Men of League - Issue 69

Issue 69 – December 2017

World Champs

Aussie men & women make history ‘Gus’ wins Maroon hearts Vic committee in league of own Meet NRL’s new commissioner

It’s easy to find one of our medical centres closest to you that offers:* Bulk billing Extended hours Multiple services under one roof Some of the services available in our medical centres: •

GPs

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Eye care

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Geriatric care

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Diagnostic imaging: X-ray, Ultrasound, MRI, mammography and more

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Physiotherapy

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Psychology

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Podiatry

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Audiology

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Pathology

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Weight management

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IVF

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Dental

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Exercise physiology

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Onsite chemists

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Skin specialists

Operated by major sponsor of the Men of League Foundation:

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*“Bulk billing” items refer to conditions that are covered by Medicare and its qualifying criteria. Details are available at the Department of Health and Ageing’s Medicare Benefits Schedule. Calls to 1800 numbers from most fixed lines are free from anywhere in Australia. Calls from public and mobile phones may beMen timedof and charged at higher rate and may vary between mobile service provider. Not all services listed are available at all centres. You should contact | a League December 2017 your nearest centre to confirm operating hours and services available.

In this edition

5 Jason Gall 6 Gus Gould experience 8 Membership 10 RLWC wrap 13 RLWC experience 14 Megan Davis 17 PM’s XIII 18 Paul Cohen 19 Leagues Club Australia conference 20 How Melbourne is being won 22 McLean family 25 Meet our new staff 26 George Vautin 30 Les Brennan 34 David Hurley’s love of league 36 Frank Clancy 38 Cara Murray 40 Newcastle Hunter 49 QRL history committee news Cover shot: Grant Trouville, NRL Imagery.

Plus the regulars 28 Helping Hand 32 Around the Grounds 42 Tributes 46 NRL Wellbeing and Education 50 League trivia 51 Committee news Editor: Neil Cadigan (editor@menofleague.com) Design: Nine Ounces Phone: (02) 4311 2266 www.nineounces.com Deadline for next edition: January 27, 2018

From the

Chairman

Professor the Hon. Stephen Martin

I’d like to take this final opportunity in 2017 to thank you for your membership and continued support of the Foundation.

Without you we wouldn’t be able to care for the people within our rugby league community who require our support and assistance. Thank you.

2017 has been a year of some change for the Foundation. Our national gala dinner celebrated our 15th anniversary and Ron Coote as he moved from chairman to honorary president. We have also undertaken significant change around our membership model. Though these changes can be difficult, I thank you for your continued support of us and our cause.

I was very pleased to review the results of our recent membership survey. It should be no surprise that the number one reason people become members is to

improve the lives of others. This value was the very seed of why the Foundation was established and I’m proud of this.

We have continued to take steps to meet our corporate governance responsibilities and ensure that the Foundation remains financially viable. As part of this, our 2018 membership will see a robust program implemented to increase the membership experience and achieve key financial outcomes.

I hope you’ve enjoyed the 2017 Rugby League World Cup. As the Official Australian Charity Partner the campaign has presented a spectacular platform to demonstrate the wonderful work we do within our code.

Finally, I wish you all the very best for Christmas and New Year.

I hope you enjoy time with family, friends and loved ones and look forward to a successful 2018.

National Board of Directors Patron: The Honourable John Fahey AC | Honorary President: Ron Coote AM | Chairman: Professor The Honourable Stephen Martin Directors: Brad Howell, Alan Sullivan QC, Geoff Thoroughgood, Alan Tongue, Darryl Van de Velde, Helen Wood Grant Executive Chief Executive Officer Frank Barrett – frank.barrett@menofleague.com National Manager Corporate Services Emile Assaf – emile.assaf@menofleague.com National Manager Membership & Fundraising Vanessa Bolzan – vanessa.bolzan@menofleague.com National Manager Administration Kellie-Ann Furner – kellie-ann.furner@menofleague.com NSW Manager Bruce Walker – bruce.walker@menofleague.com Membership & Database Executive Paula Feagaiga – paula.feagaiga@menofleague.com

Administration Support Hayley Clift – admin@menofleague.com QLD Manager David Shillington – david.shillington@menofleague.com QLD Wellbeing & Education Officer Mark Bunting – mark.bunting@menofleague.com QLD Events Manager Samantha James – samantha.james@menofleague.com QLD Administration Belinda Perry – belinda.perry@menofleague.com Media & Marketing Nine Ounces – ahenry@nineounces.com

National Office/NSW Office Level 3, Eastern Grandstand, ANZ Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park NSW 2127 PO Box 7049 Silverwater NSW 2128 P: 02 8765 2232 E: admin@menofleague.com QLD Office QRL Central, 83 Castlemaine Street, Milton QLD 4064 PO Box 1217, Milton QLD 4064 P: 07 3367 6080 E: qldadmin@menofleague.com

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Your Men of League local contacts New South Wales

Canberra Monaro President: Noel Bissett 0407 597 533 Secretary: Steven Troth 0407 182 410 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: Colin Clarke 0412 764 740 Secretary: Sheldon Wykes Illawarra President: Peter Fitzgerald 0412 263 733 Secretary: Bob McKellar 0408 393 040 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 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

Riverina President: Kel Tilden 0457 319 700 Acting Secretary: Ian Lloyd 0457 850 384

Fraser Coast President: Kev Embrey 0427 250 545 Secretary: Jeffrey Bacchi 0419 729 857

South Coast President: Chris Burke 0438 236 606 Secretary: Carol Weller 0408 478 043

Gold Coast President: Ian Amos 0417 005 180 Secretary: Wayne Thompson 0413 818 807

Southern Monaro President: John Bedingfield Secretary: Tom Herbert 0419 215 103

Goondiwindi President: Ernie Silcock 0429 724 699 Secretary: Peter Sullivan 0427 653 679

Southern Sydney President: Terry Hughes 0447 488 052 Secretary: Bruce Thompson 0419 475 465

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

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

Mackay President: Paul Hudson 0450 737 130 Secretary: Alf Abdullah 0417 752 694

Tuggerah Lakes President: Denis Smith 0415 433 976

Rockhampton President: Dominique McGregor 0411 446 939 Secretary: Stan Smith 0403 409 569

Tweed District President: John Strong 0421 971 586 Secretary: Tom Cassin 0407 457 661 Upper Hunter President: Paul Medd 0409 482 297 Secretary: Erica Edwards 0429 485 121 Western Region President: Martin Cook Secretary: Ross Tighe 0428 289 324 Western Sydney President: Steve Winbank Secretary: Garry O'Donnell 0418 699 257

Northern Sydney President: Trevor Bailey 0414 843 600 Secretary: Jim Phelan 0419 414 759

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QLD & Affiliated States Brisbane President: Ian Gatenby 0412 038 013 Secretary: Vance Rennie 07 3350 6436

Bundaberg District Secretary: Greg Pershouse 0416 242 566

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

Central Highlands President: Mick Roach 0439 079 686 Secretary: RJ Stewart 0407 766 841

Port Stephens President: Chris Kelly 0418 652 857 Secretary: Peter Arnold 0404 872 018

Far North Queensland President: John McAllister 0409 722 455 Secretary: Chey Bird 0409 251 187

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Sunshine Coast President: Don Oxenham 0409 849 161 Secretary: Barry Marsden 0402 654 231 Toowoomba Region President: Tony Coonan 0407 124 302 Secretary: Rick Laing 0419 212 522 Townsville President: Mark Williams 0409 894 427 Secretary: Terry Feeney 0488 000 899 Victoria President: Peter Foreman 0439 533 171 Secretary: Greg Brentnall 03 8412 4905

North West President: Don Pascoe 0477 132 456 Secretary: John Campbell 0408 421 065 Northern Rivers President: Phil Chesham 0402 305 498 Secretary: Tony Cicchinelli 02 6621 3096

Roma President: Owen Lingard 0400 496 507 Secretary: Jason Coonan 0419 729 857

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 Chairman: Darryl Van de Velde Vice Chairman: Pete Psaltis Treasurer: Tony Woodgate Committee: Ken Brown, Jason Cubit, Darryl Foster, Wally Fullerton-Smith, Ian Gatenby, Ashley Tulley, Greg Veivers, Dan Whitmore

Jason’s inspiring fight Graham Callaghan and Daniel McKenzie “I cut my finger on a little bit of oyster but I cleaned it out straight away and went surfing. I caught four waves and swallowed some water like I usually do, but on the fourth wave I felt a cold coming on.

“I decided to head in because I surfed every day so I didn’t want to push myself. I was really cold so I put the heater on in my car but I was still freezing and just couldn’t get warm. When I got home I lay down and then it really started coming on.”

Jason Gall (centre) with former Wests Magpies legend Mick Liubinskas and Queensland coach Kevin Walters.

Jason Gall can’t believe how the Tongan side he passionately followed bowed out in the Rugby League World Cup semi-final against England.

The rugby league ‘tragic’, who has been battling every day for 29 months to live the best life possible after surviving sepsis after surfing at Snapper Rocks.

Gall, being supported by Men of League, has no left hand, is a double amputee and receives dialysis for three and a half hours, three times each week.

Karen was sitting in her chair next to Jason, who was on his dialysis machine, watching the frantic last moments of the Tonga-England clash.

“We couldn’t believe it. The ref should have at least gone upstairs to look at it,” said Karen. “Jason played with Harbord Devils juniors with Beaver [Steve Menzies] and [Tongan staff member] Hoppa [John Hopoate]. They were all good mates and would play league in the morning and back up for rugby union in the afternoon.”

Gall still has horrific memories of the day in July 2015 which completely changed his life. He remembers his whirlwind 24 hours which started like any other day.

“I was waiting for the tide to drop at Snapper Rocks so I went and watched my mate attending to his oysters,” recalls the former surfing rising star.

Karen returned home from work to find her Jason bed-bound with a high fever. “I monitored him during the night and gave him Panadol and Ibuprofen but when we got up the next morning I couldn’t believe how clear his eyes were – I thought whatever it was had left him,” she said.

Karen said because Jason was deteriorating rapidly she knew something was seriously wrong. By 2.30pm they were in the car racing to the hospital.”

Gall was suffering from fever and confusion and when he arrived at Tweed hospital he threw himself on the tiles to cool himself from severe pins-andneedles and burning. He was induced into a coma by 7pm and spent the next five months in hospital.

Jason had both legs amputated below the knee and by the end of August also had his left hand amputated and suffered PTSD from the experience.

He also endured blindness (his sight has returned), psychosis and delirium, a pinky amputation and lifesaving dialysis before arriving home on December 11.

“We raised in excess of $20,000 from a fund raising afternoon at Kirra Beach hotel and this goes towards a custom-made $180,000 hand limb. Former world surfing champions Occy [Mark Occhilupo and Rabbit [Wayne Batholemew] were there,” said Karen.

“Jason has an exercise psychologist one day each week and is walking 1.8km and has his board in the pool. It gives us both great hopes.”

Acting National Wellbeing & Education Manager Mark Bunting organised for Jason to be a special speaker at Leagues Club Australia annual conference at Southport where he met Kevin Walters and Gorden Tallis.

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Justin Lang and Kylie Rees from Formula Interiors with Phil Gould.

‘Gus’ commands the boardroom Phil ‘Gus’ Gould has generated his detractors in Queensland through his outspokenness and passion for all things blue come State of Origin time.

Yet he won a room full of new admirers thanks to Men of League.

Steve Ricketts It hardly seemed like an occasion worth auctioning at a Queensland Rugby League gathering!

But 10 bidders at our Queensland annual lunch at Brisbane’s Royal International Convention Centre on 1 September took the plunge, paying $750 each for the privilege of dining with the Channel 9 commentator and former New South Wales State of Origin and premiership winning coach.

The Gus Gould ‘Winning Culture’ boardroom experience was voted an outstanding success by the attendees, with several changing their previously jaundiced views about the controversial figure.

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John Hamilton, a Brisbane solicitor, said he had always regarded ‘Gus’ Gould as a “pompous so and so” but now sees him in a different light.

Hamilton, a former Brothers rugby union player, was gifted the lunch by a client, Frank Carsberg.

“I was hesitant about attending, and I was late getting there, so it wasn't a great start,” Hamilton said. “I found myself sitting right next to Gus. “The more he spoke, the more incredulous I was at the difference between the man beside me and the image I had formed of him. I had been totally foxed. He gave us a lot his time and the only time

he got a bit prickly was when someone criticised New South Wales.

“He told us of the marvellous things that have been happening at Penrith (where Gould is executive general manager), but didn’t take any credit for it. He was a very gentle, humble man. I would line up behind him any time, because of his style of leadership.'”

Glen Macdermott, a barman at the historic Marburg pub, west of Ipswich, said the lunch with Gould gave him a new perspective on how to make plans come to fruition, through a positive culture.

Macdermott, who is also a trained nurse, almost gave up on the bidding at the Dutch auction but those at the table threw in extra money to keep him in the game.

“I'm a true-blue Queensland fan, and I didn't know what to expect [from Gould],” Macdermott said.

“I remember as a 12-year-old watching Penrith beat Canberra (in 1991), and there was Gus as the winning coach. I’m still a Penrith supporter.

“I was in awe of what Gus had to say and how he came across. He gave me inspiration to want to achieve more. We all go through different things in life, but it’s how we handle the challenges. Gus spoke of his family life and how the death of his father impacted on him.

“He didn't talk about the premierships and Origins he has won. He told us of the culture they are trying to build at Penrith, just down to simple things, like making sure players clean up if they bring grass inside on their boots at training. He is a great ambassador for the code, and Penrith.”

Kylie Rees, business development manager at Formula Interiors (the company which decked out the new QRL Central building at Milton) admitted she was hesitant when told she had been chosen, along with work colleague Justin Lang, to have lunch with Gus after the company bid for two spots.

“It's hard not to have pre-conceived ideas about Gus, given he is so vocal on television and radio,” she said. “But my perception quickly changed.

He is a very humble man, considering all he has achieved in the game.

“It was a bit of a surprise when I was asked if I wanted to attend the lunch and I wasn't overly excited, particularly as there would be just the 10 of us in a very intimate setting. But I’m glad I went.”

Queensland Men of League chairman Darryl Van de Velde had asked Gould to donate his services to the charity.

“When I approached him, and told him the lunch would be held in the Queensland Rugby League boardroom, I said it would be an opportunity for him to have a look at the Origin shield, seeing it hardly ever resides in New South Wales,” Van de Velde said. “He just laughed, but I didn't have to ask him twice.”

New Men of League Queensland manager David Shillington, the former Australian and Queensland prop, gave a formal introduction at the Winning Culture lunch and, like the paying guests, was impressed by Gould’s manner and style.

“I knew Gus from my time at the Roosters and he’s one of the smartest blokes I’ve ever met,” said Shillington “When I was doing my research for the intro, it reminded me just how much Gus has achieved, winning two premierships as a coach and six State of Origin series, as well as playing in a grand final (for Newtown in 1981).

“He coached me for a couple of games at the Roosters in 2005 when [head coach] Ricky Stuart and [assistant coach] Dean Pay were in State of Origin camp. He always put a lot of focus on controlling the ruck to win a game.”

Gould told guests if ever they were in Penrith to look him up and he would show them around the Panthers complex.

The 10 guests were: Kylie Rees, Justin Lang (Formula Interiors); Tom Solah (SQS Haulage); Tim Bodell (John Holland); Ray Walter (Tynan Partners); Andrew O'Brien (Toowoomba committee); Craig Pukallus (Telco Antennas); John Hamilton (McInnes Wilson Lawyers); Glen Macdermott (Marburg Hotel) and David Moore (Mint Partners).

Wine was provided by Angove of McLaren Vale, a Queensland sponsor. Thanks to NRL Commission chairman John Grant who donated his seat to the Foundation and the QRL for use of their boardroom.

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Exciting new changes to the membership program There is no better way to show your support for the rugby league community than by being a member of the Men of League Foundation and we are so proud to have you as part of our family.

A new and improved membership program is on the way that will not only improve your member experience, but also help meet some challenging new targets for 2018.

As the support required for the men, women and children of the rugby league community continues to grow, we are required to place a larger emphasis on membership, sponsorship and events as viable revenue streams.

Servicing this wellbeing need within our community is why we exist and why we are well and truly rugby league’s most important and trusted cause.

