland annual lunch attendees enjoying the day.

MEMORIES OF ‘THE MAYOR’

BY NEIL CADIGAN

I

t’s not often a player has such an impact on a team and its supporter base that he is given the moniker of ‘The Mayor’ but that was the case with Ken Thornett, my first footy hero.

You never forget your boyhood idols. I grew up in Sydney’s west and Parramatta became my team in the late 60s. I can still remember being taken to Cumberland Oval in 1967 for the first time and ‘The Mayor’ was the team legend.

The memories are still vivid. Jumping in the air to take kicks on his chest; once diving from inside the field and tapping back a kicked-ball into the field of play right in front of the old wooden grandstand; of getting the ball 10 metres from the try-line and rarely being stopped; and driving runaway wingers over the touchline.

Fullbacks in those days were to be seen returning kicks, making last ditch tackles and not much else.

The Mayor, like his little contemporary Les Johns, liked to run the footy – far more than defenders liked to tackle him.

My first live glimpse of him came after the Eels’ first era of success from 1962-65 when they made the finals four years straight, the momentum coming off the back of ‘The Mayor’s’ brief stint in 1962 when he returned for an off-season from England where he had moved to work as a wool classer. He had been a rugby union player, for Randwick and had represented NSW, but the rich Leeds league club picked him up.

Parramatta weren’t called the Eels then, more often the blue and golds or fruit-pickers as the area was mostly orchards and market gardens. The Mayor played only seven games before having to return to Leeds. The modest team before he arrived were not beaten in any of them, winning six and drawing one, and qualified for the semi-finals for the first time in their history after being wooden spooners the year before.

In 1963 he was back at Parramatta for good, being the idol of many. The Mayor played 12 Tests and toured with the 1963-64 Kangaroos alongside second-rower Dick.

Thornett was the reason many kids at west loved rugby league. And in that four-year period when I was just becoming old enough to kick a football around the front yard and pretend to be a first grader, the Eels became a team to be proud of after struggles

Ken Thornett is chaired by Dragons legends Graeme Langlands and John Raper after his ‘farewell’ game in 1968.

from their inaugural season of 1947. The lean time returned from 1967 and Thornett retired in 1968 but was enticed back by former Kangaroos teammate Ian Walsh, the Dragons legend who had come to coach the side in 1971. At age 33, the Mayor was past his prime but brought enough experience and stability to the backline that the Eels went from last in ’70 to fifth in ’71 with the emerging Bob O’Reilly, Ron Graham, John Wilson and Denis Fitzgerald in the side with Ken’s multi-talented brother Dick and Ron Lynch.

I never had the privilege of meeting the man until many years later, when I was working at the Eels and he was a guest of honour at the club’s awards night with their player of the year recipient winning the Ken Thornett Medal. The man, who was in his early 70s then, more than matched the legend. He was such a humble and respectful person, interested in those around him far more than talking about his great career or status. And he was still looking fit, trim and tanned after many years living in country NSW. In August this year Thornett passed away at the age of 78. Months later, with the demolition of Parramatta Stadium starting, the Ken Thornett Stand will fall too with the names of the new stands unknown.

To me and many boys who grew up in the 1960s, it’s only material. Ken Thornett will always be the Mayor.

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REMEMBERING T The Foundation wishes to recognise the recent passing of the following people who left a positive legacy within the rugby league community.

For more tributes or expanded versions, go to www.menofleague.com

GRAHAME BUCKLEY

The Wauchope community was shocked and saddened to learn of the sudden passing of former St George and Wauchope captain-coach Grahame Buckley.

Grahame collapsed and died while on a surfboat training session on the Camden Haven River with the Wauchope-Bonny Hills Surf Club crew.

Grahame is best remembered for his 125 game career with St George (55 in first grade) in the 1980s. In that time he captained the Saints to a third grade premiership and a reserve grade grand final.

He became captain-coach of Wauchope in 1988 and took them to the 1990 grand final and coached in 1996. The fact he was always superbly fit added to the shock and devastation of his sudden passing

FRED COOPER

Fred Cooper contributed to rugby league as a player, coach and an official for many years. As a life member of Brighton Seagulls he coached from the younger grades to A grade.

As a player during the late 1940s to 1961, Fred earned the reputation of being an excellent tackling second row forward for Kogarah Rovers, Ramsgate United, and Dapto.

He also excelled as a boxer, having 14 successful fights before deciding to concentrate wholly on rugby league and eventually coaching.

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

The father of four, two girls Louise and Annette and two boys Mark and Matthew, both of whom played for Brighton, Fred was the ultimate family man. Married to his beautiful wife Val for 60 years, he was a tireless worker and worked as an upholsterer to provide for his family.

Fred’s eldest son Mark told of his father’s pride in having coached two players in their Seagulls days before they became internationals – John Riley and Brad Mackay.

Both attended the funeral service.

Tributes flowed upon his passing such as, ‘true gentleman’, ‘kind hearted’, ‘great bloke’, ‘always held in the highest regard’, ‘an example of how to live’, ‘always with a wave and a smile’.

RUSSELL WILLIAM COUCH

Russell was a free spirit, and had a very uncomplicated life. He always had a joke or story to tell. He travelled the world making friends wherever he went. His life was rugby, it was something he always enjoyed talking about with his mates, although never talking about himself. He achieved a lot in rugby league too.

He played with the Willagee club, representing WA and had a stint with Huddersfield in England before returning to Australia to play in Brisbane, Crookwell, Maryborough and then Fremantle before coaching their under-20s.

Russell suffered from MS, and sadly passed away on 21 June this year from Mesothelioma.

Lenny Castle, Rod Nelson (standing) Russell Couch and Murphy.

IAN CUTMORE

Ian Cutmore was a proud member of the North Tamworth club where he served as a loyal player and worked tirelessly on the committee for many years. His efforts were rewarded with life membership.

His sons all played for the club, wearing the red and black proudly for the Bears.

Ian’s connection with the club lives on with his grandson playing in the 2016 season. Ian was a true Man of League.

TRACEY DAKIN

Tracey Dakin lost her long battle recently and was given a fitting funeral service at St Mary McKillop Catholic Parish, Oran Park in July.

Although sad it was a fitting farewell for Tracey and a lovely service for her three children.

Tracey, a life-long supporter of the South Sydney Rabbitohs, had a red and green coffin and as requested the mourners wore red and green.

THOSE NOW GONE The South Sydney Rabbitohs were represented by Souths Cares general manager Brock Schaefer.

PAUL DALY

Former Wests Brisbane winger Paul Daly has passed away following a battle with brain cancer.

Paul (PD to his mates) attended former Wests legend Bob Green’s 70th birthday shortly before he passed away and was able to catch up with many of his former teammates to say goodbye and reminisce about old times.

continued his legacy with his son Kelvin also a life member of the club and his grandson Dominic currently playing A Grade in the Toowoomba Rugby League. Another grandson, Nick John Harch is the coach.

Along with his wife Betty he worked tirelessly for the club and did not miss a Hawks game for 12 straight years. He continued to follow the Hawks but was unable to attend matches due to his inability to get around, following the collapsing of his artificial hip.

A number of Wests players from the early 1970s attended his funeral including Bob Green, Eric Robinson and others from the glory days of the Wests Panthers.

JOHN GILL

John started playing football in Gunnedah and played in a first grade grand final at 17.

He moved to Wellington in Group 11 in 1967 to take up employment but the next season broke his jaw in a match and it ended his playing career. John took to coaching in 1969 with the Wellington under-18s.

John is survived by his wife Carol, daughter Georgie, son in law Chris and grandchildren Molly and Archie.

GORDON HAAK

Gordon was the Gatton Hawks A-grade team manager for 38 years, a record that will last for a long time.

Accordingly, he was made manager of the century when Gatton announced their Team of the Century in 2008. His family have

The 1984 Gatton Hawks premier team – Gordon Haak.

GEOFF HONEY

It is very sad to report the recent passing of Men of League Riverina committee member Geoff Honey.

Geoff was a tireless worker for Men of League. He was also a distinguished rugby league player with the Wagga Kangaroos from under-7s to first grade. Geoff was a member of the Roos’ 1985 and 1987 premiership sides. He was a tough centre who represented Group 9 many times.

On his retirement, Geoff became secretary of the Roos from 1996-2004, presiding over some great victories. Geoff was a wellrespected member of the rugby league community and was a keen racehorse enthusiast.

BARRY KERR

Barry played in the St George district and also played in the President’s Cup team. A classy lock or five-eighth, he had all the skills to progress to higher honours but due to chronic injuries, had to turn his back on a first grade career. A few years later he received a clear bill of health to resume playing and was signed by the Collegians RLFC in Wollongong where in his first season was the leading try scorer in the competition.

Barry’s love for the game continued after his career, he had three sons all progressing to the NRL ranks, Keiran playing for the Dragons and Tigers, Chris at Cronulla and Tom at the Bulldogs. He brought together a small club in the shire – the St Joseph’s rugby league football club where he brought premierships and nurtured young talent into the Cronulla and St George ranks.

He turned his hand to the Sydney League News Magazine, with help and as the managing director of Harpers Educational Books and teamed up with the St George Illawarra Dragons to produce the book ‘Dragons in the Classroom’, a health and fitness book which contained NRL players promoting a healthy lifestyle.

BERNARD MCEVOY

Bernard played as a rugged, uncompromising second-rower with North Sydney from 1956-1959, playing 51 matches in first grade before he was persuaded to transfer to Manly Warringah. He played 59 first grade matches and made City Firsts in 1960 and had two games for New South Wales. ‘Barney’ was known and respected by countless people in the local community.

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GEOFFREY NANCARROW

In July, family, friends and former teammates said farewell to Geoff Nancarrow at Belmont, NSW. He passed away suddenly aged 70 after a short illness.

A former Lakes United junior, Geoff moved to the Wyong Roos in the late 1960s captain-coaching teams to grand finals and in 1972 was awarded the coveted Wyong Roos player of the year award. In 1975, with the game growing on the coast he was the driving force in the foundation of a new club, the Munmorah Maulers/Northern Lakes Warriors. During this time he served as club president, captain-coach and was instrumental in the club gaining its very own oval.

In 1980 he captained the club to its first senior premiership, won a total of five club player of the year awards, clubman of the year awards and numerous Central Coast divisional player of the year awards.

DOUG PASSLOW

Rugby league was a critical part of Doug’s life and he made lifetime friends from his involvement in the game.

A Camperdown Dragons junior, Passlow was graded with Newtown and played eight first grade matches in 1953.

He coached the Sydney University C Grade team when University fielded teams in the Newtown junior league competitions and the C Grade junior team in 1968 and 1969. IIn 1970 he coached the Sydney University Blues in the inaugural year of the NSWRL University Cup competition which was a forerunner of the modern day NSWRL Tertiary Rugby League and in ‘71 he coached the Sydney University reserve grade team in the NSWRL second division.

Doug was a highly respected and popular member of the league community.