When we were founded in 2002, members joined to be a part of something that improves the lives of others. This reason still stands today.

Our recent membership survey results (as shown on the opposite page) show that the top two reasons to join the Foundation are to improve the lives of others and to support the organisation financially.

Over the years, the main reasons to be involved haven’t changed. However our role in providing wellbeing support has required us to evolve and adapt in order to help build a robust and sustainable organisation.

For this reason, our new membership program will move to an annual renewal model for all members. This will put us in a stronger position to be able to help those most in need in the rugby league community.

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New membership program summary

• Membership is now off sale for 2017 and will be on sale again in February 2018. This will allow our membership team to work tirelessly behind the scenes to set up the new program

• All membership enquiries received during

this time will be directed to our ‘register your interest’ page. We will contact all registrants when membership is on sale again. If any membership forms are received during the off-sale period, the national office will process these from February 2018. Existing members do not need to register

• Each member will be given a username and password so that online renewal and the updating of personal details is easier

• New membership categories will offer a

discount to those who renew online and who opt to receive the magazine digitally

• Members that sign up using a credit card or a bank transfer will have their membership renewal processed automatically each year

• Our updated membership forms will allow

for members/committees to be referenced as recruiters. There will be prizes for the members/committees that recruit the most new members.

In early 2018, we will send out membership forms for you to renew your membership of the Foundation.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact the membership team at membership@menofleague.com

A snapshot of responses Thank you to those members who took the time to complete the Men of League Foundation member survey. Your input has helped us better understand your needs as members as well as help shape the new membership program.

Q: Moving forward, are there any other items you would like to receive as part of the membership pack?

Membership card Lanyard

We have had some fantastic feedback, with over 1,300 responses to date.

Keyring Bumper sticker

Overall, members are very satisfied with most aspects of their membership with the highest satisfaction being in the Foundation’s work in distributing assistance and providing social support within the rugby league community

Q: Why did you become a member of the Men of League Foundation?

Cap Scarf Magnet Flag Other

Q: Would a $5 discount encourage you to renew your membership online?

Q: Would you pay an additional $10 to continue to have your magazine mailed to you?

86%

Being a part of something that improves the lives of others

63%

YES 47%

YES

Overall satisfaction with the Foundation

84%

Members who plan on renewing for 2018

92%

To support the organisation financially To receive the benefits associated with the membership - magazine, keyring, etc.

Membership was given to me as a gift Other

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A Cup-winning try … Australia’s Boyd Cordner crosses in the final. Image: NRL Imagery.

A new world beckons The 2017 World Cup was magnificent with new heroes, the emergence of Tonga and Fiji as real threats to the top-tier teams, increased popularity of the women’s Cup and a fitting final between the Kangaroos and an English team of great resolve. Yet where to from here?

Neil Cadigan No World Cup has attracted such imagination and interest beyond traditional rugby league boundaries. Many memories of RLWC2017 will certainly endure … from the opening whistle through to the fairytale finals in the men’s and women’s tournament in Brisbane the first Saturday of December.

Of course, the rise of the Tongans was the talking point and the Mate Ma’a provided some of the most memorable moments: their victory over the Kiwis which was the first by a tier-two nation over a tier-one rival; the incredible finish to their semi-final against England in which they came from 18-0 with seven minutes remaining to 10

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almost snatch what would have been the most compelling victory in World Cup history; and the sea of red support in Hamilton and Mt Smart.

While tensions had been rising in the streets of South Auckland in the lead-up to their clash in Hamilton, the simultaneous cultural challenges (war cries) – Tonga’s sipi tau and Samoa’s siva tau – created unparalleled emotion, unity and visual excitement and quelled any potential conflict (it followed a circle of prayer formed by both teams).

ESPN used a clip of the event (and highlights package) online and it was viewed 44 million times in the USA!

Jason Taumalolo leads the Tongan sipi tau. Image: NRL Imagery.

All smiles … victorious Jillaroos Meg Ward, Eliana Walton, Chelsea Baker and Brittany Breayley. Image: NRL Imagery.

There were six games outside of league’s traditional strongholds of NSW and Queensland that were sold out – three in Port Moresby featuring the Kumuls, one in Darwin (Australia v Samoa), Tonga v New Zealand in Hamilton and – in the greatest statement about the Cup – the 30,000 semi-final full-house at Mt Smart Stadium.

seen so often before, because of their apparent physical and psychological edge. And the curtainraiser between the Australian Jillaroos women’s team and the NZ Kiwi Ferns produced what was a wonderful contest of skill and intensity which, like the men’s final that followed, went right down to the final few plays in a 23-16 Aussie victory which gave them successive World Cup honours.

Until now, a sell-out in NZ in a match not featuring the Kiwis or the Warriors would have been fiction.

Who will forget the tears and pride in the eyes of Fijian captain Kevin Naiqama, who came of age as a leader through his captaincy on and off the field, after he’d led his team to a quarter-final victory over New Zealand?

Yet, despite all of this, there was still the chance that the World Cup tournament would retain its critics if it wasn’t for a final to match what went before it in the preceding five weekends.

We needed a fairytale culmination and we were served one with an Australian-England clash that resulted in a 6-0 Kangaroos victory in England’s first Cup final appearance since 1995.

Channel 7, broadcasting rugby league for a rare time since Rex Mossop’s calling days of the 1980s, attracted 2.7 million viewers for the classic finals day and it is estimated that almost one in four Australians watched the World Cup at some stage during the tournament.

Wayne Bennett, Sam Burgess, the passionate Poms, Jason Taumalolo and the tight Tongans, the flamboyant Fijians, Cameron Smith and Mal Meninga who restored the greatest blend of tradition, professionalism and desire in the Australian jersey that we had seen for a long time, and the professional, dedicated RLWC2017 staff of about 50 … take a bow!

For the first time in decades, State of Origin intensity for 80 minutes was witnessed in a Test match due to England’s best performance in recent memory, considering they’d lost hooker Josh Hodgson and skipper Sean O’Loughlin to injury in the semi-final.

However, here comes the catch-line … where to from here for international rugby league?

We will have the predictable boast of how much profit was made, just like we saw after the 2013 Cup in England and 2008 Centenary World Cup in Australia, but will that be it publicly from the Rugby League International Federation until the next Cup tournament?

Who would have thought it would have been the Australians who would be out on their feet in the final 20 minutes when they were expected to power over the Brits late in the game, as we had

The Australians will not play a Test again until October 2018, a one-off against the Kiwis.

The Samoans and Tongans clash again in Campbelltown next July in a double header that

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involves PNG v Lebanon but what about taking the Pacific nations showdowns back to New Zealand?

Where do the vast profits from the past three World Cups that measures into double-digit millions go?

Will it be into infrastructure and developing better expertise in these previously-typecast minnows and a reserve fund established to better equip and better pay Australia, New Zealand and England’s rivals for the next tournament?

Little is likely to be heard.

And that’s because the RLIF is the least resourced, lowest profiled and, effectively, the least powerful of the tiers of rugby league administration – as part of a hierarchical pyramid that is upside down compared to other international sports.

In rugby league the club level entities are the richest, most powerful and influential; the state and national bodies inferior; and the international ‘ruling’ body perceived as bottom of the pile.

Yet for those like me who refuse to admit international rugby league should be subservient to the NRL and Super League, that meaningful and regular Test football can attract public profile, revenue and acceptance, and it can be scheduled alongside club leagues, RLWC2017 threw up an important line in the sand … if the game cares to cross it.

There is now real and measured potential for national teams other than Australia, England and New Zealand (the relaxing of the eligibility rules which should have been relaxed years ago was a massive factor in generating new hope).

Let’s now put resourcce and good people into the RLIF and chase corporate revenue for the developing nations and for tournament rights.

It may mean reducing the length of the NRL and Super League competitions (put Origin to weekends as part of three ‘representative round’ weekends with other matches that have now proved will be valuable TV programing) but so be it if we can be creative and determined enough to drive the value of other levels of rugby league.

Yet the resignation, by not just me but many people high up in the sport, is that the RLIF

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will go back under a rock in public perception, irregular scheduling will continue, not enough of the tournament profits will go to genuine international development of a sport that, over a century after its birth is predominantly a provincial game, and it probably won’t even be revealed where the millions will go.

I desperately hope that is not the case.

The 2017 World Cup deserves more than some good memories as its legacy.

A World Cup partnership Men of League Foundation had an official, and strong, link to the successful World Cup after being adopted as the tournament’s nominated charity.

It led to the Foundation having a presence through stalls and signage at all matches in Australia, with many people who were not previously aware of the Foundation’s work being able to interact.

“The Men of League Foundation greatly appreciates the opportunity provided by RLWC2017, as the official charity partner in Australia,” said Men of League CEO Frank Barrett.

“World Cup CEO Andrew Hill has always been a great supporter of the Foundation, having witnessed first-hand the significant impact our volunteers make on the men, women and children of the rugby league community.

“This tournament will long be remembered for some of the best international rugby league ever played and our volunteers will also cherish the memories they will take away from the activation conducted at the grounds around Australia.”

Mal Meninga, Mick Power, Michael Hagan and Bruce Thompson.

The power of passion Mick Power loves his rugby league as much has he loves helping people not as fortunate as him.

So, it was wonderful that he was the winning auction bidder at the annual Queensland lunch of a rare insider’s pass to the top level of the game – the opening match of the Rugby League World Cup 2017 between Australia and England.

One of Queensland’s greatest ‘givers’, the BMD managing director was treated to access very few enjoy, courtesy of the Men of League Foundation hat he supports so generously, the Australian Kangaroos and coach Mal Meninga who Mick has had a long association with, plus QT Hotels and Recon Solutions.

Mick took his mate Bruce Thompson with him to Melbourne where they had first class accommodation, watched the Kangaroos’ last training session with an insight from the coaching and performance staff, travelled to and from the hotel to the match with the Australian team and watched the game from inside the coaching box with Mal and assistant coaches Michael Hagan and Adrian Lam. “Mick is just such a wonderful supporter of rugby league, Men of League, other organisations and other sports and no one was more deserving of being provided with a rare prize like that than him,”

said Men of League CEO and former Queensland manager Frank Barrett.

“Every function Mick goes to he buys auction items and puts money into Wynnum Manly the Cowboys and Queensland, and that, and he does it because he loves to give to the rugby league community.

“Apparently, he and Bruce had just a fantastic weekend around the opening game of the World Cup, and I trust he was at the final game in Brisbane as well.

“His story is inspiring in not just how he had grown a construction and development company from humble beginnings to one of the largest in Australia with offices in every state and territory, but he has never forgotten his roots or failed to give back to the community.”

BMD will provide more than $150,000 over four years to Queensland’s wellbeing program, but a lot more across other sponsorships that cover rugby league, surf lifesaving, performing arts, indigenous education and golf.

Mick Power is a director and sponsor of the Brisbane Lions and a life member, vice patron and a sponsor of the BMD-Northcliffe Surf Lifesaving Club on the Gold Coast. Yet rugby league is his greatest sporting passion, and the World Cup experience only whetted that passion.

In another item which was made available at the Queensland lunch, Terry Achilles won a World Cup experience around the opening match in Melbourne too – thanks to Experience Sport’s Craig Brown, a long-time generous sponsor and supporter of the Foundation.

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The Professor mad on footy Latest addition to the NRL Commission which stands over the administration of rugby league, Professor Megan Davis, is not there just because she is a woman or figurehead indigenous law reformist but because league has been part of her life forever and her skill-set is valuable to the game.

Neil Cadigan Peter Beattie, primarily as a second woman to join Catherine Harris to balance the gender ratio, read on.

Rugby league has been part of her DNA since soon after she was born. Professor Davis is one of the country’s most impressive, successful and influential women, is regarded as one of the top six experts in the world on constitutional law reform and indigenous and human rights.

And she is all this while displaying a refreshing down-to-earth candor moulded from a modest upbringing in Queensland’s South Burnett region amongst a family whose roots go back to the Cherbourg mission and has been inextricably intertwined with rugby league.

NRL Commissioner Professor Megan Davis, a proud Aboriginal and world expert in Indigenous law, has plenty of strong beliefs and achievements … but one isn’t sporting tokenism.

That’s why she would not have accepted a position with the rugby league’s governing body, after years of prodding by those in or close to the top of the game’s hierarchy, until she knew she had the time and the will to contribute to the sport she is passionate about.

And for those why know little about her or who may think that Davis was brought onto the eightperson board, with former Queensland Premier 14

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Her mother once told her during his adolescent days, when her adopted team the Canberra Raiders lost to the Panthers in the 1991 grand final: “Megan, you’ll have to think whether rugby league is the appropriate code for you because you take it far too seriously; you need to look at your behavior.”

While loving her mother dearly, this is one piece of advice Megan did not accept.

After moving to Sydney in 2002, she vowed to attend an NRL game every week and, ironically, her partner of the past decade and a bit, respected Inside Sport magazine deputy editor James Smith, is a Panthers ‘tragic’ while Megan has continued her devotion to the Cowboys since their entry into the competition in 1995.

She was brought up on the game of rugby league that has life-changing cultural ties to her other

great area of interest, indigenous rights. She genuinely understands it and has impressed many in the sport with her affinity with the grass roots while her expertise has been immensely valuable as the NRL commission enters a period of constitutional realignment with a structure-change to include two club representatives and navigation of the most involved collective bargaining agreement negotiations that has given new power and investment to the game’s elite players.

Firstly, let’s list Professor Davis’ impressive roll of professional honour. Domestically she is a Professor of Law at the University of NSW, a commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court and an Indigenous leader that played a key role in the Referendum on Council Aboriginal Constitutional Dialogues.

She has been sought for her counsel by the Federal Government as the Prime Minister’s expert panel on constitutional recognition of indigenous people and was a member of the Prime Minister’s Referendum Council (20152017), and by the NSW Government as Acting Commissioner of the NSW Land and Environment Court and chair of a review into the high numbers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children and young people in out of home care in NSW. Australian Financial Review listed her as one of Australia’s 100 women of influence and NITV named her as one of 20 inspiring black women who changed Australia.

Internationally, she has served the United Nations for 18 years as a Fellow of the UN High Commissioner For Human Rights in Geneva, an expert member and chair of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues in New York (20112016), an expert in peacemaking and preventive diplomacy for United Nations Institute for Training and Research and an expert member of the UN Human Rights Council's Expert Mechanism for the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

These duties have involved many excursions to countries like The Congo, Russia, Nicaragua and Guatemala where she was part of a panel of law experts called in to thrash out constitutional and human rights issues. Only this year has she moved onto a more senior role where she travels less after being elected by the UN Human Rights

Council in Geneva as one of the top six experts in the world on the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous People.

Yet she still finds time to regularly attend NRL games, loved the recent Rugby League World Cup tournament and is just at ease talking about her impressive knowledge of the game and its place in not just indigenous culture but Australian society, and everyone’s favourite player Johnathan Thurston. All this is evidence of the unique contribution Professor Davis can, and has the desire to, give to rugby league.

“Rugby league plays such a major part a lot of Aboriginal communities and it has been no different for my family,” she says. “My father played; I grew up watching my brothers play and my cousins Eddie ‘The Fox’ Hazel and Mackie Vea Vea played with [Broncos chairman] Dennis Watt in a premiership-winning Hervey Bay Seagulls team. Dennis has been a wonderful support since I took on the commissioner’s role.”

Davis is also related to the Australian Indigenous Team of the Century member Frank Fisher, from Cherbourg’s legendary Barambah team from the 1930s.

“What’s important about rugby league is the freedom it afforded the men who were able to play it since soon after Federation,” she continues.

“Often the chief protectors of the missions and reserves would give Aboriginal passes to leave the missions to be able to play league in the mainstream communities, so it was often the first opportunity for black men to play alongside and socialise with white Australians.

“During a very brutal period of compulsory racial segregation and a long time before what we now call Reconciliation, rugby league provided a very real and important example of co-existence and it is intrinsically part of Aboriginal culture now and we take the game very seriously.”

That’s the professional, family and cultural background of the Megan Davis journey.

The heart of it is her appreciation and understanding of how the ability of our superstars to not just touch a football with purpose, but to touch people’s souls, can transcend into general society.

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And she does not have to go any further than citing ‘JT’ and the well-known way he conducts himself on and off the field, and the lesser known community programs of NRL clubs, as examples of its power.

“JT such an incredible ambassador not just for our [indigenous] culture but for the code in the way he carries himself,” she said.

“We are all very proud of him and I was particularly proud that he was the Queenslander of the Year and short listed for a human rights award through the Australian Human Rights Commission. It is due recognition of a man who takes very seriously his obligation as a rugby league player to be a role model.

“The idea that many, many, children are modelling themselves on him is very important and illustrates the power of rugby league. Not only is he exceptional in training and in front of the media and fans, his generosity to children with his headgear that he gives away after games, and other areas, is immeasurable.

“It is such a joy to watch him play and to be so universally regarded by people across the spectrum of those who are interested in the game is very powerful; his reputation transcends across all sporting codes.”

In her role as independent chair into NSW Inquiry into Aboriginal Child Removals, rugby league has been mentioned in many interviews with families.

Often quoted is the Panthers on the Prowl program, given much credit from families for the opportunity it has provided for children to interact as part of the program, to see Penrith’s stadium and training facilities, attend games and meet the heroes they aspire to emulate their heroes.

“It shows the really important contribution rugby league makes to social cohesion in Australia which goes, I think, unrecognised and unacknowledged.

As a commissioner I’d like to help the profile of that important work.”

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CAIRNS STOP OVER FOR PM’S XIII Foundation and help raise some awareness and funds for their work with the rugby league community in Far North Queensland,” Mal concluded.

James Tedesco, Peter Narducci (Far North Queensland committee) and Paul Vaughan.

Local rugby league teams, fans and players from around Far North Queensland joined the Foundation for an evening with Mal Meninga and the Prime Minister’s XIII on Wednesday 20 September at Brothers League Club, Cairns.

Organised by the Men of League Foundation Far North Queensland Committee, the evening was a fantastic night and saw more than $10,000 raised by the committee.

Men of League Foundation’s Queensland Manager, David Shillington, said that the evening was a wonderful success with the rare chance for the local rugby league community to interact with the top tier of Australian rugby league.

“It was a great honour for us to host the Prime Minister’s XIII on

their way to their annual match against Papua New Guinea.

The room was full of top-class players, including Maroons icon and the Prime Minister’s XIII coach Mal Meninga. I congratulate the Far North Queensland Committee, especially Committee President John McCallister, on conducting such a successful event,” David concluded.

Prime Minister’s XIII coach, Mal Meninga, said the team were proud to be helping the Foundation, whilst remaining focussed on the task in their trip to Papua New Guinea for their annual clash.

“The Prime Minister's XIII is an important part of our representative calendar. It was a pleasure to call into Cairns on our way north, visit with the

Men of League Foundation’s Queensland Wellbeing and Education Officer Mark Bunting, said that with teamwork and mateship the cornerstones of rugby league since its inception. “Locally in far north Queensland, we’ve been able to assist rugby league icon and Innisfail Brothers product Lionel Williamson. Lionel was a tackle busting winger with a quick turn of pace that helped make him a crowd favourite in the 1960s and 1970s,” said Mark.

“Lionel recently suffered a heart attack after returning from the Confraternity Rugby League Carnival in Brisbane. This has seen Lionel hospitalised and needing some support during his recovery. We have been able to step in, assist Lionel and play a small role to ensure he is on the road to a full recovery.

“It’s been heart-warming to assist, and pass on many wellwishes, to such a well-known player who has given so much to the rugby league community over many years. Supporting Lionel in his time of need is just a small example of the range of services that we offer the rugby league community and we’re proud of the work that we do,” Mark concluded.

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Game unites behind Paul Tony Durkin

Sydney where he underwent the critical surgery, and assisted with medical expenses. But the majority of the financial support came through a GoFundMe appeal established by close friend Rob Brough and the Kawana Dolphins Rugby League Club, where Cohen played more than200 senior games. The financial assistance helped cover the significant gap between the family’s health insurance and the mounting medical costs.

Paul, who worked in digital marketing, retired from playing rugby league at the end the 2016 season after starting as a six-year-old with Mascot in Sydney. He suffered a series of mini strokes at the end of 2016, with scans revealing one artery in his brain had closed and another was partially closed.

The Cohen family.

For as long as he can remember, Paul Cohen has lived and breathed rugby league. So, it was comforting when he recently faced a battle that threatened his life to have the backing of the football community.

And standing right behind the Sunshine Coast local legend was the Men of League Foundation, and in particular our honorary Sunshine Coast wellbeing officer John Bourke.

“I have been a member of Men of League for many years but wasn’t aware of the contribution and support the Foundation provided people,” said 35-year-old Cohen, who has undergone brain surgery twice in the past 12 months.

“But my family and I are so grateful for their assistance, not just financially but emotionally. It is really comforting to have people you don’t know, show that they care.”

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While the surgery has been successful, he is by no means out of the woods. He will be back in Sydney in March for further scans and is keeping his fingers crossed for the green light.

In the meantime, he has returned to work on a casual basis with his former employer, Traffika, in Mooloolaba.

Paul Cohen is the Kawana Dolphins' highest point-scorer in the club’s history. He started in the under-11s after his parents decided to move north from Sydney and along the way the halfback/hooker won three premierships through the various grades.

He also had stints in the Queensland State League with Brisbane Norths, Ipswich Jets and Sunshine Coast Sea Eagles. But Kawana is where his heart lies, and he says he is indebted to the club – and extremely humbled – for the support.

Married to Casey with young sons Cooper and Mitchell, Paul never sought help. However, the local Sunshine Coast committee was alerted to the predicament of the popular family.

“Through the appeal they launched for us $50,000 was raised, and I’m not sure how we would have paid the bills without that,” he said. “But just as important were the phone calls, the messages and the visits. People probably have no idea just what that meant to us as a family.”

Men of League assisted with air travel and accommodation for Cohen’s family to visit him in

Paul, his father Mark and his brother Matt attended the Sunshine Coast Kick-Off Club in October.

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Frank Barrett and Bruce Cotterill.

Leagues Clubs Australia conference Men of League Foundation shares a wonderful relationship with Leagues Club Australia (LCA) with both organisations sharing the common objective of engaging with the rugby league community through various interactions and objectives.

In October 2017 Foundation chief executive officer Frank Barrett and newly appointed New South Wales manager Bruce Walker were invited to attend the annual national conference held at Sheraton Grand Mirage on the Gold Coast.

The theme for 2017 was ‘Elements of Success – What’s Your Formula’ and was hosted by renown funny man John Blackman.

The conference included presentations from David Smorgan, Bruce Cotterill and 2018 Commonwealth Games CEO Mark Peters.

Rugby League was superbly represented by Titans chair Rebecca Frizelle, and Test Legends Peter Sterling, Gorden Tallis and Kevin Walters, along with former Origin and LCA rugby league liaison officer Alan Wilson.

As part of Wilson’s presentation, Men of League Foundation were invited to present their vision and engagements within the community, in particular the use of ClubGRANTS. Frank Barrett spoke about the Foundation’s restructure and thanked the participating Clubs who have provided support.

Barrett also introduced a special guest in Jason Gall, who shared his story of contracting the virus sepsis after simply going for a surf (see page 5).

The dramatic effects from this infection, included the loss of limbs, kidney failure and ongoing dialysis.

Jason shared with the audience his ongoing battles, plans for a bionic arm and how the Men of League Foundation has provided invaluable support. Jason’s story was compelling and captured how easily life can change in an instance.

The Foundation would like to thank LCA for the opportunity to present at the conference, along with all the clubs who have supported the Foundation in the past.

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Allies on the Storm front Victoria is certainly AFL-heartland yet not only are Melbourne Storm the NRL champions, off the field rugby league is also kicking goals through our Victorian committee – on behalf of an organisation that ‘Aussie Rules’ has no equivalent.

Roy Masters When a young footballer died and two of his teammates were critically injured in a collision on a country highway in the early hours of a Sunday morning in July 2017, it demonstrated the unique challenges of the Victorian branch of Men of League.

Two of the players represented the Robinvale Storm club in the north west of Victoria, close to the South Australian border, while the third was captain of the Mildura-based Chaffey Tigers.

They were travelling from Robinvale to Mildura to attend church, after playing a match the previous day and attending a 19th birthday party.

No alcohol was involved and it is understood the other vehicle swerved to miss a kangaroo, causing the collision. The 67-year-old female driver of that vehicle was also killed.

It was the biggest challenge to the Melbournebased committee, given we have to service an entire state and the liaison with the families involved multiple stakeholders such as Storm’s welfare officer Peter Robinson, the VRL’s Brent Silva, the Sunraysia Rugby League and the ARL development officer in South Australia who is not trained in counselling.

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Victoria president Peter Foreman and Roy Masters flank 18-year-old Solomone Fauvao who has benefitted greatly from Men League’s southern invasion.

Our president Peter Foreman, a former halfback with Newtown and Brisbane Wests, has formidable organisational skills, being a former executive with Coca Cola for 30 years.

Yet he admits, we could have done better and there is a need – admittedly expensive – to cut the red tape via a Men of League wellbeing officer flying to flash points when similar tragedies occur.

Because Victoria has few retired NRL players, the state branch caters more for grass roots players, officials, referees and their families than other committees.

The three players were all related and are of Tongan heritage.

While players of South Pacific background are strongly represented in the NRL, Victoria has a higher percentage, particularly of Polynesian heritage, mainly because the majority of the young adult males in the state play Aussie Rules.

While the obligation of everyone in rugby league is to understand and appreciate the particular customs and beliefs of the sons of the South Pacific, it is a more urgent and bigger challenge in Victoria.

This became very evident with the death of the father of 18-year-old Tupou Latu Taulanga, killed in the accident.

Grief stricken and remorseful, at his demand his son arose early on the Sunday and drove to his Mildura church, Tali, the father, began visiting the grave at night, sleeping beside the freshly turned earth.

He significantly increased his moderate use of alcohol to console and comfort himself through the long chilly nights but ultimately died two weeks after the accident.

We dispensed four $500 vouchers to the three families, resources we can afford because of the close connections our patron John Ribot has with Melbourne’s licensed clubs.

Retired AFL players concede with some jealousy they wish they had an organisation equivalent to Men of League. When an AFL player retires, his contact with the game is via his club and he is expected to service it via attendance at games, purchase of membership and junior coaching.

In rugby league, the expectation can sometimes be the other way, with the retired player believing the game should service him and while Men of League can cater for this need, it also means those who wish to give something back can join local committees.

Apart from Foreman and Ribot, the Melbourne committee also includes the national president Stephen Martin, who is a former referee and past speaker in the House of Representatives.

The Aces club, adjacent to where Foreman organises the annual golf day, identifies Men of League as its charity of choice from the funds Victorian law commits clubs dependent on poker machines to distribute to the community.

Former players include Storm and Queensland lock Dallas Johnson and former international fullback Greg Brentnall, who has recently transferred to Wagga. Past Storm players Robbie Kearns and Danny Williams have also served on the committee.

The Melbourne Storm NRL club has been very generous allowing raffles at games, as well as scheduling visits by players to those hospitalised.

Success of rugby league in Victoria has come without any assistance from the two dominant league states, NSW and Queensland.

A big contingent of Storm players visited 27-year-old Sione Taimaui who has subsequently been released from intensive care at Epworth Hospital, while 18-year-old Solomone Fauvao hopes to be released by Christmas.

Admittedly, News Ltd, owners of the Storm for most of its 20-year existence, probably spent about $80 million on the club but compare this with the $20 million a year the AFL has budgeted to spend on the GWS Giants well into the next decade.

Nicknamed ‘Mone’, his jaw, shoulder and collar bones, lower back, pelvis and both legs were broken in the accident, as well as a number of ribs.

While the Storm has always aimed to occupy the same position in Melbourne as the Swans do in Sydney, the AFL is determined to conquer western Sydney, the heartland of rugby league.

A former Raiders scholarship holder and Logan Brothers player, he was to enter the Navy in August but had to withdraw.

If TV ratings are any guide, rugby league will win.

Yet the smile on his face when he was given a NSW State of Origin t-shirt should be an inspiration to any Blues player.

More Melbourne people regularly watch the NRL grand final than Sydneysiders watch the AFL grand final, even in years when the Storm has not participated.

His love of the Storm is shared by many in Melbourne and if our Men of League committee has made progress in seven years, it is simply because we wish to emulate the Storm’s professionalism.

And beside that ‘infiltration of AFL’s heartland’, the hard work of a dedicated Men of League committee is also gathering admiration alongside the feats of the Storm – often hand in hand.

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Paul McLean and Greg Cornelson during Wallabies’ glory days.

The amazing McLeans They are Queensland’s greatest footballing family – three generations of McLeans who have represented Australia in rugby league and rugby union. Paul McLean reflects on his incredible lineage.

Steve Ricketts Mention the McLean family name with sport in Queensland and the rugby union code immediately springs to mind.

In fact, Paul, 64, did not start playing rugby union until he was 17, and his first heroes were men from the 13-man code, particularly those from Ipswich.

After all, the main grandstand at Ballymore, the home of Queensland Rugby, is named the McLean Stand in honor of the family's contribution to the code.

But let's go back to the 'start'.

But there is a fascinating rugby league history embedded in the lineage, extending even to the most famous of the McLeans, Paul, MBE, who played 31 Tests for the Wallabies between 1974 and 1982.

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Rugby league, of course, was born out of rugby union, and the earliest defectors to the 13-man code became the first dual internationals, one of them, Doug McLean, was Paul’s grandfather.

Doug played three Tests for the Wallabies in 1904-05 and toured New Zealand. In 1908 he played for Australia in the first league Test against

the New Zealand 'All Golds' in Sydney. The other Queenslanders in the Australian team were Mike Dore and Bob Tubman.

Australia lost 11-10 in front of a crowd of 20,000 and the seeds were sewn for the birth of the new code in the southern hemisphere after clubs from northern England had broken away from rugby union 13 years earlier. McLean, Dore, Tubman and the other defectors were kicked out of rugby union.

Doug had four sons, including Paul’s father Bob. The eldest, Doug jnr, played 10 Tests for the Wallabies, before switching to league after he had been approached by Ipswich club Starlights.

Doug Jnr played two league Tests, both against New Zealand in Auckland, en-route to England and France with the 1937-38 Kangaroos.

He played only six more matches out of a possible 37 on tour, because of injury and illness.

“Part of that deal [with Starlights] was the licence to the Central Hotel in Ipswich,” Paul said.

“In those days all pubs were leased. Around 1938 it became our family hotel and remained so for the next 50 years or so. My father Bob joined Doug in the pub. We grew up there.”

Doug jnr remained a regular in Queensland teams for four years following his return from the Kangaroo tour, and won his first and only Ipswich premiership with Starlights in 1942, when they beat Tivoli in the grand final.

Paul McLean played his early football – league – at centre for Brothers in Ipswich and St Edmunds College. “I didn't play rugby until I went to Nudgee College in Brisbane when I was 17,” Paul said.

“When I was at St Edmunds, we would play other league schools like Padua, Iona and St James.

A contemporary of mine was Graham Quinn.

We played against each other from ages 13 to 17.

“He went on to play league for Brothers (Brisbane), St George (Sydney), Australia and Queensland in State of Origin.”

In 1970 McLean played in a curtain raiser before the first Test between Australia and Great Britain at Lang Park. The match, won 37-15 by Australia, was marred by brawling, in particular an incident which saw Australian Jim Morgan’s nose smashed to a pulp by a head butt from rival prop Cliff Watson.

“After playing, we had to sit on the ground inside the fence, because the crowd was so big,” McLean recalls. “All that kerfuffle with Morgan happened right near us. We thought, ‘bloody hell, what's happening here?

“So my whole life, until I went to Nudgee, was rugby league. It was only because my old man wanted me to repeat grade 12, and he said, ‘mate, you're going to boarding school’ that I finished up at Nudgee playing rugby.”

Paul played all his club rugby union for Brothers at Crosby Park, Albion, with the Fortitude Valley rugby league club next door at Neumann Oval (now the Allan Border Field, home of Queensland Cricket).

“Valleys’ blokes were part of the furniture at Brothers Rugby because of the dances there,” McLean said. “Valleys didn't have the facilities. The old blokes like Dallas O'Neill (Brothers union) and Henry Holloway (Valleys league) would play cards at Valleys, while all the young blokes would be over at the disco, Wally Lewis included.

“But it wasn't just Valleys we mixed with.