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

GREG PIERCE

Greg Pierce, who passed away aged 66, was one of rugby league’s most admired players during his 12-year career which took him to the Australian Test captaincy and selection as one of Cronulla Sharks ’Immortals’.

He came into grade with Cronulla in 1968 and made his first grade debut the following season. His final and 210th first grade match was in July 1980. He scored 35 tries.

From 1976 to 1979, Greg played eight matches for NSW and debuted for Australia on the 1973 Kangaroo tour. He played 24 matches for Australia and was captain in a 24-2 win over New Zealand in 1974, becoming the first Cronulla player to captain Australia.

He also toured with the 1978 Kangaroos to England and France, where in the match against Wales, he broke his knee cap, which ended his tour after just four matches.

Greg also represented his country in the 1975 and 1977 World Series.

A grandson of 1933 Kangaroo hooker Arthur Folwell, he captained the Sharks in more than 100 games including the 1979 Amco Cup final win against Combined Brisbane.

PAUL ‘PAPPY’ PYERS

Paul Pyers was a product of South Grafton Rugby League Club in northern NSW. A lightning fast utility back, Pyers played 11 matches for Queensland between 1957 and 1959. He played for Easts in Sydney in 1954, before joining his brother Pat at Murwillumbah Old Boys in the Tweed Valley.

He moved to Brisbane in 1956, playing three seasons for Easts, before accepting a captain-coach job in Mackay.

While at Mackay he represented North Queensland against Combined Brisbane, scoring three

tries and kicking six goals in a 36-17 win. He was a larrikin, once taking a rubber snake on to the field in a match against Townsville, and dropping it into a scrum.

He joined Parramatta in 1960, playing three seasons with the Eels before playing in Newcastle, Gunnedah and Grafton, before returning to Brisbane where he coached Wynnum-Manly.

Pyers also had a long association with schoolboy and junior league and at Virginia-based Norths St Joseph’s Club in Brisbane was noted for recruiting boys from nearby rugby union stronghold, Nudgee College. Pyers died on June 12 aged 81.

BILL SNOWDEN

William Leonard Snowden was born in Auckland and attended Auckland Grammar School. When he wasn’t allowed to wear the only pair of football boots he owned to play rugby union for the school, he took up rugby league with the old City Rovers club. At age 16, he moved to Ponsonby and was playing first grade the next year.

He toured Australia with the Kiwis in 1959 in a strong side and that was unbeaten in 13 minor games but went down in two of the three Tests.

He went onto play 19 Tests and was the first Maori to captain New Zealand on a full tour to England and France.

Altogether, Bill played 57 games for New Zealand, including his 19 Tests. He also played several international matches for New Zealand Maoris.

After being denied clearance from New Zealand to play with the Eastern Suburbs Roosters, Bill changed his name and joined the Bondi United club for two seasons, in the Eastern Suburbs A grade competition. When Jack Gibson coached the star-studded Eastern

Suburbs team to the 1974 and ‘75 Sydney premierships, Bill was the chairman of selectors. He was 81 when he passed away.

WALLY TALLIS

Wally Tallis captained the first Indigenous rugby league side to leave these shores, in 1973, taking a talented national squad on a tour of New Zealand.

Eight years earlier he had played for the famous Leigh club in England against Bill Snowden’s touring Kiwi outfit. Earlier in the season he kicked a 40-metre penalty to give Leigh a 6-5 win over rivals Leeds.

Tallis represented North Queensland against Great Britain in 1962 and was equally at home at prop or fullback, despite his massive frame. He stood 193cm tall and weighed 110 kg in his prime.

Wally once described himself as ‘a gentle giant’, a different style to his son Gorden who was known as ‘The Raging Bull’ and captained Australia in a World Cup match in 2000. Tallis also captained Queensland and the Broncos, and his older brother, Wally jnr also had a stint with the Brisbane club.

Wally snr played club football for Brothers and West End in Townsville, as well as trying his hand at Australian Rules. He later coached junior teams at the Centrals club in Townsville. He worked for many years in juvenile detention, helping to turn around the lives of young offenders.

MAX TOMSETT

Max Tomsett, dubbed “The Prince of Touch Judges” passed away after a long battle with cancer.

Max’s record as an association member is unsurpassed in the long history of Balmain Referees’ Association and he made a huge contribution to the NSWRL Referees’ Association.

He was a life member of both associations.

At Balmain, he was the social secretary, secretary for three, and president for six years and his outstanding contribution was recognised on no less than eight occasions being awarded the Tom Downey Award for Outstanding Service to the Association.

Max ran the line in 308 first grade games as well as numerous appointments to international and interstate matches. One of his most cherished memories is being appointed to the inaugural State of Origin game at Lang Park in 1980.

When Max retired at the end of the 1983 season he had officiated as a touch judge in nine first grade grand finals between 1975 and 1983.

In 2013 Balmain instituted the Max Tomsett Award to recognise those two members adjudged to be the top touch judges for the season.

Max was on hand to make the presentation to the initial recipients.

In the Balmain Referees Association’s centenary season in 2015, Max was one of the inaugural inductees into the Balmain Referees Association Hall of Fame.

KERRY TWOHILL

Kerry Twohill played as prop for Murwillumbah Brothers in the Tweed-Gold Coast rugby league.

He first played league at the village of Tumbulgum, where he was coached by the Catholic nuns. He had a brief stint playing league in North Queensland. He died on June 24 aged 68, after a courageous battle with cancer. Members of the Brothers’ club formed a guard of honour outside a packed funeral at Tweed Heads.

PETER WOODCROFT

South Sydney Rabbitohs lost one of their long term loyal and dedicated supporters when Peter passed

away suddenly in June at his home in the South Sydney district. Peter was born in Randwick NSW and lived in the area all his life.

In his younger days he played rugby league in the South Sydney juniors as a strong uncompromising frontrower. Away from rugby league he was a prominent official of the NSW Athletic League for many years and officiated in sprint races including the likes of first grade speedster rugby league players Ken Irvine, Jeff Simmonds, Warren Thompson, Dave Woods, Reg Hatton, Michael Cleary, Brian James, Nick Yakich, Dave Irvine and Arch Brown.

Peter was a keen supporter of the Men of League and never missed a function organised by the Sydney Metro committee at The Juniors Club; he was also a respected member of Chelsea Rugby League Old Mates.

IAN WOOLACOTT

Ian started his rugby league career in Blackall as a five-year-old before his family moved to Gatton in the early 1970.

He played in four winning A grade grand finals for Gatton Hawks which could have been five, except he was injured the week before the 1982 grand final and ruled out.

He captained the 1985 Gatton Hawks premiership winning side when they beat Ipswich Brothers 18-14. He was junior coaching director for Gatton for many years and coached NRL players and Gatton juniors Michael Luck and Chris Muckert, as well as former Wallaby Matt Heenan.

He was named halfback in the Gatton Hawks’ Team of the Century in 2008 which included great players like Terry and Michael Cook, Ray Kelly, Ashley Haak and Noel Crozier. His determination whilst playing rugby league was evident in his battle against cancer.

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THE BIG MAN FROM BEECHMONT This Men of League Honouree is a man who called a spade a spade as a footballer, politician and commentator and was never afraid to take on authority. BY STEVE RICKETTS

M

ick Veivers is a proud Queenslander but he was prepared to go to any lengths to forge a career in Sydney at the peak of his playing career in the mid-1960s.

Veivers and fellow Queenslanders Ken Day and Arch Brown threatened legal action to circumvent the interstate transfer ban, which was in force at the time.

dinner in Sydney in July with Veivers also honoured at the annual Queensland Lunch on 2 September.

As patron of the Gold Coast Junior Rugby League, Veivers still takes a first-hand interest in the modern game and is in awe of the athleticism and skill of today’s full-time professionals

Manly-Warringah wanted to sign forwards Veivers and Day while Parramatta had goalkicking winger Brown in their sights.

For a big man, Veivers was quick on his feet, as well as being noted for his ability to offload the ball under pressure. And on one occasion, he won a match for Manly with a 50-metre field goal.

The controversy dominated newspaper headlines in the build-up to the 1965 season, with Manly and Parramatta taking the New South Wales Rugby League to court for backing Queensland’s decision to prevent the trio heading south.

Raised on a dairy farm at Beechmont, high in the hills behind the Gold Coast, Veivers, an only child, attended school in Beaudesert before finishing his education at Nudgee College in Brisbane, a rugby union stronghold.

Ultimately the QRL granted clearances to the three men even though the Equity Court had upheld the validity of the transfer ban.

“I was a five-eighth in union,’’ he recalls. “When I left school, my uncle Jack Veivers (father of future Australian captain Greg) would drive me from Beaudesert to Brisbane to play for Souths, from where he had played five matches for Queensland in the early 1950s. I had six happy seasons at Souths before moving to Toowoomba to play for Souths up there.’’

Chairman of the Australian Rugby League Board of Control, Bill Buckley, described the QRL decision as “an act of grace”, one which would be well received by the public.

“We had solicitor (Jim Comans) acting for us and we were prepared to take the matter to the High Court if necessary,” Veivers recalls. “Fortunately sanity prevailed.”

Veivers is a 2016 Men of League Honouree, a tribute the former Queensland Cabinet Minister rates alongside his Order of Australia (AM), which he received earlier this year - for his services to rugby league and the Gold Coast community.

He and South Sydney great, Bob McCarthy MBE, were inducted as Honourees at the Men of League gala 44

MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

Veivers made his Queensland debut in 1961, playing in three of the four interstate matches, including two wins in Brisbane.

The following year he made his Test debut against Great Britain at Lang Park, with Australia needing to win to keep the series alive after the tourists won the First Test 31-12 in Sydney.

“It was a great thrill to make my debut at Lang Park, in front of family and friends,’’ Veivers said. “We had three other new boys in the pack - George Smith from Lithgow; Billy Owen from Newcastle and Bill Carson from Wests in Sydney. Billy Owen only had one eye.

Mick Veivers AM pictured (standing) far right.

“The Poms beat us 17-10 and their big Welsh winger Billy Boston scored two tries. When Billy made one break I thought I had his measure. I said to myself ‘I’m going to put this b#&% into the second tier of the grandstand’. Well, I didn’t count on his body swerve and pace.

I touched his boot, and that was about it.’’

Veivers retained his spot for the ‘dead rubber’ third Test in Sydney, which Australia won 18-17.

The following year, he was a controversial omission from the Kangaroo tour of England and France and had to wait until Australia’s tour of New Zealand in 1965 to play for his country again.

In 1966 he got sweet revenge on the British, although he didn’t get things all his own way.

Once again the tourists won the first Test in Sydney, forcing the selectors to make wholesale changes, including the recall of Veivers and the inclusion of fellow Queenslander John Wittenberg for his Test debut.

Australia won a tryless match 6-4 at Lang Park, with British forward Bill Ramsey sent off for kicking Veivers in the head.