I remember going over to Brothers league in 1987 and having a training run at Corbett Park and having a few beers afterwards. Both clubs were in the grand final that weekend.”

The oldest of Paul's siblings, Bob, played Bulimba Cup football for Ipswich, and was part of the 1966 side which claimed the title from Brisbane and Toowoomba.

“I remember going to Lang Park to watch the final against Brisbane, a match Ipswich won 7-2,” Paul said. “Bob had only two years in first grade (with Ipswich Brothers), and then he stuffed his knee and didn't play again.

“Bulimba Cup days were massive and our pub (the Central) was right in the middle of town (Ipswich).

The first game on Bulimba Cup day would be am, five-stone curtain raiser or something. There would be kids in town selling programs, people walking across the bridge to the North Ipswich Reserve – they were just fabulous days.

“Then people would come back to the pub. By the time you got back (from the game) the pink sports (newspaper) was out, with the details of the game.”

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the Queensland Journalists league side against New South Wales in 1979.

What does Paul think of rugby league today? “Both rugby codes have changed enormously since I played, for good and bad. You watch some of those old (league) grand finals from the 1980s, and there was one tackler; the ball was played and it was away.

“It was so much more enjoyable to watch – really skillful – and to play as well, I'm sure. It was much more open, especially with players like Kenny, Ella, Sterling and Price running around.

Family sporting ties continue … Paul’s youngest daughter Mary has played for Queensland in touch football and this year represented Australia at over-27 level. She is pictured with Paul and his wife Kate.

Jack Reardon, who became great mates with my father and uncle, would still be in the bar and he'd written an article in the pink sports!”

Another of Paul’s older siblings, Jeff, a goal-kicking winger, played league in Ipswich until he was 20 (for West End), but kept his amateur status because he was part of the Queensland athletics squad.

“Jeff went to rugby in 1969 and played 13 Tests,” Paul said. “The only time we played together (for Australia) was my Test debut at the SCG in 1974 (against the All Blacks), and, as it turned out, it was Jeff’s last Test. He broke his leg at the end of that year in Rockhampton, playing for Brisbane against Country. I played in that game too. He never played again after that.”

Jeff died from cancer in 2010, aged 63.

Paul, who played mainly at five-eighth, but also at fullback and centre for the Wallabies, had several offers from league clubs, the most substantial from Penrith. “I didn't come close to signing, really,” McLean said. “I didn't understand what it was all about – money and stuff – young blokes!“ McLean went on to carve out a successful business career, but at one stage, while playing union, he supplemented his earnings by working behind the bar at the Queensland Journalists Club at Bowen Hills with future Wallaby coach John Connolly, while Wallaby prop Tony Darcy was a bouncer. Connolly was even roped in to play for 24

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“It's a bit of a bash contest now, and rugby’s a bit the same, because they’re bigger and stronger.

There’s still good games in both codes.”

Paul McLean, a Wallaby Hall of Fame inductee and former ARU president, remains on the board of the national body, and works tirelessly for his beloved Brothers' club.

He is good mates with Queensland Men of League chairman Darryl Van de Velde, who played for Queensland against Great Britain in 1977.

“I met Darryl through [former Australian league captain] Greg Veivers,” McLean said. “He's a mad punter, like me.”

The McLean Family

Doug snr (Paul’s grand-father): 3 union Tests 1904-05; 1 league Test 1908 Doug jnr (uncle): 10 union Tests 1933-36; 2 league Tests 1937 Jack (uncle): 1946 Wallaby Bill (uncle): 5 union Tests 1947-48; Wallaby captain Bob (brother): Bulimba Cup 1966 Jeff (brother): 13 union Tests 1969-74 Peter (cousin): 16 union Tests 1978-82, including 11 alongside Paul Paul: 31 union Tests 1974-82; captain v Fiji 1980

Welcome new team members As the Foundation evolves to ensure that we are continuing to service our members and those most in need within the rugby league community, our team has had two new additions. So we are proud to introduce you to Paula Feagaiga and Bruce Walker.

Paula Feagaiga has commenced as our new membership and database executive. Paula’s appointment has further strengthened our team of industry experts and we are very excited about having her on board. Paula joins us as part of our national membership team and will be working closely with our recently appointed national manager of Mmmbership and fundraising, Vanessa Bolzan.

As the NSW manager, Bruce will have the responsibility for planning, directing and coordinating the overall operations of the Foundation in the state. The role manages the development of our active, engaged and sustainable volunteer community in the state, as well as identifying and securing financial support from volunteer committee activities and securing funding opportunities through Club Grants NSW. After four years of dedicated service, national wellbeing manager Ben Ross has departed the Foundation to pursue other interests. “Ben leaves a great legacy of compassion and care for those in our community most in need and we wish him well in his endeavours,” said CEO Frank Barrett.

Paula is thrilled to be working for the Foundation.

She is a big supporter of the game having worked for the South Sydney Rabbitohs for the past six years across the areas of membership, ticketing and fan development. Paula has grown up in a large Polynesian family dedicated to following the Canterbury Bulldogs and their homeland, Toa Samoa. She also has cousins playing for Wests Tigers, St George and Burleigh Bears.

For anything membership related, you can contact Paula at membership@menofleague.com We’re also excited to introduce you to Bruce Walker, our New South Wales manager.

Bruce has a long association with rugby league having played junior football for Brisbane Easts as well as 243 first grade games for North Sydney and Manly Warringah including a premiership victory and Kangaroo tour in 1978. Bruce also has representative honours for both New South Wales and Queensland as a class back-rower.

Bruce has also had extensive commercial and management experience having spent the past five years working for the National Rugby League as the local government community facilities coordinator.

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Father of ‘Fatty’ George Vautin, an excellent footballer in his own right, reveals the family background and how a young Paul was “football crazy” long before he forged a career that took him to Test honours and The Footy Show fame.

Steve Ricketts

Father and son.

George Vautin modelled his game on Australian Team of the Century prop Duncan Hall during his time at Wests in Brisbane, a stint which brought with it a first grade premiership and selection for the Bulimba Cup inter-city competition.

“Lo and behold, the game before I was due to play for Brisbane, I got my eye opened up and it turned bad and I had to pull out as well,” Vautin said.

“I didn't get another chance.”

Vautin and Hall were props in the Wests side which beat Brothers 35-18 in the 1954 grand final at the Brisbane Cricket Ground, a match in which Test centre Alex Watson scored two tries and kicked four goals for the victors.

Wests’ fullback was Ken McCrohon, who would make his Test debut two years later against New Zealand.

“It was a good side,” Vautin recalls. “Our hooker Johnny Flynn was known as rubber legs because of the lengths he would go to, to win the ball, and usually got us a majority.

“Our five-eighth Col McAllister had been captaincoach of Norths in Rockhampton the previous year, and had to be talked into playing again.

Things fell into place for us.

“Football was completely different in those days.

A forward was a forward, not a makeshift back. I called myself a professional in 1955 when I played 21 of 22 games and got £72. It was wonderful, playing what you love, and getting paid for it.”

Vautin was at his peak in '55 and was selected to play for Brisbane in the Bulimba Cup after teammate Hall withdrew because of injury.

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Twenty seven years later Vautin's son Paul made his Test debut from the Manly-Warringah club in Sydney, and played 12 more Tests for his country, as well as representing Queensland in 22 State of Origin matches.

“Paul was football crazy,” George recalls.

“He made his football career in the backyard. I don't know about his television career. I think that was done in the classroom.

“Except for one season with Brothers, he played his junior football with Wests Mitchelton, before playing for Wests (seniors). [Former Great Britain halfback] Tommy Bishop came up from North Sydney, where he was coaching, to talk to Paul but Norths decided they didn't want him.

“So Hugh Kelly [Wests chairman] got in touch with Manly when he realised how keen Paul was on moving to Sydney. Hugh sent down that famous [video] clip of Paul scoring a long range try for Wests at Lang Park. Manly said they would give Paul a go, so we drove down to Sydney with him, and met with Ken Arthurson before signing.”

What did George think when Paul started in television, and in particular as host of The Footy Show? “It was absolutely crazy, but he made a career out of it.”

When asked what he is most proud of from Paul's career, George didn't hesitate to nominate 1995, when ‘Fatty’ coached a spare parts Queensland team to a 3-0 series win over a virtual all international New South Wales side.

“What more could you ask for,” George said.

“But naturally we were proud of him when he made the Australian side for a Test against the Kiwis in '82. But he missed out on the Kangaroo tour of Britain and France at the end of the year.

“We were at the function after Manly were beaten

by Parramatta in the grand final. I had a beautiful plate of food in front of me, and when the (Australian) team was named, and Paul wasn't in it, I just pushed it aside. Very disappointing.”

Paul grew up supporting Wests, going to Lang Park with his dad, firstly when Barry Muir was skipper in the 1960s, and then in the early 1970s when Richie Twist was the glamour boy second-rower of the Brisbane competition. He recalls a father who always encouraged him to achieve in his youth, without being pushy.

“My dad is the best,” Paul told me. “He never criticised me and was always positive. During my career I only ever wanted to repay him for the faith he showed in me.”

George Vautin, who turned 90 this year, was born and raised at Bowen in North Queensland, and started work on the railways in 1944. He played rugby league for Railways, with Wharfies and Merinda the other clubs in the port town.

He also represented Bowen in the Wilson Cup, an inter-district competition.

“In the olden days women used to buy a five pound bag of flour when they were cooking, and my first football was one of those empty bags stuffed with paper,” he recalled. “My father died when I was six, in 1933, in the middle of the 'Great Depression', and my mother died when I was 13. So my grandmother reared me until such time as I left home, which was to transfer out to Hughenden in 1948.”

While in Hughenden, George met his wife-to-be, Leila Dallow, whose father was a train driver as well. George and Leila married in 1949. “

George, Leila and Paul ‘Fatty’ Vautin.

Our first born, Geoffrey, had Down Syndrome, so we decided to sell up and come to Brisbane to see what we could do for him, which was practically nothing, although he went to a school at Bowen Hills. We settled at Everton Park, and under the residential rules of the time, that meant I had to play for Wests.

“We went back to Hughenden (with the railways) after my time at Wests and when we came back to Brisbane we bought a house at Everton Park, and that's where we stayed. I played football at Hughenden, but gave it away when we came back to Brisbane, because I couldn't afford to lose money through injury.

“I retired from the railways the day I turned 65.

'Ma' and I did a lot of ballroom dancing, and my retirement freed us up for more, and at one stage we were dancing six times a week. But she fell over and fractured the patella and that slowed us down.”

George now lives at Kallangur, on Brisbane's northside, and visits Leila, 92, every day at a nearby nursing home.

What does George think of the modern game?

“It's fast and good to look at, but there are no rules. They just don't count. No (contested) scrums, the play-the-balls are shocking.”

George and Leila had four children, Geoffrey (who passed away in 2008), Debbie, Paul and Russell, and now have nine grandchildren. Russell also played rugby league for Wests Mitchelton and, according to George, was headed to the top until injury intervened.

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Lending a helping hand Harbourside Haven

Gary Polglase

The Port Stephens Men of League committee were asked to attend the Harbourside Haven’s footy tipping award day.

Gary Polglase was overwhelmed and forever grateful of the support given by the Men of League Foundation which has helped him greatly in dealing with difficult times.

The lifestyle and leisure team headed up by Beth Barton, Kelly Forbes, Anna Priest, Gabby Danzo and Dean Carney are the hard working Harbourside crew who organise bus trips, barbecues and entertainment for the residents of the nursing home, Fingal Haven, hostel 1 and 2.

They do a mighty job with compassion.

Representing Men of League were Port Stephens committee members Peter Arnold, Greg Hennessy and Brian Lawrance. A former teammate of Dean’s, NSW State of Origin representative Paul Merlo, and Alan Bell, the former right-hand man to a host of quality coaches including Newcastle Knights’ first two head coaches Allan McMahon and David Waite, were also on hand.

Also involved were representatives from the Fingal Bay Bomboras who won the A-grade grand final in the Newcastle-Hunter rugby league competition.

Central Coast wellbeing officers Les Pearce and Dennis Tomsett visited Gary, who played with Macquarie Fields Hawks from the mid-1970s to early 80s, at his Woy Woy home.

Gary had a stroke in 2016 and was admitted to hospital for one week. He was re-admitted early this year with bad circulation and underwent surgery resulting in the amputation of seven toes.

Also, he had a further complication of a ruptured bowel.

Given the conditions and trauma that Gary has been through, he was in good spirits although he is restricted with his walking.

Royal Rehab Centre, Ryde Former national wellbeing manager Ben Ross, plus Northern Sydney wellbeing officers Fred Jackson and Ken Vessey were astounded at the enthusiasm and excitement shown by several clients in the brain and spinal injury units during a visit to Royal Rehab Centre, Ryde during the NRL finals series.

Some of the patients support various NRL clubs including Newcastle Knights, Penrith Panthers (this pleased Ben, a 2003 Panthers premiership player), St George Illawarra, Sydney Roosters, Wests Tigers and Parramatta Eels.

Amongst those the Foundation representatives met were Matthew, Edward and son Liam (a promising hooker), Paul, Grant, Greg, John and his wife Donna, Steve and longstanding friends of Men of League Troy and wife Nicolle.

Dean Carney with the winner.

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They spoke freely about the varied specific injuries they had sustained and the rehabilitation/recovery regime they were undertaking at Royal Rehab.

Nathan Pili

Wayne Aoake

Newcastle and Hunter committee’s wellbeing officers Garry Drummond, Vince Murphy and David Turrell visited Nathan Pili at his grandparents’ home where he is recovering from a significant spinal cord injury (spinal contusion) suffered while playing for the East Maitland Griffins in the Newcastle and Hunter competition.

David Turrell, Vince Murphy and Garry Drummond also called in to see Wayne ‘Sammy’ Aoake in hospital after he had a knee operation.

Nathan had attended Hunter Sports High’s targeted sports rugby league program. He is undergoing rehabilitation for his injury and, with the assistance of his mate Brock Lamb from the Newcastle Knights, he is making steady progress.

Wayne is well known in Newcastle Rugby League circles having begun his career in his native New Zealand. In the early 70s he moved to Newcastle and played for several clubs including South Newcastle, Western Suburbs and Kurri Kurri.

He represented Newcastle several times as well as playing and coaching in the Lower Hunter and Newcastle and Hunter Rugby League.

Wayne retired in 2011 after playing league for over 50 years. We wish him a speedy recovery.

Garry Drummond, Nathan Pili, Vince Murphy and David Turrell.

Garry Drummond, David Turrell, Wayne Aoake and Vince Murphy.

Wayne Couley Wayne Couley, 70, began his junior rugby league career with Coonamble and Baradine in Group 14 and has given much of himself to the sport ever since.

Wayne then moved to Camden to begin a career with the police force and he played for The Oaks in Group 6.

He moved to Narrabri with the police and played first grade with Narrabri for two seasons before returning to Camden to continue with his career in the police force. He is a life member of Country Rugby League for his efforts for Group 6.

Since retirement, Wayne has now moved to The Whiddon Group Wee Waa to be closer to his family members and enjoys time spent with his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Keith Huntley In the June edition of the Men of League magazine a report was provided regarding double amputee Keith Huntley. Central Coast peninsula resident Robert Bullen has since donated a five-metre ramp at Keith’s daughter’s residence, providing a safe and secure means for Keith to access the residence and enabling him to visit his daughter more often.

Keith was extremely grateful for the support given by the Foundation, particularly local committee members Les Pearce, Jock Morris, Dennis Tomsett and Lance Henry, plus the assistance provided by local business people Mick Howes of Howes Metaland Lisarow, Noel Annand of Campbell Building Material Woy Woy and Bill Ides of the Men’s Shed Umina.

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Star that shone brightly but too briefly Brad Ryder

back injury ending his career so dramatically and so soon after he became one of the game’s brightest new stars.

The next day he travelled to Coolangatta but couldn't remember how he got there nor anything that happened in the second half of the grand final until he read the newspaper in the morning and found he was part of the winning team.

Michael Curin, Les Brennan and Brad Ryder.

A tragic injury may have cut the unassuming Les Brennan’s career to just 24 first grade games yet he still holds a special place in South Sydney Rabbitohs’ history with a record that stands 63 years after he achieved it during his debut first grade season in 1954. Brennan, playing right wing, scored 29 tries in the ‘54 season (in 19 games), his first in the top grade after a threeyear apprenticeship in the lower grades, even outshining Kangaroo winger Ian Moir (left wing) who picked up a ‘mere’ 21 tries.

Only twice in the club competition’s history has a player crossed more times in a season - Dave Brown (Easts), with 38 in 1936 and Ray Preston (Newtown) with 34, also in 1954.

A local Rabbitohs junior who was raised in Chippendale, Brennan moved to Blacktown with his childhood sweetheart and wife Margaret in 1961 and has lived in the house since.

They married one week before the 1954 grand final in which Souths beat Newtown at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Sadly, Les suffered a lower back injury and concussion early in the second half, with the 30

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The injury proved to be a crushed vertebrae, which restricted him to five appearances the following season and caused him to retire from playing. He was told by doctors that surgery to repair his injury had a good deal of risk and a low success rate and if unsuccessful could make the injury worse, so Brennan did not proceed with the operation.

He chose to become a referee in the South Sydney junior league from 1956-62, until he tired from travelling from Blacktown to the South Sydney area. He took his skills to the Parramatta juniors from 1962-65, and officiated in Penrith from 1966-76. He was inducted as a life member of the Penrith District Rugby League Referees' Association, which he is very proud of.

Brennan worked for 43 years in the Department of Motor Transport (1947-90) and lost his loving wife of 59 years, Margaret, in October 2013.

They had four children, Theresa, Maureen, Gregory and Bernard.

Les revealed at a lunch with friends at Club York in Sydney recently that his toughest opponent was no doubt Don ‘Bandy’ Adams, who he opposed only once when Souths played Newcastle in 1954 during Country Week at the SCG before 24,539 spectators. Souths won by 30-21.

He also mentioned that he received only a modest 189 pounds from Souths as his full payment in 1954, a far cry from today’s million-dollar contracts.

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Around the grounds ... Rugby League World Cup

Images: NRL Imagery.

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Kyle from Lajamanu, Joseph from Darwin and Billy from Darwin were all ball boys for the Darwin Rugby League World Cup game. Pictured with the ballboys is Dianne from Darwin whose mother, Hannah Nungarryi from Plam Island, is an iconic artist living in Alice Springs. Hannah hand painted selected footballs and presented them to John Grant and Megan Divis from the Australian Rugby League Commission. Hannah created these iconic peices of artwork to celebrate the momentous occasion of Kyle, Joseph and Billy – her nephews – acting as ball boys.

CEO Frank Barrett caught up with the hard working Mid North Coast committee, who are great supporters of the Foundation, at the famous Manning Hotel. The Mid North Coast committee include a several wellknown league identities and hardworking volunteers, who ensure the Foundation is in very good hands. In the photo are former Test legend Harry Wells (next to Frank) and former grand final referee Mick Stone (far right).

Scone is well known for its race horses and it’s also a celebrated rugby league nursery, which means Men of League plays a vital role in the community. In October CEO Frank Barrett visited volunteers to thank them for ensuring the Foundation has a strong representation in the Upper Hunter region and listen to their views on all things Men of League.

Asser House Café was the perfect venue to host the meeting. (from left) are Paul Medd, Peter Ford, Erica Edwards, Tony and Jan Witt with Frank.

The annual Jim Lange Memorial golf day pulled together golfers, volunteers, rugby league legends and hackers from all around NSW to the picturesque Dubbo Golf Club in October. Unfortunately, the biggest factor for the day proved to be the rain, which caused the day to be abandoned without a ball being hit, despite the consistent encouragement to brave the conditions by the boys from Dunedoo.

Special guests Gary ‘Whiz’ Freeman and Don McKinnon ensured the entertainment was still provided, sharing stories and a few porky pies for those that who stayed around to enjoy the BBQ and beers.

The Phil ‘Gus’ Gould ‘Winning Edge’ boardroom lunch proved to be one of the best initiatives of the Foundation with parochial Queenslanders in the room etremely impressed with the former NSW and premiership winning coach’s articulate offerings. Here some of our guests enjoy a bite in Gould’s company at the Queensland Rugby League boardroom.

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An honourable interest The NSW Governor, the Honourable David Hurley, has never let go of his passion for rugby league that he developed as a schoolboy in Wollongong, and has kept a close eye on the game.

Barry Ross The NSW Governor, His Excellency General the Honourable David Hurley, is an avid rugby league man with a deep-seated loyalty to the South Sydney Rabbitohs.

The Hurley family gave years of service to the Port Kembla club on the NSW South Coast.

The Governor’s father, Jim Hurley, won a premiership with the club while his uncle Leo was one of the best players in the Illawarra district during the 1940s and 50s.

A ball-winning hooker, Leo was a member of three first grade premiership-winning Port Kembla 34

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sides, and played eight top grade games for St George in 1952, including the semi-final against North Sydney at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

With such a passion for the game in his family, it was only natural that the Governor would play rugby league too. He began in the under sevens and won several premierships with Port Kembla before he left the district to join the Australian Army in 1972.

In 1971, he was a second-rower in the undefeated Port Kembla premiership winning under-18 team. That was also his final year at Port Kembla High School where he was a key member of the school’s strong University Shield team that reached the quarter finals.

After enrolling in the Royal Military College in Canberra, the Governor began playing rugby union, as there was no league team at Duntroon.

He continued with rugby for the next 13 seasons, playing as a back-rower until he was 31. During this time, he completed a Bachelor of Arts and a Graduate Diploma of Defence Studies and, while

serving in various parts of the world, he played rugby at Townsville, Kapooka and overseas with a British Army unit.

He became Chief of the Australian Defence Force in July 2011 and retired from the Australian Army in June 2014 after more than 42 years of service.

He was sworn in as the 38th Governor of NSW in October 2014.

Despite living a very busy life for more than 40 years, Governor Hurley has always been a strong South Sydney supporter. “I have all the Rabbitohs games recorded in my diary and I try to get to as many of them as possible, especially the opening game of the season,” he said.

“I have followed Souths since I was a small boy and that was because of the intense rivalry between my club Port Kembla and the Wollongong club in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Wollongong fans supported St George, so Port Kembla people went away from the Dragons and towards South Sydney.”

During their time in the competition, from 1982 to 1998, the Illawarra Steelers were the Governor’s second team. He was sorry to see them finish and pointed out that Newcastle, with a similar economic background to Wollongong, and Canberra, with a smaller population than the Illawarra region, continued in the competition.

“Perhaps there are some reasons why the Steelers should have remained in the competition,” he explained. “And I say this without any criticism of St George Illawarra. The Steelers are gone now but I am certain that the district will continue to produce great players, as they have done for many years.”

When asked about NSW State of Origin results, he spoke of his disappointment at what happened this season. “I can’t believe that NSW is not able to select a team that can have more success against Queensland than it has for the past 12 seasons,” he says.

He admits it was a vastly different game when he laced the boots, not as structured as it is nowadays and there was more differentiation between backs and forwards. “We played with unlimited tackles and contested scrums The game was also community friendly and good fun for the families who often

attended games as a group. Tactically and speedwise, it is different now. The players all seem to have similar body shapes and sizes, although there is a lot of variety in their running speed.”

Like many of his generation, the Governor is not a fan of the two-referee system. “I cannot see any major advantage in it,” he said. “I am old fashioned, but I believe the ref should call it as he sees it.

“Despite all the technology of today, teams still get offside as they always have. The game is about character building and you need to accept good and bad decisions. Too much technology robs the game of some of its spirit.”

As a long-time fan of the game, the Governor has many favourite players, a lot of whom wore the red and green. He mentioned Greg Inglis, Bob McCarthy, Ron Coote, Eric Simms, John Sattler Johnny Raper, Ken Irvine, Ray Price, Jonathan Thurston and Cameron Smith, along with South Coaster Michael Cronin, as those that stand out.

“One young player that does excite me today is [Rabbitohs back-rower] Angus Crichton. He is only 21 and has outstanding ability.”

While in Canberra for official duties, Governor Hurley was able to attend the Australia-France World Cup match on 3 November. “I keep an eye on international rugby league,” he said. “I have some great memories from my pre-teenage years of attending the Wollongong Showground to see Illawarra or Southern Division take on the touring teams, especially Great Britain and its big forwards.

“I am very pleased to see that there is a women’s World Cup and I look forward to the beginning of the women’s competition in the future.”

Not only is the Governor a very active man, he is also quite fit. He goes to the gym three times a week at the National Centre for Indigenous Excellence at Redfern, where he does boxing exercises with the Tribal Warriors group.

While there are numerous obligations and plenty of responsibility in his role as Governor, he believes that military people are well suited for such a position. “It is an apolitical job,” he stressed, “military personnel are used to performing apolitical roles and to ceremony and protocol.”

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Clancy overflowed with emotion The highlight of Frank Clancy’s league career was representing Brisbane against the touring Brits. Yet it took almost half a century to have something to show for it … and he was overcome when that surprise moment came.

Steve Ricketts Frank Clancy was too emotional to speak when

he was finally presented with his Brisbane Rugby League representative jersey, 47 years after he played for the city against the touring Great Britain side.

On that June night, in 1970, 24-year-old Clancy was forced to play in his Valleys’ club jersey because of a terrible oversight by administrators.

The British played in their traditional all white strip with red V, and there was no way they were taking the field against a Brisbane side if they were wearing their traditional all white strip with red epaulettes.

Brisbane did not have an alternate strip, unlike previous tours when they ran out in black or red jerseys.

It just so happened that one of the Brisbane officials was Valleys gear steward and assistant secretary Les Dellit, who had a full kit of Diehards jerseys in the boot of his car, fresh from the laundry.

That would prove to be goal-kicking prop Clancy's only first class representative match, and what did he have to show for it? His Valleys club jersey.

Things were put right at Valleys' annual reunion at their Emerson Park, Grange club rooms on 29 September when a framed 36

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Brisbane representative jumper, specially made

by Struddy's Sports, was presented to Clancy by club legend Mick Retchless, the former Queensland centre and Australian selector.

The lovely gesture was the idea of Queensland Rugby League history committee member Paul Hayes, who had urged Valleys to address the historical oversight.

“I had no idea [what was coming],” Clancy said.

“At the reunion when Mick (Retchless) got up on stage to introduce someone, I was about to applaud that person before realising it was me.

“I just blubbered, and had to give up the idea of a speech.”

Britain won the 1970 tour match 28-7, with their legendary five-eighth Roger Millward the star.

“If anything, it helped in some tough situations.”

Clancy also played club football in Townsville, Theodore and Proserpine, including a stint as captain-coach at Proserpine. At Theodore he played alongside the feared Wittenberg brothers, John and Ron, with John going on to play 10 Tests for Australia.

John, like Clancy, lost fingers on one hand, his mishap involving a chaff cutter.

Clancy played for Valleys from 1965-67 and again from 1970 to '73, before managing the 1974 side which beat Brothers 9-2 in the grand final.

“I required knee surgery at the end of the 1970 season, and I was never the same,” said Clancy, who at his peak was athletic, as well as rugged.

“It was a quality British side,” Clancy recalls.

“They had been beaten in the first Test a few days earlier, but went on to win the Ashes series.

“Clancy is terrifically mobile as a front-rower,” commented former Test prop Peter Gallagher in 'The Courier-Mail' in 1970 after Valleys played Brothers in a premiership match.

“The scrums were willing. Their Welsh hooker Tony Fisher was as tough as they come.

“Once he tore across in cover defence to nail Brothers winger, Brian Colless.”

“I came on after half-time, replacing Greg Veivers in the front row. There was plenty of spite and the referee (Henry Albert) had his hands full.

In 1975, the former meat worker bought a hotel at Monto in the Central Burnett district, and resumed his playing career the following year, helping the town to premiership success.

“I remember our coach Henry Holloway sitting on the sideline sledging the Poms, calling them dirty unwashed so and sos.”

Clancy first played rugby league for Cracow in Central Queensland.

“Our jumpers were sugar bags with a hole in the bottom to slide over our heads,'” he recalls.

“They were very hard on the skin.”

But it took a lot to ruffle Clancy who, as a nineyear-old, lost a thumb and two fingers after a detonator blew up in his right hand.

“My uncle was a powder monkey at the Cracow Gold Mine,” Clancy recalls. “I was playing with it. I just ran for the hills after the explosion, and the local butcher caught me and got the ambulance.

“It didn't let it bother me. I still write with my right hand and I didn't feel handicapped on field.

He was coach in 1979 when Monto lost to Moura in the grand final, and president the following year when Monto were undefeated premiers.

In 1981 Clancy moved back to Brisbane and was elected to the Valleys board and became a selector. In 1988 he had a stint as president.

Today Clancy is in semi-retirement, but remains prominent in the hotel industry, owning pubs in Mackay, Murgon, Monto and Gove.

His generous involvement with Central Burnett League has been recognised, with the premiership trophy named in his honor.

This year's premiers were Gayndah, who have the same gladiator emblem as Valleys, who happened to win this year's Brisbane Rugby League premiership.

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Cara continues caring legacy And that is why 24-year-old is so happy to see, at close-hand, the work of Men of League, the organisation her father was passionate about, and involved in at Townsville particularly during the Foundation’s formative years.

Cara works in the communications department and sponsorship for the BMD Group, the engineering, construction and land development company that sponsors Men of League’s Queensland wellbeing program. She has regular involvement with the Foundation’s activities and many other community and family activities hosted or sponsored by BMD. BMD, whose chairman and managing director is the generous community-minded Mick Power who played with Wynnum, has been major sponsors of Wynnum Manly in Queensland’s Intrust Super Cup for 25 years too, a relationship that dates to before when Murray was CEO during their premiership year of 2010.

Queensland wellbeing and education officer Mark Bunting with Cara Murray.

Graham Murray left a deep legacy with many who he mentored in the men’s and women’s game as well as hundreds he never coached, yet touched.

His daughter Cara is inspired to continue that legacy through her role with Queensland wellbeing program sponsor, BMD. Neil Cadigan Her father’s spirit is so apparent in Cara Murray, the daughter of universally-respected former NRL and Super League coach Graham.

And it is in her obvious pleasure of communicating with, and helping, people … and not just rugby league people.

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They also support the Clontarf Foundation, Queensland’s FOGs and the North Queensland Cowboys, the team Murray took to their first grand final in 2005, among other organisations.

Graham Murray had a direct involvement with three of those organisations – the Cowboys, Wynnum Seagulls and Men of League – and Cara says his involvement in the formative years of Men of League were among the proudest of his many achievements and that’s why she is so delighted of her association through BMD. “Dad was very proud of his involvement with Men of League and a real champion for it; he thought it was a great organisation,” Cara Murray recalled proudly.

“I remember him being so excited when it started and signing mum up to the Foundation as well.

“It was always something that I knew about and it was regularly bought up in conversation with him.

After a stint as head of Wayne Bennett’s elite development program at the Newcastle Knights he returned to Brisbane to coach Wynnum Manly in 2013 and was well into the season’s preparations when he had a heart attack on the front lawn of his and wife Amanda’s Wynnum home in March 2013. After recovering and having a defibulator (pacemaker) inserted, he suffered a surprise second fatal attack in July 2013 while Cara was at university on the Gold Coast, leaving his family and many friends devastated.

Graham Murray enjoys the Cowboys’ preliminary final win of 2005 with Aaron Payne.

It was something he really enjoyed doing and he was really passionate about. I remember that, although he was disappointed at finishing as coach of the Cowboys, he was happy to have some of his own time to dedicate to Men of League.

“He liked it because he met so many people who were like him; had the same ambition about what the Foundation could be and how it could help people. He loved working with kids and with families; it was one of the proudest things he did.

“The whole reason I knew who BMD were was because they sponsored Wynnum Manly Seagulls.

But to now work here in the marketing and corporate communications department and also sponsor Men of League and the Cowboys and support so many families in other areas too, it really strikes a chord with me because dad was involved with all three organisations.

“Now I get the chance to talk to a lot of people dad spoke to in his line of work.

“It’s something I really enjoy; that parts of my and his intertwine.”

Graham Murray was one of the most personable and popular figures in rugby league during his long period in the game from playing and coaching while growing up near Liverpool in Sydney, his senior playing days with Parramatta and South Sydney as a halfback, to his coaching years that took him from Lismore to the Illawarra Steelers, Hunter Mariners, Leeds Rhinos, Sydney Roosters, NQ Cowboys, City Origin and New South Wales.