“If you have a look at the replays, you will see that Ramsey was limping as he left the field,’’ Veivers said. “For the deciding Test, Arthur Beetson made his debut in the second row with me and the rest, as they say, is history. He set up two tries and went on to play another 27 Tests.’’

It was to be Veivers’ last Test, as, once again, he was controversially overlooked for a Kangaroo tour of England and France in 1967-68.

“Missing out on those tours were the biggest disappointments of my career,’’ Veivers said.

In 1968, Manly qualified for the grand final only to be beaten by one of the greatest South Sydney sides in history. It was doubly sad for Veivers, who was injured in Manly’s gutsy win over Souths in the major semi-final and ruled out of the decider. He had one more season in Sydney before returning to Queensland, hanging up the boots at the age of 30, having played six Tests, 14 games for Queensland and four for New South Wales.

After his playing career, Mick was invited to be part of Channel 0’s coverage of the game, later

transferring to Seven, along the way working with media professionals like Rod Gallegos, George Doniger, Billy J Smith, David Fordham, Pat Welsh and Alan Thomas.

‘The Farmer’, as Veivers was referred to by fellow commentators, called a spade a spade, and was noted for his home spun humour.He entered State politics in 1987 and, in a 15-year career, held sport and emergency services portfolios.

Today he is chairman of the Gold Coast Academy of Sport which oversees 12 disciplines (including rugby league) and 300 athletes.

He is also deputy chairman of Gold Coast based Phenix Jewellery.

Veivers and his wife Betty live at Labrador on the Gold Coast.

Betty Veivers (nee Pratt) was a top flight tennis player, competing at Wimbledon and other grand slams.

She recently retired after 54 years as a teacher and was at Mick’s side (jet lagged after attending the 2016 Wimbledon Open) when he was inducted by Men of League.

Mick and Betty Veivers have two children, Bob, a linesman, and Shan, a journalist.

HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

45

MACCA HONOURED TO SEE FOUNDATION THRIVE

BY DAMIEN STANNARD

L

eague great Bob McCarthy suspects his peers are a tad premature inducting him as a Men of League Foundation Honouree.

“Normally that’s the sort of thing they give you on the way out. Maybe they’ve been talking to my doctor,” he quipped.

Regardless of its timing, the South Sydney club legend could not be more proud of the honour the Foundation has bestowed on him.

McCarthy’s contribution to the game and the community it serves never ceased when he retired as a player and it is that energy that has found a place within Men of League. He was one of the early contributors when the formation of an organisation to assist battling members of the league community was barely an idea.

“I feel quite privileged,” he said. “I was one of those to be at that first meeting [to discuss the idea] at the Cauliflower Hotel and thought it was pie in the sky stuff.

“To look at it now and see 29,000 members and 800 people attending functions at big hotels is so rewarding.

“Luckily for me I wasn’t one of those who fell through the cracks.

“But there are so many who have and it’s great to have an organisation like this to help those people out.”

McCarthy was unstoppable during more than 250 career games with the Rabbitohs and Canterbury. He scored 119 tries in first grade and who will ever forget the most famous – the intercept that sealed Souths a premiership in `67.

McCarthy played 15 Tests and World Cup games, was awarded an MBE in 1975 while still playing and in the code’s Centenary Year was chosen in the top 100 players of all-time.

As a coach, he took Souths Brisbane to a premiership, Brisbane to a Panasonic Cup victory and was the Gold Coast’s inaugural coach in 1988.

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

Honouree Bob McCarthy MBE with Foundation Patron The Hon. John Fahey AC.

McCarthy has been an Australian Test selector since 2001 and spent a decade as a NSW selector too.

But it doesn’t end there, and this is the message he wants current and former players hear.

He dabbled in retirement last year but has since returned to work doing PR for the Suttons Motors Group.

“I was staring at the TV but realised you’ve got to keep an active mind and body otherwise you’ll end up a vegetable,” he said.

So, between work, gym sessions and his role as a Test selector, McCarthy never stops.

And he wants the current generation to follow up on the work of Ron Coote and others who have transformed Men of League into what it is today.

“I hope they do carry it on,” he said. “They’re earning that much at the moment they’re probably focused on other things.

“But you never know what’s around the corner.

“There were plenty when I was playing who were well off and still they fell on hard times.

“I hope they have the foresight to keep this going because it’s as important now as it ever was.”

PENGILLEY’S WORK WILL BE MISSED

BY GRAHAM CALLAGHAN

T

weed committee president John Strong has stressed retiring chief welfare officer Neil Pengilley will be irreplaceable because of the amount of work he has done.

Pengilley has been a vice-president and chief welfare officer for more than seven years since joining the Tweed committee 10 years ago.

He receives great support at home from his two best friends, wife Viki and daughter Allana.

Neil Pengilly flanked by Ray Tolland from Murwillimbah Old Boys and former Balmain and Tweed Seagulls legend Bill Bischoff.

In the past 18 months Pengilley had three major eye operations and his specialist is monitoring his right eye for the next three months.

Pengilley, who played with Parramatta in 1984, mainly coming off the bench, was a quick, punishing secondrower who carried the nickname ‘Weapon Head.’

“No-one knew the number of people he has been helping,” said Strong.

He played for Bilambil from 1987 to 1994 and Strong, who was president at the time, remembers Pengilley was a tireless worker then.

“He would go out and mow lawns using all his own gear and then when a husband or wife died he would continue to mow the lawn and also call in for a regular chat.

“We don’t really know how many people he saw because he doesn’t talk about himself, particularly his visits. He just thrived on helping people.

“Besides his tireless welfare work he was also a vice-president and when something was on he is always one of the first there and last to leave.

He’s a class act.”

Pengilley, who has been doing community work helping people for a couple of decades, has started a Bachelor of Social Welfare degree at Southern Cross University so he can gain accreditation.

He said work done by Men of League had been beneficial to him, knowing the great work going on to assist former league players and their families.

Although he is between jobs he still has plenty of work mentoring people he has assisted over many years.

HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

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Maree Comerford (left) with singing coach Justine Hogan, performing in the Riverina production of ‘It Takes Two.’

IT TAKES SOMEONE SPECIAL…

T

he Riverina committee is $29,000 richer due to the incredible efforts of a Wagga Wagga emergency department nurse Maree Comerford.

Maree took part in one of the most successful charity events in rural Australia, coined ‘It Takes Two’ which is a take-off of the former television series in which a professional entertainer would pair with a celebrity and perform a singing duet.

The Riverina version of It Takes Two, run over three sell-out stage shows in Wagga Wagga, has raised about $1.5 million over a decade for local charities and organisations in need and has grown enormously in popularity and financial support, since the concept was born in 2007.

Maree Comerford is a mother of four and nurse from the emergency department of the Wagga Rural Referral Hospital.

This year almost $554,000 was raised for 12 nominated charities, one being the Riverina committee of Men of League Foundation.

The It Takes Two event is run by an extremely hard-working volunteer committee headed by 2WG Radio’s Duncan Potts and wife Narelle.

Maree’s father Greg Adams is a former well-known administrator in Group Nine and her brother is a former player.

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

The duo performed the Queen classic ‘Somebody to Love.’

It involves 12 locals being coached by professional singers and each learning an act to be performed at a series of concerts.

They performed well known Queen hit ‘Somebody to Love’ and were awarded the trophy for the best act at the second concert.

Maree’s coach and singing partner was Justine Hogan who is also a nurse in the emergency department but also sings with local bands.

In the months before the concerts each of the entrants, in conjunction with their nominated charity, organised a series of fund-raisers for their cause.

The Men of League Foundation is greatly indebted to Maree, her family, and her hard-working committee for the enormous effort in raising much needed funds which will help the Foundation continue their mission of helping those in the rugby league community who have fallen on hard times.

HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

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VALE A VARSITY HERO

BY NEIL CADIGAN

With the support of Bob Pardy at uni level and NSWRL boss Bill Buckley at senior level (who had enormous respect for David), Chadwick – affectionately known as ‘Pear’ – achieved what many thought unsurmountable in not only making rugby league prominent at Sydney University and guiding it from a new beginning at under-18 and under-21 teams in the South Sydney junior league competition to a highly-respected club of several grades from second division down, highighted by an appearance in the Wills Cup preseason competition against the country’s best teams in 1970.

He was supported by lawyers Paul Webb and John Pollard and several teammates who went onto highly successful professional careers.

Chadwick took major roles on and off the field, including president, secretary, captain and coach over a span of 40 years.

David Chadwick in his playing days for Sydney University.

F

or those who remember the 1960s not just for the dominance of St George and then South Sydney, but also a thriving second division competition, David Chadwick is a significant figure.

Chadwick, who died in August aged 74, is regarded as the man most responsible for re-establishing rugby league at Sydney University for the first time since the uni competed in the major Sydney competition from 1920 to 1937, once playing ina grand final (1926) before declining 50

MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

years of little on-field success.

Although growing up at North Bondi, Chadwick was a St George supporter who once played for the well-known Saints’ junior club Renown United, winning a premiership alongside Billy Smith with whom he became friends for life.

Largely through his passion and drive, rugby league was played

by Sydney Uni teams from 1962 (Souths juniors) through to second division which became the Metropolitan Cup with teams at levels below.

He also played for Combined Second Division twice (against New Zealand under-23s and New Guinea) and for Combined Australian Universities on two occasions, including a tour of New Zealand.

A tough front-rower, he was captain of the Sydney Uni side when they played in the 1969 and 1971 second division grand finals in which they were beaten by the powerful Wentworthville.

Beyond his footy roles, Chadwick was an English and German teacher (he was also fluent in French) who specialised with students whose second language

was English. He studied and taught in Germany in the 1960s, even playing briefly for the Warrington club’s reserve grade in England during a break.

Articulate, forthright and a social activist, the high water mark of his activism was his incursion onto the Sydney Cricket Ground during the Springboks’ first game in Sydney during their 1971 tour.

This created so much acrimony through the demonstrations that were held, that subsequently all Australian sporting teams severed sporting ties with South Africa until the abolition of apartheid.

During the game Chadwick, Meredith Burgmann (who later became president of the NSW Legislative Council) and her sister Verity were the only protesters to get through the police cordon onto the ground. Chadwick had given his membership card to Peter Hain,

then a leading British anti-apartheid demonstrator and later to become a British cabinet minister.

Hain was detected with Chadwick’s member’s ticket, it was confiscated and Hain was kicked out of the ground.

The SCG Trust issued Chadwick with a ‘show cause notice’ as to why he should not forfeit his membership, which he had waited 20 years to receive.

His 30-page diatribe against apartheid persuaded them that they should let the matter rest and simply issue him with a ‘renewal’ notice.

After the abolition of apartheid in the early 1990s, every year Chadwick was invited to attend the South African Embassy in Canberra for celebrations of South Africa’s National Day.

Many will remember David Chadwick not only as a significant servant of rugby league but as a man of deed, intellect, opinion and an entertaining and powerful presence who was a mentor of many and friend of several who forged outstanding public careers.

His legacy in league survives to today through The NSW Tertiary Rugby League competitions played each Saturday. Additionally, the Australian Universities Sports Union has rugby league as a member sport. Hope exists that during the 2017 Rugby League World Cup celebration there will also be a University World Cup competition.

Note: Some of this text was taken (with permission) from a written tribute and eulogy delivered by eminent Sydney judge Stephen Norrish who was a Sydney Uni teammate of David Chadwick’s and lifelong friend.

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MEN OF LEAGUE ROUND R ound 20 in July this year was dedicated as the official NRL Men of League Round.

Players, teams, fans and referees from throughout the game celebrated with us by wearing our Men of League socks and in the case of the NRL Referees, a completely Men of League dedicated strip.

Thank you for everyone who supported us over our great Men of League Round weekend.

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LOVE THE GAME BEYOND THE FINAL WHISTLE

F

or many who love rugby league, being a fan means more than just the kind of fandom seen in other walks of life. It’s about showing your colours and your pride well beyond what many people might consider normal, but that’s what makes a real league-lover tick.

Acts of tribute that might perplex someone with only a passing interest in the game include wearing your lucky footy socks on your wedding day or it might mean naming your first-born child after your favourite player. All perfectly reasonable acts as far as we’re concerned.

When you’re a true fan, going to lengths such as this makes so much sense; after all the players, the code, and the game itself give us so much more. Here’s an example of the kind of passion and dedication the great game of rugby league inspires.

THE LONGEST GAME The CRL group 21 grand final was played by 34 local players, farmers, construction workers, miners and country boys, that went for a marathon 128 minutes!

When the Denman Devils faced up against the Scone Thoroughbreds at the end of the 2015 season, no-one could have predicted the game would enter rugby league folklore but, thanks to the true grit of the players and the tireless support of the coaches and the local rugby league community, it did.

The Denman Devils went in as slight underdogs for, despite having had recent success in the local competition, they had been pipped by Scone several times during the season, yet the Devils weren’t done – not by a long way. Hard training and a refusal to let team mates down saw the game 20-10 in the Devils favour at half time but the Thoroughbreds weren’t going to go down without a fight either, and they came back in the second half, to make it 20-20. Then started the epic extra time that saw the game extend for a full extra half plus more!

to a conclusion by field goal, yet it took a break away try from the fleet-of-foot Hamish Wolfgang to win the match for Denman, making the final score 24-20.

Can you imagine the scene? Local lads, amateurs all, doubled over with cramps yet, with the reserves bench all too shallow, their only option was to egg each other on for one more stint. That’s love of the game for you.

AFTER THE FINAL WHISTLE When the final whistle blows on a rugby league lover in your family – or if you are thinking about getting your affairs in order with a prepaid funeral plan so that you can relax in later life – it’s good to know there is a funeral provider who understands our love of the game and can help make your send-off one that shows your passion for your favourite NRL team.

Simplicity Funerals is a proud sponsor of the Men of League Foundation, and like us, they help our community, our members and their families whenever needed.

They are offering a very special discount to Men of League members and their families on both prepaid funeral plans and funerals needed now, and they can even provide you with the perfect coffin to commemorate a life of NRL fandom.

Simply show your Men of League membership keyring to your Simplicity Funeral Director to receive this special discount.

Visit Simplicity Funerals today on simplicityfunerals.com.au/menofleague or call 1300 556 222 to find out how they can assist Men of League members and their families with an NRL themed coffin and their prepaid funeral plans.

More than 3,000 fans watched the encounter – not bad considering Denman is a town of about 1,600 people.

By the 88th minute the floodlights needed to be turned on and there were nine attempts to bring the game HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

53

RIVERINA RICH IN REWARDING WORK

BY AARON HENRY

A

s a town, Wagga Wagga is well known for producing great sporting talent such as Mark Taylor, Michael Slater, Wayne Carey and of course rugby league elite in the Mortimer brothers.

It’s a town steeped in sporting history but there is one sporting charity playing and winning first grade in the Riviera region and that’s the Men of League.

Covering an area in southern New South Wales from Tumut to Hay, and Lake Cargelligo to Albury, means that the Riverina committee is right at the frontier of the battle with Aussie Rules.

Despite rugby league teams being outnumbered by local Aussie Rules teams throughout the region, it is the Men of League who are winning the hearts and minds with their work in caring for the rugby league community.

President and welfare officer Dave Mulrooney explains: “Group 9 and Group 20 rugby league are strong, but local AFL have a lot more teams than we do. Despite having more teams than us, they’re a bit envious of what we’ve got in the region with the Men of League.

They love the idea but don’t have anything like it in the area.”

Dave would know. The 75-year-old has been helping the Riverina committee since the Foundation started in Wagga.

He says that the work the Foundation does at the grassroots of the rugby league community proves that you don’t have to be a superstar to get help within our game.

“We visit homes and hospitals when needed to see people for welfare visits. Over the years, we’ve helped with plenty of wheelchairs and mobility scooters which help keep people active and connected.

“One particular story that I remember is delivering a mobility scooter to a man who had lost both legs. The closest thing he’d had to a social visit in 18 months had been the nursing staff, and he hadn’t been out of the house for the whole time. Seeing him race out of the house on the scooter and up the street with his dog running by his side was one of the best things I’ve ever seen.”

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

Recently the committee has been involved with ‘Wagga Takes 2’ which has seen them partner with local identity Maree Comerford and saw just under $500,000 raised for the local community, including $29,000 for the Riverina Men of League committee.

“It’s not just fundraising and welfare events that we run; we have two great functions in Wagga every year with our annual race meeting and Gold Cup breakfast,” Dave says.

“They’re always great events and they always will be for the Riverina committee, but it’s a big area, so it’s time for some new blood to be called onto the field for us.

We’re a very small committee, but not by choice.”

Covering such a big geographical area, the current committee is looking for renewal and assistance from surrounding towns to help care for the men, women and children of the rugby league community.

NSW state manager Stuart Raper says that they’re on the lookout for new volunteers from within the region to put their hand up and help lighten the load for the current committee.

“There has always been support around the Riverina region for the Foundation, but we’d like to see a few more people within the area get involved”, Stuart says.

“Just talk to anyone about the feeling that you get when you help someone connect with friends, old and new, within the rugby league community and you’ll know how important the Foundation is and how rewarding the work is – especially in regional areas where connections are so important to help prevent social isolation.

“I’m sure Dave and the current committee would be more than happy to help any new volunteers with some advice on getting things done and the good feeling you get to help people.

"If you would like to get involved in helping us within the Riverina area, please get in touch with us,” Stuart said.

So if you’re in the Riverina, the coach is calling you off the bench and it’s your turn to help out the team.

FITZY FOUND HIS WAY

BY STEVE RICKETTS

He played three more Tests - against France at Lang Park in the 1968 World Cup; Great Britain in Sydney in 1970 and New Zealand in Auckland 1971, as well as making Australia's tour of New Zealand in 1969.

A lightning fast striker for the ball, Fitzsimmons was targeted by New South Wales’ forwards in interstate matches, and it was a common sight to see him flat on his back after scrums unravelled.

He played 22 games for Queensland from 1965-71 18 against the Blues - and also toured New Zealand with the Ian 'Ripper' Doyle coached Maroons in 1967.

Born at Georgetown in Far North Queensland, Fitzsimmons played club football in Mareeba, Tully, Babinda, Ayr and Gladstone, before finishing his career in Brisbane with Brothers.

Brian Fitzsimmons (left) before his Test debut in 1967 against the Kiwis (Dennis Tutty is on his right).

B

rian Fitzsimmons almost missed out on his Test debut against New Zealand in 1967 because there were concerns he would not make it to Sydney from North Queensland in time for the training sessions mapped out by captain-coach Reg Gasnier.

Newcastle Wests’ Allan Buman was first choice hooker but was ruled out through injury, giving Fitzsimmons an opportunity many thought should have been his in the first place, after he had out-hooked Buman in both interstate matches leading up to Test selection.

When Buman was scratched, speculation was rife in Sydney that Noel Kelly would be switched from prop to hooker, to avert any complications arising from the long trip from Townsville.

"They must think we are still in the horse and buggy manner of transport,'' wrote The Courier-Mail's Jack Reardon.

Not only did Fitzsimmons make it in time, he impressed with his service from dummy half, and solid defence in Australia's 22-13 win. But he was beaten 14-9 in the scrums by the Kiwis' experienced rake Colin O'Neill, by then a veteran of 11 Tests.

Fitzsimmons was axed for the return match and Buman kept his place for the remaining two Tests.

In 1966 Fitzsimmons was hooker when North Queensland beat Great Britain in Townsville, the first loss in the North by a British side. In 2008 Fitzsimmons was fittingly named hooker in the North Queensland Team of the Century.

In 1974 he was hooker in a Brothers side coached by St George (Sydney) stalwart, Paul Broughton, with future Broncos coach Wayne Bennett at fullback. 'The Fighting Irish' were beaten 9-2 by a champion Valleys side in a try-less grand final at Lang Park.

Fitzsimmons coached at different levels after his retirement as a player, and is credited with having a massive influence on future Brothers and St George (Sydney) hooker Trevor Bailey, when he was in charge of Brothers under-18s in 1979. Fitzsimmons also coached the University club to a Townsville first grade premiership in 1987.

Fitzsimmons became a publican and ran hotels at Julia Creek, Townsville, Tieri and Redcliffe. He was also a member of the steering committee which pushed for the inclusion of a North Queensland (Cowboys) side in a national competition.

Fitzsimmons died on 22 June in Townsville after a long period of ill-health. He is survived by his wife, Pat; five children and six grandchildren.

A minute's silence was observed in his honour before the Cowboys-South Sydney NRL match in Cairns on 3 July.

HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

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BOB HAGAN CALLS TIME AS SUNSHINE COAST PRESIDENT

BY TONY DURKIN

P

opular Sunshine Coast rugby league identity Bob Hagan has resigned his position as president of the Sunshine Coast Men of League committee.

And to acknowledge his sterling service to the Men of League Foundation, Bob has been appointed a Queensland ambassador.

That recognition follows another significant salute last year when he was awarded the prestigious Men of League Honouree recognition.

Annually since its inception in 2002, Men of League has honoured the game’s greats for their contribution to rugby league. This honour has been bestowed on just three other Queenslanders – John Gleeson, Lionel Williamson and Mick Veivers.

Now in his 77th year, the rugby league great and former well-known Queensland publican has been battling poor health for some time. Two years ago he also resigned as a member of the national board.

Bob was the catalyst for the formation of the Sunshine Coast committee in 2007, shortly after his arrival on the Sunshine Coast to retire.

His working life as a policeman, publican, coach and finally as a rugby league administrator had him well versed in the needs of many of the game’s acquaintances and families who had fallen on hard times. He was also mindful of the camaraderie former teammates were missing as they reached their ‘golden’ years.

“Almost on a daily basis after moving to the Sunshine Coast to retire I seemed to meet someone I had known from my footballing days,” he recalled.