In more than four decades in and around rugby league at the top level, I have never met a more genuine, caring and down-to-earth footy man.

And his influence was evident recently when the Australian Jillaroos 2017 World Cup team’s senior players spoke emotionally and extensively about Murray’s strong legacy that still exists long after winning the 2013 World Cup in honour of their coach of less than a year who had to stand down from the role after his first heart attack.

Cara and Amanda made a point of watching their 2017 Women’s World Cup victory over New Zealand in Brisbane weeks ago, such is the strong link that still remains with the senior players.

And many of ‘Muzza’s’ traits (and those of Amanda) are evident in Cara.

“He was such a people’s person; I wish I had more of him to be honest,” she smiled.

“I like how BMD strongly stands for the family investment, which was important to Dad too. It’s so nice to have that family core in what I do.

“That’s why I try to do well, because Dad was so caring and giving to other people. It’s so rewarding to work with a company that supports an organisation like Men of League as well as sporting clubs and to be able to say that my dad worked for them, or volunteered with them.

“I would love to get more involved with them and carry on where he left off.”

To that end, Cara is looking to accompany the Foundation’s wellbeing officers on some visits in 2018.

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Busy period in Newcastle Hunter Peter Corcoran

It has been hectic time for the Newcastle Hunter committee’s wellbeing team in the past few months with a successful race day at Cessnock followed by the well-supported pre-V8 race day luncheon at Newcastle’s Albion Hotel, where former Socceroos captain Reg Date is host, Newcastle identities visited by our wellbeing team that included John Lawrence (Waratah Mayfield and Souths); John Scott (a Newcastle 230-match veteran and life member of Newcastle and Maitland leagues and long-term Newcastle selector); Terry Davies (Souths); John Wilson (Souths); Keith Holland (formerly of Balmain); Wayne Aaoke (Newcastle

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and Knights player) and Greg Hennessey (now with the new Port Stephens committee.

Recent game casualties like Lakes’ Damian Jobson and Maitland’s Nathan Pili were also visited.

Jobson, 35, broke his C4 and C5 vertebrae when a tackle went wrong as the Windale Eagles faced the University of Newcastle in a match at Windale, while Nathan was injured in a tackle while playing for the East Maitland Griffins.

Damian, unfortunately, is a confirmed quadriplegic.

Nathan has recovered somewhat and is on his feet again.

Many will recall Wests and Newcastle dashing centre Paul Slattery. Paul recently had a knee replacement and is working hard at rehab.

Michael Dickson, 19, was visited in Newcastle’s John Hunter Hospital trauma ward after a serious contact incident in a reserve grade match on the Central Coast. He has required facial re-constructions.

Many will remember Dr John Hollingsworth, the long-term medico for Newcastle and NSWCRL. Dr Hollingsworth was in the Lake Macquarie Private Hospital recently, recovering from a partial foot amputation and was visited by Newcastle and Hunter wellbeing officers David Turrell, Vince Murphy and Gary Drummond.

John has a long history in various aspects of rugby league. He played for North Newcastle in 1967-68 while a resident doctor at Royal Newcastle Hospital and with Western Suburbs second division from 1973-75. From 1989 to 1992 John was a doctor for the Newcastle Knights and Knights juniors and was also involved with the Newcastle’s representative sides from 1994-2014. He was also the doctor for the Country Rugby League side from 2003-14.

Newcastle Hunter wellbeing team of Garry Drummond, Vince Murphy and David Turrell visit Dr John Hollingsworth.

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Remembering t The Foundation wishes to recognise the recent passing of the following people.

For more tributes or expanded versions visit www.menofleague.com Joan Bliss Men of League Foundation member Joan Bliss has passed away aged 91. In 1946 Joan met the love of her life, a welldressed young salesman from Balmain called John Bliss, who was to become a gifted rugby league player for the Balmain, North Sydney, Manly-Warringah, NSW and Australia. He was also a beach sprint champion, winning 12 successive Australian championships.

Joan was a devoted supporter of the Narrabeen Sharks and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles.

Frank Bromley Frank Bromley, well-known player for the CYs team in Ipswich and Estates in Townsville, passed away aged 93.

After knee injuries ended his playing career he continued as a strapper for Brothers Ipswich.

A spring-maker at Queensland Rail, he later held a bookmakers licence and many old players and punters might remember him over 20 years at Brisbane and country race tracks up until 1993.

Neil Bunting Sunshine Coast member Neil Bunting passed away peacefully in Redcliffe Hospital after a long battle with cancer. Neil had battled cancer for seven years but had only become ill 42

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again three months before his passing. Neil was the father of Queensland wellbeing and education officer Mark Bunting.

He is survived by his wife Rita.

Roger Cowan Roger Cowan, OAM, who died in October aged 81, was a highly successful, trailblazing and influential figure in the licensed club field and a driving force behind the emergence of Penrith Panthers as a leagues club and football club.

He was CEO of Panthers from 1965-2005. In that time the club moved from premises in Station St to the banks of the Nepean River through Cowan’s vision and Panthers became a massive entertainment and community hub. “His entrepreneurial spirit and vision grew Panthers into the business it is today,” said Panthers chairman Dave O’Neill.

“His leadership was energetic and hands-on, and he gave great importance to the club’s employees’ interests, wellbeing and goals. His emphatic belief that the growth and success of the club could only be attributed to his colleagues and members made him one of a kind.”

John Fooks John Fooks passed away in July at after a long battle with cancer.

He was 60.

While John followed the Brisbane rugby league and was an avid supporter of Brothers, his main interest during his youth were cars, water-skiing and boats.

He first became involved in the game when his son Ronnie began playing with Holy Spirit Brothers at Strathpine. His placid knowledge made him a natural team manager and he fulfilled this role for many years.

John Heery The life member of the Brothers Junior Rugby League Club in Townsville, and the Townsville Social Club, and was also wellknown as a league caller for 4AY and 4TO in the 1970s-80s.

He called local and Foley Shield matches, interstate games and international matches played in North Queensland. Some of his descriptions are legendary and are still spoken about.

Heery was also instrumental in raising funds for schoolboys representatives, including Gavin Payne who was the first schoolboy from Townsville to be selected in the Australian Schoolboys side. The Townsville Social Club was an important revenue raising source through activities that included bringing top entertainers to town.

Money raised from these events went back into the local league to help clubs purchase some quality players and coaches such as John Bucknall and

those now gone Henry Hollaway. John passed away having a heart attack after a long battle with leukaemia.

Chris Kirkpatrick Several members of the Bundaberg Men of League attended the funeral of Christopher ‘Cristo’ Kirkpatrick after he passed away, aged 57, after a long battle with cancer.

Cristo played for Natives (now Eastern Suburbs) in the Bundaberg competition in the 1980s. After retiring from the game he continued his involvement with Natives as team manager and other capacities.

He transferred to Hervey Bay with his work and continued his involvement with rugby league.

At his service it was requested for people to make a donation to Men of League in lieu of flowers and $150 was raised.

Michael O’Halloran League loyalist Michael O’Halloran passed away, aged 50, in September at Allora, Queensland. He left a loving wife Amanda and daughter Chloe after a struggle with illness.

Born in Allora, he was a dedicated devotee to rugby league and his beloved Wattles Warriors for who he played at junior and senior levels over many years.

After he had hung up his boots Michael was a welcome sight to so many players cruising across the turf with a ‘magic sponge’ and water bottle.

A classy lock, he represented Toowoomba under-18s in 1985 and was a well-respected performer in the Wattles top grade side. The O’Halloran family is synonymous with the Wattles club; Michael’s parents Terry and Shirley are proud Wattles life members and Terry is a former club president.

Amanda administered the QRL South West Division juniors for a decade. Michael also performed admirably as a Queensland selector at QRL Junior State Championships over many years.

Warren Persal Fraser Coast residents are mourning the loss of popular businessman and philanthropist Warren Persal, who died suddenly aged 75 after battling ill health for several years.

His many companies in Queensland spanned power line construction, hotels and the hire business. Warren’s generosity and support was felt throughout the Fraser Coast as he sponsored dozens of clubs, events and worthy causes and also helped individuals and families in need, frequently paying medical and education expenses. His philanthropic work was recognised when he was named 2016 Fraser Coast Citizen of the Year.

Tommy Reko Rugby league in country NSW, especially the Riverina, lost one of its staunchest supporters with

the passing of Tommy Reko in Hillston following a short illness.

He had a great passion for rugby league, firstly as a player with Merriwagga in the early 50s and later in administration in Group 17 and for Riverina division as a selector and secretary/treasurer for the group for a long period.

He was awarded life membership to CRL and Group 17.

Marcus Romain Marcus passed away peacefully on 28 August. He was born in New Zealand and his family moved to Australia when he was three. He was an active member of North Narrabeen SLSC, a noted surf boat rower who competed for the A-crew that won the interstate challenge in 1968. He also played league for Collaroy and the Narrabeen Sharks.

Dennis Smith Dennis ‘Pud’ Smith, of Woy Woy, passed away on 11 November.

‘Pud’ has been fighting a serious condition for several years and suffered a stroke on the Friday before his death.

Smith played in the front row for the 1963 premiership winning Gosford Townies team at age 17 and went on to play lower grades with Western Suburbs in Sydney.

He returned to the Central Coast and played 17 seasons with Umina Bunnies. Pud was a great follower of rugby league and Men of League Foundation until his death.

Contributions for consideration in these can be sent to magazine@menofleague.com Caring for pages the men, women and children of the rugby league community 43

Men of League would like to thank our sponsors, gold and corporate members for their continued assistance in enabling us to support the men, women and children of the rugby league community.

Sponsors

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Gold Members Glen Appleby

Colin Foran

Bill Lansbury

Dale Naumann

Mitch Spencer

Neil Armstrong

Rodney Geer

Brendan Leamy

Joey Neukam

Darren Stevens

Don Bailey

Ben Giblett

William Lee

Shane Nichols

Luke Stewart

Matthew Benson

Glenn Gillroy

Gary Leonard

Aaron Nicoll

Anthony Sullivan

Garry Boyd

Gregory Glover

Geoffrey Logue

John Noakes

Erin Sullivan

Billy Brant

Glenn Gorick

Rick Lyddiard

Nick Noonan

Alan Sullivan

Peter Brien

Loreen Green

Wayne Madden

Stewart O'Connor

Peter Sullivan

Garry Cameron

Justin Hamilton

Scott Markham

Martin O'Rourke

Daryl Campbell

Wayne Hampton

Jason Markwell

Mark Payne

Rodney Summerville

Ferdinando Campisi

Denis Hayes

Stephen Martin

Peter Taylor

Richard Campling

Jeff Heard

James Mason

Robyn Prenzler Wilson

Rodney Thompson

Greg Clay

Levi Hegarty

Sam Mayer

Yvonne Purtell

John Tomasetig

Andrew Coates

Michael Herbert

Tina McClintock

Martin Raftery

Noel Towler

Glenn Connor

Craig Higgins

Jane McNeil

Michael Rasmussen

Justin Wakefield

Peter Corcoran

Darrell Hinga

Ken Mildwater

Phillip Reid

Ian Walker

Bruce Cowan

Richard Holder

Stephen Miller

Terry Ryan

Stephen Want

Ian Cunningham

Mark Holmes

Daniel Molesworth

Steve Ryan

Bill Wavish

Phil Dawe

Bradley Howell

Robert Murdoch

Andrew Saunders

Cheng Wei Lin

Michael De Vere

Mitchell Joyce

Trevor Murphy

Garry White

Terry Dodd

Lynn Kearney

David Murphy

Constantine Serban

Chris Drayton

Jeff Kilian

Mark Murray

Michael Sharp

Colin Woods

Gary Driscoll

Andrew Kippen

Rick Murray

Graeme Smith

Steve Wylde

Luke Ellis

Rick Laing

James Myatt

Rod Smith

Tony Yates

Steve Williams

Corporate Members Dead Knick Capital Pty Ltd | Michael Deane | Barry Grace | Anthony Hancock George McNeill | Craig McTavish | Joe Reitano | Colin Ward

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NRL Wellbeing & Education

The goal of the Wellbeing & Education program is to turn talented players into people of character and integrity; people who are better for being part of rugby league.

Developing career balance In partnership with the RLPA we recognise those players who have excelled in formal education throughout the 2017 season through the unveiling of the NRL and NYC academic teams of the year.

As a game that is continually striving to make its players the best they possibly can be on and off the field, it is important to celebrate the academic achievements of our game’s players. These players have shown commitment not only to their footy but also their futures by committing to the pursuit of further education.

A great example of the work the NRL players and the wellbeing and education department has undertaken across the last year is the Graduates of League program, which is thriving. This is a program that makes real difference for NRL players pursuing their academic goals.

The NRL and clubs have forged strong relationships with more than 50 universities and VET providers who provide quality programs and flexibility to help cater for our athletes.

The culture of our players towards education and further study has changed significantly in recent years with more than 600 players currently engaged in post-secondary school education and two-thirds of all players reporting that engaging in education has aided their rugby league performance.

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2017 NRL Academic Team of the Year.

The days of a player being forced to make a choice between chasing education pursuits or a professional rugby league career are over and the evidence is overwhelming that a balanced approach to elite sport and vocational preparation for life after sport creates a happier player both on and off the field.

Senior NRL wellbeing and education manager Paul Heptonstall is delighted at seeing so many players now enrolled in university or certificate programs and has commented that making the selection of players in the academic teams this year much more competitive.

The most pleasing aspect of this increased educational engagement is that the best players in the game are showing that it is possible to combine a professional athletic career with other vocational pursuits.

2017 NYC Academic Team of the Year

Harry Grant (Storm) Cert. III Electrical

Patrick Carrigan (Broncos) B. Physiotherapy

Billy Magoulias (Sharks) B. Business

Joseph Tramontana (Bulldogs) B. Health Science

Stuart Mason (Dragons) B. Exercise Science

Liam Martin (Panthers) B. Science

Mitchell Dunn (Cowboys) B. Education

Tyronne Roberts-Davis (Titans) Cert. III Carpentry

Joseph Ratuvakacereivalu (Roosters) B. Accounting

Eiden Ackland (Warriors) B. Arts / B. Law

Dane Aukafolau (Eels) Cert. IV Education Support

Blake Manowski (Rabbitoh) B. Medical Science

Royce Tout (Tigers) B. Law

2017 NRL Academic Team of the Year

Tom Opacic (Broncos) B. Sports & Exercise Science

Michael Lichaa (Bulldogs) Cert. IV Building & Construction

Tom Trbojevic (Sea Eagles) B. Applied Finance / B. Economics

Damien Cook (Rabbitohs) B. Education

Jacob Host (Dragons) B. Exercise & Sports Science

John Asiata (Cowboys) Dip. Financial Planning

Christian Welch (Storm) B. Commerce

Anthony Don (Titans) M. Business

Tim Mannah (Eels) B. Sports Business

Jamie Buhrer (Knights) B. Sports Business

Ava Seumanufagai (Tigers) B. Psychology

Chad Townsend (Sharks) Adv. Dip. Financial Planning

Luke Keary (Roosters) B. Business Administration

“It’s a wonderful achievement really and testament to the players’ continued commitment to balancing their life off the field,” Heptonstall said. “They are the ideal example for the next generation of professional athletes to follow; that there is much more to life than football.”

The Pasifika Excellence and Leadership Award

Tim Mannah was awarded the NRL Academic player of the team. He said: “It was a real honour to be recognised in the NRL Academic Team of the Year and an unexpected surprise to receive the individual award. I am very grateful for all the support that I received from the NRL and the Parramatta Eels throughout the duration of my degree.

The Pasifika and Indigenous Excellence and Leadership Awards were presented at the 2017 NRL/RLPA academic awards night. This year’s recipients were Adam Blair from the Brisbane Broncos (Pasifika) and Ryan James from the Gold Coast Titans (Indigenous).

“ACPE were also understanding and supportive of the need to balance my studies with my training and playing commitments with the Eels.

The criteria for selection of these awards were based on academic/vocational engagement, internal and external leadership to a club setting and sustained on-field success.

“Completing my degree has inspired me to continue my studies with a Diploma in Financial Planning being my next challenge.

“I am also fortunate to have the opportunity to be mentored by senior management at Parramatta Leagues Club and the Eels team as part of the NRL Career Transition Program,” Mannah concluded

Ryan and Adam excelled and demonstrated a long-term commitment to rugby league, academia and Pasifika/Indigenous outreach.