Bob Hagan receives his Ambassador plaque from Darryl Van de Velde.

Bob has proudly led a small group that started with an initial membership of 30 and grown to almost 1000 locally-based members. He was elected to the national board in 2009.

In announcing Bob Hagan as a Queensland Ambassador at the recent Sunshine Coast Kick-Off Club, state president Darryl Van de Velde said the Foundation was in debt to him for his generosity, commitment and enthusiastic leadership. He also applauded Bob’s wife Laurel, who is also a Sunshine Coast committee member.

“Those who have known you over the years appreciate how you have worked together as a couple so successfully in the hospitality industry,” he said.

“And as these reunions became more common I figured there must be some avenue for people with a similar interest in rugby league to meet on a regular basis and talk about old times.

“Now, as a husband-and-wife duo, you have continued to deliver for Men of League with that same great energy. While I’m sure it is disappointing for Bob that he sees the need to step aside as Sunshine Coast president, no doubt the Hagan family will remain outstanding contributors.

“Having been involved with Men of League in Sydney almost from the start, I hit on the idea of starting a local committee.”

“In his role as an ambassador, Bob can continue to be a part of our organisation, and that is fundamental to what Men of League is all about.”

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WE LOSE A TRUE TREASURE

R

ugby league came together in July to celebrate the 100th birthday of former referee Robert Culkin. Sadly, two months later the oldest surviving first grade referee was gone. Born during World War I, Culkin moved from Wellington to Sydney in 1944 during the second great war. He trialled with South Sydney but was persuaded by friends to take up refereeing instead.

“In July, 1916, the Anzacs were preparing to go into action on the Western Front in WWI, and rugby league was a fledgling game trying to negotiate its first decade in Australia,” Sutton said.

Still in possession of his original referee's ticket, Culkin was the oldest remaining grade referee, the oldest member of the NSWRLRA and the oldest member of the Men of League Foundation. A special birthday celebration was put on by the NRL at Sydney’s RL Central with CEO Todd Greenberg, head of football Brian Canavan, referees boss Tony Archer, a number of officials from the current refereeing fraternity, as well as Culkin’s grand-daughter and great grandson in attendance.

“It's because of Robert and men like him that we have the opportunity to be professional referees in 2016.

Refereeing at the elite level can sometimes be a bit of an isolating experience. There aren't too many people who know what it’s like to be in that furnace.

Mr Greenberg described Culkin as a “true rugby league treasure” and recalled meeting him at the 70th anniversary of the All Schools tournament in Penrith two years ago; 68 years after he refereed at the inaugural event.

“This game constantly celebrates milestones of players and officials, but I can tell you that celebrating this tomorrow, for you, 100 is an absolute first,” he said.

Robert explained why he decided to become a referee, as well as some of the special players and teams he'd witnessed over the years.

“I was very keen to stay in the game and I thought being a referee looked pretty good to me,” he said.

“The Sydney Cricket Ground remains the most special ground for me. As younger referees, we said that you weren't a referee until you’d done a game at the SCG.

“At that same time, Robert Culkin was born. One hundred years have passed since then, and for most of that century, Robert has lived and loved our game.

“Having Robert here today reminds us that we're just the latest in a long line of officials stretching back to 1908; officials who faced the same pressures, criticism and scrutiny as us, and who chose do the job anyway to the very best of their ability and with integrity. Robert and his colleagues dug the well that we drink from.”

Upon his death in early September, Greenberg said Mr Culkin was a remarkable and endearing figure who would be missed.

“Every time you spoke to Robert you could tell how passionate he was about officiating and about rugby league. He took his refereeing tickets with him to official functions and spoke with so much pride about his achievements,” he said.

At his 100th birthday celebrations, Mr Culkin had the honour of presenting the State of Origin III referees with their jerseys.

Match officials wore black armbands in round 26 in honour of his contribution.

“One of my favourite players over the years was Mal Meninga because he's big and strong. It's very hard to pick the best team, but Souths always had a good side.”

When asked who the best official was during his time as a referee, Culkin cheekily replied: “I'd have to back myself.” He was selected to hand out the jerseys to the Origin III referees, and in return received some touching words from lead referee Gerard Sutton about his contribution to the game.

Robert Culkin at his 100th birthday celebration.

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COMMITTEE NEWS NEWCASTLE AND HUNTER Unfortunately, two local players are in Royal North Shore Spinal Unit. Damien Jobson, of Windale Cougars, sustained a career-ending injury in a local match, while former Knights player Troy Miles‘s tragedy occurred while on a trip in South Australia.

evening. Next morning over 200 people took part in a “shot gun start” golf day with many of the Bay and Newcastle area’s business and sporting communities enjoying the wind-free, barmy golfing weather.

Damien was visited by the game’s great coach Wayne Bennett at RNS. Troy is currently with Lakes United.

He played with the Newcastle Knights and has been an active member of the Club’s Old Boys Association. We wish them well through assessments, early treatment and rehab.

Recently, our president, Garry Leo, and secretary, Peter Corcoran, visited Keith Holland in the Stroke Unit of Newcastle’s Mater Calvary Hospital. Keith, well-known in the Balmain area, had recently been residing at Harbourside Haven at Port Stephens. His prognosis is good and we hope to see him on his feet again soon.

It’d been a pleasure to see our NSW state manager in Newcastle in recent times. Stu took the opportunity to visit us on the occasion of the dinner and golf day at Nelson Bay and then met with the branch committee at its recent July meeting. Never ones to miss an opportunity to keep Stu abreast of all that’s happening in Newcastle, the committee saw that Stu became aware of all that is happening in the Hunter and of plans for events into the future.

While at the meeting, Stu was able to join the committee in welcoming new members Helen Wright and Matt Benson. Helen, previously with Penrith DRLFC and now at League Central, is a very well-credentialled rugby league person and has already shown interest in becoming a force in the committee’s welfare programs. Matt is the current Newcastle Jockey Club CEO. Back to the golf day. What a success!! Brilliantly organised by Chris Kelly and Peter Arnold, the Nelson Bay Bowling Club auditorium was overflowing to ensure a most successful fund-raising dinner on the Saturday 58

MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

Michael Hagan, James McManus and Stuart Raper at a Newcastle and Hunter committee function at Nelson Bay.

SCORPIONS SHOW THEY STILL HAVE SOME STING It’s 25 years since the Macquarie Scorpions won their one and only first grade premiership in the Newcastle competition.

Mal Graham, the captain, is now a Member of the Newcastle Hunter branch committee. Mal retired [at 35 years young] after Kurri beat the Scorps 20-16 in the 1994 grand final.

From there, he carved out an impressive career in coaching with the Hunter Mariners (under 17s), Newcastle Knights (under-19s, under-20s and reserve grade coach from 1999-04).

Mal was also Newcastle CRL coach (2005-07), Macquarie United and NSW Country coach as well as selector at CRL level and a member of the Newcastle board.

Great to think that the majority of the Scorps ‘91 side

are still in Newcastle while four are in Sydney, two on the South Coast, one in Queensland, one on the North Coast and two on the Central Coast.

Mal is currently a personal development, health and physical education teacher at West Wallsend High School.

his latest book. Haddan is an eloquent speaker and is also a renowned comedian.

On 11 November a dinner has been set down for Pine Rivers Memorial Bowls Club following fruitful talks involving committee president Ian Gatenby, secretary Vance Rennie, Pine Rivers CEO Wayne Moffatt and general manager Steve Ratcliffe.

In 2017 the committee hopes to be able to hold functions at Redcliffe Leagues and Norths Kallangur.

At the time of going to press, former Brisbane president Ron Atkins was on the mend in Brisbane's Prince Charles Hospital following a fall at the Queensland committee's golf day at Indooroopilly.

The hard-working Newcastle committee.

BRISBANE

BY STEVE RICKETTS, PUBLICITY OFFICER New Queensland welfare and education officer Mark Bunting addressed the July 6 Kick Off Club lunch at Broncos Leagues Club and impressed with his enthusiasm for his new role. A former teacher at St Brendan's College, Yeppoon, Mark was operations manager for this year's Confraternity Shield which was held in Rockhampton and Yeppoon. A former student of Brisbane's Iona College, he was delighted to see the southern bayside school enter teams in the Confraternity Shield for the first time. Mark spoke of his admiration for the work done by Men of League volunteers and the effectiveness of the Brisbane committee's activities.

Dual international Michael O'Connor was guest speaker at the well-attended lunch and gave a revealing insight into the life a player switching from the then amateur code of rugby union to semiprofessional league.

Attendees at the lunch included QRL chairman Peter Betros, former Australian Test winger Lionel Morgan and John Cleary, who toured England and France with the 1963-64 Kangaroos after playing rugby union for Queensland.

Former Channel 9 Sports reporter Steve Haddan has been earmarked as guest speaker at the next lunch at the Broncos on 7 December when he will speak about the history of Brisbane Rugby League, the subject of

Steve Ricketts interviewing Michael O’Connor.

BUNDABERG

BY TERRY DODD, PRESIDENT The year is really flying as we continue to raise funds for the Men of League Foundation.

Back in May following our successful golf day, our AGM was held with a number of changes to our committee. Greg Pershouse takes over as secretary, Russ Harvey as new treasurer while Mark Hanson was elected as welfare officer. Mark attended the Men of League conference in Sydney earlier this year and got an insight into the operations of the Foundation and to date is doing an excellent job as are all newly elected officers.

Our long standing treasurer Geoff Rackemann stood down after eight years due to illness and gladly accepted the position as patron. Geoff, thanks for your input into the Bundaberg committee it certainly has been appreciated by all of us and we wish you all the best as you move on.

Our annual sportsman’s dinner on 4 October is getting

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closer and as this report goes to press we are still negotiating to attract a guest speaker. Tables of 10 will be available for this night at a cost of $500 per table, which will include a sit down two-course meal. The function will again be held at the Brothers Sports Club.

that otherwise would not be able to attend the day.

A signed and framed Rubin Wiki memorabilia piece and a signed Raiders jersey were also auctioned. We thank the Canberra Raiders for their contribution to ensure this day was a success.

We were fortunate to be invited back as major sponsors of the Christmas race day meeting on Saturday 10 December at Thabeban Park by the Bundaberg Race Club which we greatly accepted.

More news on this day as we get closer.

Earlier this year there was a book launch covering the history of Goulburn. The 1960s and 1970s Goulburn United and Goulburn Workers were highlighted with an article devoted to former English international Phil Jackson, who was in attendance. Phil was captaincoach of the Goulburn Workers Club in that era and now resides in the Riverina where he is a member of the Men of League.

To any of our members out there at the moment who have any health issues we wish you all the best and that you stay healthy. If you need help just contact any member and we will look into it.

CANBERRA MONARO

BY NOEL BISSETT OAM, PRESIDENT The Men of League round in Canberra was very successful. The committee manned the marquee under very icy and windy conditions where quite a large number of membership forms, magazines and information was distributed to the fans on the day.

Our members are to be congratulated for standing out in the shocking weather conditions for approximately six hours. Not forgetting the Raiders cheerleaders who assisted in handing out the hand clappers. NSW state manager Stuart Raper made the trip down to assist us which we are most appreciative for. Stuart also gave an on the ground talk to the fans prior to kick-off, detailing the work of Men of League. The Raiders donated an open box for the game and our welfare officers distributed these tickets to personnel

It was great for Phil to unite with the former players During the function one of our welfare officers, Ernie Maclay (who also played with the Goulburn Workers Club) presented a cap and polo shirt from Canberra.

Our efforts are now focused on our annual bowls day which will be held on Saturday 29 October at the Canberra Bowling Club, Forrest. We extend an invitation to all members from all other areas to attend and enjoy this day with us.

Canberra committee members along with Raiders cheer girls and Stuart Raper (far right) during Men of League Round.

PROUDLY SUPPORTING MEN OF LEAGUE

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MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

CENTRAL COAST

BY DENNIS TOMSETT, PUBLICITY OFFICER More than 100 people attended a State of Origin luncheon on 27 May as a lead-up to the first State of Origin game in Sydney. This was held at Margarita Daze Beachfront Restaurant and Bar at Ocean Beach.

The venue was perfect with spectacular views from overlooking Ocean Beach across to Lion Island.

The meals and service provided were excellent. The MC for the day was well-known central coast identity Rick Julienne with guest speakers Brett Kimmorley and Owen Craigie; thanks to Rick, Brett and Owen for giving their time for this event.

Many thanks once again to our very loyal race sponsors Erina Leagues Club, The Coast and Country Insurance, The Glasson Group, The Grange Hotel Wyoming, Brisbane Water Glass, The Entrance Leagues Club, The Sunken Monkey Hotel and Gosford Motors.

Recently we were able to assist ex-Rabbitohs player Bob Degan with the loan of a mobility scooter. Bob is suffering from cancer. Many thanks to Warren Todd Peninsula Car Repairs Woy Woy for their generosity in providing a new battery and servicing and cleaning the scooter prior to the hand over.

Members please note that our next event is the golf day to be held at Shelly Beach Golf Club on Friday 9 September. Be sure to book early for another great day of golf.

A race day was held at Gosford in July with once again over 300 people attending. Unfortunately, Don Parish was unable to attend the day due to scheduled surgery.

All funds raised on the day were donated to the Trust Account for Jimmy Jurd. Mark Jurd is a current player with Erina Rugby League Club and has played for many years on the Central Coast. Sadly, for Mark and his wife Nat, their 20-month-old son Jimmy was diagnosed with a very rare brain tumour.

He required urgent and expensive surgery and follow up treatment only available overseas. Tragically, Jimmy recently lost his battle before he could receive the required treatment.

Erina Rugby League Club and Wyoming Lions Club also assisted in raising funds for Jimmy.

Don Parish, Stuart Raper, Brett Kimmorley and Owen Craigie at our State of Origin luncheon.

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FAR NORTH QUEENSLAND

BY KEV MAHER OAM, PUBLICITY OFFICER The ‘Back to the Game’ function at Innisfail Brothers Leagues Club was a resounding success with 40 or more in attendance. Lionel Williamson recalled his early days in rugby league in Innisfail, his Kangaroos tour memories and gave an insight on how he sees the modern game.

The 1966 Cairns Foley Shield team that defeated Townsville that year held a reunion on the same day as the South Sydney v Cowboys match. The team was presented to the crowd before the game to celebrate the 50th year since that victory.

Lionel paid tribute to some of his teammates over the years, in particular Ron Tait, a legend of Innisfail rugby league, who was in attendance. Ron Slater (Billy’s dad), Robbie Henley, Geno Lombardi, Paul Erbacher and Nick Souvlis were other notable Foley Shield footballers at the function.

Australian Jillaroo Steph Hancock rounded off the night giving everyone an overview of ladies’ football and the way it was progressing across Australia.

We extend our sympathies to the Miller family (Tully) on the loss of Mick Miller, a stalwart of Tully sport and to CDRL operations manager Pat Bailey who recently lost her mother, Milly Apps.

We also acknowledge the passing of former Queensland and Australian hooker Brian Fitzsimmons.

Although Brian lived the latter part of his life in Townsville, he was born in Mareeba and made his name at Cairns Brothers and Innisfail when he was captain-coach of Babinda. Brian was a true gentleman of the game and the best ‘striker’ the north has seen and was named in the North Queensland Team of the Century. Vale ‘Fitzy’ you were the best at your trade.

A group of Men of League followers journeyed to Malanda on 12 June to celebrate the 90th birthday of former Far North Queensland (’55) halfback Dick Chant who on his retirement from the game carved out an outstanding career as a race caller and rugby league broadcaster. Dick was a member of the first Cairns team to win the Foley Shield in 1953.

His former schoolmate and Cairns representative teammate Alan Hudson recalled some of Dick’s achievements on and off the field. Kev Maher, John O’Brien and John Moore brought up the Cairns contingent of Men of League visitors.

The Men of League Rivalry Round played at Jones Park on 17 June was very well received and with a bit of tweaking will find a permanent spot in the CDRL calendar. Old Boys from the four CDRL Clubs gathered over a beer or two to recall the Parramatta Park days.

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John McAlister, Nick Souvlis, Vince Cooper, Nick Birches and Lionel Williamson.

FAR SOUTH COAST

BY DAMIAN KENNEDY, SECRETARY With many of the Far South Coast committee members being tied up with local club football commitments things have been quiet on the Far South Coast recently.

With a few well known rugby league identities falling on hard times health-wise, a number of different functions are being planned. The strong link with the local clubs and referees association has enabled the Men of League to work closely with members of the community to ensure appropriate support is provided

by Foundation members and the local clubs personnel.

The annual bowls day on the Sunday prior to Melbourne Cup is in planning at Club Sapphire.

This is one of the most keenly anticipated events on the calendar each year allowing members to catch up post season in a friendly and enjoyable atmosphere.

As we go to print the local rugby league community is getting behind popular long-time referee Ray ‘Sugar’ Ryan as he battles illness. His popularity across many different sections of the local sporting landscape has ensured that the various fundraising activities have been very well supported.

The committee wishes to acknowledge Radio 2EC, Club Sapphire, Tathra Bowling Club, Tathra Country Club and the Eden Fisherman’s Club for all of their continued support.

FRASER COAST

GOLD COAST

The June Kick Off Club held at the Beach House Hotel at Hervey Bay was not as well supported as was expected and it is to be hoped that the next Kick Off Club can have a bigger roll-up and everyone can benefit from the gathering and relive some of the past memories of years gone by.

Over the past months our committee members have been busy, especially with follow up welfare visits.

There has been a change of our executive officers recently with both Vic Beardmore and Leanne Mason stepping down from their respective positions and Jeff Bacchi and Peter Stephenson accepting the positions of secretary and treasurer. Our thanks go to Vic and Leanne for their valued contribution over the years.

Martin Lang is recuperating after four days in Pindarra Private Hospital for an operation to replace one disc and to fuse another in the vertebra of his neck.

BY TREVOR LINDEBERG, PRESIDENT

BY GREG SYLVESTER, WELFARE OFFICER

Our recent sportsman’s dinner held in Monto in June was a great success and special thanks must go to both PJ Marsh and Dale ‘Rowdy’ Shearer for their involvement in the event. We must also thank both the Mantra Group and Kondari Resort at Hervey Bay for their generous donation for the goose club raffle on the night. The Curtis family received their Men of League assistance package on the night which we trust will assist their family in their hour of need.

It was pleasing to hear that former Rovers player Doug Burrows has recovered from a serious health scare recently and it is to be hoped that he will soon be back on the golf course showing both Kim McKenna and Peter Baker how easy the game is.

On a sad note, our thoughts go out to former Maryborough Rovers player and his family Lance Mayes who suddenly lost his father Alby. He was a great supporter of our game and in particular the Rovers Club in Maryborough.

Our appreciation goes out to both former QRL and NSW Referee life member Paul Goener, together with NRL game development officer Scott Zahra for attending our recent monthly meeting and sharing their rugby league experiences over many years.

Plans are well under way for staging our inaugural golf day at Hervey Bay on Friday 14 which we trust will be the forerunner for many similar events. A similar golf day is also planned for Maryborough on Sunday 11 November. For more details contact Trevor Lindeberg on 0418 792 233.

It is also our intentions to arrange for a sportsman’s dinner to be held at Hervey Bay in February next year.

More details will be announced in the future.

In other welfare news it is pleasing to report that Bobby Dimond has been released from hospital after suffering another stroke (his second).

Graeme Farrar (former New Zealand captain and Gold Coast committee member) is well after a short stint in hospital.

Whilst John ‘Pogo’ Morgan has recovered, after being hospitalised in Nantes (France) with double pneumonia. John and his wife Madeline had to curtail their European vacation by two months due to the seriousness of his illness.

Preparations are well in advance for our 2017 internationals gala dinner which will be on Friday 24 February at Burleigh Bears Leagues Club.

There will be between 30 and 40 internationals in attendance, plus special guests.

Tickets for this magnificent evening may be purchased ahead of time at the club. To avoid disappointment book your tickets early.

Our annual golf day will be held on Friday 16 September at the Emerald Lakes Golf Course, bookings can be made through Burleigh Bears Leagues Club.

A bowls day will be on Wednesday 1 December at the Gold Coast Bowls Club (formerly Moana Park).

We will be attending the Sea Eagles Northern reunion on Friday 16 September at Mano’s, Tedder Avenue, Main Beach, to sign new members.

Sincere thanks to Greg Sylvester, Bob Honan, Brett Horsnell and Richard Korn for their excellent assistance in signing up many new members at the Titans v Parramatta game.

Special thanks to David Waite, Ron Turner, John Lang, Paul Charlton and Ken Arthurson for their assistance in our welfare visits, very much appreciated.

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GYMPIE

BY GREG POUNTNEY, SECRETARY We continue to support a few people with visits and phone calls. It’s amazing how much people appreciate receiving a call to see how they are and knowing that someone is concerned about them. Please let me know if you can assist with these visits. Also, please advise if you are aware of anyone needing assistance.

We have experienced difficulties attracting people to speak at our Kick Off Clubs and are keen to find alternative activities for these nights e.g. a quiz. If other committees have ideas that have worked I would appreciate hearing from them.

If you are online and not receiving emails about coming events, please contact me at – gympie@menofleague.com to update your details.

A successful Kick Off Club was held at the Aussie Hotel with Frank Barrett as our guest. Frank spoke with passion regarding the wonderful things achieved with Men of League’s welfare work. He also entertained us with anecdotes involving some of the rugby league identities he’s met during his time in the game.

A sausage sizzle was held at Bunnings in July and we raised $630. Thanks to all our helpers with special thanks to Correne and Bob Leitch who stayed and worked the whole day.