Adam Blair said: “I am humble and grateful to receive the Pasifika Excellence Award.”

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ClubGRANTS

Men of League wishes to thank the NSW registered clubs which assisted the Foundation during 2017 under the NSW Government’s ClubGRANTS scheme.

There are two categories under which we can receive assistance. Category 1 expenditure is for projects and/or services that contribute to the welfare and broader social fabric of the local community, and are aimed at improving the living standards of low income and disadvantaged people, including community welfare and social services, community development, community health services, employment assistance and activities. Funding is determined at a local government area (LGA) level.

Category 2 is determined by the individual club.

A local committee (council) is established in areas where the Category 1 ClubGRANTS liability for all participating clubs exceeds $30,000.

The role of the ClubGRANTS local committee is to provide a broad consultative and advisory process so that qualifying clubs and key community service agencies may participate.

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Each local committee sets its own closing dates for applications. Recipients should also advise the funding club of any changes in circumstances, such as what the money will be spent on.

Organisations must obtain the club’s written approval before making any changes.

Successfully funded projects in 2016

• A traction bed ($16,692.10) was provided

for a recipient in Nelson Bay. Committees involved were Newcastle, Port Stephens and Sydney Metro.

• A breathing machine ($8,791.10) was

provided for a recipient in Tumbi Umbi, facilitated by the Central Coast committee.

• A stair/chair Lift ($12,899) was provided for an amputee recipient in Ryde-Eastwood, facilitated by the Penrith committee.

QRL history committee The QRL history committee met on 13 October to discuss the many activities taking place for the second half of 2017, including the Rugby League World Cup. Committee members sourced items for the QRL display centre to be ready for the semi-final and final of the World Cup which were played at Suncorp Stadium. These items include Lew Platz’s 1975 World Cup blazer with committee member Paul Hayes giving up much of his own time to assist in updating the displays. Staff from the NRL museum also came to Brisbane to assist in the weeks leading up to the World Cup. The 1946 Queensland jersey worn by Reg Pegg was also donated to the QRL for display prior to next year’s State of Origin series.

Ross Livermore Lecture

Following the success of previous lectures, the 2018 Ross Livermore lecture will be delivered by much-celebrated coach Wayne Bennett with 2018 marking the 30th year since the Brisbane Broncos took to the field for the first time (Bennett coached Brisbane for their first 21 seasons. The time and date for this event is yet to be confirmed but this is sure to be a very popular event and full details will be advertised soon.

Plans are also underway for the 2019 lecture which will be delivered by Michael Hagan on the experiences of Australians playing in the UK, something he (Halifax) and his brother Bob (Huddersfield) did in their playing days.

100 years of rugby league in Cassowary Coast- Innisfail celebrations Celebrations for the centenary of the establishment of rugby league in the Cassowary Coast region recently took place in Innisfail.

Home grown internationals from Innisfail: (from left) - Trevor McDonald, Kerry Boustead, Lionel Williamson and Billy Slater – with organiser Nick Birchley (2nd from left).

A gala dinner was held on 18 November which was attended by QRL Managing DIrector Rob Moore, Northern Division chair Leigh Anderson, Northern Division manager Scott Nowsworthy and acting assistant division manager Robbie Moore and their wives. Also present was locally based QRL history committee member Greg Shannon who was also member of the celebrations committee.

With 370 people attending, some travelling from other states, it was a wonderful night celebrating the game’s history in the region and was very well supported by the local community, including the Cassowary Coast Regional Council and sponsors.

Highlights of the event included a display of memorabilia and a series of interviews conducted

by Shire councilor (and former Cairns Cyclones player) Ben Heath with the four Innisfail homegrown Australian representatives Trevor McDonald, Lionel Williamson, Kerry Boustead and Billy Slater. Slater made a huge effort to attend, having played the night before for Australia in the World Cup match against Samoa in Darwin.

Another one of Innisfail’s favourite sons, Cowboys forward Scott Bolton, was also interviewed while among the 370-strong audience were many former players and their families including former Queensland player and local icon Ron Tait. Men of League was well represented with Queensland manager and former Test prop David Shillington and Far North Queensland committee president John McAllister attending.

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League Trivia 1. Who has scored the most points for New Zealand in Test matches?

6. Which 2018 NRL coach has been in the role the longest?

2. James Maloney has played in grand finals for three different clubs, who are they?

7. England had seven current NRL players in their 2017 World Cup squad, can you name them?

3. Who has scored the most tries in World Cup history?

8. Who captained Balmain in their controversial upset grand final victory against South Sydney in 1969?

4. Which player, after more than 179 games in the NRL before moving to Hull where he has won two Challenge Cup finals, captained Italy in this year’s World Cup? 5. Which player has won the most Golden Boots as the world’s best player?.

9. NRL veteran forward Eddy Pettybourne has played for three different nations, can you name them (two in World Cups, one in a Test match)?

10. In what season was the NRL grand final played under lights for the first time?

ANSWERS: 1. Shaun Johnson. 2. Warriors, Roosters and Sharks. 3. Bob Fulton 4. Mark Minichiello. 5. Johnathan Thurston (2011, 2013, 2015). 6. Craig Bellamy, 15 seasons with Melbourne Storm since 2003. 7. James Graham, Sam Burgess, Tom Burgess, Chris Heighington, Josh Hodgson, Elliott Whitehead and Gareth Widdop. 8. Peter Provan. 9. New Zealand, USA and Samoa. 10. 2001, Parramatta v Newcastle, at the Olympic Stadium in Sydney..

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Committee News Brisbane

Central Coast

The Brisbane committee proudly welcomed Sue Calder as a new member at a recent meeting at Red Hill Community Sports Club. Sue is the widow of former Queensland State manager Steve Calder who passed away in 2015. Steve and Sue were childhood sweethearts, growing up in western New South Wales. She has always been an ardent supporter of the game and will bring with her a wealth of knowledge from her experiences at the 'coal face' with Steve and another rugby league and Men of League identities. Former Queensland events and operations manager Tegan Jennings, a close friend of the Calder family, is also a Brisbane committee member.

Our annual golf day at Shelly Beach Golf Course in September was played in great sunny and calm weather conditions with 110 attending the four-ball Ambrose event. Once again thanks to the golf club staff for their professional assistance and to the many prize donors for making the day a success.

Steve Ricketts, publicity officer

Dennis Tomsett, publicity officer

Our committee was strongly represented at the Queensland Men of League annual lunch at the Exhibition Grounds, where so many matches were played involving Brisbane representative sides.

At the time of going to press, former Queensland State of Origin winger Chris Walker and South Sydney utility David Tyrell (formerly of WynnumManly) were scheduled to be guest speakers at our December 6 Christmas Kick-Off Club lunch at Broncos Leagues Club.

Our committee has been busy working on the lunch schedule for 2018, which is likely to include events at Club Pine Rivers, Wynnum Leagues, Norths Kallangur and possibly a totally new venue as part of our continued association with the Broncos.

The winners were Darryn Flack, Adam Gowan, Warren Gentle and Tim Diserens with a great score of nett 52.5 off a handicap of 8.5. About 50 prizes were presented.

Following the morning golf, the players enjoyed a two-course meal and the presentation proceedings was conducted by Don Parish. Guest speaker Frank Barrett entertained the audience while being interviewed by Don. Frank told of his many experiences as a player, manager and administrator during his time in NSW and Queensland and now with the Foundation.

We have enjoyed a very successful year of fund-raising activities and we thank our many supporters for making this possible.

Events scheduled for 2017 are a bowls day in February, State of Origin luncheon in May, race day in July and a golf day in September. Following confirmation, dates will be posted on the Men of League website and notification will be sent by email.

The prospect of sub-committees being formed in what is termed the 'Greater Brisbane Metropolitan Area' remains a hot topic for discussion with Redlands and Ipswich at the forefront of such moves, although things are very much in the preliminary stage.

There have been many visits by our wellbeing officers to those people in need of support and assistance. The Foundation has provided vouchers, wheel chairs, motorised scooters and other disability equipment. Many people who needed some company to chat with to help them through their difficult times were also visited.

Brisbane wellbeing officers, Vance Rennie and Chris Kelly, continue to do great work with the help of other committee members, and, at different stages, members of the Broncos playing staff.

We hope that you and your families have a Merry Christmas and on behalf of our committee members we wish you all a safe and prosperous new year.

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Far North Queensland

Far South Coast

The Far North Queensland committee held a dinner at Brothers Leagues Club on 20 September to acknowledge the visit of the Prime Minister’s XIII as they travelled through on their annual trip to Papua New Guinea. A good crowd attended to listen to Mal Meninga give an overview of the trip and preview the upcoming World Cup. Mal was genuine in his praise of the PM’s squad, indicating that all players had the ability to represent Australia at the World Cup.

The Far South Coast Men of League committee has announced Sunday 7 January as the date for the annual charity golf day for 2018, once again to be held at Eden Gardens Country Club.

Tom Trbojevic said he was excited to be included in the PM’s XIII and was looking forward to his first visit to PNG. James Maloney was at his mischievous best during his interview with Dave Shillington and forced auction prices up with some spirited bidding. The night was a resounding success with 185 in attendance and raised substantial dollars for the Foundation.

Con Zurkas has confirmed the Eden Motor Group will once again be our major sponsor for our big day in January.

Kev Maher, publicity officer

The Foundation had a marquee at the World Cup double header at Barlow Park in Cairns.

The two matches, Ireland v Italy and Tonga v Scotland, were very well received by the 9000 odd spectators attending. The Foundation raffled a fully signed Italian jersey.

When this went to press the Innisfail District Rugby League centenary committee was looking forward to the big 100-year celebration dinner to be held in the Innisfail Shire Hall on Saturday 1 November.

The committee have decided to donate proceeds to the Men of League which is a great gesture. David Shillington was there to represent the Foundation along with Far North committee members John McAllister and Stan Williams.

Sheldon Wykes, secretary

This is the committee’s major fundraiser for the year.

The 2017 event was our biggest success yet with participation of over 120 starters.

If you would like to secure a place on the course you can book a spot through the pro shop at Eden Gardens or contact our president Colin Clarke.

The committee attended a trivia night that was held to raise money to help support young Nic Hahir and his family after a major operation was required as a result of an injury during a game a few years earlier.

Nic is recovering well and was thankful for the support Ben Ross and the Men of League Foundation has provided.

The night was a great success with the Men of League table taking out second place with fun and laughter a big part of the evening.

At our recent meeting we had the presence of Group 16 president Alan Wilton who has become a member of our committee and is looking forward to his association with the Foundation.

Alan hopes to create a stronger link between the Group 16 committee and local Men of League members to benefit our great game here on the Far South Coast.

Good times at the Men of League Barlow Park activation in Cairns.

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Finally, I would like to acknowledge and thank Club Sapphire, Eden Fisherman’s Club, Tathra Country Club, Tathra Bowling Club, Radio 2EC and our local newspaper outlets of Fairfax Media for their tremendous support of the Far South Coast Men of League committee.

Olympian Fred Casey (1964 Tokyo Olympics boxer) their contributions ensured a successful day.

Fraser Coast

Jeff Bacchi, secretary The Fraser Coast committee was extremely proud that president Kev Embrey was announced as the Queensland Men of League volunteer of the year at the Queensland Men of League annual luncheon.

Kev does a great deal of work for the Foundation and rugby league in general and the award was well deserved. Without Kev’s work some of the functions held by the committee would not be as successful as they have become. Congratulations and thanks Kev. The recent Hervey Bay golf day was again a success with fine weather making for an enjoyable day.

Some great golf was played with the RSL team of Michael Hogan, Greg Strong, and Nikki Rake taking the major prizes. Last year’s winners, the Cartridge World team, was runner up and the Men of League team was a close third. The official proceedings included minor prizes, raffles and memorabilia auctions and afterwards there was the usual social interaction amongst those participating.

On a sadder note, the committee patron Warren Persal and supporter Trevor Cecil passed away recently. Warren was a tremendous supporter of the committee and Trevor usually assisted in running auctions at various functions held by the committee. Warren and Trevor also contributed extensively to the communities of Maryborough and Hervey Bay and will be greatly missed.

Preparations for the Hervey Bay sportsman’s dinner on 17 February are proceeding and discussions are being held with some high-profile sports people to be guest speakers at the dinner.

Gold Coast

Greg Sylvester, publicity officer Our annual golf day was held on Friday 15 September, at Emerald Lakes, the weather was perfect and conditions excellent. Congratulations to the winners, Jim Lenehan, Jamal Fogarty, Patty Politini and Des Schloss. A special thank you to our volunteers Kim Lees, Bob Honan, Dennis Ward, Greg Sylvester, Greg Rousell and former

It is pleasing to report that former Australian hooker Ron Turner has recovered from back surgery and Elsie and Bobby Dimond have returned to their residence.

Whilst Elsie was hospitalised with Influenza, Bobby was in respite care.

The news is not so pleasing on John White as he has now started chemotherapy on his stomach.

In John’s words he is taking two steps forward and four back, but he has a very positive attitude.

We would like to thank the Nerang RSL Club, especially Lloyd Evans, Sharnie Mott and Shane Stevens, who presented the Foundation with a cheque for $5000 from their football tipping competition.

On hand to receive this generous donation were Bob Honan, Dennis Ward, Graeme Farrar, Ron Turner, Greg Sylvester and Paul Charlton.

It was a pleasure for the Gold Coast committee and Burleigh Bears Leagues Club to host a luncheon for Esme Clay (widow of Brian) Norma Wilson (Billy), Bobby Bugden (Bob), Marilyn Lees (Merv) and Val Irvine (Ken).

The ladies were each delighted to have a letter forwarded to them from Larry Writer (author of Never Before, Never Again) highlighting their husband’s careers.

We would like to thank Bob Honan who, after 10 years of outstanding work as a committee member, has decided to retire. We thank him for his many contributions and welcome Dean Lance to the committee.

Also thanks to the FIGS ( Former International Greats) and the Parramatta Eels 1981-83 premiership winning teams who generously signed two jerseys which will be auctioned at our next Internationals gala dinner.

Our next event is the Gold Coast Internationals gala dinner which will be held on Friday 23 February at the Burleigh Bears Leagues Club.

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There will be over 40 internationals, plus special guests in attendance. Do not be disappointed by missing out on the limited number of tickets, phone Burleigh Bears on 07 5572 4055 for tickets and enquiries.

Preparations are in advance for the delivery of the Christmas hampers. Whilst on Christmas, we would like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Goondiwindi

Michael Steepe, wellbeing officer The Men of League-Legacy golf day for 2017 had record numbers tee off at the Goondiwindi Golf Club in November.

The Goondiwindi committee hosted the annual golf day which is the major fundraiser for the year and were honoured to have as special guest North Queensland Cowboys star Ethan Lowe take the course.

While his football skills are on par unfortunately his golfing skills are something to be left to talk about.

The boys from the Goondiwindi branch kept the players well-fed and hydrated during the day and live music from the mobile music Kombi van provided a great sound.

Mick Evans, Mick Heery and Ian Amos at the golf day.

Your own piece of sporting history Footy fans can now visit www.nrlimagery.com and have their favourite photos printed out.

We have thousands of photos from present day players to legends from yesteryear.

• Various sized prints • Panoramics • Stretched canvas To order an image simply email NRL Imagery at nrlimagery@nrl.com.au 54

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The golf day capped off a wonderful year for the Goondiwindi branch who provide a great service to the rugby league community from running the bar at Goondiwindi senior rugby league games to helping former players with general work and chores where needed while raising money for Men of League.

The Goondiwindi branch would like to thank all the sponsors that took part in the day because without them the day would not be able to go ahead.

We the committee would like to say thanks for another great year and look forward to 2018 with Men of League.

The people we visited were thrilled to be met by such a high profile footy personality and, because Petero is such a warm and sincere person, the whole experience was even more special for them.

For people confined to a wheelchair or a small room in a nursing home this is an amazing thing and the looks on their faces said it all.

Tickets are $50 and the prize is $10,000.

Should anyone be interested in a ticket, phone 0408 825 466 or email rig63@bigpond.com.

If you are online and not receiving emails about coming events, please contact me at – Gympie@menofleague.com to update your details.