In July we conducted a Kick Off Club in conjunction with the Intrust Super Cup game between Sunshine Coast Falcons and the Tweed Heads Seagulls in Gympie. It was a successful day with people coming into the marquee for a while, having a beer, catching up with old mates and reliving past glories.

Some stayed to sit in the marquee and have further beers and, buoyed by the additional alcohol, offered advice to the players out on the paddock. I think there was a nostalgia surrounding the day in that it took blokes back to the time when rugby league everywhere was Sunday afternoon down at the local footy ground.

A number of ex-players and past and present coaches called in and were very generous with their time, talking and posing for photos with members and the general public. It means so much to fans to meet their heroes. An example of this was the look of delight on a mum's face when she was taking a photo of Luke Bailey holding her baby. Others to visit were Seagulls coach Aaron Zimmerle and CEO Shaun McRae and Falcons coach Craig Ingebrigtsen and CEO Chris Flannery. Channel 9 personalities Scott Sattler and Peter Psaltis also spent time in our marquee. Our thanks go to all these people and also to Frank Barrett for coordinating the visits. We were also able to sign up six new members and sell some caps and shirts.

Planning is under way for our golf day to be held at Gympie Pines on 2 October. This event promises to be a great day. More information will be sent out soon.

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Greg Pountney, Bob Leitch, Chris Flannery, Ross Groundwater, Shaun McRae, Aaron Zimmerle and Luke Bailey.

ILLAWARRA

BY BARRY HARLE, PUBLICITY OFFICER We held our annual bowls day on Friday 22 July at Warilla Sports and Social Club. Once again the club excelled in catering for all those in attendance, with a very tasty breakfast and an excellent buffet lunch.

Thanks to all at the club.

It was a very well attended and successful day with a total of 280 for the presentation and lunch, 265 of those joining in the bowls. This year as well as locals we had teams from Forbes and Surfers Paradise, and a group of eight from Sydney’s northern beaches.

Andrew Farrar did an excellent job as MC. Guest speakers were Men of League welfare and education manager Ben Ross who spoke about the Foundation and gave various examples of the good work being done. Noel Kelly gave us some amusing anecdotes about the "old days" and John Peard finished off with his usual hilarious stories. A great day was had by all, with many catching up with old friends.

The Dragons are giving most of us a few heartbreaks at the moment, however the local Illawarra Cutters are well in the race for the finals of the NSW Intrust Super Premiership.

MELBOURNE

MID NORTH COAST

We have been busy over recent months with the peak season of our fundraising activities taking place. We sold a set of doubles for all three of the State of Origin matches resulting in a total revenue of $1400.

We are busily preparing for our second gala bowls day at Taree Leagues and Sports Club on Sunday 25 September. Last year’s event, arranged at short notice, was a resounding success and many who participated last year are eagerly looking forward to the next one.

Local legends in a variety of sports have indicated they will support the day with many catching up with old mates and friends from years gone by.

BY PETER FOREMAN, PRESIDENT

BY MARSHALL LOADSMAN, MEDIA OFFICER

Men of League Round resulted in an extremely successful activation for us at AAMI Park for the match between the Storm and Roosters. Our committee would like to thank the Melbourne Storm for their support in making this an extremely successful day. We value our association with the Storm and thank the CEO Dave Donaghy and team for the ongoing support we receive.

Our committee’s integrated activations on the day included a tin raffle outside the ground and around the concourse before the game. Thanks to Adrian Blowers from the Storm and the junior players who volunteered to conduct the Tin Shake - they are a credit to the club.

We erected our Men of League marquee outside the ground and this proved very successful in raising awareness and increasing membership.

The Melbourne Storm allowed us to speak at their sponsor functions and also conduct raffles on either side of the ground in the corporate areas where we raffled a framed signed Storm Jersey. This proved to be very popular and was well supported. We also conducted an interview on ground discussing Men of League in general and the people who we have helped locally. The last part of the activation was in conjunction with the Storm Old Boys who formed a guard of honour wearing Men of League caps.

As always I thank Aces Sporting Club in helping us to assist the men, women and children of the rugby league community with particular thanks to Bruce Mathieson Jr and Ross Blair-Holt for their long term support.

Events we have been involved with since the last magazine include the Taree Wingham Race Club’s annual cup carnival, in particular the pre-race day dinner at the Winning Post Function Centre. The race club are ongoing supporters of the Men of League and we are appreciative of their active assistance.

A number of our committee attended testimonial functions for two legends of our game. The first was for Balmain/Penrith great Bob Boland at Nambucca Heads Leagues Club in July. Bob has always supported our events and our members were delighted to reciprocate and show appreciation to Bob and his family in his home town. A week later a group travelled to Fingal Bay to catch up with rugby league Immortal Graeme ‘Chang’ Langlands. While neither were official Men of League functions it reinforces the mateship that makes our game so great.

NORTH WEST

MANILLA SUB COMMITTEE

BY TREVOR HATCH, PRESIDENT The Manilla sub-committee of Men of League North West held their annual bowls day at Manilla Bowling Club on 10 July and 80 players covered the greens.

Bowls was followed by a barbeque lunch, talks by our special guests and auction. Non-bowlers joined bowlers for lunch and the afternoon events in a crowded clubhouse. The fundraising auction and raffle were very successful in both finances and fun.

Special guests were former champions Ron Coote, AM, John Quayle who is a well-known former Manilla local and Neville Glover, aka the wandering Mayor of Manilla. The guests entertained the crowd with tales of their playing experiences and Ron also provided details on the workings of the Men of League.

National board Member, Professor The Honourable Stephen Martin (right), with the winner of the raffle at the Storm corporate area.

Locals appreciated that all three men are busy and are pleased that they found the time to visit a small town

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where rugby league was started by Dally Messenger 99 years ago.

President Phil Chesham organised raffle prizes to help with overall proceeds to assist Niko in his recovery.

Men of League functions here are always well supported by locals and visitors this year travelled from our north west catchment as well as Cobar, Sydney, Central Coast, Coolah and Springsure in Queensland.

Our next planned event will be the annual golf day held at the Ballina Golf and Sports Club on Sunday 16 October with a 12:30 pm start. The format is a fourperson Ambrose event, for further enquiries contact president Phil Chesham on 0402 305 498.

NORTHERN SYDNEY

BY JIM PHELAN, SECRETARY We had a fantastic golf day on Friday 27 May at Warringah Golf Club. Many thanks go to Brookvale Mazda for their sponsorship as well as the Warringah Golf Club team.

There has been a change of venue and date for the sportsman’s lunch. This will now be held on 16 September at the Collaroy SLSC from noon to 4.30pm.

Special guests at the bowls day – (from left) Neville Glover, John Quayle and Ron Coote.

Several of our committee attended our mid-year Kick Off Club at the Berowra JRLC on Saturday 23 July.

GUNNEDAH, NARRABRI AND TAMWORTH SUB COMMITTEES

The function was well attended and special thanks to the club’s executive and members for their support in making it a success in raising considerable funds for one of their locals – 16-year-old player Ricky Johns who is undergoing treatment for leukaemia.

BY JOHN CAMPBELL, ZONE SECRETARY

Gunnedah sub-committee held a most successful golf day in April with over $7000 raised. Special guests Stuart Raper and John Peard made sure the day in the clubhouse was also most enjoyable. Winners on the day were Barry Bailey and Mal Bruce from Tamworth.

All of our sub-committees have been active with welfare visits. Narrabri sub-committee are holding a bowls day on 20 August and Tamworth sub-committee are planning a night for the 29 October. The special guest on this night will be Murray Hartin.

NORTHERN RIVERS

BY GARRY ENSBEY, ASSISTANT PUBLICITY OFFICER We held a social day on 9 July at Byron Bay Red Devil Park during the local NRRRL clash between Byron Bay and Marist Brothers. This day was used to raise funds for former Marist Brothers player Niko Vaka who recently suffered a stroke whilst training his under-16 team and to inform former and present Bryon, Mullumbimby and Marist Brothers players the advantages of becoming a Men of League member.

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Lots of work went into the Men of League Round trying to ensure Men of League socks were sold to all levels of the rugby league community.

WELFARE ACTIVITIES

BY KEN VESSEY, WELFARE COORDINATOR Once again we have been very busy on welfare activities with a number of welfare visits / follow up contacts to private homes, hospitals, rehabilitation centres with members of the rugby league community.

I am delighted to report that our visits have been beneficial to the members and we have been able to provide some assistance.

Among the many welfare highlights were: • Raising of vital funds to assist Ricky Johns in his ongoing treatment • Hosting Troy and Nicole Miles, Peter Gaylard, Rodney Bird and Michael Bannister from the Royal Rehabilitation Centre, Ryde at a recent NRL match at ANZ Stadium • Joint discussions / quick actions with Brian Atherton,

Men of League Mid North Coast, resulted in visits to members, Eric Carney at Royal North Shore Hospital and Ron Perry in a Tuncurry Nursing Home • A trip to Bingara by Norm and Diane Pounder and Bill and Fay Hamilton to attend welcome back celebrations to his hometown for Billy Dixon after a long period in Sydney recovering from severe burns suffered in a road train accident.

RIVERINA

BY IAN LLOYD, SECRETARY The Riverina committee with the valued assistance of head office have been busy contributing to a number of local fundraisers involving young footballers and children of rugby league families in the West Wyalong and Gundagai areas.One such fundraiser was for the Polimeni family of Jugiong. Lui Polimeni became unconscious whilst playing an under-16 game for the Gundagai Tigers, tragically Lui later died in hospital.

The local league community, with the assistance of Men of League, CRL and the local junior leagues, rallied together to organise a raffle to assist the Polimeni family. We thank everyone for their support and assistance.

We would also like to thank Greg Brentnall and the Melbourne committee for their contributions and help with our recent fundraisers. It was fitting that another ex-Canterbury Bulldogs player Allan Turner bid successfully for the opportunity to go to the recent Storm v Roosters game, with a few trimmings added in, kindly donated by Greg Brentnall and the Melbourne crew.

Ricky Johns with Men of League friends.

As mentioned in the previous edition, local nurse Maree Comerford took part in a local Wagga fundraiser nominating Men of League as her charity. Maree raised just under $30,000, a huge effort. See the full story on pages 48-49.

PENRITH

BY TROY DODDS, PUBLICITY OFFICER Men of League Penrith held another successful Kick Off Club event in late July at the Aussie Arms Hotel in Penrith.

The function coincided with Penrith’s game against the Broncos and former premiership winner Luke Priddis attended to provide some insight into the game.

The night was a huge success with $1800 raised for Men of League Foundation and 17 new members were secured.

For those of you who may have played in or been associated with Group 13 (now defunct) a reunion will be held in Tumbarumba on Saturday 22 October.

Further details can be obtained by calling Dianne Harvey on 0410 959 309.

ROMA

BY OWEN LINGARD, PRESIDENT

Pentecost, who plays wheelchair rugby league, pushed himself for 100km in an effort to raise awareness for Men of League Foundation and money to purchase new chairs for the sport.

After eight months away with renal failure I would like to thank all for the support I received from the Roma committee, Roma and District Rugby League, Toowoomba Rugby League, Toowoomba committee, Brisbane committee, The Kirsten Albeck Rugby League Memorial Day committee and community in general in helping me get through this bump in the road.

A number of new members have joined the Penrith committee in recent months in an attempt to build its profile in the proud rugby league area.

On behalf of Luke Baker, who plays with the Miles Taroom Battlers, he would like to thank all who have supported him during his renal failure.

Members of the Penrith committee also took part in wheelchair athlete Nathan Pentecost’s push-a-thon at the Sydney International Regatta Centre recently.

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He had visits from Cameron Smith, Wally Fullerton Smith and Vance Rennie.

Steve Outen, Barney O’Brien and Lyle Cherry have conducted welfare visits to ex-president Brian Jones who is doing well after suffering a stroke.

his genius as a footballer were heard. Great auction and raffle items along with the generous donation of beverages by some long-time supporters made this a memorable function.

Our major event this year is our gala golf day on 8 October. There will be a meet and greet at the golf club on the Friday night with guest speakers and actions.

Saturday will be a two-ball Ambrose with celebrity players auctioned off with many prizes and fancy dress outfits. A fellowship will end the day with interviews with some famous rugby league players.

We invite away teams, families, mates, businesses, rugby league teams, golfers or anyone who would like a weekend of good times and nostalgia as we celebrate the Men of League in lending a helping hand gala golf day.

Gavin Miller, Rod Reddy and Michael Porter.

SOUTHERN SYDNEY

SUNSHINE COAST

Did you know that a rugby league field is 68 metres wide or that Clive Churchill failed to score a try in his 37 games for Australia? Well neither did most of the 80 people that tuned up to our ‘how well do you know the game’ trivia night in July.

Timing was perfect for the Sunshine Coast to welcome three-time Olympic silver medallist Raelene Boyle to its August Kick Off Club – smack bang in the middle of the Rio Olympics.

BY BRUCE THOMPSON, SECRETARY

It was a good night with lots of challenging questions from a range of rugby league categories. The winner at the end of the night was a table comprising referees including first grade official Jared Maxwell.

Our guests were very generous in supporting some great prizes in the raffle, the end result being a contribution of around $2000. This could become an annual event if the feedback from the night is any indication.

On 12 August supporters of the great Steve Rogers came together for a luncheon to mark the 10th anniversary of his untimely passing.

A video highlights package reminded us of what a great player he was. MC Steve Edge once again did a fantastic job in eliciting stories about ‘Sludge’ from rugby league greats Mick Cronin, Rod Reddy and Gavin Miller with interviews from the floor with renowned journalist Gary Lester and teammate John Maguire.

Many of Sludge’s teammates and contemporaries were in the room and the stories about the man and 68

MEN OF LEAGUE SEPTEMBER 2016

BY TONY DURKIN, PUBLICITY OFFICER

Described by Australian Olympic historian Harry Gordon as the fastest drug-free female sprinter of her time, Buderim-based Raelene drew an attentive crowd to Mooloolaba Surf Club for the bi-monthly evening event, which was again attended by just on 100 members and guests.

At just 17, in her first Olympics in Mexico in 1968, she finished second to the great Irena Swezinska of Poland. And at three Commonwealth Games between 1970 and 1982, she won seven gold and two silver medals.

Raelene was Australia’s only track athlete, male or female, to medal at the Olympics between 1968 and 1980. She was honoured in two Olympic opening ceremonies, carrying the Australian flag in Montreal and joining other female legends in Sydney in 2000.

Nambour Crushers RLFC has continued to support the Men of League Foundation and presented a cheque for $1500 at the August Kick Off Club. President Graham Allan revealed the money had been raised from the auctioning of a special set of jerseys worn during the season. It is the third donation to the Foundation from the Nambour club.

TOOWOOMBA REGION

BY RICK LAING, SECRETARY We held our annual general meeting on 29 June.

Andrew O’Brien was re-elected as president, Terry Smoothy as treasurer, Peter Rookas as publicity officer, Les Tolman and Jon Dent as welfare officers and Rick Laing as secretary.

We are grateful for our QLD state manager Frank Barrett attending the meeting and giving an update of important matters affecting committees and Foundation activities. John McDonald continues to be the patron of our committee and a wonderful supporter.

It was decided at the meeting to change the name of the committee from Southern Division to Toowoomba Region to more accurately reflect our area of activity.

Raelene Boyle with MC Tony Durkin.

SYDNEY METRO

BY BRAD RYDER, MEDIA OFFICER We held another sold out luncheon at Souths Juniors on Friday 5 August. Coinciding with the Women In League round, Steve Gillis once again did the MC duties with excellence. Committee president Henry Morris welcomed the large crowd, noting the presence of new Men of League CEO Peter Collins, committee patron Bob McCarthy, Souths Juniors chairman Keith McCraw and Member for Kingsford Smith, Matt Thistlethwaite.

A memoriam video was shown with singer Amber Lawrence on stage performing ‘The Lifesaver’ as a tribute to her late father Brian. First guest speaker was Ruan Sims, the captain of the Jillaroos, and sister of well-known players Ashton, Tariq and Korbin. She outlined the history of Women In League and that the game is growing in popularity.

Phil Gould and Brad Fittler were interviewed on stage

by Steve Gillis, telling stories of the experiences in the game. Alby Talarico did a successful fundraising auction and raffle, followed by World Cup winning Wallaby and ‘undercover cop’ Dan Crowley telling us stories of the Wallabies and crimes involving drugs.

A successful social and fundraising event was held over the Men of League Round weekend which is covered in a separate article in this magazine. The committee is involved in the Gatton golf day which will have been run by the time this magazine is distributed.

We have a Bunnings sausage sizzle scheduled for 26 November so will be keen to have some experienced BBQ cooks volunteering for what will be a long day.

Our committee is continually very active in welfare activities with our hard-working and committed welfare officers constantly in touch with people and making a real impact. Thanks go to Queensland committee member Wally Fullerton Smith for his time in visiting people – it is always so much appreciated.

TOWNSVILLE

BY BARRY BUCHANAN, PUBLICITY OFFICER The highlight for Townsville this year was the Men of League day held in conjunction with the Townsville Blackhawks Intrust Super Cup match against Burleigh Bears on 16 July.

It started at lunch time with a Kick Off Club sponsored

by Brothers Leagues Club and Lion. Guest speaker was Blackhawks coach Kristian Woolf who gave the members an insight into his time with North Queensland Cowboys (as coach) and Brisbane Broncos (assistant NRL coach) as well as the progress of the Blackhawks.

Steve Gillis interviewing Brad Fittler and Phil Gould.

This was followed by the curtain-raiser between the Queensland Outback and the North Queensland United. The Outback boys consisted of players from HELPING MEN, WOMEN AND CHILDREN IN THE RUGBY LEAGUE COMMUNITY

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Mt Isa and Cloncurry, to Condamine and Tenterfield in NSW who play in the Boeder League while the United players came from areas such as Thursday Island, Bamaga, Weipa and Palm Island. Well done to the QRL on promoting such a game for remote players.

The main game was a thriller with Burleigh scoring in the last five minutes to win 26-20. Committee members worked tirelessly throughout the day promoting membership and raising funds through a raffle of Cowboys and Men of League merchandise.

Thank you to Justin Wilkins, Matty Keeffe, Adrian Thompson and Glen Cummins for their support on such a successful day.

It was great to see so many attend the funeral of rugby league great Brian Fitzsimmons, who passed away on 22 June after a long illness. Fitzy represented Queensland 20 times, Australia on nine occasions and in 1971 was judged best hooker in the world winning the J G Stephenson Trophy for the second time. Our best wishes are with his devoted wife Pat and family.

TUGGERAH

BY GREG TUNN, PUBLICITY OFFICER A successful Kick Off Club, with over 40 people attending, was held on 17 June at Doyalson-Wyee RSL Club. We are very appreciative of the support from Scott Purcell and the club who provided an excellent meal, raffle prizes and a courtesy bus for our members. Our final Kick Off Club is scheduled for 30 September at Norah Head Sports Club, which will have a grand final theme and special guests.

Planning is also under way for our annual golf day at Wyong Golf Club on Friday 28 October. It will be a four-ball Ambrose format with the usual competitions – longest drive and nearest the pin, followed by a buffet lunch and guest speakers. If interested in participating in these functions please contact Denis Smith on 0415 433 976 or Terry Wand on 0438 521 736. We will be looking for sponsors on the day, please advise if you are interested.

many stories about when his dad, John, visited the club. We then headed down the coast to the Rockingham Coastal Sharks clubrooms where the club had special Men of League jerseys designed for their clash with the Joondalup Giants and raised over $1500 for Men of League in their auction of this jersey. Another bonus for Stuart was catching up with Sharks coach Darren Shaw, a player he coached at his time at Castleford. A massive thank you goes to the Rockingham and Fremantle clubs for their hospitality during the day.

Sunday was our golf day and over 60 players assembled at the Maylands Peninsula Golf Course and the rain held off all day. It is a great course and some great golf was played with our WA Harness Boys taking the Prize in Michael Brennan, Chris Voak, Gary Hall Jnr and Michael Maxwell. Well done guys and a big thank you to all that joined us. It was a great day and finished a busy weekend for us over here in WA. Upcoming events will be a lunch before the Kangaroos v Kiwis Test match that is here in Perth on October 15.

The day is to be finalised. Our very popular NRL WA past players’ reunion is on Saturday 5 November at the South Perth Lions Clubrooms where this year we are honouring all the previous Brice/Ken Allen Medallist, always a great day so please lock it in your diaries.

WESTERN SYDNEY

BY GARRY O’DONNELL, SECRETARY Our big event this last period was our golf day held at the Cabramatta Golf Club. We had 126 people attend the very successful day. Club manager Billy Basan put on a great day for us with the course in A grade conditions plus the Italian food from the restaurant was outstanding. Winners from the day were Terry and Peter Lamb’s group. Special thanks to Bruiser Clark and Paul Wadick for running the day so professionally.

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Our sponsors Simplicity Funerals, Gold Crest Security, Peter Wynn Score and the Coolibah Hotel all helped out on the day – thank you again. Former Eels and Rooster player Chad Robinson volunteered his time and was our celebrity golfer. He spoke so well about the help Men of League gave him over the last six months (thanks Ray Beattie). It was a great day and we have booked it in again for next year.

Our Men of League Round was a great success.

State manager Stuart Raper made the trip and it was a busy weekend indeed. Firstly, we were entertained at a great luncheon which raised over $400 at the Fremantle Roosters Clubrooms where Stuart heard

On a sad note, our great mate and vice-president Steve Ghosn lost his son Steven recently. It’s been a tough time for our local area. The respect the rugby league community has for the Ghosn family showed with the largest funeral I have attended. A great young fella gone too early.

BY JAMES SULLIVAN, PRESIDENT

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