North Queensland Cowboys forward Ethan Lowe with Goondiwindi committee secretary Peter Sullivan.

Gympie

Greg Pountney, secretary Our recent Kick-Off Club speaker was Brad Kennedy who was the first player to be selected for Queensland while playing in the Gympie competition.

He played in the 1970s against champions such as Mick Cronin and Steve Rogers and had some wonderful memories of that era. We have been fortunate to welcome Kerrie and Ian Moulds as wellbeing officers. It’s been great to see the enthusiasm and the new ideas they’ve introduced into our committee.

Petero Civoniceva was a welcome addition to our wellbeing team a couple of months ago.

From left: Greg Pountney, Ian and Kerri Moulds. Front: George Sami and Petero Civoniceva.

Mackay

Paul Hudson, president The Mackay committee organised a fund-raising dinner on 10 November at West Tigers Leagues Club, Walkerston, featuring Ben Ikin and Paul Kent from the Fox Sports’ NRL 360 program. Over 100 people attended and enjoyed listening to Ben and Paul relay some interesting behind the scenes stories about the NRL.

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Paul Kent informed the audience of his thoughts regarding the running of the game and advised of some surprising details about player movements and other topics including Jarryd Hayne and a hilarious story involving Tommy Raudonikis.

Ben Ikin relayed the story of his State of Origin debut and meeting the coach Paul Vautin for the first time, who thought he was at the team hotel chasing autographs. The banter between the two special guests was very entertaining and the gathering hung on every word.

Another guest was Betty Laird, the wife of former Mackay player Ray Laird who played for Queensland in the 1960s and represented Australia in 1970 as a fullback. Ray is suffering illness and Betty spoke about her appreciation of the Men of League and, in particular, Mackay wellbeing officer Ken Weir.

Bev and Vince Murphy with David and Susan Turrell representing Mick Brown from B&B Supplies, sponsor of race two.

Northern Rivers

Garry Ensbey, media officer Our committee held a successful annual golf day for the Foundation on 14 October. Despite heavy overcast conditions the event still went ahead.

President Phil Chesham thanked all players for their endurance with the heavy course conditions and thanked the individual sponsors for their continued support.

Ben Ikin, Mackay committee president Paul Hudson and Paul Kent.

Newcastle Hunter

David Turrell, wellbeing officer Men of League race day was held at Cessnock race club on Monday 25 September. A great day of racing was enjoyed. Many thanks go to our race day sponsors IGA Liquor, B&B Supplies, Cessnock Leagues Club, Cessnock Rugby League Old Boys, East Cessnock Bowling Club and our own Men of League.

Special thanks to Newcastle Jockey Club for their organisation and involvement on the day and to Gary Harley for his tips. Many thanks and well done to everyone involved in making the day a success.

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Winners for the day were local players, Lachlan Ritson, Bridget Reedy, Gina Phillips and her husband James, each winning a Men of League golf bag. The Foundation raised over $4000 on the day.

A former Northern Rivers players get together, held at Lismore City Bowling Club on 29 October, saw 14 oldies turn up. The bowling club donated $100 to the committee.

Scott Jones, son of Greg Jones, successful Marist Brothers Lismore coach in the 1980s, suffered severe burns to 45 percent of his body in a horrific gas explosion at the Lismore Turf Club. Scott is an amazing family man, husband to Elizabeth and father of three young children. Our committee wishes Scott a speedy recovery and hope to raise funds at our annual greyhound night in March next year to assist them.

Riverina

Ian Lloyd, secretary We recently conducted our Caulfield Cup race day in conjunction with the Group 9 Weissel Medal best and fairest count at the Murrumbidgee Turf Club, Wagga.

We were privileged to have three special guests in former internationals Greg Brentnall, Paul Sironen and NSW Of Origin representative Michael Weyman who presented the awards and took part in a question and answer segment.

A significant amount was raised on the weekend from auctions and raffles. Wattles Old Boys gave a donation of $2100 and we thank them very much, as well as Kinetic Toll Group, Grant Lorenz Insurance, Origin, Commonwealth Hotel and Roma Transport were the major sponsors for the weekend.

Again, we thank Steve Outen and the golf club committee for organising the weekend.

A big thank you goes to Peter Flynn with his interviewing skills and Lyle Cherry for running the weekend to order.

Men of League wishes to thank Greg, Paul and Mick for taking the time to be part of the Weissel Medal count and race day. Gundagai captaincoach James Smart was crowned the first grade best and fairest.

The race day was very successful with a good crowd in attendance. The Foundation sponsored five races and we thank Austwide Homes, Daniel Woods Funeral Care, Thomas Blamey Tavern, Group 9 and the three Wagga clubs for their wonderful support.

As this article will be published close to Christmas, I would like to take the opportunity of wishing our local members an enjoyable Christmas and New Year and thank you for your support throughout 2017.

Peter Flynn and Alanah Ladbrook (Wattles reunion) presenting Steve Outen (junior rugby league) with cheque.

Southern Sydney

Bruce Thompson, secretary Our committee has been busy over the past six months with plenty of wellbeing and fundraising activities being undertaken.

Roma

Owen Lingard, president Our third event for the year was our dinner and golf day. It was a very successful weekend with Dave Shillington giving an overview on the goals and procedures of Men of League.

Guest speaker Alan Cooney gave a very informative presentation on his time in the Antarctic. Highlight of the evening was the views of our game with the passionate and hilarious Chris ‘Choppy’ Close.

It was great to see local football clubs attending to enjoy the fellowship. Cities legends Michael John, Paul Legg and Dan O’Connor, a former Wallumbilla Hereford, travelled 1000km to attend.

Following on from our luncheon celebration of the 1967 Sharks team, we held a trivia night in the middle of the State of Origin series which was a great success, and most recently a sold-out luncheon to celebrate the 1977 St George Dragons premiership, 40 years on from that great victory in the first ever grand final replay against Parramatta.

Of the 13 that played that day, nine attended the luncheon which was once again expertly compèred by Alan Wilson. Captain Steve Edge was joined by Craig Young, Ted Goodwin, John Bailey, Tony Graham, John Jansen, Bruce Starkey, Tony Quirk and Robert Finch.

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All recounted for the crowd what that day meant for them as a team and as individuals. Some really funny anecdotes kept the crowd laughing.

Our thanks go to all our major sponsors: Harvey Norman, Shimano, McGuigan Wines, Peter Wynn Score and in particular to St George Leagues Club whose generosity enabled us to make a significant contribution to Men of League coffers which will enable the wellbeing work to continue.

Our wellbeing officer John Harris has been busy but surely there are more stories out there where our intervention can assist in some way. Just let us know.

Lastly, thanks to all our members and friends who have supported our functions throughout the year.

We look forward to seeing you all again in 2018.

James Brownsworth is a director of IPS and, as well as entering two teams for the golf day, his company was also a hole sponsor along with McGrath Estate Agents, Rivershore Resort, HMR Projects, Wild Horse Turf, World Gym Maroochydore, Quattro Risk Services, Stilhaus, Coastal Energy, Toro Australia and Bidfood.

Runners-up were Trip Constructions (52.1) while two teams which travelled by bus from Gayndah and were captained by Brent Chambers (53¼) and Tim Russell (42.9), ran third and fourth.

The winning group each received a golf bag donated by Volvik, who were represented by their local agent Sam Hartvigsen of Champion Sports.

Among the special guests on the day were Australian Cricket’s chairman of selectors Trevor Hohns and former Queensland State of Origin players Kerrod Walters, Craig Greenhill and Travis Norton.

Host of Fox Sports’ NRL 360 program, Ben Ikin, will be principal guest speaker at the annual Sunshine Coast Christmas luncheon on 14 December.

1977 St George premiership-winning team members: (from left) Steve Edge, Robert Finch, Tony Quirk, Ted Goodwin, Jon Jansen, Tony Graham, John Bailey, Craig Young and Bruce Starkey.

Sunshine Coast

Ikin, the youngest player to represent either state in State of Origin when he debuted in 1995, will be joined on the dais by Sunshine Coast Lighting captain Geva Mentor. The netball superstar led her team to the 2017 Super Netball premiership in the club’s foundation year.

A record attendance of more than 300 will be on hand to hear from the two guest speakers, with Maroochy RSL again the venue.

Tony Durkin, publicity officer A capacity field, four teams on the waiting list and a record financial result highlighted the 11th annual Sunshine Coast Men of League golf day on 10 November.

Held at Twin Waters Golf Club for the third successive year, the golf day attracted 144 players and was won by the team representing Innovative Planning Solutions.

Captained by James Brownsworth (handicap of 6), the team included Jamie Holbrook (8), Craig Morrison (12) and Craig Bryant (18) and they returned the very impressive score of 57 in the four-man Ambrose event, for a nett result of 51.5.

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Sam Hartvigsen from Champion Sports with the winners (from left) Craig Morrison, Craig Bryant, James Brownsworth and Jamie Holbrook.

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Brad Ryder, publicity officer We celebrated our seventh year of existence with another two successful luncheons at The Juniors, Kingsford on 24 March and 4 August, both Fridays.

We thank chairman Keith McCraw and his board for their ongoing support, and the Tulla Group and Kevin Maloney and Churchills Bar, Kingsford.

We have found that female speakers have been popular and because of this it is hoped that we will have more of the same in future luncheons. Our first luncheon of 2018 will be on Friday 13 April at The Juniors, Kingsford with more details to follow.

In conclusion we wish all involved with Men of League a very Merry Christmas and healthy prosperous New Year.

A couple of activities coming up in early 2018 include a Bunnings sausage sizzle on Saturday 13 January. We are looking for volunteers to help on the day. Anyone who can assist please call Rick Laing on 0419 212 522.

We have a major fundraiser at Clifford Park race track on Saturday 17 February – the 2018 season kick-off – a lunch with special guests Wayne Bennett and Allan Langer, together with some Broncos players and well-known comedian Rob Brown.

A great day of entertainment is planned and full details will be distributed to members in December/January.

Townsville

Barry Buchanan, publicity officer

Toowoomba

Rick Laing, secretary/treasurer The annual general meeting of the Toowoomba committee was held on 6 September and was well attended. Special thanks to Darryl Van de Velde and Queensland David Shillington attending and giving an update of Men of League activities.

Tony Coonan was elected president, Rick Laing elected secretary/treasurer, Andrew O’Brien and Noel Davis wellbeing officers and John Dent, Joan McDonald and Thelma Pollard as committee members.

A special thanks and acknowledgment to Andrew O’Brien, our long serving and hardworking president for many years, who has stepped down from an executive role and is now focusing on wellbeing activities – an issue he is strongly committed and passionate about.

The goal of the new committee is to raise at least $25,000 for the Foundation each year and to focus on increasing membership within the Toowoomba region.

Wellbeing activities continue to be very much the focus, with Andrew and Noel Davis very active and they are regularly in touch with people and providing ongoing support.

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Townsville’s 2017 events came to a big finish on the weekend of 4 -6 November.

On the Friday night the last Kick-Off Club for the year was held at the Riverview Tavern preceded by our AGM to elect the committee for 2018.

National director and new Foundation life member Darryl Van de Velde attended, delivering an informative update that included changes to the membership program.

Our special guest was Chris Close who was most entertaining both during his interview and when mixing with the members before and afterwards.

‘Choppy’ set the record straight that, although he played in Cunnamulla before going to Brisbane, he was a Beaudesert boy which was backed up by local member Lloyd Arthy who attended Beaudesert High at the same time.

Such an enjoyable evening would not have been possible with the contributions from Arthur McMahon, from the Lillywhite Group, and Glen Cummins, from Lion. Thank you so much for your ongoing support.

On the following Sunday, 10 eager volunteers attended the World Cup Rugby League 2017 double-header at the Townsville Stadium,

between Italy-USA and Fiji-Wales, to service the Men of League stand.

with wife Jade and young sons Leyton and Harlem, lifted the spirits of the bowlers.

Crowd attendance was much better than the week before for the one-off match.

He said the Titans players were disappointed with last season's results and were keen to repay their faithful supporters.

The one positive was the raising of a considerable amount after deciding to mingle with the spectators to sell tickets in the raffle of a signed Fiji training shirt.

Our committee is happy to be involved in events such as these but would like to have more input into the general organisation to ensure maximum exposure and successful outcomes.

Next year will mark the 10th anniversary of the Townsville committee and we will be celebrating it accordingly.

In the meantime, keep on caring for our rugby league community and have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

"We are keen to repay our supporters with a muchimproved performance this season," he said.

"We have a new coach in Garth Brennan, several new faces and new systems being set in place and are confident we will perform a lot better."

Tweed president John Strong said the previous best was 70 bowlers and he thanked the host club for their strong support.

Strong said the popular day had grown from strength to strength and he thanked business houses for their sponsorship.

“The day is not really for fund raising and it brings our supporters together for enjoyment and a good day of fun," said Strong.

The NSW state manager Bruce Walker, who flew from Sydney for the day, said he thoroughly enjoyed his first taste of lawn bowls.

Walker, who played with Easts Tigers in Brisbane, North Sydney, Manly and Australia before spending many years living in Adelaide, was greatly impressed with the strong support shown to the Tweed District committee.

Committee members Mark Williams, Natalie Turner and Terry Feeney met Fiji coach Mick Potter at the Rugby League World Cup Launch in Townsville.

“I also thank all here for their support to help Tweed carry out their work to help rugby league families from Tugun through to Mullumbimby.”

Tweed District

Graham Callaghan, publicity officer The Tweed District committee attracted a record 104 bowlers to the eighth annual bowls day at the Coolangatta club.

NSW and Gold Coast Titans hooker Nathan Peats was a welcome special guest.

A lot of players did not immediately recognise Peats who was wearing his full-length beard.

Peats, the complete family man,

Left: Proud dad Nathan Peats nurses 'nearly four-months-old' son Harlem at the Tweed District annual bowls day. Right: Elizabeth, Bill, Will and Jack Preston – regulars at Tweed District bowls day.

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Victoria

Western Sydney

Our Melbourne team has been very busy of late, with several activations that have allowed us to raise money as well as our profile here in Melbourne. We were able to conduct raffles in the corporate areas of AAMI Park for the two final matches and both were enthusiastically supported.

The Western Sydney committee enjoyed a great fundraising lunch with more than 150 guests at Smithfield RSL in September. We paid tribute to legendary John ‘The Bomber’ Peard, with Peter Wynn asking John about his career and life.

Peter Foreman, president

Our team was also involved with the RLWC 2017 opening match between Australia and England. We conducted a table raffle at the corporate luncheon at Crown Palladium, and then conducted a raffle (framed Storm jersey) outside the ground. Both were extremely successful and I would like to thank Andrew O’Brien, the former Toowoomba president, who was in town for the game and assisted our team at both events.

Peter Foreman was a guest at the VRL annual dinner and was afforded the opportunity to address the gathering and talk about the Men of League Foundation and the work that we do for the local community.

Garry O’Donnell, secretary

Secretary Garry O’Donnell interviewed leading horse racing trainer Clarry Conners on horses, jockeys and his four Golden Slipper winners.

President Steve Winbank chatted with ‘the Big Marn’ Darryl Brohman on his football and media careers. There were auctions, raffles and even a phantom race call.

We would like to thank Smithfield RSL for hosting us, event sponsor Jaycar founder and managing director Gary Johnston, our special guests and to everyone who came along to our event.

We look forward to our next event in February at Rydges Parramatta, hope you can join us.

Our CEO Frank Barrett was a welcome guest at a dinner to honour our great mates, Greg and Wendy Brentnall, before their return to Wagga Wagga. They have contributed enormously over their time in Melbourne, with the Storm, VRL and Men of League and we wish them both every success in the future.

We have welcomed Brent Silva and Billy Brant to our committee and both have already demonstrated that they will add significant value to our team.

The Melbourne team selling at the RLWC opener with former Broncos great Steve Renouf. (from left) Greg Warren, Billy Brant, Darren Foreman, Steve Renouf, Peter Foreman a former Storm favourite Dallas Johnson.

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TOP: John Peard, Gary Johnston (Jaycar) and Peter Wynn.

ABOVE: Clarrie Conners, Steve Ghosn and Garry O’Donnell.

Men of League Foundation membership returns to sale February 2018 Be sure to receive all the latest news including membership renewal forms by updating your details on our website.

Visit menofleague.com/updateyourdetails

Don’t forget to follow us on social media menofleaguefoundation

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